Written Answers Nos. 263 - 274
263. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Health when a decision will issue on a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12625/14]
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.
264. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 254 of 26 February 2014 and 265 of 27 February 2014, if hospitals were requested to amend the HIPE data which has erroneously been imputed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12631/14]
View answerFurther to previous Questions Nos. 254 and 265, the Deputy will be aware of the report “Health Care Quality Indicators in the Irish Health System: Examining the Potential of Hospital Discharge Data using the Hospital Inpatient Enquiry System” and will be aware of the background. The report 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 quality of the data, for example coding issues, and quality of care. This information was reflected back, through the Quality and Patient Safety Directorate, HSE to the hospitals.
Hospitals, through the HSE, were offered the opportunity to review and correct their data. However the primary focus of this study was to look at the feasibility of these indicators and to progress to robust indicators for the future rather than carrying out a review of historical data.
In a drive to improve the quality of HIPE data the QPS Directorate, in conjunction with the office of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), also communicated in early 2012 with all HSE hospitals to state that each hospital should review the quality of their HIPE data with a particular focus on data for 2011. This communication also stated that the data for 2011 would be published in the future with individual hospitals identified.
The intention of my Department is to publish a report on quality healthcare indicators derived from HIPE for the years 2011- 2013, at national, regional and hospital level later this year which will be based on corrected data and will identify hospitals. 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.
265. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health further to a Topical Issues debate of 18 December 2013 regarding an orthodontic investigation, the current status of the investigation; the number of persons who were referred to the Dental Council; if the persons involved are still practising here or overseas; the response to date from the Dental Council; the sterilisation process employed prior to the refitting of the braces; when the children who received the braces will be contacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12632/14]
View answerI wish to assure the Deputy that there is no ongoing risk to the public in relation to this case. The HSE has advised that based on the information available there is no need for a look back or for contact with patients. The HSE has further advised that other aspects of the case still under investigation relate to issues which are not of a public health concern.
The Dental Council was notified of this individual case. Under Section 38 of the Dentists Act 1985 matters concerning complaints against dentists can only be made public by the Council without the consent of the registrant if there has been a finding of professional misconduct or unfitness to practise dentistry. The individual who was the subject of the investigation is not practising here. The General Dental Council in the UK has also been notified. The issue of practising in other jurisdictions is a matter for those jurisdictions.
266. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the number of medical cards that have been cancelled or reviewed in the past two years for those within the 16 to 18 age group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12645/14]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. However, I have asked the Health Service Executive to supply this information to me and I will forward it to the Deputy as soon as possible.
267. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in County Donegal has to wait a further seven months to have a pin replaced in their hip in Mayo General Hospital when they were referred from Letterkenny General Hospital on 28 March 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12646/14]
View answerIn relation to the particular patient query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to him directly.
268. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown in tabular form of the length of current waiting lists for both inpatient and outpatient procedures per Department in Letterkenny General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12647/14]
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.
270. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an appointment for a scan in Letterkenny General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12649/14]
View answerIn relation to the particular patient query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to him directly.
271. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health when a medical card is likely to be renewed in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12672/14]
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.
272. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when a medical card will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12673/14]
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.
273. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health his views on concerns raised about staffing and the facilities available at St. Brigid's Hospital, Crooksling, County Dublin. [12674/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
274. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if refusal of a medical card in the case of persons (details supplied) in County Kildare will be reviewed with the intention of awarding the card in respect of their child who suffers from a severe medical condition. [12675/14]
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.
