Stephen Donnelly
Question:185. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health if he considers rheumatoid arthritis to be a long-term illness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17085/14]
View answerLong-Term Illness Scheme Coverage
Questions (185)
Written answers
There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the Long-Term Illness scheme.
Under the Drug Payment Scheme, no individual or family pays more than €144 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The scheme significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals incurring ongoing expenditure on medicines.
In addition, people who cannot, without undue hardship, arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be entitled to a medical card. In the assessment process, the Health Service Executive can take into account medical costs incurred by an individual or a family. Those who are not eligible for a medical card may still be able to avail of a GP visit card, which covers the cost of GP consultations.
Counselling Services
Questions (186)
Michael McGrath
Question:186. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the provision of specialist trauma counselling, through the Health Service Executive, in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork who suffered a life changing injury in an accident in June 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17086/14]
View answerWritten answers
In 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.
Drug Treatment Programmes Funding
Questions (187)
Niall Collins
Question:187. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of the Tallaght community following a headline in the local newspaper (details supplied) that Tallaght drugs task force is under threat due to cuts in funding; if he appreciates the need to give support and assurances in the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17112/14]
View answerWritten answers
Tallaght Local Drugs Task Force receives annual funding from the Drugs Initiative of my Department to allocate to community based drugs initiatives. The Task Force, like other bodies that receive public funding, has seen a reduction in the funding available to allocate in recent years. In determining allocations, Drugs Task Forces are expected to take account of the financial sustainability of individual projects and the need to protect front line services.
Every effort has been made to keep funding reductions of Drugs Task Force projects to a minimum in recent years. In 2014, a total of €1,234,952 was allocated to Tallaght Local Drugs Task Force. This represents a reduction of 3% on the 2013 allocation.
Medical Card Applications
Questions (188)
Tom Fleming
Question:188. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite and award a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17118/14]
View answerWritten answers
The 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.
First Aid Training
Questions (189)
Denis Naughten
Question:189. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the reason American resuscitation guidelines are used for first aid training in Ireland rather than the European guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17122/14]
View answerWritten answers
The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) provides the international guidance for principal resuscitation organisations worldwide. Representatives of ILCOR include the European Resuscitation Council (ERC), the American Heart Association (AHA), and the Australian and New Zealand Committee on Resuscitation.
The Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) is the independent statutory agency with responsibility for standards, education and training in the field of pre-hospital emergency care in Ireland. I am advised that the Council's Medical Advisory Committee has adopted the current (2010) ILCOR Guidelines and published Clinical Practice Guidelines for basic and advanced life support. PHECC has also published cardiac first response (CFR) standards along with a comprehensive CFR training package.
The Irish Heart Foundation (IHF) use the AHA and PHECC’s cardiac first response training materials to train both healthcare professionals and community responder groups. Resuscitation officers in hospitals were traditionally AHA instructors and hence there is a long standing history of AHA course delivery in the “in-hospital” setting. However, IHF instructors are increasingly offering dual AHA and PHECC accredited courses and certification to medical and nursing staff and also to community responder groups.
Ambulance Service Response Times
Questions (190)
Denis Naughten
Question:190. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the way various choking incidents are graded when a call is placed to emergency services; if all choking incidents are graded as life-threatening; the target response times that are in place for such emergency calls; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17123/14]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
Water Fluoridation
Questions (191)
Tom Fleming
Question:191. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health when will the proposed review group be appointed in respect of the use of fluoride in public water supplies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17129/14]
View answerWritten answers
The Department of Health keeps the policy of water fluoridation under constant review. As part of this ongoing work, a review of evidence on the impact of water fluoridation at its current level on the health of the population and on the environment is being conducted by the Health Research Board (HRB) on behalf of the Department. This will be peer-reviewed as part of the HRB process and my Department has no role in this matter.