Written Answers Nos. 593-610
593. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) in Dublin 15 will receive speech and language therapy; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6411/14]
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.
594. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when he plans to replace the spinal surgeon at Tallaght hospital given the previous surgeon has ceased practising; if provisions are being made to facilitate affected patients waiting for specialist procedures to be moved to another facility while keeping their place on the waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6415/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
595. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Health when a change of doctor issue will be rectified on medical cards in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6429/14]
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.
596. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm for the months, November 2013, December 2013 and January 2014, the number of persons that were left waiting on trolleys for more than12 hours prior to being given a bed; the way these figures compare to the same months in the preceding year; his views on whether the Health Service Executive is providing a sufficient level of care to the public here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6434/14]
View answerAs these are service issues, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy. The Deputy might also like to note that trolley data is published in some detail on the Department of Health website on a weekly basis, at the following link: http://www.dohc.ie/statistics/tw/National_chart.html.
597. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health when an electric bed will be provided to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6440/14]
View answerI have asked the HSE to investigate this case and respond to the Deputy as soon as possible
598. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will name each company awarded a contract for the provision of professional services by his Department and agencies under his aegis since May 2011; the value and purpose of the contract; if a competitive tendering process was undertaken in line with public procurement best practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6457/14]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is not immediately available within my Department. The information regarding my Department is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible. Operational responsibility for agencies lies with the relevant CEO/Registrar/Director.
599. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when required speech therapy will commence in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6464/14]
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.
600. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure the chief medical officer, who is currently preparing an initial report on the maternity unit at Portlaoise Hospital, will have included in any report the fact and circumstances surrounding the birth of a baby (details supplied) at the hospital. [6465/14]
View answerThe Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of my Department is undertaking a report of the cases highlighted in Portlaoise Hospital. The scope of the report is currently being finalised and it would not be appropriate to comment on the final remit of the report at present. The findings of the CMO's report will inform any subsequent work to be done by HIQA or others including any wider review.
I have sought a report on the case referred to by the Deputy from the HSE and I will be in touch with him as soon as I receive it.
601. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a medical card appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6466/14]
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.
602. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health the reason ambulance transport was denied in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; if he will provide an explanation regarding the circumstances surrounding the emergency transfer of this person in County Cork; the steps being taken to address such a situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6487/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
603. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Kildare can be urgently admitted to Beaumount Hospital from Naas General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6505/14]
View answerThe 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.
604. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Health his plans to install a messaging system in each accident and emergency department that displays the current waiting time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6532/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
605. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Health the total spent on advertising by his Department and each agency under his aegis in 2013; if he will provide a breakdown of the amount spent on each of TV, radio, print, outdoor, Internet and social media platform advertising; the amount spent on advertising agencies; if he will provide the information in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6584/14]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is not immediately available within my Department. However, my Department did not spend any money on public relations or communications consultants during 2013. I will revert to the Deputy as soon as possible regarding advertising expenditure, if any. I have also requested the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in this regard.
Operational responsibility for each agency lies with the respective Director/CEO/ Registrar.
606. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Health if his Department currently engages in real-time reporting of online conversations on issues relating to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6600/14]
View answerMy Department does not engage in real-time reporting of online conversations. My Department monitors its Twitter account (@roinnslainte) as often as possible, in particular during business hours of the working week.
607. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health further Parliamentary Question No. 6 of 18 December 2013, if he will furnish a follow up reply to the issues raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6611/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy with an update on the matters raised.
608. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health if a home health package will be provided in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6614/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
609. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will investigate the waiting list in Beaumont Hospital regarding an operation in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6625/14]
View answerThe Deputy's question relates to service delivery matters and accordingly I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him.
610. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Health if he will establish an independent review of the University of Limerick hospital group tasked with evaluating if a model three hospital is required in the network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6661/14]
View answerThe Government is committed to the transformation of public hospitals into independent, not for profit hospital trusts. As a first step in this process, seven hospital groups have been established, in line with the recommendations of The Establishment of Hospital Groups as a Transition to Independent Hospital Trusts (the Higgins report). The groups have now been established on a non-statutory basis.
Each group must develop, in the first year of their operation, a strategic plan for their future service configuration. These plans must describe how they will provide more efficient and effective patient services; how they will reorganise these services to provide optimal care to the populations they serve; and how they will achieve maximum integration and synergy with other groups and all other health services, particularly primary care and community care services. Decisions on the distribution of acute services between hospitals within a Group will be made in the context of the development of the strategic plan. A Strategic Advisory Group has been established to provide objective policy advice and expertise to the Department, HSE and hospital groups, and to oversee the establishment of hospital groups and the subsequent reorganisation of acute hospital services.
