Written Answers Nos. 334-348
334. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health when money will be made available for a full-time residential care placement in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42734/14]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, she can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
335. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if he will grant a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42735/14]
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.
336. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the reason the Office for Nursing and Midwifery Services in the Health Service Executive has been permitted to set up a clinical governance group on home births, which despite its rhetoric on stakeholders, has failed to include a single self-employed community midwife on the committee. [42808/14]
View answerAs 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.
337. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Health the number of adults currently on the public waiting list to access audiology services. [42811/14]
View answer339. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Health the average public waiting time for an adult to access community audiology services in the health system. [42813/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 337 and 339 together.
As of March 2014, there were 4,070 adults on the waiting list for assessment. The HSE's Integrated Audiology Programme is overseeing a number of developments that will reduce these numbers shortly. Included in these developments is the validation of all waiting lists to produce a more accurate assessment of priorities, the recruitment of nine new graduates in mid 2014, and the establishment of otitis media screening clinics run by public health nurses and area medical officers. The procurement of a computerised patient management system in 2015, which will provide real time data and better day to day management of lists, is under consideration.
More specific accurate data regarding waiting times should be available in January 2015.
338. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Health the number of children currently on the public waiting list to access audiology services. [42812/14]
View answer340. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Health the average public waiting time for a child to access community audiology services in the health system. [42814/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 338 and 340 together.
As of September 2014, 6,054 children are awaiting assessment. The HSE's Integrated Audiology Programme is overseeing a number of developments that will reduce these numbers shortly. Included in these developments is the validation of all waiting lists to produce a more accurate assessment of priorities, the recruitment of nine new graduates in mid 2014 and the establishment of otitis media screening clinics run by public health nurses and area medical officers. A prioritisation system has been put in place to ensure that the more urgent cases are seen sooner.
More specific accurate data regarding waiting times should be available in January 2015.
341. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Health the number of community audiologists employed by the Health Service Executive to cater for both adults and children. [42815/14]
View answerTraditionally, audiology staff worked specifically with either paediatric or adult clients. Over recent years there has been up-skilling of staff to work with both population cohorts to ensure more flexible working and succession planning. The data on exact staff numbers working with adults solely and paediatrics solely is not available immediately but will be collated by the HSE and forwarded directly 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.
342. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Health the regional breakdown in the number of Health Service Executive employed community audiologists working in the respective HSE regions. [42816/14]
View answer344. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase the number of HSE employed community audiologists working in the respective HSE regions. [42818/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 342 and 344 together.
The number of community audiologists working for the HSE is as follows:
|
HSE Region |
Audiology WTE |
|
HSE South |
17 |
|
HSE West |
17.8 |
|
HSE DML |
11 |
|
HSE DNE |
10.89 |
|
TOTAL |
56.69 |
The National Audiology Review Group report recommended integrated working between acute care and community care audiology staff. This is under way in a number of areas with sharing of workload and staff rostering.
In the past three years the number of WTE audiologists in place across the integrated community and acute services has increased from 72 to 92. In addition, revised governance structures have been established, including the recruitment of a National Clinical Lead for Audiology and 4 Assistant National Clinical Leads. The HSE sponsored students to complete an M.Sc. programme and 9 of these graduates are now in HSE posts. The current HSE focus is on filling any vacant posts and standardising work processes to ensure that an efficient service is provided across the country in a performance management framework.
343. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Health the regional breakdown in the number of Health Service Executive employed community audiologists working in the respective HSE regions in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014. [42817/14]
View answerThis information is not readily available but is being collated by the HSE and will be forwarded directly 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.
345. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Health the number of patients currently on the public waiting list for cataract surgery [42819/14]
View answer346. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Health the Health Service Executive regional breakdown in the number of patients currently on the public waiting list for cataract surgery. [42820/14]
View answer347. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Health the average public waiting time for a patient to undergo cataract surgery. [42821/14]
View answer348. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Health the average public waiting time by Health Service Executive regions for a patient to undergo cataract surgery. [42822/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 345 to 348, inclusive, together.
As these are service matters, 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.
