Written Answers Nos. 201-207
201. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if there is a legal obligation on the Health Service Executive to implement remedial action and recommendations proposed by the HSA report regarding the psychiatric services unit at Kerry General Hospital as situations have occurred in the past which have placed the safety of persons working in the unit at risk; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4660/14]
View answerAs this is a service issue this matter has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
202. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Health the number of public health centres managed by the Health Service Executive in the HSE mid-western health board area of Limerick, Clare and north Tipperary; the cost excluding staff costs of maintaining these buildings including water and property rates, electricity, insurance, heating, telephone-broadband, security, alarm costs, cleaning, repair and maintenance of office equipment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4679/14]
View answerThe HSE has responsibility for the provision of Primary Care Centres and the operation and maintenance of existing health centres. Therefore, this matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
203. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Health when the cross-border health care directive will be implemented; the reason for the delay in implementing this directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4681/14]
View answerThe Directive on Patients’ Rights in Cross Border Healthcare provides rules for the reimbursement to patients’ of the cost of receiving treatment abroad, where the patient would be entitled to such treatment in their home Member State (Member State of Affiliation) and supplements the rights that patients already have at EU level through the legislation on the coordination of social security schemes (regulation 883/04). The Directive seeks to ensure a clear and transparent framework for the provision of cross-border healthcare within the EU, for those occasions where the care patients seek is provided in another Member State rather than in their home country. However, it should be emphasised that the vast majority of EU patients receive healthcare in their own country and prefer to do so. The Department of Health is continuing to work on the necessary statutory provisions to fully implement the Directive. Nevertheless, there are arrangements in place in respect of the key provision of the Directive in relation to a national contact point (NCP), which has been set up within the HSE – the email address is crossborderdirective@hse.ie.
The principal function of the NCP is to facilitate exchange of information for patients concerning their rights and entitlements relating to receiving healthcare in another Member State, in particular the terms and conditions for reimbursement of cost, the procedures for accessing and determining those entitlements. The NCP also has a responsibility to ensure that all enquirers are informed of the rights, if any, that they may have through the legislation on the coordination of social security schemes (regulation 883/04) and which may be more beneficial to them. The NCP will be able to inform patients what the cost of their treatments would be in Ireland to allow them make a comparison with the costs they are being quoted for comparable treatment in another Member State.
While it has been possible to have these aspects of the NCP up and running by the 25th October on an administrative basis, it has not been possible to have prior authorisation or reimbursement operating on a statutory basis. The Department is working on the legal arrangements to put in place the statutory provisions for these systems and will be implementing them as soon as possible. Further information on the Ireland's implementation of the Directive is available on the NCP's webpage: http://hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/schemes/cbd/CBD.html.
204. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health the specific amount of allocated hours per week for a pupil (details supplied) in County Louth for physiotherapy and occupational and speech therapy services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4697/14]
View answerAs 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.
205. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a full list of section 39 agencies that receive funding from his Department; if he will further provide, in tabular form, the amount that has been received by each of these organisations for each of the past ten years; the purpose for which same was given; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4698/14]
View answerMy Department does not provide funding under section 39 of the Health Act 2004. The Health Service Executive (HSE) funds a range of service providers under section 39 of the Health Act 2004 and the question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
206. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) had to wait two weeks for an emergency dilation and curettage at Holles Street Maternity Hospital; and if this waiting period is normal or exceptional in such circumstances. [4705/14]
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.
207. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time for public and for private patients who require dilation and curettage following a miscarriage as a result of no foetal cardiac activity in Holles Street Maternity Hospital for each year from 2009 to 2013. [4706/14]
View answerIn relation to the detailed information sought by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
