Written Answers Nos. 538-560
538. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Kildare will receive a date for surgery at Tallaght general hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24533/14]
View answerThe National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, 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 the Deputy on this matter.
539. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when the VHI's annual report and accounts for 2013 will be published. [24565/14]
View answerIn accordance with the VHI Acts, the VHI is required to submit its Annual Report and Accounts to the Minister for Health, and I am required to lay the Annual Report and Accounts before the Houses of the Oireachtas.
I understand the VHI's 2013 Annual Report and Accounts are being finalised and will be submitted shortly. I will then make the relevant arrangements for them to be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.
540. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the total number of medical cards as of 1 June 2014; the total number of GP cards on the same date; and the total number for each type of card issued on a discretionary basis on that date. [24566/14]
View answerThe figures requested by the Deputy are not, as yet, collated. The most current figures available relate to 1 May 2014 and are set out in the following table:
|
Card Type |
No. of Cards |
|
Medical cards |
1,800,182 |
|
of which granted on the basis of discretion |
50,375 |
|
GP Visit cards |
125,166 |
|
of which granted on the basis of discretion |
29,841 |
541. Deputy Ann Phelan asked the Minister for Health the current status of the review of the fair deal scheme; if it will be debated in Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24569/14]
View answerWork on the Review is on-going. It is expected that the Review will be completed in the coming months and the Report will then be made publicly available.
As the Scheme is statutory based, the implementation of any recommendations arising from the review may require amendments to the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act, 2009.
542. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if he will intervene in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who is in need of respite care and access to a child psychiatrist as a matter of urgency; if this will be provided as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24570/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
543. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in determination of application for a medical card in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24571/14]
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.
544. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Health if he will list in tabular form all legislation and specific sections therein that refer to powers delegated to the Minister for State with special responsibility for disability, equality and mental health; if he will detail the title of the civil servants who are responsible for reporting directly to said Minister of State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24611/14]
View answerThe Health (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 (S.I. 492 of 2011) delegates to Ms Kathleen Lynch, Minister of State at the Department of Health the powers and duties of the Minister for Health conferred on him by or under the following enactments:
Part 2 and section 32 of the Disability Act 2005 (No. 14 of 2005)
Section 4 of the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2001 (No. 14 of 2001)
Mental Health Act 2001 (No. 25 of 2001)
Sections 32, 35 and 44 of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009 (No. 15 of 2009)
Four civil servants are assigned to work in Minister of State Lynch's office, one Private Secretary, one Executive Officer and two Clerical Officers.
545. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Health if he will list in tabular form all legislation and specific sections therein that refer to powers delegated to the Minister of State with special responsibility for primary care; if he will detail the title of the civil servants who are responsible for reporting directly to said Minister of State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24621/14]
View answerThe Health (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2012 (S.I. No. 553 of 2012) delegates to Mr Alex White, Minister of State at the Department of Health the powers (other than the power to prosecute an offence) and duties of the Minister for Health conferred on him by the enactments specified in Part 1 of the Schedule and under the instruments specified in Part 2 of the Schedule as follows;
Part 1
Opticians Act 1956 (No. 17 of 1956)
Health (Fluoridation of Water Supplies) Act 1960 (No. 46 of 1960)
Poisons Act 1961 (No. 12 of 1961)
Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 to 2007
Dentists Act 1985 (No. 9 of 1985)
Section 17 of the Control of Clinical Trials Act 1987 (No. 28 of 1987)
Health (Amendment Act 1994 (No. 11 of 1994)
Irish Medicines Board Act 1995 (No. 29 of 1995), other than subsections (2) (n) and (3) (as amended by section 16 of the Irish Medicines Board (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 (No. 3 of 2006)) of section 32
Pharmacy Act 2007 (No. 20 of 2007)
Part 2
Dublin Dental Hospital (Establishment) Order 1963 (S.I. No.129 of 1963)
Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1988 (S.I. No. 328 of 1988)
Paragraphs (2) and (3) (as amended by Regulation 15 of the European Communities (Medical Devices) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I. No. 110 of 2009)) of Regulation 4 of the European Communities (Medical Devices) Regulations 1994 (S.I. No 252 of 1994).
Misuse of Drugs Regulations (Supervision of Prescription and Control of Supply of Methadone) Regulations 1998 (S.I No. 225 of 1998).
Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) Regulations 2003 to 2008 (as amended by the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I. No. 442 of 2009) and the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 525 of 2011))
Regulations 6,7,8,50, 52 and Schedule 2 (as amended by the European Communities (Clinical Trials on Medicinal Products for Human Use) (Amendment No.2) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 374 of 2006)) of the European Communities (Clinical Trials on Medicinal Products for Human Use) Regulations 2004 (S.I. No. 190 of 2004)
Fluoridation of Water Supplies Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 42 of 2007)
Medicinal Products (Control of Placing on the Market) Regulations 2007 to 2010 (as amended by the Medicinal Products (Control of Placing on the Market) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 722 of 2011) and the Medicinal Products (Control of Placing on the Market) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. No. 272 of 2012))
Medicinal Products (Control of Advertising) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No 541 of 2007)
Regulation of Retail Pharmacy Businesses Regulations 2008 (S.I. No. 488 of 2008)
Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (Fees) Rules 2008 and 2010
Poisons Regulations 2008 (S.I. No. 511 of 2008)
European Communities (Control of Drug Precursors) Regulations 2009 (S.I. No. 558 of 2009)
Five civil servants are assigned to work in Minister of State White's office, one Private Secretary, one Executive Officer and three Clerical Officers.
546. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an operation in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24624/14]
View answerThe National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, 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 the Deputy on this matter.
547. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in respect of a medical card review in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24627/14]
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.
548. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if a discretionary medical card will be returned immediately to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare. [24636/14]
View answer549. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if a discretionary medical card will be returned immediately to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24637/14]
View answer550. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if a discretionary medical card will be returned immediately to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24638/14]
View answer551. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if a discretionary medical card will be returned immediately to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24639/14]
View answer552. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if a discretionary medical card will be immediately returned to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24640/14]
View answer553. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if a discretionary medical card will be returned immediately to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24641/14]
View answer554. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if a discretionary medical card will be returned immediately to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24642/14]
View answer555. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if a discretionary medical card will be returned immediately to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24643/14]
View answer556. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if a discretionary medical card will be returned immediately to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24644/14]
View answer557. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if a discretionary medical card will be returned immediately to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24645/14]
View answer558. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if a discretionary medical card will be returned immediately to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24646/14]
View answer559. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if a discretionary medical card will be returned immediately to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24647/14]
View answer560. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if a discretionary medical card will be returned immediately to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24648/14]
View answer573. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if a discretionary medical card will be returned immediately to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24799/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 548 to 560, inclusive, and 573 together.
The Government has decided to develop a new policy framework for eligibility for the award of medical cards to take account of on-going medical conditions. The HSE has established an Expert Panel to examine the range of conditions that should be considered as a basis of eligibility and has been asked to make an early report to Government.
In this context, the HSE has decided to suspend reviews of medical cards where discretion had been exercised to take account of medical circumstances, pending the outcome of this process. This includes people who are currently in the appeals process. The HSE has extended eligibility of the individuals concerned, who are in the process of being advised in the normal way.
The Government is examining how best to address the situation of persons with serious medical conditions who had been issued with a medical card on a discretionary basis, but who have already completed the review process (and appeal process, as relevant) and who are not eligible to retain that card. The Government is examining the most effective and timely way of progressing such change.
