Written Answers Nos. 767 - 784
767. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a tabular breakdown of the number of instances of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases found among MSM, WSW and MSW for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18802/14]
View answerThe Health Protection Surveillance Centre of the HSE is responsible for the collation of data regarding incidences of notifiable infectious diseases, including HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. I have, therefore, asked the HSE to supply the information requested by the Deputy directly to him.
768. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if an early appointment will be arranged in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18809/14]
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.
769. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if a medical card will be issued as a matter of urgency in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny [18820/14]
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.
770. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details on the additional space and facilities which will be made available in terms of paediatric ED services in the extension to the emergency department at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18821/14]
View answerDelivery of healthcare facilities is a service matter. Therefore your question has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
771. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health his plans to refurbish St Elizabeth Court, Care Facilty, North Circular Road, Dublin 7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18824/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
772. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health if he will urgently engage the Special Delivery Unit to develop a solution to the ongoing and unsustainable situation regarding patients being treated on trolleys at the emergency department at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18830/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
773. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the activities of the Special Delivery Unit since 1 January 2014 in the case of all of the major emergency departments in acute hospitals across the State; if he will outline the specific objectives set down for the SDU in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18831/14]
View answerIn relation to the detailed information requested by the Deputy, as these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to him directly.
774. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the amount paid by the Health Service Executive and his Department in interest due to a late payment and not meeting its obligations under the prompt payment rules for each year for the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18873/14]
View answerI can assure the Deputy that my Department is committed to paying its suppliers promptly and to a standard payment period of 15 days as per the Government Decision effective from 1 June 2009. Information in relation to prompt payment interest paid by my Department is being collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy.
The Health Service Executive is committed to making every effort to pay its suppliers promptly, and to standard payment terms of 30 days. Taking into account that over 7,000 invoices are received daily by the Executive across a multiplicity of service delivery units, managing all payment processes is logistically complex. Notwithstanding this, the introduction of Prompt Payments legislation and the refinancing arrangements introduced and overseen by my Department have seen the HSE comprehensively address the issue of late payment.
I have asked the HSE to respond directly to you with the information you have requested in relation to that organisation.
775. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Health if he will furnish details of the nursing midwifery graduate initiative; if the initiative is open for applications and the numbers of graduates facilitated by the initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18875/14]
View answerThe Haddington Road Agreement provided for the recruitment of up to 1000 Nurse Graduates on a 2 year programme to be employed at 85% of the first salary point of the January 2011 staff nurse scale, progressing to 90% of same in year 2. The Initiative supports the retention of recently qualified graduate nurses and midwives within the Irish health system and enables them to gain valuable work experience and development opportunities post-graduation.
Given the requirement to reduce public service numbers and maximise savings, it is not possible to offer permanent posts at the starting point of the Staff Nurse Scale to graduates at this time, other than in very limited circumstances. Census returns for March 2014 show 463 nurses having commenced employment under the scheme (WTEs).
Recruitment under the Graduate Nurse Initiative is being conducted locally by Hospitals/Services. As vacancies arise, they are advertised on the HSE Website.
776. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if a decision has been made on an appeal of a medical card decision in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he if will make a decision on the matter. [18877/14]
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.
777. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card renewal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare. [18880/14]
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.
778. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an assessment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18882/14]
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.
779. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the reason the drug myleran is not covered by the drugs payment scheme; if there is any likelihood of it being so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18884/14]
View answerThe HSE is responsible for the administration of the primary care schemes, therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
780. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given towards establishing market regulations for foods high in sugar and fat. [18886/14]
View answerI established the Special Action Group on Obesity (SAGO) comprising representatives from relevant Government Departments, the HSE, the Food Safety Authority, members of academia, service professionals and safefood to examine and progress a number of issues to address the problem of overweight and obesity in Ireland. At my request the Special Action Group on Obesity has established a sub-committee to examine measures to restrict the availability of foods and drinks from the top-shelf of the Food Pyramid (as per the Healthy Eating Guidelines) as these foods and drinks are not necessary for health. An Action Plan has now been developed to progress implementation of the Recommendations.
Arising from the work to date, my Department will be meeting with the Department of Communications and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland with a view to discussing a regular review of the impact of the Code of Advertising of foods to children. My Department have been very involved in working with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, with regard to the marketing of food and drink to children and the development of a new Children’s Code up to 18 years, to restrict marketing of high fat, high salt and high sugar foods and drinks during children’s viewing times.
Discussions are taking place between HI Healthy Ireland and The Health Promotion Unit on a cross-sectoral approach to this matter and the Report, including the Recommendations of the Working Group on top-shelf foods.
My Department is developing a new obesity policy this year which will have a significant impact on the obesity agenda, provide a framework for action based on a number of informants and help lead inter-sectoral work in addressing overweight and obesity in Ireland.
781. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Health if all blood donors are tested before donating blood and if so, the reason men who have sex with men cannot donate once tested and cleared like other blood donors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18887/14]
View answerEvery blood donation is tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), syphilis and human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV). However, despite improvements in blood screening tests, a small number of infected donations may be missed because of the ‘window period’ between exposure to risk and evidence of infection. For this reason it is most important that people who are in a higher risk group do not donate during the 'window period'.
The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) remit is to provide a safe, reliable, robust blood service to the Irish health system. Blood, and the products derived from it, are an integral facet of healthcare delivery. A major objective of the IBTS is to ensure that it always has the necessary programmes and procedures in place to protect both the donors of blood and the recipients of blood and blood products.
The EU Directive on quality and safety of blood requires that "all necessary measures have been taken to safeguard the health of individuals who are recipients of blood and blood components". The permanent deferral of men who have sex with men (MSM) from donating blood is not based on sexuality or orientation but on the fact that there are increased levels of HIV infection among men who have sex with men in Ireland.
Decisions of the IBTS on such matters are based on available evidence. Data available in Ireland from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, as well as from international sources, is kept under review. The most recent full year data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre is in respect of 2012 and in that year 341 people were newly diagnosed with HIV in Ireland. The highest proportion of new diagnoses was in MSM (166 cases - approx 49%) and this proportion has been increasing since 2004. Data for the first two quarters of 2013 shows similar rates to 2012. These rates of HIV infection in MSM are disproportionately high, considering that MSM account for a relatively small proportion of the population.
The IBTS keeps its eligibility criteria for donating under regular on-going review, working closely with blood services internationally.
782. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the measures that will be taken to ensure child speech and language therapists are replaced during maternity leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18895/14]
View answerAs this is an operational matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
783. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Health if speech and language therapy for children can be delivered in schools and not health centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18896/14]
View answerThe provision of speech and language therapy services for children in the community is a service issue. Therefore, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy regarding this matter.
784. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that, in the context of the ongoing reviews of medical card provision, all survivors of symphysiotomy and pubiotomy will continue to retain their entitlement to the special SOS medical cards they were granted, as part of a package of wider health supports for those who underwent these operations [18903/14]
View answerMy priority continues to be to ensure that the women who have undergone the Symphysiotomy procedure have their health needs comprehensively and professionally met. The HSE provides a range of services to women who may be experiencing any adverse effects as a result of undergoing this procedure. These services include the provision of medical cards, the availability of independent clinical advice and the organisation of individual pathways of care and the arrangement of appropriate follow-up. All of these services are available on request by the women from the HSE nominated Symphysiotomy Liaison Officers.
Medical cards granted to women on the basis of having undergone a surgical Symphysiotomy are subject to review by the HSE to confirm a continued need for the service. Once this is confirmed, cards are automatically reissued.
