Written Answers Nos. 180-186
180. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if home help, incorporating personal care and minor household assistance, will be facilitated, in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7336/15]
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.
181. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the current waiting time for orthopaedic surgery in Cappagh and Temple Street Hospitals in Dublin; his views on the adequacy of the funding provided to these services; the target in respect of the wating time for these services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7339/15]
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.
182. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will explain the high level of use, across the public health and disability services, of early career psychologists, and the fact that such posts have no official pay grade or structure; his views that this is systemic exploitation; his plans to address this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7352/15]
View answerThere are a range of psychologist grades within the health service. The different grades are set out in the current consolidated health sector pay scales (1 November 2013) and these cover the full breadth of the psychology grade from Trainee Clinical Psychologist to Director of Psychology and the pay rates for these grades.
With regard to the operational aspects of the question, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the 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.
183. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon cannot access scoliosis surgery in Galway University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7353/15]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised, 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 my officials will follow the matter up with them.
184. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Health the current waiting time for an assessment of a child with autism; the number of persons who are currently waiting for an assessment; and his plans to increase funding for same [7356/15]
View answerThe particular issue raised by the Deputy is a service matter for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive 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.
185. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will review a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7368/15]
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.
186. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a hospital appointment in South Infirmary hospital, County Cork, in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7376/15]
View answerThe 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, 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 my officials will follow the matter up with them.
