Tuesday, 19 May 2015

Cancer Services Funding

Questions (318)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

318. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the current provision for radiation oncology, and other cancer services, by location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19432/15]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

The Deputy's question relates to service delivery matters and accordingly I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him.

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.

Mental Health Services Funding

Questions (319)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

319. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the overall percentage of health spend spent on mental health in 2014; the estimate for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19433/15]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The funding issues raised by the Deputy are reflected in the relevant annual HSE Service Plans. Therefore, I have referred the question to the Executive for direct reply, in respect of the detailed information sought.

If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

General Practitioner Services Provision

Questions (320)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

320. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the overall number of general practitioners; the number training each year at each level; the way Ireland's ratio of general practitioners to 1,000 patients compares internationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19434/15]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

On 30th April 2015, 2,404 GPs were contracted to provide services under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme. On that date, there were 3,067 medical practitioners registered on the Specialist Division of the Medical Council’s Register in the Specialty of General Practice. Holding registration does not necessarily mean that the medical practitioner is in active practice in General Practice at this time. The above figure states the number of practitioners registered and entitled to practice as specialists in General Practice.

On 1st July 2010, the total GP trainee intake increased from 120 to 157 training places per year for the 14 GP Specialist (Vocational) Training Programmes. Currently all GP training programmes are of 4 years duration. The HSE has recently been in discussion with the Irish College of General Practitioners about the potential to increase this year's trainee intake. This has resulted in an additional four training places for the July 2015 intake.

The data for 2012 in respect of GPs per 1,000 head of population collated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) indicates that Ireland comes around mid-table with 0.72 GPs. This compares with France (top) with 1.56 GPs and Korea (bottom) with 0.12 GPs. Only four countries on the list exceeded one GP per 1,000 head of population. The United Kingdom had 0.8 GPs. OECD data for 2013 is not yet available but the ratio for Ireland has increased to 0.75 GPs per 1,000 for that year.

General Practitioner Services Provision

Questions (321)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

321. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the number of areas that have been unable to attract a full-time general practitioner for periods of more than three months over the past four years; if these posts are filled with locum or agency staff; the cost of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19435/15]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) 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.

General Medical Services Scheme Data

Questions (322, 323)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

322. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he will reinstate the rural practice allowance; the amount this will cost; the criteria this is based on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19436/15]

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Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

323. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he will consider extending the rural practice allowance to general practitioners who hold general medical service contracts, and practice in a centre with a population lower than 700 persons, as opposed to the current 500 person limit, and where there is no town with a population of 2,000 persons, as opposed to the current limit of 1,500 persons or more, within a 4.83 km-three mile distance; the cost that this would entail; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19437/15]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 322 and 323 together.

The General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme, Circular 13/72, Appendix B (x) sets out the criteria for the awarding of a Rural Practice Allowance (RPA) to a GMS doctor. The circular states that "where a doctor lives or practises in a centre with a population of less than 500 and where there is not a town with a population of 1,500 or more within a 4.83 kilometre (three mile) radius of that centre the doctor will be entitled to special rural practice concessions", including an RPA. The current annual RPA is €16,216.07.

Where a GP currently holds an RPA but the circumstances underpinning this have changed, i.e. the centre of population is now greater than 500 and/or there is a town with a population of 1,500 or more within a three-mile radius of that centre, then the GP retains the RPA while they practice. However, the requirement for an RPA for the area is determined afresh in respect of any new GP practice.

No GP had the Rural Practice Allowance withdrawn in 2014. The criteria for the allowance are reviewed on the retirement/resignation of a doctor who was in receipt of the allowance. Five GPs that retired in 2014 had been in receipt of an RPA. On retirement, these posts were reviewed and it was deemed that they no longer met the criteria for payment of an RPA.

Under the February 2015 Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), talks have commenced on a new GMS GP contract. It is envisaged that the review of the GMS contract and other publicly funded health sector contracts with GPs will include consideration of how best to support General Practice in urban/deprived and rural areas so as to best meet the needs of patients with regard to the provision of general practitioner services. The Rural Practice Allowance, including any change to the existing criteria, will be considered as a part of these discussions.

Health Services Data

Questions (324)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

324. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the cost for the general practitioner based Heart Watch and Diabetes Watch programmes for the past three years, per year; the number of patients covered; if he will consider introducing such schemes for the entire population; the cost of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19438/15]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

Under the February 2015 Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), talks have commenced on a new GP contract. A priority of these discussions will be the inclusion of chronic disease management for patients.

The negotiations with the IMO have already resulted in an agreement on the introduction of a Diabetes Cycle of Care. This will enable patients with a Medical/GP Visit Card and who have Type 2 Diabetes to avail of two annual visits to their GP practice for a structured review of their condition. This service will begin in Quarter 4 of this year. This initiative will help to improve clinical outcomes for patients and reduce complications often experienced with this condition. The costs associated with the Diabetes Cycle of Care are estimated at approximately €4.5m in 2016.

The further introduction of Chronic Disease Management Programmes and the costs associated with same will be dealt with in the context of the above GP contract negotiations.

I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy in relation to the costs of the Heart Watch and Diabetes Programmes for the last three years.

Mental Health Services Provision

Questions (325)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

325. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the numbers on waiting lists not seen by the child and adolescent mental health service within three months, each year, for the past three years; the make-up of service teams; the cost of same, per year; the number of patients that teams see, per year; the overall number of patients that are seen by teams at present; the overall numbers of staff and teams in the scheme at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19439/15]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Questions (326)

Sean Conlan

Question:

326. Deputy Seán Conlan asked the Minister for Health the reason a child (details supplied) in County Monaghan has been waiting three years for an operation to have her tonsils removed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19446/15]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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. 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 Facilities

Questions (327)

Joe Costello

Question:

327. Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health if he will provide facilities to the acute hospitals that have not had major structural work undertaken in the past 30 years; his plans for these facilities; if he will refurbish, rebuild or replace the acute hospitals that need this work over the next 15 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19450/15]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Information, where it is available, relates to structural works completed. Records of the capital grants paid to health boards or voluntary hospitals prior to 01/07/1994 are paper based and the files are archived. Also, prior to the establishment of the HSE, block capital grants were paid to the Health Boards and to the Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) from its establishment for distribution as authorised to the hospitals in their areas. As the very high level data in the following table is available, it is not proposed to do the extensive search necessary to extract the requested data from the relevant archived files prior to 1996 as this exercise would require considerable staff resources.

The HSE will be requested to provide information on expenditure on acute hospital projects for the period since 2005 and to reply directly to you. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office who will follow up.

In the short term the available resources are determined by the Estimates process whereby my Department is advised of its capital allocation for a rolling multi-annual five year period. There will always be more projects than can be funded by the Exchequer. Therefore any further investment in acute care must be considered in the context of the establishment of hospital groups, within the overall acute hospital sector infrastructure programme and within the multi-annual capital envelope available to the health service. There is limited funding available for new projects over the next multi-annual period 2015-2019 given the level of commitments and the costs to completion already in place. In addition, the HSE cannot exceed or plan to exceed its approved commitment thresholds. It is concentrating on applying the limited funding available for capital works in the most effective way possible to meet acute care need now and in the future.

County	Acute	Year completed	Hospital	Project Cost (approx. figures)
Cork	Acute	1998/1999	Mercy Hospital, Cork	€18m
Cork	Acute	2002	Cork University Hospital	€15m
Cork	Acute	2004	Cork University Hospital	€27m
Donegal	Acute	2006	Letterkenny General Hospital	€2m
Dublin	Acute	1998	Tallaght Hospital - New Acute Teaching Hospital	€183m
Dublin	Acute	2000	St. Luke’s & St. Anne’s Hospital	€29m
Dublin	Acute	2000	Mater Hospital	€6m
Dublin	Acute	2001	Purchase of St. Joseph’s Hospital, Raheny	€13m
Dublin	Acute	2002	St. James’s Hospital	€5m
Dublin	Acute	2002	St. James’s Hospital	€8m
Dublin	Acute	2002	Temple Street Children’s Hospital	€3m
Dublin	Acute	2003	Connolly Hospital	€107m
Dublin	Acute	2003	Rotunda Hospital Development	€10m
Dublin	Acute	2004	St. Colmcille’s Hospital, Loughlinstown	€6m
Dublin	Acute	2004	Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin	€31m
Dublin	Acute	2004	St. Vincent’s Hospital	€5m
Dublin	Acute	2005	St. James’s Hospital	€9m
Dublin	Acute	2005	St. James’s Hospital	€39m
Dublin	Acute	2005	Coombe Women’s Hospital	€2m
Dublin	Acute	2005	St. Vincent’s University Hospital	€212m
Dublin	Acute	2006	Mater Hospital	€22m
Galway	Acute	2000	University College Hospital Galway	€26m
Galway	Acute	2001	Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe	€8m
Galway	Acute	2002	Purchase of Portiuncula Hospital	€12m
Galway	Acute	2004	University College Hospital Galway	€102m
Kildare	Acute	2003	Naas General Hospital	€75m
Kilkenny	Acute	2002	St. Luke’s Kilkenny	€4m
Laois	Acute	2003	Midland Regional Hospital at Portlaoise	€34m
Limerick	Acute	1997	Limerick Regional Hospital	€28m
Limerick	Acute	2000	Limerick Regional Hospital	€36m
Limerick	Acute	2005	Limerick Maternity Hospital	€4m
Louth	Acute	1997	Purchase of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital	€7m
Louth	Acute	2004	Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital	€2m
Mayo	Acute	2002	Mayo General Hospital	€47m
Roscommon	Acute	2004	Roscommon Co. Hospital	€7m
Tipperary	Acute	2003	St. Joseph’s Hospital Clonmel	€41m
Westmeath	Acute	1997	Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar	€13m

Hospitals Data

Questions (328)

Joe Costello

Question:

328. Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the names and locations of non-teaching hospitals; the services that each provides; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19451/15]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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.

Primary Care Centres Data

Questions (329)

Joe Costello

Question:

329. Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the development of the primary care network; if he will provide details of the primary care centres in operation; the range of services that each provides; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19452/15]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The HSE has responsibility for the development of Primary Care Networks and the provision, maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres. Therefore, these matters have been referred to the HSE for attention and 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.

Question No. 330 answered with Question No. 277.

Mental Health Services Provision

Questions (331)

Mick Wallace

Question:

331. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the number of the promised 251 positions for mental health practitioners in 2014 that have been filled to date; the number of these in the south-east region, and in County Wexford alone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19464/15]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Mental Health Services Provision

Questions (332)

Mick Wallace

Question:

332. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if he will consider opening an acute mental health unit in Wexford General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19465/15]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Mental Health Services Provision

Questions (333)

Mick Wallace

Question:

333. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health his plans to open the Maryville Mental Health Centre, New Ross, County Wexford, on a 24-7 basis, in view of the fact that it provides a vital service to the community in an area that is severely under-resourced as regards mental health services, but is currently only operational on a five days per week basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19466/15]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Mental Health Services Provision

Questions (334)

Mick Wallace

Question:

334. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health his plans, prior to 2011, to establish an acute mental health unit within Wexford General Hospital; if so, the reasons these plans were not followed through; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19467/15]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Hospital Procedures

Questions (335, 336)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

335. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of computerised axial tomography, CT, scans that have taken place in Letterkenny General Hospital, County Donegal, from 1 January to 1 September 2014 and from 1 September 2014 to 1 May 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19468/15]

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Thomas Pringle

Question:

336. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of outpatient cardiac appointments which have been scheduled in the past 12 months in Letterkenny General Hospital, County Donegal; the number that have been cancelled by the hospital in the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19469/15]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 335 and 336 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.

Medical Card Administration

Questions (337)

Sean Conlan

Question:

337. Deputy Seán Conlan asked the Minister for Health the reason an application for a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan cannot be processed until such time as her application for disability allowance has been fully processed, despite the fact that the maximum disability allowance payment is €188, which is below the eligibility rate for a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19483/15]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The 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.