Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:854. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health when a decision will be made on a medical card appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Meath. [1301/14]
View answerMedical Card Appeals
Questions (854)
Written answers
The 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.
Question No. 855 answered with Question No. 788.
Ambulance Service Provision
Questions (856)
Timmy Dooley
Question:856. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Health the number of hours of rostered cover on a daily basis at each ambulance location in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1306/14]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
Ambulance Service Provision
Questions (857)
Timmy Dooley
Question:857. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Health the number of on-call hours provided for at each ambulance base in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1307/14]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
Ambulance Service Staff
Questions (858)
Timmy Dooley
Question:858. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Health the number of personnel employed in the ambulance service in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1308/14]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter the question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
Ambulance Service Provision
Questions (859)
Timmy Dooley
Question:859. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Health the number of operational ambulance vehicles deployed in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1309/14]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
HSE Staffing
Questions (860)
Dara Calleary
Question:860. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the amount of money spent by the Health Service Executive in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 on the hiring of private investigators to monitor the movements of HSE staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1310/14]
View answerWritten answers
This question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
Family Support Services
Questions (861)
Jack Wall
Question:861. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health if a position (details supplied) is correct in relation to a family's payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1311/14]
View answerWritten answers
With effect from 1st December 2013, medical card holders are required to pay a €2.50 charge per item for medicines and other prescription items supplied to them by community pharmacists, subject to a cap of €25 per month for each person or family. Prescription charges do not apply to children in the care of the HSE or to methadone supplied to patients participating in the Methadone Treatment Scheme.
In relation to the individual case cited, the HSE is responsible for the administration of the General Medical Services Scheme, therefore, this matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Question No. 862 answered with Question No. 788.
Primary Care Centre Expenditure
Questions (863)
Billy Kelleher
Question:863. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the reasons for the disparity in the budget allocation for primary care as outlined in the 2013 and 2014 Health Service Executive service plans; the way the 2013 €400 million primary care allocation as set out in the 2013 service plan became €514 million as detailed in the 2014 service plan and was further revised to €727.3 million; if any services not previously bracketed under primary care are now being described as such and the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1321/14]
View answerWritten answers
The National Service Plan 2013 provided a budget for Primary Care of €400m (gross) and this was based on former community care services. Since the establishment of the Primary Care Division in July 2013, Primary Care now covers a number of services which were formerly under other structures and these are listed below:
- Primary Care (former community care services);
- Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS);
- Social Inclusion including the National Drug Treatment Centre;
- The GP Out-of-Hours Service;
- Oral Health;
- Civil Registration;
- The National Contracts Office; and
- The Medicines Management Programme.
Accordingly, budget allocations for 2013 and 2014 cannot be compared as they reflect different levels of service and budget alignment to the new Primary Care Division. The 2014 Primary Care divisional budget amounts to €3.1 billion, which includes the range of services now provided under Primary Care, Social Inclusion and PCRS as outlined above. This figure also accounts for adjustments made to the multi-care group sector as part of the establishment of the divisions.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Questions (864)
Seán Fleming
Question:864. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health when an appointment will issue for a knee replacement at Cappagh Hospital, Dublin, in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Laois under the primary targeting list, PTL, initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1327/14]
View answerWritten answers
The 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.
Question No. 865 answered with Question No. 788.
Question No. 866 answered with Question No. 738.
Medical Card Applications
Questions (867)
Tom Fleming
Question:867. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1332/14]
View answerWritten answers
The 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.
Pension Provisions
Questions (868)
John McGuinness
Question:868. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if he will review the pension payments dates for retired staff at St. James's Hospital, Dublin, with a view to reverting to the original arrangement for pension payments and the original dates for payment; if he will expedite the matter as it is causing concern and hardship for some pensioners who want the old arrangement restored and do not want to avail of a loan as has been suggested by the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1351/14]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter the question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
Public Sector Pensions
Questions (869)
Mary Lou McDonald
Question:869. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form and year on year, the occasions on which he has signed off on the awarding of added years to public sector workers between March 2011 and December 2013; the grade of the persons awarded the added years; and the number of added years awarded in each instance. [1362/14]
View answerWritten answers
As my Department is a non-delegated Department in respect of the administration of pensions, the superannuation entitlements of staff of my Department including special provisions under TLAC appointments are determined, awarded and administered by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in line with the terms and conditions of the Civil Service Superannuation Schemes and relevant Government decisions. During the period March 2011 to December 2013 eight civil servants from my Department were awarded added years by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on retirement on grounds of Ill-health, professional added years and under the TLAC provisions.
In respect of the Health Service Executive and agencies under the remit of my Department, I have not signed off on any such awards in the specified period.