Written Answers Nos. 1011-1040
1011. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in processing an 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. [33919/14]
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.
1013. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will deal with a matter (details supplied) regarding radiographers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33924/14]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the HSE for direct reply.
1014. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if he will reinstate Edecrin on the list of drugs covered under the medical card. [33925/14]
View answerThe Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the community drug schemes in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
1015. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will support a matter (details supplied); regarding section 2 of the Health Act 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33930/14]
View answer1125. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will support service provision by the National Association of Housing for the Visually Impaired (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34731/14]
View answer1126. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if funding will be made available to an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34732/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1015, 1125 and 1126 together.
Statutory Instrument 366 of 2013 [Article 10(2)], which addresses the payment of annual fees by persons who carry on the business of a designated centre and who provide residential services in accordance with Section 69 of the Health Act 2007, states that an annual fee is payable in three instalments; on 1 January, 1 May and 1 September. Article 10(1) of SI 366, in accordance with section 69 of the Act, prescribes the annual fee that is payable in respect of each resident.
HIQA has informed my Department that it applies the Health Act 2007 ( registration of Designated Centres for Persons ( Children and Adults) with Disabilities) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 366 2013) evenly across designated centres to ensure fairness and consistency in all cases.
The 2014 annual fee for the designated centre to which the Deputy's question refers is €2,379.
I am informed that HIQA received payments for January-April 2014 (€793, paid) and May-August 2014 (€793, paid) for the designated centre. On 26 August 2014 the Authority invoiced the designated centre for the third instalment that is payable on 1 September for the September-December 2014 (€793, outstanding).
I understand that the Authority has not billed the designated centre for any other items.
The National Association of Housing for the Visually Impaired receives funding from the Health Service Executive. My Department has asked the HSE to provide you directly with the information requested.
1016. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (detail supplied) in County Mayo; if same will be restored following the recent decision by the Government to change medical card policy regarding discretionary medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33934/14]
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.
1017. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive will include Thyrogen in the National Cancer Control Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33938/14]
View answerTwo care options are available for the preparation of patients who are diagnosed with thyroid cancer for radio-active iodine ablation - either withdrawal of oral thyroxine treatment or treatment with Thyrogen®. Both options are in line with international guidelines.
The treatment option utilised is determined by the prescribing consultant and the hospital’s Drugs and Therapeutics Committee.
1018. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health when a decision will be made on a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay in same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33944/14]
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.
1019. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card application in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33949/14]
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.
1020. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Health if general practitioners may charge patients €25 for a letter in support of a medical card application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33950/14]
View answerConsultation fees charged by general practitioners to private patients, including patients wishing to apply for eligibility to a medical card or GP visit card and to General Medical Services (GMS) patients outside the terms of the GMS contract are a matter of private contract between the clinicians and the patients. While I have no role in relation to such fees, I would expect clinicians to have regard to the overall economic situation in setting their fees.
1021. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33952/14]
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.
1022. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the protocol in place for patients who are bitten by poisonous spiders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33959/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
1023. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33968/14]
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.
1024. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33971/14]
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.
1025. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card review in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33972/14]
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.
1026. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the response from the critical care service of the Health Service Executive to patients critically ill with septicaemia and severe sepsis; if he will provide the surviving sepsis campaign guidelines; if 30% of all admissions to ICU have severe sepsis, and there is a 30% mortality of all such patients admitted to ICU; the number of people who die each year here from septicaemia; the further actions he will take to save lives; the national reduction targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33973/14]
View answerInformation available to my Department indicates that in 2013, the mortality rate of patients with a diagnosis of sepsis who were admitted to an intensive care environment was 28.8%. The corresponding figure for 2011 is 32.4% and 31.3% for 2012. It should be noted however, that this data is based on the discharge code of patients who had a diagnosis of sepsis and who were admitted to any type of intensive care environment ( including ICU, High Dependency Unit (HDU), Coronary Care Unit (CCU) etc) at some point during their hospitalisation. It is not possible to conclude that these patients were admitted to ICU as a result of sepsis, or that sepsis was the cause of death.
From January 2015 Ireland will adopt the Eight Edition of the ICD (International Classification of Disease)-10-AM classification which includes a revised Australian coding standard ACS 0110 for sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock. This is a new coding system being introduced internationally in relation to sepsis and Ireland will, for the first time, be able to systematically track its rates of sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock.
The Health Information and Quality Authority's (HIQA) Report into the care and treatment provided of Ms Savita Halappanavar at University Hospital, Galway recommended that the HSE should develop a national clinical guideline on the management of sepsis and ensure that all hospitals put in place arrangements for formal staff training on the recognition and management of sepsis and on the clinically deteriorating patients including pregnant women in line with the guideline.
The report also recommended that the Department of Health should immediately review the current arrangements in place to ensure the national Clinical Effectiveness Committee (NCEC) is adequately resourced to support the national endorsement of key national guidelines.
Following on from the HIQA report, Minister Reilly requested four national clinical guidelines to be commissioned and quality assured through the NCEC as a matter of urgency for the Irish health system. These guidelines are a National Maternity Early Warning System Guideline, a National Paediatric Early Warning System Guideline, a National Sepsis Management Guideline and a National Clinical Handover Guideline. These guidelines will not only detail best practice but also to make recommendations for staff education and training. This is in order to provide for assurance of the competence of our doctors, nurses and midwives for these critical life-saving clinical issues. The guidelines will provide recommendations for national key performance indicators.
The NCEC has made significant progress to date on this project and all above guidelines are at an advanced stage of development:
- National Clinical Guideline - Recognition and Management of Sepsis in Ireland, provides guidance on the recognition and management of sepsis in Ireland. This encompasses adaption of the surviving sepsis campaign for the Irish setting.
- National Clinical Guideline - Irish Maternity Early Warning System - provides consideration for maternal sepsis.
- National Clinical Guideline - Handover Maternity Services - provides guidance for systematic handover processes.
- National Clinical Guideline - Paediatric Early Warning System - provides guidance for recognition of the deteriorating paediatric patient.
In addition, The National Clinical Guideline No. 1 National Early Warning Score was updated in August, 2014 by the NCEC to include a sepsis screening pathway. The national Patient Observation Chart has been updated in line with the above. And finally, a National Clinical Lead (Sepsis Workstream) has been appointed.
1027. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding over 70's medical card income limits in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33975/14]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2008, automatic entitlement to a medical card for persons aged 70 and over ended on 31 December 2008. Under the arrangements effected by the Act, a revised system of assessment for eligibility was introduced for those 70 years of age and over, based on the significantly higher gross income limits rather than the standard net income thresholds. This advantageous arrangement for persons aged over 70 years has facilitated a much greater share of this cohort qualifying for a medical card compared to the general population as a whole.
The gross income limit for an over 70's medical card was set at in law at €500 per week for a single person and at €900 per week for a couple from 1 January 2014. The Government recognises that the living costs of an individual living alone are more than half the living costs of a couple living together and that expenditure does not necessarily diminish relative to the number of people in the household. This is recognised, inter alia, through the provision of the Living Alone Increase and differential income limits for medical cards for persons aged under 70 years between individuals and couples. In that context, the over 70's income limit for a single person was reduced proportionately less than the income limit for a couple under this Budget change. There are no proposals to change this assessment process.
Persons aged 70 or over, who have lost their eligibility for a medical card due to the 2014 budgetary change will continue to have access to free GP services. In addition, as you will be aware, the Government committed to introducing, on a phased basis, a universal GP service for the entire population and the aim is to have the over 70's phase implemented this year or early next year. Furthermore, any person over 70 that does not qualify for a medical card is able to use the DPS (Drugs Payment Scheme) which caps spending on prescription drugs.
It should also be noted that persons aged 70 or older, who are assessed as ineligible under the gross income thresholds, may also have their eligibility assessed under the standard means test, where they face particularly high expenses. This assessment is based on net income and assessable outgoing expenses and the qualifying income thresholds under this scheme are lower than over 70's gross income thresholds.
Furthermore, persons aged over 70 years may still be eligible for a medical card on a discretionary basis where they face undue hardship in arranging medical services as a result of medical or social circumstances.
1028. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the procedure to be followed to secure potential funding in order to assist full time residential placement in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33977/14]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
1029. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Health if a qualification for chiropodists obtained in Britain from the National Health Service is recognised here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33984/14]
View answerI presume that the Deputy is referring to the recognition of non-Irish qualifications under Directive 2005/36/EC.
Directive 2005/36/EC applies to EEA nationals with EEA qualifications who wish to practise a regulated profession in an EEA State other than that in which they obtained their professional qualifications, on either a self-employed or employed basis. Its intention is to make it easier for qualified professionals to practise their professions in European countries other than their own. Public health and safety and consumer protection are safeguarded through the qualification recognition process.
To be eligible for consideration under the Directive, a person must be eligible to practise his/her profession in the country in which the qualification was obtained. Such eligibility to practise does not however confer automatic recognition of qualifications in another Member State. In the case of the health and social care professions, including chiropody/podiatry, the Directive provides for an assessment, on a case-by-case basis, of the formal qualifications and professional experience of an applicant against the qualifications required to practise in the host member state, i.e. Ireland, and to offer the applicant a compensation measure should deficits in qualifications be identified.
Under Statutory Instruments Nos. 139 and 166 of 2008, which transpose the Directive into Irish law, the Minister for Health is the competent authority for the recognition of chiropody/podiatry qualifications and is advised by the Podiatry Recognition of Overseas Qualifications Committee whose membership is comprised of representatives of the three chiropody/podiatry professional bodies in Ireland. The process is administered by the National Validation Office, Health Service Executive, Galway on behalf of the Minister.
1030. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will support a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33985/14]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the training pathway for a GP from college to final qualification includes the intern year and the four years of specialist training required to obtain specialist registration with the Medical Council. The direct costs associated with this training pathway are as follows:
- Interns are paid a basic salary of €31,938.
- Years one and two of specialist GP training are spent in training posts at SHO level in the hospital system, in specialties such as paediatrics, emergency medicine and psychiatry. The salary paid to GP trainees is €38,839 (year one) and €40,998 (year two).
- Years three and four are spent in a primary care setting, with an attachment to a dedicated GP trainer. The combined salary cost for these two years is €150,000; associated training and administrative costs amount to €58,000.
The total direct cost, therefore, for the GP training pathway from intern to specialist registration is €319,775.
1031. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the number of administrative arrangements, as opposed to contracts for service, his Department is a party to; if he will provide in tabular form the party or parties to the administrative arrangement; the duration of these administrative arrangements; the cost recovery value of these administrative arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34005/14]
View answerI am not aware of the existence, in my Department, of the type of administrative arrangements referred to by the Deputy but I will investigate further and get back to with the relevant details if such agreement does exist.
1033. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if the pool basis from which staff were paid, based on so much per obstetric bed, plus other inputs, such as students' fees, which funded various costs, including salaries and fees, and then paid percentages to the master, the consultants, assistant masters, is still operational in some form. [34017/14]
View answerAs this relates to an operational matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the HSE for direct response.
1034. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the reason a medical card was removed from persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34018/14]
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. The HSE has established a dedicated enquiry 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 a more immediate direct response. Contact information, including phone number and email address for the enquiry service, has issued to Oireachtas members.
1035. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card application in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34024/14]
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.
1036. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the regulation of counselling and psychotherapy under the Health and Social Care Professions Act 2005. [34028/14]
View answerI intend to bring counsellors and psychotherapists within the ambit of the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 as soon as possible.
The Health and Social Care Professionals Council and the registration boards established under that Act are responsible for protecting the public by promoting high standards of professional conduct and professional education, training and competence amongst the professions designated under the Act. The 12 professions currently designated under the Act are clinical biochemists, dietitians, medical scientists, occupational therapists, orthoptists, physiotherapists, podiatrists, psychologists, radiographers, social care workers, social workers and speech and language therapists.
Psychotherapists and counsellors are not currently regulated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005. However, the Act provides that the Minister for Health may, under section 4(2), designate a health and social care profession not already designated if he or she considers that it is in the public interest to do so and if specified criteria have been met.
My predecessor, James Reilly, wrote to the The Health and Social Care Professionals Council in May of this year advising it of his intention, in the public interest, to designate by regulation the profession or professions of counsellor and psychotherapist under the Act. The Act provides that the Minister for Health is obliged to consult with the Council in the first instance concerning a proposed designation and to give interested persons, organisations and bodies an opportunity to make representations to the Minister. The Council has been asked to advise on a number of issues concerning the proposed designation and requested that it take into consideration the recently published report of Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) on the academic standards necessary for the accreditation of courses in Counselling and Psychotherapy. This is an essential element as it will inform, for the purpose of registration, the assessment by the registration board, when established, of the qualifications of those currently in practice.
This is the first stage in the consultation process under the Act and I expect to receive the Council's report in the coming weeks. I will proceed to the next stage which will involve a much wider consultation when I have fully considered the Council's report. While a number of issues remain to be clarified including decisions on whether one or two professions are to be regulated, on the title or titles of the profession or professions, and on the minimum qualifications to be required of applicants for registration, I intend to progress the regulation of counsellors and psychotherapists as a priority. I hope to be in a position to make the necessary designation regulations early next year. I will then seek expressions of interest from qualified persons available for appointment to the new registration board that will be established to regulate counsellors and psychotherapists.
1037. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be provided with surgery to treat scoliosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34031/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
1038. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health the number of scoliosis patients in each Health Service Executive Service region who are awaiting surgery; the average waiting time between GP referral and specialist examination and between then and surgery; the measures that are under consideration to improve the service plan in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34040/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
1039. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon, will receive confirmation of their appointment for a medical procedure; if he will expedite the appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34041/14]
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.
1040. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a hospital treatment in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34044/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
