Written Answers Nos. 725-743
725. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health when Tuam ambulance base will receive 24-7 cover; pending same, his plans to ensure that the people of the area can expect an adequate response time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22196/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
726. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will examine and address the issues raised in correspondence (details supplied) in respect of the delivery of mental health services in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22199/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
727. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the number of employees in the Health Service Executive that are on a transfer list seeking transfers to a similar post in other locations throughout the country; the number of persons who transferred in 2013 and to date in 2014; the number of persons on these lists who have not been approved for a transfer from the area where they are currently working; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22204/14]
View answerThe Deputy's question relates to service delivery matters and accordingly I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him.
728. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a hospital appointment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath. [22207/14]
View answerShould a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she would be in the best position to take the matter up with the consultant and hospital involved. In relation to the specific hospital appointment query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
729. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health his plans to refurbish the St. Elizabeth Court care facility, North Circular Road, Dublin 7. [22216/14]
View answerI understand the HSE has been in contact with the Deputy within the last week regarding this matter.
730. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the reason a medical card has been withdrawn without notice in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; the reason despite contacting the medical card department on numerous occasions they are still without their card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22217/14]
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 Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Health the number of empty beds currently in community nursing homes in County Mayo; the total capacity of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22246/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
732. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Health the number of empty beds currently in private nursing homes in County Mayo; the total capacity of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22247/14]
View answerMy Department does not collect information on the occupancy rates of private nursing homes at any particular point in time.
Under the Health Act, 2007 statutory responsibility is given to the Chief Inspector of Social Services, in the Health Information and Quality Authority for the registration and inspection of categories of designated centres, including nursing homes for older people. When nursing homes are registered under the Health Act 2007, their details are added to the appropriate register maintained by HIQA. There are at present 16 private nursing in Co. Mayo registered with the Authority. Further details on these homes and the total number of people that can be accommodated in each are available at www.hiqa.ie.
733. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to the issue of a long-term illness card or medical card in lieu thereof in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22255/14]
View answerThe Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act, 1970 (as amended). Regulations were made in 1971, 1973 and 1975 specifying the conditions covered by the Long Term Illness Scheme. The conditions covered by the Long Term Illness Scheme are as follows: Acute Leukaemia; Mental handicap; Cerebral Palsy; Mental Illness (in a person under 16); Cystic Fibrosis; Multiple Sclerosis; Diabetes Insipidus; Muscular Dystrophies; Diabetes Mellitus; Parkinsonism; Epilepsy; Phenylketonuria; Haemophilia; Spina Bifida; Hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide. 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.
Under the provisions of the Health Acts, medical cards are provided to persons who are, in the opinion of the HSE, unable without undue hardship to arrange GP services for themselves and their dependants. In the assessment process, the HSE can take into account medical costs incurred by an individual or a family.
Under the legislation, there is no entitlement to a medical card based on having a particular disease or illness. 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.
The HSE is responsible for the administration of the primary care schemes, therefore, I have asked the HSE to investigate the circumstances surrounding this case and respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
734. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding surgery in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22288/14]
View answerThe National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2013, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him on this matter.
735. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health when a decision will be made on an application under the nursing home support scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; when it will be put into payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22294/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
736. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health when a decision will be made on an application under the nursing home support scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; when it will be put into payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22295/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
737. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the progress being made with the transfer of a person (details supplied) to the Central Mental Hospital in Dublin from a hospital in the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22296/14]
View answerAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
738. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if a decision has been made on a review of a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22303/14]
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.
739. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the finding of Britain's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (details supplied) that women with uncomplicated births should have greater access to midwife-led care outside hospitals; the steps he will take to increase such access in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22315/14]
View answerMy Department and the Health Service Executive respect an individual's choice in childbirth and their right to have a home birth.
Currently in Ireland there is a National Domiciliary Midwifery service available to eligible expectant mothers who wish to avail of a home birth service under the care of a self-employed community midwife (SECM). This service is provided by the self-employed community midwife on behalf of the Health Service Executive who signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Health Service Executive. Each self-employed community midwife who agrees to be bound by the terms of this Memorandum of Understanding, is covered by the Clinical Indemnity Scheme (CIS), operated by the State Claims Agency for clinical negligence or medical malpractice arising from the provision of community midwifery services. The criteria for eligibility for the home birth service provided by the self-employed community midwives on behalf of the Health Service Executive were drafted by a group of experts including midwives and obstetricians.
There are currently two midwifery-led units in existence: one in Cavan and the other in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda. My Department is developing a maternity strategy which will involve a literature review of obstetric and midwife-led care models. The strategy should inform the development of different types of midwifery-led care so that women have greater choice nationally.
740. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be considered for an increase in home help hours with immediate effect under the home care package; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22318/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
741. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the waiting period for access to the spouses and children's pension scheme for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be eliminated as the error in this case was not on their part and they cannot afford to buy into the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22328/14]
View answerAs this is an operational matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
742. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will support a matter (details supplied) regarding discretionary medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22332/14]
View answerWhile there has been a reduction in the number of discretionary medical cards, I wish to assure the Deputy that there is no policy to reduce the number of medical cards issued where discretion is involved in the assessment process.
The fact is that many people who used to hold discretionary cards have been granted medical cards on income grounds because they now fall within the means thresholds. Only a very small proportion of people with discretionary medical cards, who have been reviewed recently, have been found to be ineligible for a medical card. Of the discretionary cards in circulation in 2011, less than one tenth have been found to be ineligible on review. On the other hand, even where medical expenses have been taken into account, some people have been found to be ineligible because their net income is in excess of the means thresholds, sometimes by hundreds of euro per week.
In accordance with the legislation, medical cards are awarded to persons who suffer undue financial hardship in the arranging of GP services including where this arises as a result of a disease or an illness.
The HSE established panel of Community Medical Officers to assist in the processing of applications for medical cards where the income guidelines are exceeded but where there are difficult personal circumstances, such as an illness or physical disability. The Medical Officers review evidence of necessary medical expenses provided by the applicant. As appropriate, he or she liaises with general practitioners, hospital consultants and other health professionals so that costs relating to the health circumstances of the applicant can be taken fully into account.
Minister Reilly and I are conscious of the difficulties faced by the relatively small number of people who have been found to be ineligible. At his request, the HSE is currently examining how individuals, who are not entitled to a medical card, could still receive services that meet their needs. This examination relates to all of the services and supports provided by the HSE and with regard to as much flexibility as is available at a local level. In addition, additional information will be provided and local information points will be established at major health centres around the country, where members of the public can obtain comprehensive information and support in accessing the full range of supports from the Health Services.
The clear intention is to maximise the supports that can be provided in each case to the fullest extent possible. The HSE is seeking to find the best way to achieve this in order to ensure families will receive the support they need.
743. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the reason a VHI policy was used to pay a consultant who did not in fact visit or tend to the patient in any way. [22340/14]
View answerVHI issues a Statement of Benefit to each customer detailing the payments made by VHI on their behalf, and urging the customer to be vigilant when examining their claims statements to ensure that there are no anomalies. Customers are advised to contact VHI's Special Investigation Unit (SIU) if they think that there is a mistake on their statement or if VHI has been charged for accommodation or treatments not received. The SIU team at VHI is dedicated to ensuring that incidences of error or overcharging by healthcare providers are fully investigated and rectified.
Where an error has been identified, VHI notifies the provider in question and deducts the monies involved directly from the provider. The provider is also asked to ensure that their processes are amended to prevent any recurrence. If there are a number of queries or repeat occurrences of anomalies with a particular hospital or service provider, an audit is conducted to identify the extent of the practice, the level of monies to be repaid to VHI, and the redesign of processes to prevent any reoccurrence of inappropriate billing.
I understand that the case referred to by the Deputy was investigated by the VHI in accordance with its procedures for handing such complaints.
