Written Answers Nos. 375-389
375. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the action being taken to ensure that surgeons are kept busy at all times in hospitals in view of what has been highlighted recently in the media; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54983/13]
View answer387. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on a statement by Ireland's chief surgeon that surgeons are sitting idle in public hospitals while patIents are being sent for procedures at private hospitals at huge expense to the taxpayer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55116/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 375 and 387 together.
The agreement with the Consultant Representative Bodies in September 2012 encompasses a range of flexibilities to enhance productivity and efficiency and to maximise the availability of consultants. These include consultant availability for rostering for any five days out of seven as opposed to weekdays and rostering of consultants on a 16/7 (8 a.m. to midnight) or 24/7 basis in services where this is required.
The ability of hospitals to schedule and complete elective procedures is dependent on the availability of sufficient bed and theatre capacity. In periods where high levels of ED admissions occur, this has an inevitable impact on that capacity. In instances where there is insufficient bed and/or theatre capacity, the HSE may decide, in consultation with hospital management, to outsource elective treatment to other hospitals which have available capacity at that time.
In order to reverse the trend in inpatient and daycase waiting list performance since the start of the year, the SDU/NTPF together with the HSE have developed a national intervention strategy. All hospitals have commenced necessary action plans to get as close as possible to the national wait time target of 8 months by 31st December, with further decreases in the numbers waiting anticipated before year end. The HSE is focusing this year on further improving access wait times for both unscheduled care and scheduled care programmes. In the period from 25/7/2013 to 21/11/2013 there has been a 5% reduction in total numbers waiting and a 42% reduction in total numbers waiting longer than 8 months with the previous growth trend in inpatient/daycare lists now reversed.
In terms of usage of private capacity, for public patients in both hospitals and private nursing homes, this is not a new practice; it was first introduced through the National Treatment Purchase Fund in 2003.
377. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the number of freedom of information requests received by his Department in 2012 and to date in 2013; the number of requests for which a search and retrieval fee was sought; the maximum fee sought by his Department in respect of a request received; the number of requests not proceeded following the non-payment of the search and retrieval fee sought; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55003/13]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the table.
|
- |
2012 |
2013(18 December) |
|
Number of Freedom of Information requests received |
339 |
231 |
|
Number of requests for which a search and retrieval fee was sought |
44 |
41 |
|
The maximum fee sought in respect of a request received |
€1,319.85 |
€733.25 |
|
The number of requests not proceeded following the non payment of the search and retrieval fee sought |
0 |
4 |
378. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his plans to deal with doctors failing to take the proper history of patients admitted to hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55015/13]
View answerMatters relating to the professional conduct of doctors are appropriate to the Medical Council, given its statutory functions.
379. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase the background checking of doctors and other medical professionals in view of recent negative publicity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55017/13]
View answerThe Medical Council is the regulator for medical practitioners and undertakes a number of checks when a person applies for registration. These checks include verifying the qualification and obtaining a certificate of good standing. The applicant also completes a self declaration which includes questions in relation to offences, medical disabilities and disciplinary proceedings etc.
It is a matter for individual employers to interview the doctor and to satisfy themselves as to the doctor’s suitability for the particular job, references and language proficiency prior to employment.
380. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of expenditure on hi-tech medicines for each year for the past seven years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55018/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
381. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reason for the significant increase in the cost of a prescription in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 following their switching to the generic equivalent of their medication; the action he proposes to take to address this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55025/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
382. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reason his Department has not provided sign language and a full programme of activities for a special needs person in line with the agreement reached with this persons parents following a High Court case (details supplied); and when and how such services are to be reinstated. [55026/13]
View answerThe Deputy's question relates to the provision of specialist disability services to an individual and accordingly the Department has referred the Deputy's question to the Health Service Executive and asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy.
383. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9. [55073/13]
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.
384. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who presented at accident and emergency units in 2011 and 2012 who were not in possession of a medical card or a letter of referral from a general practitioner; the amount raised from the charge applied to such persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55096/13]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. However, I have asked the Health Service Executive to supply this information to me and I will forward it to the Deputy as soon as possible.
385. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the amount of money that has been collected for the years 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 from car park charges at Kerry General Hospital; where has the money been spent each year; the operating costs each year for the car park; if he will provide a full detailed breakdown of where the money has gone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55112/13]
View answerIn relation to the detailed information requested by the Deputy, as these are service issues, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to him directly.
386. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on the proposed increase in the nursing retention fee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55114/13]
View answerResponsibility for setting the level of the annual nursing retention fee is a matter for the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) under Section 38(1)(b) of the Nurses and Midwives Act 2011. As the agency is self funding, the Board must ensure that it has the financial capacity to undertake its full range of responsibilities, and as such, it must put in place a fee structure that enables the organisation to carry out its obligations under legislation and set its fees accordingly.
388. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Health if there are any timetables for the delivery of medical cards which the Health Service Executive must follow; if he has given any consideration to imposing guaranteed timetables for the delivery of medical cards as a way of ensuring citizens receive their entitled services in a timely manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55119/13]
View answerThe Primary Care Reimbursement Service has a target to have 90% of properly completed medical/GP visit card applications processed within 15 days. The current turnaround is 95.7%. within 15 days.
The length of time that it takes for applicants to receive a decision on their medical card applications depends on whether a completed application form was submitted, and if not, how quickly the applicants respond to the subsequent request for additional information. Applications that remain in process outside of the 15 day period due to incomplete applications, and where the applicant is engaging with the process, are facilitated so that eligibility may be retained in the interim. Once the documentation is received, their assessment is prioritised without delay. This process applies to renewal applications also.
If a person is a new applicant presenting with an urgent medical need or an urgent medical need in respect of their dependant(s), the HSE will facilitate a prioritised assessment of eligibility, once the applicant has provided all the information necessary.
All medical card and GP visit card holders are subject to a periodic review of eligibility to determine continuing eligibility. Each month, the HSE analyses the Medical Card Register to identify those medical/GP visit cards which are scheduled for review within three months. 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 be conducted by the HSE. The HSE has increased this time line to four months in respect of those clients who were granted eligibility on the basis of discretion to allow an additional month to ensure that all pertinent medical and other data is provided for inclusion in the assessment process. All customers scheduled for review are notified and a balance of either full reviews or self-assessments is conducted.
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.
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 may also carry out random reviews of continued eligibility, to ensure that people who hold cards are still eligible, based on national guidelines.
389. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Health the total number of Bills that have been published by his Department since he was appointed Minister; the number and Title of those Bills which included a regulatory impact assessment in advance of publication; which regulatory impact assessments were published; the total number of promised Bills for publication; if he will list the Bills which will include a regulatory impact assessment and which regulatory impact assessments will be published before publication of the Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55130/13]
View answerSixteen Bills have been published by my Department since my appointment as Minister for Health. A Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) was carried out in advance of publication in relation to the Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2011, the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Bill 2012 and part of the Health (Amendment) Bill 2013 and the RIAs on the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Bill 2012 and the Health (Amendment) Bill 2013 were published. In relation to the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013, the Report of the Expert Group on the judgment in A, B and C v Ireland,which was published, served the purposes of the RIA process.
There are twelve Bills on the Autumn Legislation Programme that have not yet been published. The Public Health (Sunbeds) Bill will be published shortly and a RIA will be published with the Bill. RIAs are currently planned for the Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill, the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill, the Human Tissue Bill and the Licensing of Healthcare Facilities Bill. Final decisions on publication and timelines will be made as the RIAs progress.
