Tuesday, 4 Nov 2014

Written Answers Nos. 632-650

Home Care Packages

Questions (632)

Joe Higgins

Question:

632. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health the position regarding funding for home care in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15. [41227/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for investigation and direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with the HSE.

Rare Diseases

Questions (633, 634)

Joe Higgins

Question:

633. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health the research the State is funding and-or collaborating with other states into Gaucher's disease; and if he will report on research the State funds into other rare genetic conditions. [41228/14]

Joe Higgins

Question:

634. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health the steps that are being taken to enable screening of Gaucher's disease and other rare genetic conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41229/14]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 633 and 634 together.

Last July, my department published a national plan for rare diseases. This was published in the context of an estimate that there are between 5,000 and 8,000 rare diseases whose specificities are a limited number of patients and a scarcity of relevant knowledge and expertise.

In general, the prospect of initiating a screening programme for rare diseases with ultra-low prevalence rates appear remote. In this vein, it is reported that Gaucher disease occurs in 1 in 50,000 to 100,000 people in the general population. This does not militate though against the HSE National Clinical Programme for Rare Diseases - established in the wake of the recommendations of our national plan for rare diseases - weighing the costs, benefits and efficacy of various screening programmes to the general population. Indeed, the national plan declared that the newborn stage is one of the key points in the lifecycle at which the possible presence of a rare disease may be indicated. Newborn screening is now carried out for a total of six conditions.

The Health Research Board (HRB) is the lead agency in Ireland supporting and funding health research. It has developed a mechanism whereby it can support excellent research into rare diseases and disorders. This is through a co-funding arrangement with the Medical Research Charities Group (MRCG), an umbrella group of medical research and patient support charities in Ireland. Each year, the MRCG invites proposals for research in diseases and disorders of interest to its members and the HRB manages their evaluation rigorously. This partnership commits over €2 million in funding each year to this scheme. In addition, researchers may submit applications for funding for research on rare diseases through any of its other funding schemes.

The HRB has not received an application for funding for Gaucher Disease. Since 2005 though,  the HRB has invested almost €4.5 million (current investments of almost €3.2 million) in research on understanding the underlying causes, diagnosis, treatment and management of a number of rare diseases. In addition, the European Commission is working with member states to prepare for the creation of European Reference Networks. These networks may be described as the networking of knowledge and expertise on rare diseases through teams of experts that could also serve as research and knowledge centres. This initiative is important given that countries may not have sufficient local expertise in many rare and ultra-rate diseases.

Finally, the national plan recommended the establishment of a National Rare Disease Office to, among other things, assist with and support research on rare diseases with various public partners.

Palliative Care for Children

Questions (635)

Joe Higgins

Question:

635. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health if he will make funds available to increase the number of palliative care units for children; if he will report on the assistance the State gives to Laura Lynn hospice in Leopardstown, Dublin 18; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41230/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Hospital Staff

Questions (636)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

636. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the alternative arrangements which are being made for the patients and staff of the St. James's Hospital dental clinic which was suddenly closed recently; and his plans to build or purchase an alternative location. [41236/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I have asked the HSE to investigate this matter and respond to the Deputy as soon as possible. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Dental Services Provision

Questions (637)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

637. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the reason for closing the St James's Hospital dental clinic when an alternative location for the much used services had not been sourced. [41237/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I have asked the HSE to investigate this matter and respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.

If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Medical Card Applications

Questions (638)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

638. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41239/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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.

If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.

Question No. 639 answered with Question No. 591.

Medical Card Applications

Questions (640)

Emmet Stagg

Question:

640. Deputy Emmet Stagg asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in issuing a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare. [41268/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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.

If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.

Question No. 641 answered with Question No. 591.

Ambulance Service Provision

Questions (642)

Seán Kenny

Question:

642. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Health his plans to improve the national ambulance service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41279/14]

Written answers

Minister for Health

This Government is committed to improving our ambulance service and its performance. The National Ambulance Service (NAS) is modernising and reconfiguring its services, to ensure emergency pre-hospital care is delivered in an appropriate and timely manner. A significant reform programme is underway, which will provide a clinically driven, nationally co-ordinated system, supported by improved technology. In 2014, this is being supported by additional funding of €3.6 million and 43 staff.

There is particular focus, under the Performance Improvement Plan, on areas such as call taking and dispatch, crew mobilisation, emergency department turnaround times and community first responder schemes. Other performance improvement projects include the single national control system, due to be completed in 2015. In addition, there is continuing development of the Intermediate Care Service, for routine and non-emergency transfers, which allows emergency vehicles to focus on responding to emergencies, and staff rostering is moving to on-duty and national systems.

The Deputy will be aware that three separate reviews of ambulance services are underway. HIQA is examining the governance arrangements for pre-hospital emergency services; the HSE and Dublin City Council have commissioned an independent review of Dublin ambulance services, to determine the best model of service for the city; and the UK Association of Ambulance Chief Executives is undertaking a comprehensive capacity review of the NAS.

The three reviews are being conducted to identify the best way to meet the challenges of the future. I am confident that the recommendations will guide us in the provision of a modern, forward looking service, capable of delivering the best possible outcomes for the public.

Services for People with Disabilities

Questions (643)

Stephen Donnelly

Question:

643. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 79 of 15 October 2014, and following on from the disclosure that the patient in question will have to wait five months for a place in the National Rehabilitation Hospital, if there are alternatives to rehabilitation in the NRH for example in other jurisdictions that the Health Service Executive would fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41291/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the Deputy's question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for investigation and direct reply. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with the HSE.

Medical Card Applications

Questions (644)

Stephen Donnelly

Question:

644. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 79 of 15 October 2014, where the patient has been discharged from Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin and now in Ronald McDonald House, if he will instruct the Health Service Executive to expedite the medical card request of the person in question, as their parents have no means of providing the required feeds and medicine. [41292/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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.

If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.

Hospitals Discharges

Questions (645)

Stephen Donnelly

Question:

645. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 79 of 15 October 2014, where the patient was discharged from Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin without the knowledge of that patient’s parents, if he will examine the way in which the patient was discharged on acceptance of a room in the Ronald McDonald House, which the parents understood to be an extension of the hospital due to conflicting advice, none of which mentioned a discharge; if other parents will suffer such conflicting advice and subsequent discharge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41293/14]

Written answers

Minister for Health

My Department sought information on the matter outlined by the Deputy. Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, has acknowledged there were communications issues in relation to this case, and I understand that senior management at the hospital have met with the parents to hear their experience and complaint, and are working to support them during the discharge process. The hospital is also working with other agencies to support and meet the child's needs. The hospital has confirmed it is putting in place additional processes to ensure that similar issues do not arise for another family, and a discharge co-ordinator has recently been appointed to assist with streamlining the discharge process for children with complex needs.

Question No. 646 answered with Question No. 617.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (647)

Robert Troy

Question:

647. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a hospital appointment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford who has been waiting for an appointment in Tullamore hospital. [41296/14]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. 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 case raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (648)

Robert Troy

Question:

648. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will arrange an appointment in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford. [41308/14]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. 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. As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Question No. 649 answered with Question No. 591.

Health Services Staff

Questions (650)

Colm Keaveney

Question:

650. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the number of psychiatrists assigned to Toghermore House, Tuam, County Galway; the number of hours per week each of them are present in Toghermore; the programme in place in Toghermore to combat weight gain, a common side effect of many psychiatric medications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41323/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service matter this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.