Written Answers Nos. 344 - 353
344. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his views regarding the safety and effectiveness of hip joints supplied by a company (details supplied); if he will provide details on same; the number of patients affected; the measures taken in respect of recipients; the cost to the State; if he will be seeking compensation from the company involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37864/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
345. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Health his views on expanding the fair deal scheme so that it can be used to fund home care supports as well as residential care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37866/14]
View answerThe Nursing Homes Support Scheme is a system of financial support for individuals who require long-term nursing home care. The total budget for long-term residential care in 2014 is €939m. However, €23m was transferred from the Nursing Homes Support Scheme at the beginning of 2014 to provide additional community services, with a view to allowing more older people to be supported in their own homes and communities for longer. With this extra funding for community services, the HSE is currently developing far more intensive home care packages to keep more dependent people at home. This initiative is in addition to the budget of €315m already provided for home care packages and home help services.
The funding available for the Scheme is already stretched to meet the needs of the residential sector and there is no scope to expand the Scheme to cover home care supports. However the Scheme is currently the subject of a Review which will consider the case for applying a similar funding model to community based services and to other sectors (Disability and Mental Health). It is expected that the Review will be completed in the coming months and a 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.
346. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Health his views on the need for transfer of care protocols to be put in place prior to the discharge of a patient from a hospital or care facility and returning home where they will receive further care to ensure the required care will be delivered safely and with confidence in the home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37867/14]
View answer354. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Health his plans to introduce transfer of care protocols for patients leaving hospital to be cared for at home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37978/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 346 and 354 together.
The HSE National Integrated Care Guidance (2014) has been developed by the National Integrated Care Advisory Group under the auspices of the HSE Quality and Patient Safety Division. The guidance is based on feedback received following extensive national and targeted consultation with service providers in both the acute and community healthcare settings, and on review of the HSE Integrated Discharge Planning Code of Practice (2008).
This practical guide to integrated care is designed to support healthcare providers to improve their discharge and transfer processes from the acute hospital setting back into the community. This guide will support service providers in demonstrating how they are meeting the National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare, and outlines nine key steps in effective discharge and transfer of care which will facilitate faster, safer discharges for patients. These steps include identifying whether the person has simple or complex discharge needs, setting an expected date of discharge/transfer and reviewing treatment plan with the person on a daily basis.
As the arrangements for patients being discharged from acute hospitals or care facilities are service matters, I have also asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
347. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health his policy regarding the issue of pregnant women who opt for home births and the midwives who attend them; the way his policy is communicated to the Health Service Executive and the subsequent HSE policy on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37880/14]
View answerIt is the policy to 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.
This service is provided by the self-employed community midwife on behalf of the Health Service Executive who signs a Memorandum of Understanding 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, 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. The latest Memorandum of Understanding came into operation on 1st March 2014.
348. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon who suffers from two serious illnesses has been waiting six months for a decision on their review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37895/14]
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.
349. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health the number of medical assessors adjudicating the eligibility for discretionary medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37938/14]
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.
350. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a matter (details supplied) relating to deliberations of the Committee of Public Accounts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37944/14]
View answerI have asked that a response issue from the HSE to you in relation to this matter on behalf of the Accounting Officer, Mr Tony O'Brien.
351. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health if he will provide clarification regarding a serious incident relating to a midwife (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37950/14]
View answerThis matter is sub-judice and I am therefore restricted in the response I can give to your question.
My role as Minister for health primarily relates to national policy decisions, legislation, implementing the programme for government and securing an overall budget for health and accounting for it to the Oireachtas. I am in no way personally involved in decisions about individual patients, members of staff or contractors. I have had no role in this matter which is one for the HSE and it would be inappropriate for me to intervene regardless of political pressure or lobbying. I hope you can understand and respect why that is.
With regard to this case, I understand from the HSE that her indemnity has been suspended temporarily due to specific and serious concerns expressed by other clinical staff about patient safety. When the HSE suspends an individual as a precautionary measure subject to a review/investigation, it does not do so lightly. An overall competence and performance review is planned. I hope this will be done as expediently as possible.
On the broader issue, pregnancy is not a disease but a physiological condition and there is no reason why women with a normal pregnancy, should not have their baby delivered at home by a community midwife or in a midwife-led unit. It should be a mother’s choice within safe guidelines. This will form part of the general review of maternity services being carried out over the course of the next twelve months.
352. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a surgery appointment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37973/14]
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.
353. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the resources currently allocated to the collection of information for the national physical and sensory disability database; his views on the way the database is impacting on the services persons with disabilities receive [37976/14]
View answerThe National Physical and Sensory Disability Database is managed by the Health Research Board on behalf of the Department of Health. The National Physical and Sensory Disability Database is a set of information that outlines the specialised health services currently used or needed by people with physical/sensory disability. The Database was established in 2002 and there are now more than 27,000 people registered.
Participation in the Database is voluntary and not every individual in Ireland who has a physical/sensory disability is availing of, or requiring, a specialised health and personal social service. The primary focus of the Database is to facilitate service planning and provision; it also aims to record the details of people availing of, or who require, a specialised health and personal social service. It provides a profile of people with physical or sensory disability who: are receiving specialised health and personal social services; are waiting for specialised health and personal services; the type of service they are waiting for and when, in the next five years, they need these services.
The Health Service Executive and service providers are responsible for the collection of the data on the Database. Accordingly the Department has asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy in relation to the resources used in collecting the data.
