Written Answers Nos. 176-186
176. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Health if will meet the chairperson of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland to discuss the steps that can be taken to reduce the backlog of applications for registration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26812/15]
View answer177. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Health his views on the backlog of applications for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26813/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 176 and 177 together.
I wish to thank Deputy Buttimer for raising these questions. Delays in processing nurse registration applications are directly connected to the volume of requests arising from the current initiatives to attract and retain nurses in the Irish health services. The Department of Health and the HSE are collaborating in sourcing several solutions to meeting the issues arising in relation to nurse recruitment and retention.
The background to this issue is that nurses who trained in a country outside of Ireland and wish to work in Ireland are required to apply to register as a nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). In assessing an applicant for registration, to protect the public, the NMBI seeks evidence from applicants of comparable standards of education and practice. According to the NMBI the timeframe for the completion of the assessment of qualifications for registration takes up to a maximum of 90 days provided all necessary documentation has been supplied by the applicant.
The main difficulty to expediting timely applications, as reported by the NMBI, is that of delay or failure by the applicant or third parties to furnish the necessary documentation required to assess eligibility for registration. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, following assessment of qualifications by an applicant, may require an applicant to undertake a six to twelve week period of adaptation and assessment. A period of adaptation is designed to make up for differences in education and ensure competence for working in the Irish health service. If this adaptation is required it must be successfully completed as a pre-requisite to registration.
The NMBI is processing all applications as quickly as possible, while ensuring appropriate procedures and checks which are designed around protection of the public.
I wish to advise the Deputy that officials of the Department met with the President and the Chief Executive Officer of the NMBI last week to discuss a range of operational issues including the current delays in Registration. A further meeting between the Department of Health, HSE and Nursing Homes Ireland is scheduled for this week. The NMBI is keeping the current situation under review and the Deputy may wish to note that this week approval was granted to recruit 3 clerical officers.
178. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 557 of 16 June 2015, his views on the case of a person (details supplied) in County Galway who is verging on becoming totally blind as a result of rapidly accelerating cataracts, who is enduring extreme mental distress and anxiety as a result of swiftly deteriorating eyesight and who has been denied the comfort and benefit of any information whatsoever regarding a date for an appointment at Galway University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26814/15]
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 your further query in this matter, 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.
179. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health the position regarding rheumatology outpatient clinics at Merlin Park in County Galway for the months of July to August 2015; the number of cancellations of the outpatient clinics that have taken place in each of the past three months; the current waiting list for outpatient rheumatology appointments; the way the cancellation of the clinics will impact on this waiting list; his plans to resolve this very serious situation which has developed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26815/15]
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.
180. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health when a rheumatologist will be appointed to Mayo General Hospital on a full-time rather than a rotational basis; if the rheumatologist will have a full backup team; when a rheumatology day infusion ward will be provided at this location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26816/15]
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.
181. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the date on which the new cystic fibrosis ward will open in Cork University Hospital; and his views on the delay in opening the ward. [26817/15]
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 Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his views on whether the current staffing crisis being experienced within Listowel Community Hospital in County Kerry poses a real threat to the viability of the hospital; if he is aware that the staffing complement in the hospital decreased from 1,068 nursing hours per week in 2008 to 563.5 hours per week in June 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26822/15]
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.
183. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive has, both prior to and since centralisation of medical card administration, assumed responsibility for all operational decisions taken in regard to medical cards; if, in a case where a decision is taken to withdraw a person’s medical card, that person should receive prior notice in writing setting out the reasons underpinning the decision to withdraw the medical card; if the person should be afforded the opportunity to refute or appeal the basis on which it is proposed to withdraw the medical card; if the executive should maintain appropriate records and be in a position to explain all such decisions, regardless of whether the decision was taken locally or centrally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26847/15]
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.
184. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will make staff available for the €3 million high-observation psychiatric unit at Kerry General Hospital which was completed in December 2014, as this facility is urgently required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26848/15]
View answerAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply with 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
185. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health if he will take steps to have a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath admitted to St. James's Hospital under the care of a consultant neurosurgeon for an urgent procedure in relation to haemopleagic migraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26849/15]
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.
186. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when a medical card will be provided in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26864/15]
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.
