Written Answers Nos. 543-558
543. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Health the position regarding non-ambulance patient transport service; if this service is in operation; the amount of money that was spent on it in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15002/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
544. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify the following issue regarding entitlements under PRSI (details supplied). [15005/14]
View answerThe Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides that all persons ordinarily resident in the country are entitled, subject to certain charges, to all in-patient public hospital services in public wards including consultant services and out-patient pubic hospital services including consultants services. For persons availing of public in-patient services, the current public hospital statutory in-patient charge is €75 per night, subject to a maximum of €750 in any twelve consecutive months. Medical card holders are exempt from public hospital charges.
Section 55 of the Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides for the charging of private in-patients. An essential element of the eligibility arrangements is that the public or private status of a patient must be specified on admission to hospital. Where a patient elects to be treated privately by a consultant the hospital must treat that patient as a private patient. Persons who opt to be private on admission to hospital are liable for the fees of all consultants involved in his or her care and for such charges under Section 55 for that episode of care.
With effect from 1st January 2014, private hospital charges, as provided for in the Health (Amendment) Act 2013 are:
|
Column (1) |
Column (2) |
Column (3) |
Column (4) |
Column (5) |
|
Reference Number |
Hospital Category |
Daily charge for in-patient services where overnight accommodation provided in a single occupancy room |
Daily charge for in-patient services where overnight accommodation provided in a multiple occupancy room |
Daily charge for day case in-patient services where overnight accommodation is not provided. |
|
1. |
Hospital specified in Fifth Schedule |
€1,000 |
€813 |
€407 |
|
2. |
Hospital specified in Sixth Schedule |
€800 |
€659 |
€329 |
545. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the number of posts for 2014 that the working group on paediatric diabetes requests or recommends for University Hospital Limerick and University Hospital Galway; the number that were provided for in the service plan for 2014; the number of posts currently in place in both hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15018/14]
View answerIn relation to the detailed queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to him directly.
546. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the number of insulin pumps the Health Service Executive purchased in 2013; the number, broken down by HSE area, given out to children under the age of 16; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15022/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for a direct reply to the Deputy.
547. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of State funding provided to a survivor organisation (details supplied). [15030/14]
View answer548. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the safeguards and oversights that are in place regarding State funding that is provided to institutional survivor organisations such as (details supplied). [15031/14]
View answer549. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive funding for groups such as (details supplied) is based on the number of survivors who use such services; if these survivors and numbers are verified by the appropriate Department; and, if so, how. [15032/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 547 to 549, inclusive, together.
As this is a service matter these questions have been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
550. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Health his views on the programme for Government commitment on legislating for post mortem procedures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10481/14]
View answerIn line with the Programme for Government commitment to legislate for post-mortem procedures and organ retention practices as recommended by the Madden report, my Department is currently developing the Heads of a Human Tissue Bill which will meet the key recommendation of that Report. It is envisaged that the legislative proposals will include provision that no hospital post-mortem may be carried out, and no tissue retained, without appropriate consent/authorisation.
552. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if he will review an application for nursing home support scheme in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; if the case will be reviewed as matter of urgency due to the undue hardship now being caused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15040/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
553. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to residential health care staff working on sleepover duty; the reasons some residential care staff are expected to work 63 hour weeks instead of the statutory 48; if sleepover duty is part of the working week and if it is treated as such for pay purposes; if he believes that these hours are in breach of EU and Irish working time legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15061/14]
View answer614. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the issues regarding sleepover duty, particularly in residential facilities; if his Department considers such duties as part of the normal working hours; if not, the reason for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15438/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 553 and 614 together.
The Haddington Road Agreement provides for a process of negotiation under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission in relation to this matter in respect of staff working in residential care settings. Following a referral to the Labour Court in early 2014, it was agreed that the matter should be referred back to the Labour Relations Commission for completion of discussions by 31 May 2014. A series of meetings is scheduled to take place in March and April involving my Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the HSE, Service Providers and the Trade Unions representing the employees.
554. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown, in tabular form, of the number of staff within Health Service Executive residential care homes who are working sleepover duty hours; the amount the staff get paid per hour for this work; the average number of hours the staff work per week when sleepover duty is included; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15062/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply
555. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Health if an occupational therapy appointment will be expedited in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15066/14]
View answerAs the issue raised by the Deputy relates to an individual case, this is a service matter for the Health Service Executive. I have asked the HSE to look into the particular matter raised and to reply directly to the Deputy.
556. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding orthodontic treatment in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15080/14]
View answerThe HSE provides orthodontic treatment to patients based on their level of clinical need. An individual's access to orthodontic treatment is determined against a set of clinical guidelines and priority is given to patients with greatest needs. The HSE has been asked to examine the specific query raised by the Deputy and to reply to him as soon as possible.
557. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15083/14]
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.
558. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry. [15106/14]
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.
