Written Answers Nos. 250-258
250. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of all instances where a company has been used to identify replacement candidates to fill vacancies on the board of the Central Remedial Clinic; if such a process is under way at present; the total costs involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9891/14]
View answerI understand from the Health Service Executive (HSE) that Boardmatch Ireland is assisting in identifying replacement candidates to fill vacancies on the Board of the Central Remedial Clinic. As this is a service matter, I have arranged for the Deputy's question to be referred to the HSE for investigation and a direct reply to the Deputy.
251. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a hospital appointment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9909/14]
View answerA maximum waiting time target of 12 months has been set for a first time consultant-led outpatient appointment and this is reflected in the HSE Service Plan. The SDU and the NTPF are working closely with hospitals towards achievement of the maximum waiting time.
Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she would be in the best position to take the matter up with the consultant and hospital involved. In relation to the specific hospital appointment query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
252. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the number of individual travelling consultants providing regular outpatient and day patient appointments respectively at Roscommon County Hospital in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; the main hospital to which each consultant is assigned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9916/14]
View answerIn relation to the detailed information requested by the Deputy, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to him directly.
253. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the number of individual travelling consultants providing regular outpatient and day patient appointments respectively at Portiuncula Hospital in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; the main hospital to which each consultant is assigned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9917/14]
View answerIn relation to the detailed information requested by the Deputy, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to him directly.
254. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health following the publication of the health care quality indicators in the Irish health system report last week, the date on which his Department became aware of the patient safety concern regarding Roscommon hospital; the date on which the Health Service Executive was informed of this concern and the corresponding date on which the hospital was contacted; the date on which his Department received a response back from either the HSE and-or Roscommon hospital; the follow-up actions that were taken; the date on which safety concerns were addressed to the satisfaction of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9918/14]
View answerMy Department published the report “Health Care Quality Indicators in the Irish Health System: Examining the Potential of Hospital Discharge Data using the Hospital Inpatient Enquiry System” on the 17th February 2014.
The purpose of the report was to assess the feasibility of using the HIPE system to derive healthcare quality indicators that could be used in the future to measure the quality of the care provided in our hospitals. The analysis and the report is about the quality of the selected indicators and data not the quality of care.
This analysis of HIPE data was a process that involved ongoing discussion with the HSE. During 2011 the analysis highlighted a number of variations with a small number of hospitals being identified as outliers for certain indicators. There are a lot of possible explanations for these variations including issues relating to the coding of the principle diagnosis, coding of the healthcare records to the HIPE system, inclusion of confounding factors in the analysis of the indicators and quality of care. However, this analysis of the data does not allow for an underlying variation in the quality of care to be excluded. Therefore it was necessary for this information to be reflected back to the hospitals as only the hospitals are in a position to assess their data to determine the reasons for the variation. This information was communicated through the Quality and Patient Safety Directorate, HSE to the hospitals in mid 2011.
My Department has been assured by the HSE that the hospitals have had the opportunity both to correct their data and address any quality of care issues.
This report confirms the value of the HIPE system as a resource for the development of indicators of quality of care in our hospitals but it also shows that hospital data and the indicators need to be further refined before they can be used for this purpose.
Measuring the quality of our healthcare and publicly reporting how our services are performing is part of my Government’s commitment to improved accountability and continued improvement in our health services.
It is my intention that my Department will publish a report on quality healthcare indicators at national, regional and hospital level later this year which will be based on corrected data and will identify hospitals.
255. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a hospital appointment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford. [9925/14]
View answerA maximum waiting time target of 12 months has been set for a first time consultant-led outpatient appointment and this is reflected in the HSE Service Plan. The SDU and the NTPF are working closely with hospitals towards achievement of the maximum waiting time.
Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she would be in the best position to take the matter up with the consultant and hospital involved. In relation to the specific hospital appointment query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
256. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health if a safety statement is available for digital mammogram machines or if a risk assessment has been conducted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9927/14]
View answer257. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health if BreastCheck women's charter represents an abrogation of responsibility to women; if the charter confines the promise to recalling women; if the remainder of the charter is aspirational; if the consortium has any duty of care to women under this charter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9928/14]
View answer258. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health if a standardised detection ratio is the preferred method to ensure unit performance; if the unit performance has taken precedence over women’s health and safety; if other methods are utilised to ensure unit performance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9929/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 256 to 258, inclusive, together.
BreastCheck, the National Breast Screening Programme, offers a population-based ongoing call and recall programme every two years to all eligible women aged 50-64. BreastCheck has a clear commitment to providing transparent information to women invited for screening - with the benefits and limitations of screening clearly explained. Breast cancer survival in Ireland has improved significantly in recent years due to the combined approach of screening, symptomatic detection and improved treatment. Breast cancer 5 year survival is now estimated at 81.8% for people diagnosed between 2003-2007, up from 76.8% for people diagnosed between 1998-2002.
BreastCheck's ‘Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Mammography Screening’ is available for public review and download from the publications section of www.breastcheck.ie. These guidelines are consistent with those of the European Reference Organisation for Quality Assured Breast Screening and Diagnostic Services which is the EU standard.
BreastCheck utilises digital mammography as it is the most advanced method available, giving enhanced image quality and significant reductions in the radiation dose associated with screening examinations. While not all breast cancers can be found by mammogram, breast screening helps to identify cancers at an early stage when it easier to treat the patient. This leads to less extensive surgical treatment, a better chance of good recovery and improved quality of life.
BreastCheck is fully audited against a range of quality-led criteria including those published in the BreastCheck Women’s Charter. BreastCheck seeks to achieve or surpass standards set down for breast screening, including those outlined in the Charter, and outcomes are reported in the BreastCheck programme report (most recent figures relate to 2011). BreastCheck provides comprehensive and transparent information and encourages women to share in decision-making regarding treatment. They also highlight the woman’s right to refuse treatment, obtain a second opinion or choose alternative treatment.
The standardised detection ratio (SDR) is a useful composite score by which to measure the performance of an overall screening programme and it is used to benchmark radiological performance against other international programmes. The most recently published figures for 2011 reflect an improved programme performance by BreastCheck.
