Skip to main content
Normal View

Primary Care Services Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 December 2013

Tuesday, 17 December 2013

Questions (639, 640, 641, 642, 643, 644, 645)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

639. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health with regard to the review of provision of primary care team services for older persons resident in long-term residential units, the actions and progress that has been made since this report was completed in early January 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54414/13]

View answer

Billy Kelleher

Question:

640. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health with regard to the review of provision of primary care team services for older persons resident in long-term residential units, if he will account for sizable disparity between the PCT services provided throughout the rest of the country as against the poor performance in the west; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54415/13]

View answer

Billy Kelleher

Question:

641. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health with regard to the review of provision of primary care team services for older persons resident in long-term residential units, if it has been a Health Service Executive policy or unauthorised practice to refuse or limit services to medical card patients residing in private residential units as reflected by the respondents in the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54416/13]

View answer

Billy Kelleher

Question:

642. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health with regard to the review of provision of primary care team services for older persons resident in long-term residential units, the way he expects the Health Service Executive given current budgetary constraints and the recruitment embargo to adequately provide services to the elderly in care either private or public through the primary care team system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54417/13]

View answer

Billy Kelleher

Question:

643. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health with regard to the review of provision of primary care team services for older persons resident in long-term residential units and the recommendation for a standard national policy on the development and implementation of a written policy on assessment, referral and or receipt of primary care services on both private and public long-term residential units, the status of this standard national policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54418/13]

View answer

Billy Kelleher

Question:

644. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive has developed a national primary care team policy regarding equality of access to services for eligible residents in long term residential units; if so when same will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54419/13]

View answer

Billy Kelleher

Question:

645. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health as part of the primary care team services plan for older people in residential care, if this will include on site treatment for the medical card patients; if he will outline the plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54420/13]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 639, 640, 641, 642, 643, 644 and 645 together.

Under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, services and supports which are common to the vast majority of nursing home residents are included in the cost of care. These 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 another existing scheme are not included in the services covered by the Nursing Homes Support Scheme as this would involve effectively paying twice for the same thing. However, older people in residential settings are entitled to be referred and assessed for HSE Primary Care Teams and Network services in the same way as any other eligible person in the community.

The Care and Welfare Regulations for Nursing Homes provide that nursing homes shall ensure that all appropriate health care is facilitated, including access to services provided by HSE Primary Care Teams.

In 2012, the HSE completed an analysis of the distribution of health professionals who provide various therapies and other supports. This analysis revealed considerable variation across the HSE’s 17 Integrated Service Areas. Accordingly, in 2013, Primary Care funding of €20 million is being invested to support the recruitment of prioritised front-line primary care team posts and to enhance the capacity of the primary care sector.

Top
Share