Written Answers Nos. 438-454
438. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details on the increase in numbers waiting for surgery for over a year in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9; if any particular plan has been, or will be, put in place to address these lists at the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7911/15]
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 with them.
439. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7912/15]
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.
440. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an application for a medical card in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7913/15]
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.
441. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in Dublin 10 will receive a date for hip replacement surgery in Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dublin 11. [7915/15]
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.
In 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.
442. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, based on local health offices-areas and indicating those of 16 years of age and under, and those above 16 years of age, the numbers waiting for orthodontic treatment, at the end of December 2014. [7922/15]
View answerThe HSE provides orthodontic treatment to those who have been assessed and referred for treatment before their 16th birthday. It should be noted that the nature of orthodontic care means that immediate treatment is not always desirable. It is estimated that in up to 5% of cases it is necessary to wait for further growth to take place before treatment commences. Patients are assessed by the HSE Orthodontic Service under the modified Index of Treatment Need. Patients with the greatest level of need, i.e. Grade 5 or some with a Grade 4 are provided with treatment by the HSE.
Information on waiting times is collated by the HSE by region and for the intervals as shown below only. The information is not collated by age. In general, those waiting over 4 years would be expected to be 16 years or over since they are usually referred at 12-13 years of age approximately.
The information on waiting times for treatment for Quarter 4 of 2014 is as follows:
|
Waiting time from assessment to commencement of treatment |
1-6 months |
7-12 months |
13-24 months |
25-36 months |
37-48 months |
Over 48 months |
TOTAL |
|
HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster |
972 |
998 |
1,313 |
867 |
448 |
156 |
4,754 |
|
HSE Dublin North East |
283 |
477 |
1,020 |
842 |
504 |
637 |
3,763 |
|
HSE South |
812 |
632 |
703 |
888 |
599 |
24 |
3,658 |
|
HSE West |
1,133 |
1,131 |
1,894 |
1,096 |
112 |
60 |
5,426 |
|
TOTAL |
3,200 |
3,238 |
4,930 |
3,693 |
1,663 |
877 |
17,601 |
The HSE has established a pilot scheme in Dublin North East which will involve the use of orthodontic therapists in the treatment of a number of eligible children. In addition to the services provided by HSE staff, orthodontic treatment for certain categories of misalignment will be provided by a panel of independent practitioners under contract to the HSE over the next three years. A national procurement process is being finalised. This initiative will especially focus on those waiting for 4 years or longer. It is expected that this initiative will commence later this year and will have a positive impact on waiting times.
443. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if funding will be made available to a group (details supplied) to meet an immediate budgetary shortfall; if he will guarantee future funding, at an appropriate level, to enable the group to continue working with patients, who were the victims of sexual abuse, in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7929/15]
View answerFunding for this group is a matter for the HSE.
I understand that a mechanism has now been agreed to address the funding shortfall experienced by the group in 2014 and that the terms of the 2015 Grant Aid Agreement are also agreed. The HSE is awaiting a business case from the group for development funding.
It is also open to the group to submit an application to the National Lottery in respect of a once-off project that does not have on-going revenue implications, details of which are now available on the Department's website (www.health.gov.ie). The closing date for all National Lottery applications is 1 May 2015.
444. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a treatment for the disease paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7930/15]
View answerThe HSE has taken a decision to extend access to Eculizumab (Soliris) for sufferers of the diseases Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria and atypical Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome.
Due to the exorbitant cost of this drug the provision of Eculizumab for patients will be on a case by case basis and on the basis of clinical need.
Treating clinicians can apply to the HSE's Medicines Management Programme in order to commence a screening process for their respective patients.
445. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health when the employment file of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be released by the Health Service Executive, in view of the numerous requests made by relatives of the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7931/15]
View answerI 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.
446. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Health if additional hours will be provided for a person (details supplied) in County Galway to ensure adequate support as that person moves into adult services; if further measures will be considered, to enable the organisation concerned to enhance the level of support to persons with disabilities, both at school age, and availing of adult services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7932/15]
View answerI understand that this individual will leave school in June.
Planning has commenced in respect of all school-leavers and rehabilitative training graduates to ensure that needs are identified and appropriate services are provided to young people with disabilities. The HSE has confirmed that young people and their families will be notified by the end of June of the placement that will be available to them from September.
The HSE has allocated funding of €6 million (at a full-year cost of €12 million) in the Social Care Operational Plan 2015 to meet the need for continuing health-funded supports for young people with disabilities on finishing school or rehabilitative (life-skills) training.
In respect of the specific issue concerning additional support for this individual, as this relates to a service matter, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for 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 the matter up with the HSE.
447. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will indicate the current location of data for patients of the former hospital Mount Carmel Hospital, and the way in which these patients can access these data; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7938/15]
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 with them.
448. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the plans in place by the Saolta University Health Care Group to recruit a second laparoscopic colorectal surgeon to work at Letterkenny General Hospital, County Donegal [7942/15]
View answerI 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.
449. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the time required to go through the complaints procedure in the Health Information and Quality Authority, from receipt of complaint to investigation and resolution; and the number of complaints dealt with since the authority’s inception in 2007. [7948/15]
View answerThe functions of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), which was established by the Health Act 2007, do not include a statutory complaints function with regard to the delivery of health and social services. While HIQA does not have the power to investigate individual complaints, it does review all information or concerns about services it receives and directs people to the best place to get help, advice, information and support. HIQA takes into account and uses all information received to inform and plan its regulatory activity and information on individual cases can provide useful pointers in this context. If there is a serious risk to the health and welfare of service users, the Authority may decide to take appropriate action in relation to that service.
All nursing homes are required to have an accessible and effective complaints procedure, including an appeals process. They must investigate all complaints promptly and, following investigation, put in place any measures required for improvement. Records of complaints made are required to be kept. These are available for inspection thus enabling HIQA to determine whether the complaints system is sufficiently robust.
450. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if, and when, a replacement for the mobility grant scheme will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7955/15]
View answerConscious 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. 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. The 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. In the meantime, monthly payments have continued to be made by the Health Service Executive to 4,700 people who were in receipt of the Mobility Allowance at the time that the scheme closed.
Work is ongoing on the policy proposals to be brought to Government for the drafting of primary legislation for a new scheme. Once policy proposals have been finalised and approved by Government, the time frame for the introduction of a new scheme will become clearer.
451. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon will receive an appointment for a hip replacement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7956/15]
View answerIn relation to the particular patient query raised by you, 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.
452. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the amount the Health Service Executive spent on agency staff in January 2015; the proportion of the agency's anticipated expenditure on agency staff in 2015 that was incurred in January 2015; how the January 2015 expenditure on agency staff compares with that for January 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7964/15]
View answerI 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.
453. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive has funding in its 2015 budget to cover increments for staff in 2015; the level of funding that will be required to pay such increments in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7965/15]
View answerThe gross provision for the Health Vote in 2015 is €12.677bn, comprising €12.295bn current and €382m capital expenditure. Following restatement on a like-for-like basis consistent with the new Vote structure, the Exchequer funding provided in 2015 represents an increase of €564m on the original 2014 provision. In addition to the Exchequer funding, increased (non-vote) income collected by the HSE of €130m will support expenditure in 2015. This contributes to a total increase of €694m compared to the 2014 original Estimate. Savings of at least €130m have also been identified which will be retained within the HSE to support services. The overall pay bill, including the cost of any increments accruing in 2015, must be met from within the overall budget of the HSE.
In relation to the level of funding required to pay increments to staff in 2015, I have asked the HSE to respond to you 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.
454. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive has funding in its 2015 budget to pay increased salaries to hospital consultants, who were employed on lower pay rates after October 2012. [7966/15]
View answerThe Department of Public Expenditure and Reform sanctioned the recently agreed salaries on the basis that all related expenditure will be met from within existing resources. The process that led to the revised arrangements commenced at the LRC last summer with the LRC publishing its initial proposals in September 2014.
