Written Answers Nos. 790-809
790. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health her views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding a community nursing unit in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42083/14]
View answerAs 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.
791. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on the new travel subsidy scheme to replace the mobility allowance scheme; her plans for associated statutory provisions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42096/14]
View answerThe Department is seeking a solution which would best meet the aim of supporting people with severe disabilities who require additional income to contribute towards the costs of their mobility needs, while remaining within the available budget and satisfying all legal and equality concerns.
Conscious of the reports of the Ombudsman regarding the legal status of the Motorised Transport Grant and Mobility Allowance scheme, in the context of the Equal Status Acts, the Government decided to close both schemes on 26th February, 2013. In November 2013, the Government decided that the preparatory work required for a new travel subsidy scheme and associated statutory provisions should be progressed by the Minister for Health.
Work is ongoing on the policy proposals to be brought to Government for the drafting of primary legislation for a new scheme. The challenge is to provide these benefits to a wider cohort of people, while continuing to cater for the 4,700 people already in receipt of a monthly payment, within a limited budget.
Once policy proposals have been finalised and approved by Government, the time frame for the introduction of a new scheme will become clearer.
792. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the proposed takeover of Dublin Fire Brigade by the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42101/14]
View answerDublin Fire Brigade (DFB) provides emergency ambulance services in Dublin city and county, by arrangement between Dublin City Council and the HSE. The HSE National Ambulance Service (NAS) provides some emergency capacity in the greater Dublin area, as well as non-emergency patient transport.
The ongoing national development of pre-hospital emergency care involves a range of initiatives. These include the development of a single national control and dispatch system, which is expected to be completed in 2015. This new system will deploy all emergency ambulance resources in the State, including emergency ambulances, rapid response and intermediate care vehicles, first responders and aeromedical services.
In light of the development of the national control system, the Dublin City Manager and the HSE's Chief Operating Officer commissioned an independent review of DFB ambulance services in Dublin City and County. The review is examining all aspects of DFB ambulance operations, including the capacity and capability of ambulance services.
The review has led to some speculation and concern about the future of the DFB ambulance service. I want to assure those concerned that I fully appreciate the service the Fire Brigade provides. This review is not a negative reflection of that service. It is being conducted in parallel with the HIQA review of the NAS and the NAS capacity review. The intention behind these reviews is to examine our pre-hospital emergency care services, so that we can identify the best way to enable them to meet the challenges of the future. I look forward to the recommendations of all three reviews. I am certain they will help us to ensure that we provide a service capable of delivering the best possible outcomes for the public.
793. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if she will provide in tabular form for each local health area for each of the following years 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014 the number of physiotherapists in each area in those years; the number of speech and language therapists in each area in those years; the number of occupational therapists in each area in those years. [42107/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy. 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.
794. Deputy Liam Twomey asked the Minister for Health in view of the fact that two people here die each day from alcohol dependence, the reason Selincro, Nalmefene, an innovative treatment which was found to be cost effective and received a positive recommendation by the NCPE on 8 April 2014, has yet to be introduced under any HSE drug payment or reimbursement scheme for persons who are alcohol dependent. [42108/14]
View answer795. Deputy Liam Twomey asked the Minister for Health in view of the Health Research Board's outlining of current treatment for alcohol here as predominately individual counselling, brief intervention and group counselling, all of which are likely to be defined as psychosocial interventions, the reason the HSE has not made an additional pharmacological treatment Selincro, Nalmefene, which is evidence based, licensed by the European Medicines Agency and found to be cost effective by the NCPE, to be available to people who are alcohol dependent. [42109/14]
View answer796. Deputy Liam Twomey asked the Minister for Health her views regarding the NCPE's positive recommendation of Selincro, Nalmefene, on 8 April 2014, the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has recommended the use of Selincro for alcohol dependent persons in England; and if she will provide an update on the position regarding the relevant pharmaceutical company’s application to the HSE for Selincro's inclusion in the GMS and community drug scheme. [42110/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 794 to 796, inclusive, together.
The decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer, are not political or ministerial decisions. These are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds by the Health Service Executive (HSE) on the advice of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE).
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the community drugs schemes in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. This requires consideration of a range of statutory criteria prior to reimbursing any medicine, including clinical need, cost-effectiveness and the resources available to the HSE.
The HSE received an application for the inclusion of Nalmefeme (Selincro®) in the GMS and community drugs schemes. The application is being considered in line with the procedures and timescales agreed by the Department of Health and the HSE with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association for the assessment of new medicines. In accordance with those procedures the NCPE conducted a pharmacoeconomic evaluation of Nalmefeme.
The Report of the NCPE was published in April 2014. It estimated that the investment required from the taxpayer to provide access to Nalmefene would be between €6.7m and €12m over the next five years. The NCPE advice to the HSE also made clear that the introduction of Nalmefene requires the availability of appropriate psychosocial supports. The availability of those supports is being considered by the Mental Health, Health and Wellbeing and Primary Care divisions of the HSE.
The HSE assessment process is intended to arrive at a decision on the funding of new medicines that is clinically appropriate, fair, consistent and sustainable. It is appropriate for the HSE prior to committing scare resources to assess whether the required supports are in place and if not, the resources required to put such supports in place, to ensure the appropriate use of this medicine.
It would not be appropriate to comment any further at this time as the decision making process is ongoing.
797. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if she will review the case of a person (details supplied) whose medical card was removed and replaced with a GP visit card; and if she will expedite an early decision. [42112/14]
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. 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.
798. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card review in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42114/14]
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. 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.
799. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has not been granted a medical card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42115/14]
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. 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.
800. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will receive an appointment for a MRI scan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42130/14]
View answerAs 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.
801. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding allocated and spent on mental health in each year from 2011 to 2013, inclusive; the budget and anticipated spend in 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42132/14]
View answerDetails of the overall gross non-capital mental health budget are published annually in the Revised Book of Estimates. Based on that information, the table below details the mental health budget for each of the years 2011 - 2013 inclusive:
|
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
€712 million |
€711 million |
€737 million |
The estimated provision for mental health in 2014 is €766 million. This figure includes the additional funding of €90 million that has been provided for the development of mental health services in line with A Vision for Change since 2012.
I am aware however, that the allocations for 2013 and 2014 were adjusted arising from a revised accounting basis within the HSE, following the establishment of a separate care budget for mental health in 2013. In relation to the specific issues of the adjusted budgets and the spend, I have referred the question to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy. 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 the Executive.
802. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in a hospital operation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42133/14]
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.
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.
803. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form for each of the public and voluntary hospitals, the number of consultant positions vacant as of 24 October 2014 in each of these hospitals; the number of these positions currently being filled by locums in each of these hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42144/14]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond directly on this matter. 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.
804. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the specific section of the Nursing Home Support Scheme Act which places a cap on expenditure under the fair deal scheme. [42174/14]
View answerSection 5(4) of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009 states that:
"In the financial year 2009 and in each subsequent financial year the Executive shall, out of such monies as are available to it for that financial year from monies provided by the Oireachtas, allocate such amount as the Minister determines, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, for the provision of financial support under this Scheme in that financial year."
This provision was included in the Act in order to ring-fence the funding for the Nursing Homes Support Scheme and ensure that it is used for the provision of financial support under the Scheme. Transitional arrangements i.e. support for those who were in long term residential care prior to the introduction of the Scheme are also funded from this provision. The budget for long term residential care in 2014 is €939 million.
805. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form broken down by each public-voluntary hospital the revenue raised between 1 January 2014 and 30 September 2014 from charges for private patients in public beds; the details for the first nine months of 2013; and to detail in tabular form broken down by each public-voluntary hospital the number of procedures from 1 January 2014 to 30 September 2014 in each hospital which has treated private patients in public beds and the equivalent figures for the first nine months of 2013; and the number of applications for payment by the insurer that were submitted by each hospital for such procedures carried out between 1 January 2014 and 30 September 2014 and between 1 January 2013 and 30 September 2013. [42184/14]
View answerThis question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy. 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.
806. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if she will provide in tabular form the number of places available for respite care for children aged 18 years or under who have serious chronic disabilities on a county basis. [42185/14]
View answer807. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if she will provide in tabular form the number of facilities where respite care can be provided for children aged 18 years or under who have serious chronic disabilities on a county basis. [42186/14]
View answer808. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if she will provide in tabular form the number of children who were provided with and used the facility of respite care in 2011, 2012 and 2013 on a county basis. [42187/14]
View answer809. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the number of cases where parents of children sought the facilities of respite care in 2011, 2012 and 2013, and where such care was not provided on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42188/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 806 to 809, inclusive, together.
The vision for the Health Service Executive's Disability Services Programme is to contribute to the realisation of a society where people with disabilities are supported, as far as possible, to participate to their full potential in economic and social life, and have access to a range of quality personal social supports and services including respite care to enhance their quality of life.
In relation to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service issues, they have been referred to the HSE for 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.
