Written Answers Nos. 183-191
183. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if medical degrees achieved in Moldova are recognised to allow doctors to practise here; the steps needed to be taken to allow a Moldovan qualified doctor to practice in the State. [26439/14]
View answerUnder the provisions of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007, the Medical Council is the regulator for medical practitioners in this State. Under that Act, it is an offence to practice medicine in Ireland if not registered with the Council.
For the purpose of registration, the Medical Council currently recognises basic medical qualifications which are at least the equivalent of a basic medical qualification awarded within the State. In general, the Medical Council recognises basic medical qualifications awarded by schools listed in the current edition of the World Health Organisation (“WHO” or “AVICENNA”) Directory of Medical Schools. Currently, two medical schools in Moldova are listed in AVICENNA - the State Medical & Pharmaceutical University “Nicolae Testemitanu” of the Republic of Moldova, and the Free International University of Moldova. Medical practitioners who have qualified in one of these medical schools may apply for registration with the Medical Council.
Applicants for general registration are required to provide documentation which confirms their medical qualifications, identity, and good standing in all jurisdictions in which they have held registration. Comprehensive checklists of documents required for registration are provided in the application forms. Where an applicant’s qualifications are not automatically recognized under EU legislation - as in the case of a medical practitioner qualified in Moldova - they are required to pass or be exempt from the pre-registration exam, the PRES and this requirement will apply to Moldovan qualified medical practitioners applying for general registration.
184. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if a medical card will be reinstated in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 13 [26442/14]
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.
186. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the inspections of residential homes for persons with disabilities and the implementation of the national standards for such residential homes; when inspections commenced; the number that have been carried out to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26445/14]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the Programme for Government committed to putting 'National Standards for Residential Services for People with Disabilities' on a statutory footing to ensure that services could be inspected by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA). This commitment was fulfilled when two regulations, one relating to care and support and the second relating to registration issues, were approved and signed by the Minister for Health, with the scheme commencing on 1st November 2013. The introduction of registration and inspection represents a significant advance in terms of delivering consistent and high quality services for people with disabilities in residential services.
I am informed by HIQA that it carried out 149 inspections of designated disability centres or disability units in the period between 1 November 2013 and mid-May 2014.
All residential services for people with disabilities have to be registered with HIQA, and assessed against the Health Act 2007, regulations and national standards. I understand that HIQA is currently compiling information and details of all residential centres for people with disabilities and is also developing a programme of registration activity for these centres to the end of the year.
In April 2014, HIQA completed the first formal registration of a designated centre for persons with disabilities in line with the provisions of the Health Act, 2007.
187. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made in fulfilling the commitment in the programme for Government to move some funding in the disability sector towards the area of personal budgets in order that persons with disabilities have greater flexibility in terms of the services they obtain and require and so they are empowered to make decisions appropriate to their own individual life; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26446/14]
View answerThe Department of Health and the Health Service Executive are pursuing the issue of individualised budgeting in the context of implementing the recommendations in the Value for Money (VFM) and Policy Review of Disability Services in Ireland. The move towards individualised budgeting will also mirror the wider changes in the health sector described in Future Health: A Strategic Framework for Reform of the Health Service 2012 – 2015, which envisages a migration towards a more person-centred service and a closer alignment between funding and the outcomes.
Individualised budgeting may take many forms, ranging from a method of determining resource allocation to agencies based on assessed client need and actual costs, to a money follows the person model, a brokerage system or a personal budget model administered by the individual service user. Further work is necessary before decisions can be taken on the form or forms which individualised budgeting will take, but the essence of it will be that the individual is given more choice and control over how the money allocated to meet their needs is utilised.
The move towards an individualised budgeting framework raises legal and practical issues, and will require careful consideration and planning. Future Health explains that central to the introduction of individualised budgeting will be suitable financial systems; transparent and comprehensive governance arrangements; a National Standard Needs Assessment framework; underpinning legislation and the introduction of a regulatory system for providers to ensure quality and safety for the recipients of social services.
Demonstration projects are already underway to examine the practical aspects of introducing this major change in the disability sector and to establish the costs and benefits. An analysis of the projects will commence towards the end of 2014 to determine their wider applicability, clarify the issues which must be resolved before the projects can be scaled up, and identify the best way forward. The completion of this analysis is a primary recommendation in the VFM Review and is required for all significant public service expenditure proposals.
188. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if he will directly intervene to ensure that no top-up payments will be paid to senior executives in voluntary hospitals and health agencies by the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26450/14]
View answerAt my request, the HSE has taken urgent action to ensure Section 38 agencies which have been found to be in breach of health sector pay policy are brought into compliance.
Following consultation between the agencies and the HSE, a substantial number of Section 38 Agencies submitted business cases seeking retention of unapproved allowances.
An Internal HSE Review Panel communicated their decisions in April on the business cases that were made to them by the Section 38 organisations. The vast majority of the business cases were rejected. The process of implementing these recommendations is still under way and has not yet been completed. On the completion of the compliance process, a final report detailed by Agency will be provided, at which time it is expected that all agencies will have demonstrated full compliance with Government pay policy.
189. 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. [26455/14]
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.
190. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health if he will raise with the Health Service Executive management the need for permanent accommodation into the future at Tallaght hospital, Dublin 24, for the Small World Creche which caters for children of Tallaght hospital staff; and if he will support the campaign to retain these important services. [26460/14]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have referred the question to the HSE for direct reply.
191. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a hospital appointment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath. [26466/14]
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 him on this matter.
