Written Answers Nos. 358-377
358. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to deliver on promises made to the people of County Roscommon following the closure of the accident and emergency unit there, in view of criticism contained in correspondence from a consultant surgeon at the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19620/15]
View answerThere have been significant improvements in ambulance services in the Roscommon area since 2011. Currently, three ambulances during the day and two at night provide emergency cover in Roscommon town. In addition, a rapid response vehicle, crewed by an advanced paramedic, provides cover on a 24/7 basis.
It is important to note that the model of ambulance service delivery is changing. The service is moving away from the model of care where services are provided to a local area from a fixed ambulance base located in that area, and moving to a model of strategic deployment. In this context, the general area of Roscommon can be supported from the north by services from Boyle and Carrick-on-Shannon, to the east by crews in Longford and Mullingar and to the south from Athlone. Services are now coming on stream at Tuam and Mulranny stations which will enhance coverage across the region of north Galway, west Roscommon and east Mayo.
Refurbishment of the former Garda station at Loughglynn is now completed and discussions are under way in relation to the staffing of this facility. The Loughglynn station will allow for strategic placement of emergency ambulance resources during shifts, to ensure coverage across the region as required.
The Emergency Aeromedical Service (EAS), operated from Athlone by the Air Corps and staffed by NAS advanced paramedics, is also providing support to the people of the western region. The EAS provides swift transfers of seriously ill or injured patients to appropriate hospitals. Almost 1,000 missions have been completed since June 2012. Roscommon and Mayo are the two counties which have benefited most from the availability of the EAS.
The Deputy can be assured that I intend to drive further improvements to the ambulance service. In the next few months the NAS will receive the report of an independent capacity review, which, I hope, will provide guidance on the optimum deployment of resources, including deployment in specific geographic locations.
359. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a knee operation in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19627/15]
View answerUnder 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.
360. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding funding of services for persons with a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19628/15]
View answerThe Government is committed to protecting frontline health and personal social services needs for people with disabilities. The Government currently provides funding of approximately €1.5 billion to the Disability Services Programme through the Health Service Executive's National Service Plan for 2015.
The HSE works with voluntary disability service providers to ensure that available resources are used in order to be responsive to the health and personal social services needs of people with a disability.
In 2015, the HSE is seeking to maximise the provision of services within available resources and to maintaining a consistent level to that provided in 2014, by providing the following specialist disability services:
- residential services to around 9,000 people with a disability;
- day services to over 22,000 people with intellectual and physical disabilities;
- respite residential support of 190,000 overnights for people with intellectual and physical disabilities;
- 3.9 million hours of Personal Assistant / Home Support Hours.
Additional funding of €6 million has been allocated in the HSE National Service Plan in 2015 to provide day places for an estimated 1,400 young people finishing school and rehabilitative (life-skills) training. €4m in additional funding has also been allocated in the Plan to deliver an increase in the services for children with disabilities and reduce waiting lists under the Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18s) Programme.
As there are other issues raised in the details supplied in the Deputy's question that do not come within my remit, it is not appropriate for me to comment on these.
361. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Health the progress on developing a consultant community geriatrician and elderly liaison team at Mullingar hospital, County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19634/15]
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.
362. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to introducing certain waivers for asylum seekers who have a medical card but who have to pay a standard prescription charge of €25 a month while their weekly allowance is just €19 per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19635/15]
View answerThe question of exempting asylum seekers living in direct provision from the prescription charge is being examined within the Department.
363. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the location of the health care records archived library; the institutions whose records are stored in that library; and the way persons can access their medical records stored in that library. [19638/15]
View answerI understand that the Deputy is referring to the Healthcare Records Archived Library associated with the Midlands Regional Hospital Tullamore patient registers, including maternity registers.
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.
364. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Health the number of children who have undergone procedures for morbid obesity, including gastric reduction, in public hospitals in each of the past ten years; and the total cost of these procedures in each year. [19640/15]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
365. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that the international tobacco industry is developing new tobacco-based products, known as heated tobacco cigarettes, that carry the same cancer and other health risks as cigarettes, and that these products are being introduced into a number of European member states; if he has received any representations from tobacco companies on the introduction of these products into the Irish market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19663/15]
View answer366. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that the international tobacco industry will not be allowed to evade the regulation of cigarettes with new tobacco products, such as heated tobacco cigarettes; his plans to liaise with the Department of Finance to ensure a co-ordinated Government response to the regulation of heated tobacco cigarettes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19664/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 365 and 366 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, tobacco control has long been a priority in this country. Ireland has been in the forefront of tobacco control legislation in Europe, and ranked second of thirty-four European countries in relation to tobacco control initiatives. Officials in my Department monitor developments in the area on an ongoing basis. Existing and emerging evidence on the potential harms and potential benefits of tobacco products and related items is monitored in order to inform decisions around any future additional regulation in the area.
Products containing tobacco are subject to the provisions of the Public Health (Tobacco) Acts 2002-2015, the Tobacco (Health Promotion and Protection) Act, 1988 and their regulations.
In addition, all tobacco containing products will be subject to the provisions set out in the revised EU Tobacco Products Directive, which has been in force from 20 May 2014. Member States have two years to transpose the new rules into national law. My Department is working in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General to put measures in place to transpose the Directive into Irish law in time to meet the 20 May 2016 deadline.
367. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, for the end of 2011, the end of 2012, the end of 2013 and the end of 2014 the latest figures available for the number of midwives in each public and voluntary hospital that provides maternity services. [19672/15]
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.
368. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will initiate an independent review of the latest reports of stillbirths following information received from a freedom of information request; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19674/15]
View answerWhile I would welcome the publication of perinatal data by hospital, it must be pointed out that perinatal mortality statistics are complex. Reporting on these rates has been hampered by different definitions of stillbirth both nationally and internationally. In Ireland, four difference agencies are involved in the compilation and reporting of perinatal mortality data. The analysis presented in the Report of the Chief Medical Officer into Perinatal Deaths in Portlaoise Hospital (February 2014) showed that there are weaknesses and inconsistencies in perinatal data collection, collation and reporting.
Perinatal death is a rare event in Ireland. Given the small numbers involved the use of perinatal mortality rates by hospital as an indicator of patient safety creates a risk of false reassurance and also can raise false alerts. It is, therefore, important to look at these in conjunction with, for example, confidence intervals per hospital and other methods in order to distinguish between the stability of estimates based on small versus large numbers. Therefore, caution needs to be exercised in the interpretation of perinatal data by hospital for the reasons set out.
A number of actions are being taken to address these discrepancies as follows:
- The notification of stillbirths is a mandatory requirement in the Civil Registration Act (2004). This Act was amended in 2014 to make notification of early neonatal deaths mandatory. The General Registration Office is working on the commencement of this.
- In addition the HSE has agreed to progress agreement of definitions and reporting of perinatal statistics in Ireland. This would include systems such as the National Perinatal Reporting System and the National Perinatal Epidemiological Centre.
It should be noted, however, that national statistics on perinatal events are very important in benchmarking with other countries. Irish national perinatal data compare favourably with other OECD Member States which provides a level of reassurance on the quality of maternity services in Ireland.
National perinatal mortality data in respect of 2014 are still being collated and validated and it is not clear at this stage when these data will be ready for publication.
Patient Safety oversight in hospitals must take into account broader activity trends which can provide early warning of safety risks and early identification of safety issues. The Chief Medical Officer's Report identified the need to develop a more accurate and timely alert system. The Chief Medical Officer recommended that all maternity hospitals should develop a Patient Safety Statement which would be published and updated monthly and would be used with other available information to risk-rate services and to target quality improvement measures that enhance local ownership and capability. Ideally a Patient Safety Statement should be presented and discussed at the senior management team meetings every month, as a standing agenda item.
This should set out trends in relation to activity, interventions, complaints, adverse incidents, serious incidents, transfers, staffing and any other appropriate information from the perspective of patient safety and quality. This should be part of an on-going quality improvement cycle. The Health Service Executive is progressing the CMO's recommendation.
I would like to assure the Deputy that work in on-going to improve the data sources and the quality and safety of maternity units nationally.
369. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Dublin will be admitted to St. James's Hospital in Dublin 8 for a hernia repair; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19682/15]
View answerUnder 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.
370. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the methadone clinic at Mountview Health Centre in Dublin 15 is the same as or separate from the one proposed at 37 Coolmine Industrial Estate in Dublin 15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19694/15]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
371. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding wrist operations for carpal tunnel syndrome in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19702/15]
View answerUnder 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.
372. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if dedicated Parkinson's disease nurse specialists will be appointed for County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19714/15]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (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.
373. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if Parkinson's disease patients will be automatically entitled to medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19715/15]
View answerIn accordance with the Health Act 1970 (as amended), the assessment for a medical card is determined primarily by reference to the means, including the income and expenditure, of the applicant and his or her partner and dependants. There is no entitlement to a medical card for a person with a particular illness or medical condition.
The Deputy will be aware of the publication of the Report of the Expert Panel on Medical Need for Medical Card Eligibility and the Medical Card Process Review in November 2014. Key findings of the Expert Panel were that it would not be feasible, desirable or ethically justifiable to list medical conditions in priority order for medical card eligibility and that a person’s means should remain the main qualifier for a medical card.
However, the Government recognises that the health service needs to be responsive to the circumstances of people with significant medical needs. Following publication of the two reports, in November 2014, the Minister for Health and I announced a series of measures to enhance the operation of the medical card scheme and make it more sensitive to people’s needs, especially where serious illness is involved. Where deemed appropriate in particular circumstances, the HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card even though an applicant's means exceed the prescribed threshold. Where a person does not qualify for a medical card, they may be provided with a GP Visit Card, appropriate therapy or other community supports or drugs.
The medical card system is now operating in a more sensible and sensitive manner. The HSE is exercising greater discretion, as is evident in the increase in the number of discretionary medical cards in circulation - by over 63% from about 52,000 in mid-2014 to over 85,000 at the end of April this year.
The Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act, 1970 (as amended) under which the HSE may make arrangements for the supply without charge of drugs, medicines or medical and surgical appliances to persons suffering from a prescribed disease or disability of a permanent or long-term nature. I can advise the Deputy that Parkinson's Disease is a condition covered under the LTI Scheme.
374. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if there are any regular training programmes to upskill nurses and staff in the care of Parkinson's disease patients in day care centres, community hospitals, nursing homes and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19716/15]
View answerI understand that should a specific service need for continuing professional development for nurses be identified, it would be addressed and delivered utilising a collaborative approach involving the registrant, health service provider/employer and educators. Stakeholders include the HSE-Office of Nursing and Midwifery Services Director, the Centres for Nursing and Midwifery Education and School of Nursing and Midwifery within the higher education sector.
375. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the expected date by which the Health Service Executive medical workforce planning project (details supplied) will be concluded, and the respective workforce plans published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19717/15]
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.
376. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health with regard to the provision of Suboxone, if he will provide where it will be made available, that is through the Health Service Executive, general practitioners, etc; if legislative changes are necessary; if so, if he will provide the up-to-date position on its introduction; the amount of money that is going to be set aside for its provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19728/15]
View answerAn Expert Group, set up by the Department of Health in 2006, examined the regulatory framework required to facilitate the prescribing, dispensing and supply of buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) and buprenorphine-only products as alternatives to methadone. In 2011, this Group concluded that methadone is the drug of first choice in the treatment of opioid dependency, but that Suboxone may be more appropriate for particular cohorts of clients. An Opioid Substitution Implementation Group was set up by the HSE to recommend the steps that need to be taken to ensure a safe service for the provision of Suboxone. The Group is expected to report back to the Minister for Health with recommendations shortly.
Changes to Regulations made under the Misuse of Drugs Acts 1977 to 2015 may be required to allow for the wider availability of Suboxone for the treatment of opiate dependence. The Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Act 2015 re-controlled substances which had been controlled by means of Government Order and also re-confirmed regulations made under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 as if they were an Act of the Oireachtas. A second Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill is currently being drafted to restore the Government's power to control new drugs and amend a number of other provisions under which regulations are made. It is intended that this second Bill will be enacted before the end of this year, following which it will be possible to amend existing Regulations.
377. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health when an operation will be provided in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19740/15]
View answerUnder 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.
