Written Answers Nos. 713-733
713. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the procedures employed to ensure that each hospital in the country is achieving value for money in respect of cleaning services; if there is a single uniform Health Service Executive policy on the matter; if individual hospitals carry out value for money reviews into their cleaning services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18550/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
714. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Health the differences between a medical card and long-term illness book; the benefits for persons to move from a medical card to a long-term illness book when they have one of the prescribed long-term illnesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18555/14]
View answerMedical card holders are entitled to a range of public health services, including general practitioner services and prescribed drugs, medicines and medical and surgical appliances, subject to prescription charges.
Persons suffering from prescribed conditions can get free drugs, medicines and medical and surgical appliances for the treatment of that condition under the Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme. Prescription charges are not payable in respect of items supplied under the LTI Scheme.
Persons who have both a medical card and an LTI book can access medication for their qualifying long term illness condition(s) under the LTI Scheme.
715. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a primary medical certificate in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18557/14]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
716. Deputy Eamonn Maloney asked the Minister for Health the number of freedom of information requests received by his Department between 1 January 2013 and 11 April 2014; the number of these requests that relate to the Government’s plan for the standardised packaging of tobacco; the number of these requests relating to other tobacco policies; the number of these requests from tobacco manufacturers or agents on behalf of tobacco manufacturers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18562/14]
View answer318 Freedom of Information requests have been received by the Department of Health from 1 January, 2013 to 11 April, 2014 inclusive. 19 requests were tobacco related.
Of these 19 requests:
- 4 were in relation to the proposed standardised packaging of tobacco, of which 1 was from an agent on behalf of a tobacco manufacturer;
- 2 were in relation to non-medical nicotine delivery systems, none of which were from tobacco manufacturers or agents on behalf of tobacco manufacturers.
717. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health when a person in (details supplied) in Dublin South will receive orthotic footwear; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18565/14]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
718. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will support a matter (details supplied) regarding pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18576/14]
View answerAs this is an operational matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
719. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if he will consider urgent concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18577/14]
View answerIn relation to medical cards, the Government is committed to introducing, on a phased basis, a universal GP service without fees within its term of office, as set out in the Programme for Government and the Future Health strategy framework. As announced in the Budget, it has been decided to commence the roll-out of a universal GP service by providing all children aged 5 and under with access to a GP service without fees. This will mean that almost half of the population will have access to GP services without fees. The Government is providing new, additional funding of €37 million to meet the cost of this measure which will provide a GP service to approximately 240,000 children that must currently pay to see a GP.
The Deputy's questions in relation to prostate rapid response clinics and outpatient appointments relate to service delivery matters and accordingly I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him in this regard.
720. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if a hearing aid will be provided in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18592/14]
View answerThe Health Service Executive Community Audiology service administers and monitors hearing tests for adults who are at risk for hearing loss. The HSE has therefore been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
721. 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. [18598/14]
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.
722. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in County Donegal did not receive a medical card review form and if they will be recompensed for the charges they are incurring due to it’s withdrawal of the card while their application is being processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18599/14]
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.
723. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will urgently examine a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18619/14]
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.
724. 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. [18621/14]
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.
725. Deputy Seán Conlan asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan had to wait for more than two hours for an ambulance to arrive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18629/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
726. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18636/14]
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.
727. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if medication (details supplied) will be included on the medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18639/14]
View answerAs this is a service related matter, the Health Service Executive has been asked to examine the specific query raised by the Deputy and to reply to him as soon as possible.
728. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if a medical card will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [18650/14]
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.
729. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the alternative transport and other facilities of a supportive nature remaining available in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18653/14]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
730. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health when a decision will be made in the case of an application for a medical card in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who, along with his spouse, remains on multiple versions of medication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18658/14]
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.
731. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the exact date when the new psychiatric unit will be open at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9. [18682/14]
View answer732. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied with the level of mental health services available to patients in north Dublin; if it is the case that some psychiatric patients from north Dublin are being treated in facilities outside Dublin due to shortage of beds in units in the greater Dublin area. [18683/14]
View answer733. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to correspondence from a group of professionals (details supplied); his position on the way the concerns outlined by this group could be addressed. [18684/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 731 to 733, inclusive, together.
As these are service issues the Deputy's questions have been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
