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Thursday, 30 Jan 2014

Written Answers Nos. 194-200

Health Services Provision

Questions (194)

Michael Creed

Question:

194. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a date for an assessment of needs for a child (details supplied) in County Cork; his views on the delay that this child has experienced in availing of this assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4574/14]

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Written answers

As the particular issue raised by the Deputy relates to an individual case, this is a service matter for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.

Preschool Services

Questions (195)

Michael Creed

Question:

195. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Health the supports available to a child with a chromosome deletion disorder who wishes to avail of the free preschool year in 2014-15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4575/14]

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Written answers

The free pre-school year is provided through the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme, which is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. The objective of this scheme is to make early learning in a formal setting available to eligible children in the year before they commence primary school. I understand that certain flexibilities are built into the scheme in an effort to accommodate children with special needs, such as an overage exemption, or waiver, for children with special needs who do not meet the age criteria and the option to avail of the free pre-school year over two years. While the HSE has no statutory obligation to provide supports for children with special needs wishing to avail of the free pre-school year, it works at local level and in partnership with the relevant disability service providers to address individual needs as they arise.

If the Deputy has concerns about health supports available to an individual case, it would be open to him to raise the matter with the HSE directly.

Hospital Services

Questions (196)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

196. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if it is permissible for hospital consultants who admit patients on a private basis to transfer those patients to the public system for the purposes of availing of publicly funded surgical procedures or elective treatments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4582/14]

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Written answers

Eligibility for health services is governed by the provisions of the Health Act 1970 (as amended). A key principle underpinning the current eligibility framework for acute hospital services is that the public or private status of every patient must be identified in cases where there is any consultant involvement and it is not possible to mix status during a single episode of care. This applies to both in-patient and out-patient services.

Hospital Closures

Questions (197)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

197. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his assessment of the impact of the appointment of a liquidator at Mount Carmel Hospital, Dublin, on the public health system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4583/14]

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Written answers

I am, of course, very disappointed at the loss of jobs in Mount Carmel and recognise that it is a very difficult time for the staff. It is also an uncertain time for patients. I know that the HSE is working with the hospital to ensure that patients’ needs are met in the short term and they will also endeavour to support staff in their efforts to secure alternative employment.

In terms of the capacity of the HSE to deal with the additional service demands arising from the closure of the hospital, it is noted that birth rates have fallen significantly in recent years and the CSO projects that they will continue to fall at least until the early 2020s. Furthermore, following detailed consideration, the Department of Health and the HSE agreed that to buy the hospital as a going concern would unnecessarily expose the HSE and the State to very obvious and significant financial risks and would not be in line with current Government policy on maternity services.

During 2013, the HSE secured additional treatment capacity where necessary in both public and private hospitals, including Mount Carmel. It should be noted, however, that the projected number of treatments outsourced in all of these facilities represented less than 1% of the total number of annual scheduled out-patients appointments and 0.47% of the total number of inpatient and day-case appointments undertaken nationally.

Currently, arrangements are being made with alternative hospitals so as to ensure as seamless a transition as possible for patients in accordance with their choice.

Health Services Staff Training

Questions (198)

Gerry Adams

Question:

198. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health when the Irish Charter of Physiotherapists began to charge persons who did not study in the RCSI, TCD, UL and UCD €500 to register with them; if he will consider reducing the threshold of €500 for those persons who study physiotherapy in other universities, particularly for those Irish citizens who study physiotherapy in universities in the North; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4628/14]

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Written answers

The question relates to the role of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists (ISCP) as competent authority for the profession of physiotherapy under Statutory Instruments Nos. 139 and 166 of 2008, which transpose Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications into Irish law. This is a separate matter to membership of the professional body.

Directive 2005/36/EC applies to all EEA nationals who wish to practise a regulated profession in an EEA Member State other than that in which they obtained their professional qualifications. This includes Irish citizens who study in any of the EEA Member States, including the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and who seek to return to Ireland to practise their profession.

There is no specific recognition of the profession of physiotherapy at a European level; rather the Directive provides for the assessment of the qualifications/professional training/post-qualification professional experience of an applicant against the qualifications required to practise in Ireland. Because of the case-by-case nature of the process, it is time-consuming and administratively burdensome.

The Code of Conduct on National Administrative Practices falling under Directive 2005/36/EC provides for the charging of fees for the application process once, inter alia, such fees do not exceed the real cost of the service provided, or are not set at a level which would make it impossible in practice to exercise the rights provided for under the Directive. As the ISCP has been designated competent authority under S.I. 166 of 2008, it is a matter for the Society to set its own fee for qualification recognition having regard to the Code of Conduct. I am advised by the ISCP that the fee has been set at €500 since 1 August 2007.

Departmental Contracts

Questions (199)

Shane Ross

Question:

199. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Health the way his departmental contracts for taxi companies for the purposes of taxis for the use of departmental staff are decided and allocated; if there is a public tender process for taxi companies wishing to apply for these contracts; the process for allocating the contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4646/14]

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Written answers

My Department does not have a contract with an individual Taxi company. If a member of staff requires a taxi they hire and pay for it and recoup payment on the production of a receipt.

My Department's travel policy concerning the use of taxis is that their use should be kept to a minimum and they should be hired only when no suitable public transport is available.

Medical Aids and Appliances Provision

Questions (200)

Dan Neville

Question:

200. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a surgical bed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4655/14]

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Written answers

I have asked the HSE to investigate this case and respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.

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