Tom Fleming
Question:458. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a hospital appointment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18279/15]
View answerHospital Appointments Delays
Questions (458)
Written answers
Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The 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 should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, 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.
Hospital Appointments Delays
Questions (459)
Colm Keaveney
Question:459. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Galway may expect to receive an appointment for a medical procedure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18282/15]
View answerWritten answers
Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The 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.
Health Insurance Community Rating
Questions (460)
Terence Flanagan
Question:460. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the lifetime community rating for those who are unemployed (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18315/15]
View answerWritten answers
The Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides for two categories of eligibility for all persons ordinarily resident in the country, i.e. full eligibility or limited eligibility for health services. Persons with full eligibility (medical card holders) are entitled to a range of services including general practitioner services, prescribed drugs and medicines, all in-patient public hospital services in public wards including consultant services, all out-patient public hospital services including consultant services, dental, ophthalmic and aural services and appliances and maternity and infant care services. People with limited eligibility (non-medical card holders) are entitled, subject to certain charges, to all in-patient public hospital services in public wards including consultant services and out-patient public hospital services including consultant services.
Separate to the public health system, my Department oversees the maintenance of a competitive and sustainable private health insurance market, under the provisions of the Health Insurance Acts 1994 to 2014, and monitors developments on an ongoing basis to ensure that the market is regulated appropriately. The policy objective of introducing Lifetime Community Rating (LCR) to the health insurance market is to encourage people to purchase health insurance at a younger age, as community-rated markets depend on a continuing influx of younger people to help spread the costs of older and less healthy people across the market and helping to support affordable community-rated premiums for everyone who wishes to purchase insurance.
It is important to note that the purchase of private health insurance is optional. The regulatory framework governing health insurance, such as late entry loadings under LCR, applies to all persons choosing to purchase health insurance and is not related to a person's eligibility, or previous eligibility, for public health services.
On the issue of unemployment specifically, there are exemptions available for people who previously had health insurance but cancelled it. A credited period (in total not exceeding 3 years) is available for individuals who previously had health insurance but relinquished cover since 1 January 2008 due to unemployment. In such cases, the level of loading will then be reduced by the relevant credited period(s).
Respite Care Services
Questions (461)
Terence Flanagan
Question:461. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding respite care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18321/15]
View answerWritten answers
Respite care for children and adults with disabilities is provided by the HSE directly in some instances, or by agencies funded by the HSE to provide services on its behalf. In many instances respite services are part of the overall suite of services provided by voluntary service providers to people with disabilities under their service level agreements with the HSE. The HSE remains committed to working with all voluntary disability service providers to ensure that all of the resources available for specialist disability services, including respite services, are used in the most efficient and effective manner possible.
The HSE’s Social Care Operational Plan for 2015 aims to provide 190,000 overnight stays in centre-based respite services to almost 5,300 people. The HSE is also committed to continuing to explore methods of community respite care as an alternative to centre-based respite care, including advancing the Host Family Support Model.
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.
Drugs Payment Scheme Coverage
Questions (462)
Billy Kelleher
Question:462. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the reason the drug Lucentis is not covered by the medical card; and if he will consider same. [18322/15]
View answerWritten answers
The HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the community drug schemes in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to you. 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.
Nursing Home Services
Questions (463)
Helen McEntee
Question:463. Deputy Helen McEntee asked the Minister for Health his views on the Central Statistics Office's projection that Ireland's over 80s population will rise from 128,000 in 2011 to between 470,000 and 484,000 in 2046; his further views on the impact of this demographic change on demand for long-term residential care for older persons over the period 2016 to 2046; if he will project likely levels of required residential care places by 2020, 2025, 2030, 2035, 2040 and 2045; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18344/15]
View answerWritten answers
Residential care in Ireland is provided through a mix of public, voluntary and private provision. The Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS) is a key component of our health service. The budget for long-term residential care in 2015 is €993m. It is estimated that this will provide financial support to nearly 24,000 people this year in public, private and voluntary nursing homes.
Between now and 2024 the population over 65 years is projected to increase by about 200,000 people. Based upon current trends those requiring long-term care will increase by about 9,000 over the same period.
When the NHSS commenced, a commitment was made that it would be reviewed after three years. This review, which is almost complete, has been carried out by my Department in collaboration with the HSE, with analysis and recommendations provided by Deloitte & Touche Consultants on specific issues which required specialised expertise. The Review, as well as considering how the Scheme has operated to date, identifies some of the broader issues that will need to be considered and tested more fully into the future, including the future financing of the full range of supports for older people, how community and residential supports and services should be balanced, and whether new care approaches can contribute positively to older peoples' needs.
The Review will be completed and made publicly available in the near future.
Nursing Home Services
Questions (464, 465, 466)
Helen McEntee
Question:464. Deputy Helen McEntee asked the Minister for Health the optimal level of long-term residential care beds for older persons within the Health Service Executive Dublin north east region by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18345/15]
View answerHelen McEntee
Question:465. Deputy Helen McEntee asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form by county, the existing number of places for long-term residential care for older persons in the Health Service Executive Dublin north east region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18347/15]
View answerHelen McEntee
Question:466. Deputy Helen McEntee asked the Minister for Health the demand for long-term residential nursing home care places in the Health Service Executive Dublin north east region. [18360/15]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 464 to 466, inclusive, together.
As these are service matters they have 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.
Question No. 467 answered with Question No. 448.
Home Help Service Expenditure
Questions (468)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:468. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the reason home helps are only paid their travelling expenses every three months whereas management is paid its travelling expenses every three to four weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18373/15]
View answerWritten answers
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.
National Treatment Purchase Fund
Questions (469)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:469. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the current budget of the National Treatment Purchase Fund; the outcomes of this spend; if he is satisfied that this spend represents value for money; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18374/15]
View answerWritten answers
The 2015 allocation for the the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) is €5.1m. The NTPF is currently working with the HSE Special Delivery Unit to achieve a reduction in wait times for inpatients, daycases and outpatients. The NTPF is also responsible for the collection, collation and reporting of both in-patient and outpatient waiting lists and is responsible for the pricing of nursing home beds in approximately 430 Nursing Homes in Ireland annually.
The NTPF budgets for the four years 2012 to 2015 are set out in a table. These funds have been spent on administrative costs, salaries and targeted patient care initiatives to reduce waiting times. The commencement of publication of waiting times at hospital and specialty level has also been achieved since April 2015.
Table 1: NTPF Budgets 2012-2014
|
Year |
ALLOCATION (€m) |
ACTUAL SPEND (€m) |
|
2015 |
5.1 |
n/a |
|
2014 |
5.1 |
5.1 |
|
2013 |
17.387* |
17.387 |
|
2012 |
70.587 |
40.587 |
*Includes a virement of €3.4m
Drugs Payment Scheme
Questions (470)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:470. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the number of persons and families applying for the drugs repayment scheme; the number who receive assistance in spends over €144 per month; the overall spend by the State on this; the average spend per person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18375/15]
View answerWritten answers
The HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the community drug schemes in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to you. 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.
Hospitals Funding
Questions (471)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:471. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the number of publicly funded hospitals that are not currently controlled by the Health Service Executive; the areas in which these hospitals are; the national status given to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18377/15]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Health Services
Questions (472)
Thomas P. Broughan
Question:472. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the measures his Department is taking to address the discrepancies in recently reported diagnostic tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18397/15]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Departmental Bodies Abolition
Questions (473)
Fergus O'Dowd
Question:473. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the number of agencies, quangos or other bodies within his Department or funded or established by his Department that have been scrapped, merged or reduced since this Government was formed; the amount saved in each case; the reduction in staff as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18436/15]
View answerWritten answers
Four bodies, National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery, National Social Workers Qualifications Board, Children Acts Advisory Board and the Drug Treatment Centre Board have been dissolved since March 2011.
The extent of savings varies between organisations and the majority of staff were redeployed to other public service bodies. Efficiencies derived from economies of scale and the elimination of duplication in areas such as recruitment, procurement, payroll and ICT systems. Savings arose from the dissolution of Agency boards, some of which attracted payment of travel and subsistence and/or board fees.