Written Answers Nos.363-385
363. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the further actions that will be taken by the Health Service Executive to reduce the number of patients on trolleys in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, County Louth; if he is aware of the significant local concerns of patients and staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27327/15]
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.
364. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27341/15]
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.
365. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health his role, if any, in developing suicide prevention strategies among Irish emigrants in the United Kingdom; and his future plans in this regard. [27346/15]
View answerDealing with the current high levels of suicide and deliberate self-harm is a priority for this Government. On 24 June the Taoiseach and I launched Connecting for Life - Ireland’s National Strategy to Reduce Suicide 2015 – 2020. This new Strategy, which succeeds and builds upon Reach Out our previous suicide prevention strategy, is based on current national and international evidence in relation to effective suicide prevention strategies. It sets out two primary outcomes, which include reduced suicide rate in the whole population and amongst specified priority groups; reduced rate of presentations of self-harm in the whole population and amongst specified priority groups.
While I do not have a role in relation to suicide prevention strategies in other jurisdictions, I can assure the Deputy that there is ongoing information sharing on best practice between the HSE's National Office for Suicide Prevention and colleagues in the United Kingdom in relation to suicide prevention. In addition, officials from my Department and the National Office work closely with the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and the Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland. There are many areas where the two jurisdictions collaborate to mutual benefit, including research, evaluation, awareness raising, piloting new approaches, sharing learning and good practice.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), through the Emigrant Support Programme, supports organisations which help the most vulnerable among our emigrant communities. Supported projects include those which deliver improved mental health and help access statutory mental health services, in particular for those with complex needs, newly–arrived emigrants and the elderly. DFAT also provides direct consular assistance to individuals on a variety of issues, which may include mental health.
366. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the way the European cross-border health care directive will operate in County Louth, giving hospital waiting lists in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27354/15]
View answerThe Health Service Executive operates the EU Directive on Patients’ Rights in Cross Border Healthcare in Ireland through the National Contact Point (NCP) office, which has nationwide responsibility.
In line with practice in other EU Member States, the NCP office, provides information for patients on the Cross-Border Directive on the HSE website: www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/schemes/cbd/ - and also by phone. The principal function of the NCP (which is the mechanism specified under the Directive for the dissemination of information on the Directive by Member States) is to facilitate exchange of information for patients concerning their rights and entitlements relating to receiving healthcare in another Member State, in particular the terms and conditions for reimbursement of cost and the procedures for accessing and determining those entitlements.
The NCP also has a responsibility to ensure that all enquirers are informed of the right to healthcare, if any, that they may have through the European legislation on the coordination of social security schemes (EU Regulation 883/04) and which may be more beneficial to them. The NCP is able to inform patients what the cost of their treatments would be in Ireland to allow them make a comparison with the costs they are being quoted for comparable treatment in another Member State.
The healthcare being sought under the CBD can only be healthcare that a person would be entitled to within the public health system in Ireland, which is not contrary to Irish legislation. Referral for care under the CBD can be made by a GP, a hospital consultant and certain other HSE clinicians. It will be a matter for the patient and his/her referring doctor to identify the clinician abroad and satisfy him/herself in relation to the qualifications, quality and safety of the services being availed of in the other jurisdiction.
Prior authorisation may be required from the HSE for certain healthcare. The costs must be borne by the individual and he/she then will seek reimbursement for the cost of the healthcare upon return to Ireland. The HSE will reimburse the patient for care which meets the terms of the CBD in line with the Directive.
367. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the waiting lists, including waiting times, for hospital treatment in County Louth, by hospital and by specialty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27355/15]
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.
368. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his views on proposals by Beaumont Hospital in Dublin 9 to close a taxi rank at the hospital; and if he will put any measures in place to address the concerns of the customers and drivers who currently use the rank. [27380/15]
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.
370. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a knee operation at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin 9 in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27387/15]
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.
371. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a knee operation at Saint Joseph's Hospital in Dublin 5 in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27388/15]
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 Shane Ross asked the Minister for Health the number of children who have undergone the assessment of need under the Disability Act 2005 since its implementation; the number of these children who now receive one to one treatment as opposed to group sessions from the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27401/15]
View answerPart 2 of the Disability Act 2005 was commenced on 1 June 2007 in respect of children aged under 5. In 2008, the then Government decided, in the light of financial circumstances, to defer further implementation of the Disability Act 2005 and the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004. However, in light of legal advice following a High Court ruling, children born after 1 June 2002 are being treated by the HSE as eligible to apply for an assessment under the Act. Part 2 of the 2005 Act provides for an assessment of the needs of eligible applicants, occasioned by their disability, to be commenced within three months of receipt of an application and completed within a further three months.
Although the HSE recognises that it faces significant challenges in respect of meeting the statutory time-frames which apply to the Assessment of Need (AON) process, given the number and complexity of cases, it has taken a number of measures to address the issue. It has issued guidance to its staff that, where there is a delay in the assessment process, this should not affect the delivery of necessary and appropriate interventions identified for a particular child. While any delay in assessment or intervention for any child is not desirable, the assessment process under the Disability Act can take place in parallel with any intervention which is identified as necessary.
In 2011, the Department of Health and the HSE jointly commissioned the National Disability Authority (NDA) to review the operation of the Assessment of Need (AON) process in the HSE. This report was published by the NDA and can be accessed at www.nda.ie. The NDA research has found that there was no one single solution to remove all of the challenges to operating a statutory assessment of need. It also found that where integrated children's disability teams have already been established under the HSE’s Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People Programme, the AON process has worked more smoothly. In light of the NDA’s findings, an additional emphasis is currently being placed on re-configuring children's disability services into integrated multi-disciplinary geographically based early-intervention and school-aged teams, as part of the HSE's Progressing Disability Services Programme. The aim of this Programme is to bring about equity and consistency, with a clear pathway for children with disabilities and their families to services, regardless of where they live, what school they go to or the nature of their difficulty. The Programme is a key priority for the HSE's Social Care Directorate. An additional €4m was allocated in 2014 to assist in implementing the Programme, equating to approximately 80 additional therapy posts. Further investment of €4 million will also be made to support the development of therapy services in 2015 (equating to €6 million in a full year). The transition to this new service model is taking place on a phased basis and includes consultation and engagement with stakeholders, including service users and their families.
My Department has asked the HSE to provide the Deputy with the specific detailed operational information he has requested. 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.
373. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding home help in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27404/15]
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.
374. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical procedure in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27412/15]
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.
375. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Health his plans to regulate the assessment of needs for those with deafblindness in order that it is conducted by a person who has received training in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27416/15]
View answerThe Health Service Executive (HSE) are responsible for assessing the needs of people with a disability for health and personal social services. Accordingly, I have arranged for the Deputy's 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, she can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
376. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure that the different services and service providers available to persons who are deafblind are co-ordinated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27417/15]
View answerThe Health Service Executive (HSE) are responsible for the provision of health and personal social services to people with disability including people who are deafblind. Accordingly, I have arranged for the Deputy's 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, she can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
377. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the securing of a suitable premises in which to relocate a Health Service Executive managed training service centre for persons with disabilities (details supplied) in County Donegal; if a decision has been made by the executive's estates department pertaining to the leasing of a suitable premises; his plans to provide the necessary funding to facilitate this relocation; when the relocation will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27418/15]
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.
378. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 848 of 9 June 2015, and the response from the Health Service Executive of 30 June 2015, which quoted the mean waiting time for orthopaedic surgery in Galway University Hospital as 103 days and the median waiting time as 59 days, the position in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway, if he will reconcile these two cases with the statistics quoted by the executive for Galway University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27421/15]
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 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.
380. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in determining eligibility 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. [27425/15]
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.
381. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the outcome of assessment in relation to eligibility 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. [27426/15]
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.
382. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical procedure in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27428/15]
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.
383. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in determining an application for a medical card in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who has special needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27429/15]
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.
384. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding eligibility for a medical card in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who has already submitted an application for a decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27434/15]
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.
385. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if the requested information has been received in the case of persons (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27435/15]
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.
