Written Answers Nos. 419-433
419. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health if he will alter the system of review for medical cards in order that card holders are given a warning before cut off (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51548/13]
View answerAll medical card and GP visit card holders are subject to a periodic review of eligibility to determine continuing eligibility. Ordinarily, three months before an individual’s existing medical card eligibility expiry date, a review notification issues to the individual (or parents, in the case of a child). A review notification will indicate the card holder should complete a self-assessment or request the card holder to return evidence of household income, assessable outgoings and medical circumstances to enable a full review assessment to be conducted by the HSE. A reminder letter is issued a month later if the requested review form details have not been returned at that point. If a person does not return the review form within the time specified, continuing eligibility cannot be confirmed and the medical card cannot be reissued. In these circumstances, or where the review process establishes that a person no longer holds eligibility, the eligibility ceases.
Persons are requested to return their completed review forms, at least one month in advance of the due expiry date of their existing eligibility in order to give the HSE sufficient time to carry out the review and/or to get back to the individuals if the application is incomplete or requires any further details to be furnished. Where a review form is returned, but not fully completed, by the expiry date, it is HSE policy to extend the eligibility of the client for a reasonable period of time until the review is carried out and a final decision made on the person's continuing eligibility, once there is appropriate communication from the client. Medical card holders who genuinely engage with the review of their medical card eligibility will not have their eligibility withdrawn before that review is complete.
GPs are advised three months in advance of the review dates of their patients’ GP visit cards/medical cards and subsequently the following month, and the month after that, if the patient has not returned the review form by that time. GPs have full electronic visibility of the medical card panel of patients available to them and have the facility to electronically allow temporary extension of eligibility for expiring cards where a sensitive renewal is appropriate. The temporary extension may also be allowed where they are aware that a person is still availing of services but there may be something that prevents them from carrying out a standard review, e.g. a blind person with little family support. GPs can also add new babies to existing cards. All GPs have appropriate electronic access to the medical card eligibility database and they do not have to confirm medical card details by contacting HSE PCRS.
To ensure the most beneficial, effective and efficient use of resources the HSE also undertakes reviews of medical card/GP visit card eligibility, whereby selected cardholders are asked to confirm that they are ordinarily resident in Ireland. Being ordinarily resident in Ireland is a prerequisite for medical card/GP visit card eligibility. Approximately 10,000 letters are issued each month and the cardholder is asked to sign and return a Declaration of Residency to the HSE. On receipt of this Declaration eligibility to the GMS Scheme continues. If a person does not return the Declaration of Residency form their eligibility ceases.
It should be noted that each person who has eligibility to a medical card/GP visit card receives a plastic card on which a ’valid to’ date is printed. This is the latest date that a review may be conducted in respect of that person. Notwithstanding the ‘valid to’ date printed on the card, the HSE reserves the right to review eligibility, at any time, and take appropriate action in circumstances where the cardholder no longer fulfils the criteria for eligibility under the Medical Card / GP Visit Card National Assessment Guidelines.
420. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if a medical card will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and the reason for the delay with same. [51551/13]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
421. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in County Longford is not receiving their orthodontic treatment. [51556/13]
View answerThe HSE provides orthodontic treatment to patients based on their level of clinical need. An individual's access to orthodontic treatment is determined against a set of clinical guidelines and priority is given to patients with greatest needs. The HSE has been asked to examine the specific query raised by the Deputy and to reply to him as soon as possible.
422. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a medical card review in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51557/13]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
423. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Health if sanctions apply to hospitals if they fail to treat the 90% target of persons who are admitted to wards or who are released within the first nine hours following presentation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51563/13]
View answerThe Special Delivery Unit was established to free up access to acute services by improving the flow of patients through the system. The national targets for Emergency Department wait times are:
- 95% of all new Emergency Department patients to wait less than 6 hours;
- 100% of all new Emergency Department patients to wait less than 9 hours.
The times referred to are 'Patient Experience Time' (PET). This is measured from arrival in the Emergency Department to departure from that Department.
Currently there are no sanctions in relation to access targets for either scheduled care or unscheduled care patients. An intensive work programme is ongoing between the SDU's liaison officers, the Clinical Programmes and Hospital teams to pro-actively address delays in patient flow in a positive manner and to achieve the national targets for unscheduled care so that emergency patients may be seen in a timely manner. Sanctions / enforced interventions are being considered for introduction in 2014 by the National Director of Acute Hospitals.
424. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health to indicate, in tabular form, the funding paid by the Health Service Executive to a company (details supplied) in County Mayo for the years 2010 to 2012, inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51593/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have requested the Health Service Executive to investigate and respond directly to the Deputy.
425. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if, under the terms of the fair deal nursing homes support scheme, it is permissible for nursing homes to set a standard monthly charge for extras on top of the residents' stated fees; if nursing homes are required to produce an itemised description of such additional charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51596/13]
View answerThe Nursing Homes Support Scheme provides financial support towards the cost of long-term residential care services in nursing homes. The services which fall within the scope of long-term residential care are:
- nursing and personal care appropriate to the level of care needs of the person;
- bed and board;
- basic aids and appliances necessary to assist a person with the activities of daily living; and
- laundry service.
Goods and services that are already available to individuals under an existing scheme are not included in the goods and services covered by the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (i.e. as this would involve effectively paying twice for the same items or service).
A person's eligibility for other schemes, such as the Medical Card Scheme or the Drugs Payment Scheme, is unaffected by the Nursing Homes Support Scheme.
Incontinence wear, where required, is provided free of charge by the HSE to all Nursing Homes Support Scheme residents that possess a Medical Card.
Part 8 of the Health Act 2007 (Care and Welfare of Residents in Designated Centres for Older People) Regulations 2009 stipulates that the registered provider of the nursing home must agree a contract with each resident within one month of their admission. This contract must include details of the services to be provided to that resident and the fees to be charged. Residents should not be charged fees which are not set out in the contract.
426. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the current policy regarding the long-term absence benefit scheme that applies in the Health Service Executive; if he will detail changes made to the administration of the scheme in the past six months; if it is now the case that paramedic staff must exhaust sick leave before receiving social welfare only; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51602/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
427. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite the award of a full medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51614/13]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
428. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their appointment for a MRI scan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51616/13]
View answerShould a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she would be in the best position to take the matter up with the consultant and hospital involved. In relation to the specific hospital appointment query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
429. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a hospital appointment for major surgery in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51619/13]
View answerThe National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2013, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists. In relation to this particular query raised by the Deputy, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.
430. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the immediate steps which are being taken to trace children who had second-hand braces fitted in view of the discovery that a Health Service Executive dentist was selling used orthodontic braces which were due for incineration on the black market into private practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51681/13]
View answerThe HSE became aware of this matter in 2009. It was investigated at that time and the practices referred to by the Deputy ceased. I have asked the HSE to advise me if there are any outstanding issues that may need to be addressed.
431. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the reason there is not a second ear, nose and throat, ENT, service in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51684/13]
View answerIn relation to the specific query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
432. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 614 of October 2013, regarding the exact number of patients on the bariatric surgery waiting list at St. Columcille's-St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin; the average waiting time for this type of surgery; and the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny has waited 16 years for this surgery. [51700/13]
View answerIn relation to the specific query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
