Thursday, 6 Feb 2014

Written Answers Nos. 186 to 196

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (186)

John McGuinness

Question:

186. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will receive a hospital appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5933/14]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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.

Autism Support Services

Questions (187)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

187. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the services available for children with autism and ASD in the south Kildare area, with particular reference to a school in County Kildare; the services provided by a company (details supplied); the median waiting time for initial assessment in south Kildare; the numbers waiting for initial assessment; his plans to address the duration of waiting times and the provision of services for children in south Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5940/14]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Significant resources have been invested by this country in recent years in services for children with special needs. The Government is committed to the provision and development of services for these children, having regard to available resources.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Health Service Executive is currently engaged in a national programme of reconfiguring therapy resources for children with disabilities, including autism, with a view to ensuring there is more equitable access to services for children, according to their individual needs. The national re-configuration programme is based on the recommendations of the Report of the National Reference Group on Multidisciplinary Disability Services for Children aged 5-18. A key objective of the HSE’s Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People Programme (0-18 years) is to ensure there is a clear pathway for all children to the services they need regardless of where they live, what school they go to or the nature of their disability or developmental delay. The Health Service Executive's Social Care budget has targeted investment in the area of Disability Services of €14m for a number of developments, including €4m for the roll out of the Progressing Disability Programme. This should equate to approximately 80 additional therapy staff to increase services for children with disabilities.

The particular issues raised by the Deputy are operational service matters for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.

Mental Health Services Provision

Questions (188, 189, 190, 191)

Patrick Nulty

Question:

188. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that assessment facilities are made available within the new acute psychiatry unit at Beaumont Hospital rather than diverting service users to the emergency department for assessment; if he considers the emergency department as the most appropriate setting for all mental health assessments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5943/14]

Patrick Nulty

Question:

189. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of psychiatric beds that are available per Health Service Executive catchment area with a bed to population ratio for comparative purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5944/14]

Patrick Nulty

Question:

190. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Health the reason north Dublin is excluded from the Health Service Executive directive that all children under 18 years should be seen by child and adolescent mental health services; his views on whether it is acceptable that in Dublin North these adolescents are still being treated within the over-stretched adult psychiatry services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5945/14]

Patrick Nulty

Question:

191. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Health the action he is taking to ensure that the empty consultant posts in the Mater child and adolescent mental health services are filled; his views on whether the 50% of consultant posts which are unfilled in this service represent a crisis level of under-staffing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5946/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 188 to 191, inclusive, together.

As these are service issues these questions have been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Hospital Closures

Questions (192)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

192. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he or his officials were contacted by Mount Carmel Hospital staff before the announcement regarding liquidation on 24 January; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5950/14]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I am not aware of any contacts by staff of Mount Carmel, either to myself or my officials, prior to the appointment of a liquidator on 24 January last.

Departmental Reports

Questions (193)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

193. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a copy of a report (details supplied). [5956/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Vaccination Programme

Questions (194)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

194. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 636 of 21 January 2014, in relation to a person (details supplied) in County Longford, the protocols that are in place to assess the medical impact and side effects of the swine flu vaccine Pandemrix; the supports and assistance available for persons adversely affected by same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5958/14]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As the Deputy's question relates to an individual case it has been referred to the HSE for a direct reply.

Hospitals Funding

Questions (195, 196)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

195. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide separate breakdowns in tabular form of all moneys allocated to Cavan General Hospital, Monaghan General Hospital, Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, and Louth County Hospital from 2007-14. [5962/14]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

196. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the level of funding to Cavan General Hospital, Monaghan General Hospital, Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda and Louth County Hospital in 2014; and the way it compares with 2013. [5963/14]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 and 196 together.

In relation to the detailed information requested by the Deputy, as these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to him directly.