Written Answers Nos. 189-196
189. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when the findings of the review of the fair deal scheme to assess its applicability to other sectors such as the disability and mental health residential sectors will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48735/14]
View answerWhen the Nursing Homes Support Scheme commenced, a commitment was made that it would be reviewed after three years. The Terms of Reference for the Review are:
Taking account of Government policy, demographic trends and the fiscal situation:-
1. To examine the on-going sustainability of the Nursing Home Support Scheme,
2. To examine the overall cost of long-term residential care in public and private nursing homes and the effectiveness of the current methods of negotiating/setting prices,
3. Having regard to 1 and 2 above, to consider the balance of funding between long-term residential care and community based services,
4. To consider the extension of the Scheme to community based services and to other sectors (Disability and Mental Health) and,
5. To make recommendations for the future operation and management of the Scheme.
The Review of the Scheme which is currently underway will consider the future funding and sustainability of the Scheme as well as how community and residential services are balanced. It is expected that the Review will be completed in the coming months when a report will be made publicly available.
190. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the prospective funding model for palliative care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48736/14]
View answerIn line with recommendations contained in Future Health - A Strategic Framework for Reform of the Health Service 2012 - 2015, the HSE is currently working on a Prospective Funding Model for Palliative Care which will assist in integrating and accounting for palliative care across all funding streams and delivery models.
An Expert Group on Prospective Funding in Palliative Care was established in May 2012 to produce a report with recommendations about the development of this Prospective Funding Model for the consideration of the HSE and the Department of Health. The Group is chaired by Professor Charles Normand, Professor of Health Policy and Management, Trinity College Dublin.
Due to complexities in data collection and analysis, the production of the report has been delayed. However, the report is in the final stages of drafting, with public consultation planned for Q1 2015 and submission to the Department of Health by start Q2 2015.
191. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health with regard to the move towards a person-centred model of services and supports for disability services, when the initiation of demonstration projects as proof of concept commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48737/14]
View answerProgress is continuing on the complex multi-year project to reform disability services, as recommended in the Value for Money (VFM) and Policy Review of Disability Services. Project governance and management structures have been put in place and, as the Deputy has indicated, a range of demonstration projects have been initiated as proof of concept. A total of 110 demonstration projects have been grant-aided by the Genio Trust, a non-profit body which receives funding from the HSE to foster innovation, during the period 2010 – 2013 broken down as follows:
|
Year: |
Number of Projects: |
Total amount awarded: |
|
2010 |
31 |
€2,150,456 |
|
2011 |
10 |
€1,063,976 |
|
2012 |
42 |
€5,428,170 |
|
2013 |
27 |
€2,370,496 |
The projects will provide a substantial contribution towards the transition to the new model of person-centred supports and have been targeted in the following areas:
- Projects to move/keep people out of institutional care by supporting them to live as independently as possible in the community, resulting in institutional closure;
- Active integration of people with disabilities into mainstream work, third level education and leisure activities;
- Measures to strengthen and build networks of support comprising family, friends and neighbours offering alternative respite;
- Empowerment of people with disabilities to take control of their own lives and strengthening of strategic advocacy particularly on the part of people with disabilities.
Detailed evaluation on certain targeted projects has been completed by Genio. Taking into account the number and diversity of the demonstration projects however, a more extensive evaluation process will be initiated in 2015 by a Working Group reporting directly to the VFM Steering Group.
192. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of persons currently awaiting placement under the fair deal scheme; the average waiting time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48738/14]
View answerAs of the 11th of December 2014 (latest figures available) there are 1,071 people on the national placement list with an average wait time of 12 weeks. My Department and the HSE are working to ensure that the resources that are available are deployed in the most effective way possible and deliver the best outcomes for older people. This will require an integrated approach across community, residential and other service areas.
The HSE controls the release of funding to manage the funds that are available across the course of the year. Funding is released to approved applicants according to their place, in order of their approval date, on the National Placement List. Over the course of the year to date, demand for funding has exceeded what could be released and the National Placement List has grown as a result.
In July this year, the HSE allocated €5m for an initiative to improve access to appropriate care for older people. To date this has funded over 300 transitional care beds for patients in acute hospitals who are on the NHSS National Placement List and over 200 home care packages to assist patients in the acute hospitals who require a home care package to be discharged.
In Budget 2015 a further €25 million has been allocated to alleviate the problem of delayed discharges. This will be applied across community and residential services to improve the National Placement List waiting times and to relieve the pressure in acute hospitals resulting from beds being taken up by those who no longer require acute care.
193. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of operations or procedures that have been cancelled or postponed in each public hospital to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48740/14]
View answer194. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of operations or procedures that have been cancelled or postponed in each voluntary hospital to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48741/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 194 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 my officials will follow the matter up.
195. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of procedures the SDU or health service has procured from private-independent hospitals to date in 2014; the amount spent by the health service or SDU on these procedures in private-independent hospitals to date this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48742/14]
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 my officials will follow the matter up.
196. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the reason that on one day, 10 December 2014, there were 35 operations cancelled when patients (details supplied) were actually inside the operating theatre and had to be sent home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48758/14]
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 my officials will follow the matter up.
