Written Answers Nos. 156-63
156. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Health when the Health Service Executive will be in a position to arrange urgently required surgery in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly who has been on the waiting list for over two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27762/15]
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.
157. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of children under 18 years of age with cancer as of 30 June 2015; the number of these who had a medical card; and the number who had a general practitioner card, at that time. [27767/15]
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.
158. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be facilitated for knee surgery at Croom orthopaedic hospital in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27772/15]
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.
159. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a list of each of the current grant schemes that are administrated by his Department and that are available to community groups or projects; the total amount paid for each of these schemes for each of the past four years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27784/15]
View answerMy Department administers a National Lottery Discretionary Fund from which once-off grants are paid to community and voluntary organisations providing a range of health related services. Applications are accepted from community groups and voluntary organisations with an involvement in the provision of health services to specific client groups; national groups providing information and support for various disabilities and illnesses; and groups with a specific interest such as providing holidays for elderly, respite, equipment for hospitals, homes, etc. The Deputy should note that the closing date for completed applications for 2015 has passed.
My Department paid out €3.286 million in lottery funding in each of the last four years 2011 to 2014. Details of the organisations and the amounts received are available on my Department's website at health.gov.ie.
The Deputy may also wish to note that I have approved the first tranche of 2015 lottery grants, details of which are also available on my Department's website under Press Releases. It is hoped that the second tranche would be approved in November 2015.
160. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if a doctor (details supplied) in County Kildare is registered with the national contracts office in respect of providing services for children under six years of age, given that the doctor has submitted the required application and documentation but does not appear to be on the list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27798/15]
View answer172. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the reason the name of a general practitioner (details supplied) has not been included on the list of general practitioners wishing to provide services under the new free general practitioner for children under six scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27867/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 160 and 172 together.
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputies. 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.
161. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if he has explored the introduction of medically supervised injecting centres; and if so, if his Department has developed any estimates as to the possible operating costs involved. [27801/15]
View answerMedically supervised injecting facilities exist in a number of other countries, and have been proposed as a response to the problem of street injecting in this country. According to a recent report from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, drug consumption facilities can be effective for difficult-to-reach populations of drug users and have resulted in immediate improvements in hygiene and safer use for clients, as well as wider health and public order benefits.
I have recently received a copy of a draft Health (Injecting Centres) Bill 2015 and supporting documentation from a Dublin-based service provider. I have asked my officials to examine the matter, including the associated costs involved. It should be noted that a change to existing legislation would be required to facilitate the introduction of these facilities.
162. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health his views that it is acceptable for residents at the Health Service Executive's Elizabeth Court psychiatric care home in Phibsborough in Dublin 7 to be denied the right to smoke cigarettes in their own private outdoor space at their own home; the policy this comes under; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27808/15]
View answerThe Public Health (Tobacco) Acts prohibits smoking in indoor work places with a number of exemptions in the health sector including Psychiatric Hospitals.
In relation to outdoor or campus areas the Health Service Executive has a smoke-free policy which includes a commitment that all HSE campuses will become tobacco free.
Tobacco Free Ireland, the Governments policy on tobacco, contains a recommendation to promote tobacco free campuses for all health care, governmental and sporting facilities in consultation with key stakeholders.
As the particular service referred to by the Deputy is provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE) I am referring the question to the HSE for direct reply.
163. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Health when a decision will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27822/15]
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.
