Denis Naughten
Question:204. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon will receive an outpatient appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27649/14]
View answerHospital Appointment Status
Questions (204)
Written answers
A maximum waiting time target of 12 months has been set for a first time consultant-led outpatient appointment and this is reflected in the HSE Service Plan. The SDU and the NTPF are working closely with hospitals towards achievement of the maximum waiting time. Should 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.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Questions (205)
Denis Naughten
Question:205. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the current waiting time for an orthopaedic appointment deemed to be an urgent referral at Roscommon county hospital; the number of orthopaedic clinics scheduled to take place at the hospital for the remainder of 2014; the number of consultants operating such clinics at the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27650/14]
View answerWritten answers
In relation to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service matters they have been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
Medical Card Eligibility
Questions (206)
Finian McGrath
Question:206. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27651/14]
View answerWritten answers
The 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.
Hospital Facilities
Questions (207)
Brendan Griffin
Question:207. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if measures will be put in place to improve safety at a hospital (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27672/14]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
Hospital Facilities
Questions (208)
Brendan Griffin
Question:208. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a facility (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27673/14]
View answerWritten answers
Management of the health care property estate is a service matter. Therefore your question has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
Medical Card Administration
Questions (209)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:209. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27677/14]
View answerWritten answers
The Government has decided to develop a policy framework for providing eligibility for health services to take account of medical conditions, including new legislation as appropriate and a HSE clinical expert group is to examine the range of conditions that should be considered as part of this process. The group has been asked to make an early report to the Minister for Health in the autumn.
The Government was very concerned about the potential impacts on the health of persons with serious illnesses whose discretionary medical cards and GP visit cards were refused renewals since the centralisation of medical card assessment in 2011. Therefore, in the context of the above eligibility policy development, the Government has decided to issue medical cards and GP visit cards to these people.
The Government recently approved the method by which medical cards and GP visit cards, awarded by way of discretion, can issue to persons with serious medical conditions where renewal was refused having completed an eligibility review. The cards will issue in the following circumstances:
- During the period, the person held a medical card or GP visit card issued on a discretionary basis, but the HSE made a decision to refuse its renewal on foot of a completed eligibility review. - The person completed the review process during that period, i.e. provided the information and documentation required to assess their eligibility.
- The person has a serious medical condition, i.e., which required that their case was referred to a Medical Officer as a part of the review process
It is anticipated that over 15,000 cards will issue to people with serious medical conditions as part of this process. However, until the HSE has completed its examination on a case by case basis, it is not possible to provide a definitive figure. Furthermore, it is also recognised that a small number of individuals may not have been able to complete their review during this period due to circumstances relating to their medical condition, e.g., hospitalisation during treatment, change of residence during treatment. Therefore, the Director General of the HSE may act, on his own initiative, to take account of an ad misericordiam appeal (an appeal “to pity”) on a case by case basis to issue a discretionary card to such a person that has a serious medical condition.
Hospital Procedures
Questions (210)
Billy Timmins
Question:210. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Health the number of orthopaedic procedures by type that have been carried out at Cappagh Hospital for the years 2011 to date in 2014; the amount of funding provided to the hospital for each of those periods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27678/14]
View answerWritten answers
In relation to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service matters they have been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
Health Services
Questions (211)
Billy Kelleher
Question:211. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when a report in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Meath will be completed; if there are any further assessments scheduled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27707/14]
View answerWritten answers
As the particular issue raised by the Deputy relates to an individual case, this is a service matter for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
Nursing Home Services
Questions (212)
Brendan Smith
Question:212. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he has considered the request of Nursing Homes Ireland for the establishment of a Department of Health-led forum on long-term care to plan the ongoing and future residential care requirements of Ireland's ageing population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27710/14]
View answerWritten answers
Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) has called for the development of a long term strategy for the sector through formal establishment of forum or expert group of industry stake-holders. There is already a very effective level of consultation with NHI and other stakeholders on relevant issues. NHI has clear channels of communication with both my Department and the HSE. NHI, with other relevant stake-holders, are routinely consulted in relation to development of policy and regulations in the residential care sphere. I met with a delegation from NHI as recently as Wednesday 11 June and these channels remain open. I would like to assure the Deputy that planning for future services will continue to be fully informed by the views and concerns of all stakeholders, and that all positions will be considered in a balanced and objective way so as to get the optimal outcome for service users and the taxpayer.