Written Answers Nos. 1-26
10. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the criteria in place for the provision of child and adolescent mental health services to the relevant age cohort; the reason certain persons with a very clear and obvious need are not always able to access such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27585/15]
View answerI understand the Deputy's question relates to a specific case and that the child in question is being cared for by the appropriate services.
The HSE Mental Health Division supports timely access to appropriate services to address the mental health needs of all children from a preventative care model and early intervention perspective. It should be noted, however, that mental health problems are not the sole remit of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). Depending on the nature and severity the health need, services may be provided by the Childcare services, at Primary Care or at CAMHS level.
The HSE recently adopted a Standard Operating Procedure for both in-patient and community based CAMHS. This should help to ensure that services are delivered consistently and transparently. Most importantly, it will help to ensure that the care and treatment offered reflects the identified clinical needs of the child.
12. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the current waiting time for new referrals for an outpatient orthopaedic appointment in Letterkenny General Hospital in County Donegal compared to the national target time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27662/15]
View answerImproving waiting lists for scheduled care is a key priority for Government. In January I put in place maximum permissible waiting times for inpatient and day case treatment and outpatient appointments of 18 months by 30 June and 15 months by year end. As of 30 June, the HSE is reporting a 99.6% achievement against the maximum permissible waiting time for inpatient and day case treatment and 96% achievement against the maximum permissible waiting time for outpatient appointments.
In respect of patients at Letterkenny General Hospital, as of 30 June 2015, the hospital has met the 18 month maximum permissible waiting time. The HSE, in conjunction with Hospital Groups, focused on achieving waiting list requirements through maximising the use of internal capacity within and across Hospital Groups in the first instance, in addition to validating waiting lists and facilitating additional clinics where capacity allowed.
In April 2015 Letterkenny General Hospital introduced physiotherapy-led musculoskeletal outpatient clinics to address the needs of those referred with lower back pain to provide significant additional capacity for this cohort of patients and support the efficient use of hospital resources. Judicious outsourcing to private care providers was also utilised.
At present there are 2,326 patients awaiting orthopaedic outpatient appointments at Letterkenny Hospital. Of these, 969 are waiting less than 6 months, 776 are waiting between 6 and 12 months and 581 are waiting over 12 months. Waiting times for individual appointments are dependent on whether patient requirements are classified as urgent or routine.
I look forward to continued progress in Letterkenny Hospital addressing these waiting times as part of achieving the Government's priority to see progressive improvement in the area.
13. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the reason funding was cut under the general practitioner contract for the insertion of contraceptive medical devices for medical card patients, with the resultant hardship this has caused; if he will undertake to restore this funding support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27599/15]
View answerUnder the General Medical Services (GMS) contract, GPs are reimbursed for a range of services they provide to medical card and GP visit card holders. There has been no change to the list of special items of service under the GMS contract. This list of special items includes provision for the payment of a fee to GPs in respect of the fitting of a diaphragm, and related services. The current payment rates are set out in Statutory Instrument No. 277 of 2013, the Health Professionals (Reduction of Payments to General Practitioners) Regulations 2013, which are publicly available on the Irish Statute Book's website at www.irishstatutebook.ie. Schedule 4 sets out the fees payable for the relevant services under the GMS Capitation Contract, while Schedule 15 relates to the Fee per Item Contract.
There were reductions in fees paid under the GMS contract between 2009 and 2013 in line with the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) Act 2009. These reductions applied to all fees and allowances, including payments for special items. There have been no reductions made since 2013.
The new contract for GP services without fees for children under 6 years has been introduced with effect from 1st July last. This includes both a capitation rate and fees in respect of special items where relevant, but not those such as the fitting of a diaphragm that do not arise in this age group.
14. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health of the €2.2 billion raised in tax revenue, both product tax and value added tax, through the sale of alcohol, his views that a percentage of this revenue should be directed towards treatment, prevention and education. [27696/15]
View answerI have consulted with my colleague the Minister of Finance on this matter and he has advised me that he is generally not in favour of the hypothecation of tax revenue, as it reduces the flexibility of the Government to prioritise and allocate funds as necessary at a particular time.
He further advised that taxation and expenditure decisions should be driven by their overall effectiveness in line with sound and sustainable budgetary principles. Accordingly, ring-fencing revenues may constrain expenditure decisions and can distort the allocation of resources resulting in reduced value for money.
However, the affordability of alcohol to the average consumer is an important component in tackling alcohol abuse and, the price of alcohol is directly linked to consumption levels and levels of alcohol related harms and costs.
Despite Ireland having relatively high excise duty rates, the price of alcohol remains relatively affordable. This Government is committed to taking meaningful measures to reduce the level of harmful consumption of alcohol in Ireland and the harm associated with the misuse of alcohol through the forthcoming Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. The aim of this legislation is to reduce alcohol consumption and the harms caused by alcohol. The Bill will provide for minimum unit pricing for alcohol products and other measures.
Minimum unit pricing is a key part of our strategy to deal with alcohol misuse. It sets a minimum unit price for alcoholic drinks below which alcohol cannot be sold. Under Minimum Unit Pricing, alcohol which is cheap relative to its strength will increase in price. The minimum price is determined by and is directly proportional to the amount of pure alcohol in the drink. Minimum Unit Pricing is aimed at those who are higher risk, such as adolescents and people who have a harmful and hazardous alcohol consumption pattern.
In addition, Section 16 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act provides for the making of regulations which may prohibit or restrict advertising, promoting, selling or supplying of alcohol at reduced prices or free of charge in order to reduce the risk of a threat to public order and health risks from the misuse of alcohol.
15. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied there are sufficient nursing home beds to meet demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27651/15]
View answerResidential care in Ireland is provided through a mix of public, voluntary and private provision. According to the Health Information and Quality Authority there were 29,060 beds registered with them during 2014.
At this point in time, while there are some areas where supply is tight, in overall terms there are enough nursing home beds to meet demand. However, between now and 2024 the population over 65 years is projected to increase by about 200,000 people. Based upon current trends those requiring long-term care will increase by about 9,000 over the same period. In that context, it is important to both maintain and modernise our existing stock, particularly of public beds, and to ensure that sufficient additional capacity is provided across the public and private sectors to meet future demand. My Department is examining how this can best be achieved, and is committed to ensuring that support continues to be available through the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, that there are adequate beds available for those who need them, and that relevant public funds and other resources are applied in the most efficient way possible and deliver value for money.
In this context my Department has engaged DKM Economic Consultants to identify the policy options that are available to address future requirements for nursing home capacity, and to undertake a Cost Benefit Analysis of these options. I will take careful account of the conclusions of this exercise in planning for the coming years.
The Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS) provides financial assistance for those in long term residential care. The NHSS budget in 2015 is €993 million, which includes an additional €54 million provided by Government in 2015. This additional funding comprises €10 million provided in Budget 2015 to support an additional 300 places and a further €44 million provided in April to support an additional 1,600 places. The Scheme is continuing to take on new clients and it is estimated that by the end of the year it will be supporting in excess of 23,900 people.
When the Scheme commenced, a commitment was made that it would be reviewed after three years. This review is considering the Scheme's long term viability as well as looking at how well the current model of provision is balancing residential care in the community, and whether this needs to be adjusted to better reflect what older people want. The review is almost completed and is expected to be published shortly.
16. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the degree to which he has identified a shortage of nursing staff throughout the public health service as a contributory cause of overcrowding at accident and emergency units; if the various initiatives he has taken, or proposes to take, will adequately address this issue in the short and medium term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27601/15]
View answerThe Emergency Department Task Force that reported earlier this year identified a number of factors that contributed to the increase in overcrowding at accident and emergency departments in 2014, including growth in delayed discharges, difficulties in attracting and retaining senior clinical decision makers and long average length of stay due to an increase in very elderly patients. Challenges in recruiting nursing staff can mean that some beds have to be closed, although this is not amongst the most important contributory reasons in overall terms.
The HSE is committed to increasing nursing numbers and to the conversion of agency to permanent posts where feasible. The development of capability within nursing to take on senior decision making roles in relation to delegated discharge is also a priority. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform announced in the last budget the delegation of greater autonomy to Departments and Agencies to manage their own staffing levels. The change from the application of a rigid employment control framework, with its particular focus on a moratorium on recruitment and compliance with employment ceilings and targets, to one operating strictly within allocated pay frameworks will allow for recruitment where it is determined that this can achieve more economical service delivery.
An extra 475 nurses and midwives have been employed between May 2014 and May 2015. In addition, the HSE is planning to recruit over 600 nurses across a number of nursing disciplines. There is significant work being undertaken to achieve this. This includes recent and ongoing national and local interviewing of General Nurses, Mental Health, Intellectual Disability, Registered Children's Nurses and Midwives. The HSE has also developed an International Nurse Recruitment Project for filling posts. This initiative is a targeted recruitment drive in the UK primarily focused on Irish trained nurses who left during the moratorium. In order to facilitate this the services of a recruitment agency has been secured. It is hoped that the first of the interviews will commence in the coming weeks in a number of UK cities with the first nurses due to commence duty in August.
With regard to workforce planning, Action 46 of Future Health (DoH, 2012) provides for the Department to work with the HSE to implement an effective approach to workforce planning and development with the objectives of: recruiting and retaining the right mix of staff; training and upskilling the workforce; providing for professional and career development; and creating supportive and healthy workplaces. In 2015, the Department of Health will develop a national integrated strategic framework for health workforce planning, on a cross-sectoral basis. A cross-sectoral Working Group will be convened to develop the framework in the near future. The Group's deliberations will take into account issues including population aging. Consultation with key stakeholders will form part of the Group's work.
17. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 105 of 29 April 2015, the progress to date at resolving the issue of outstanding payments for unsocial hours or twilight payments for health care staff in certain regions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27654/15]
View answerPayment in respect of “twilight shift”, from 8pm until end of shift, commenced in a number of locations in the Intellectual Disability Sector since Jan 1 2015. These include Brothers of Charity Galway, Brothers of Charity Roscommon, Ability West and KARE. The process of commencing such payments is also under way in Brothers of Charity Waterford.
The issue of retrospective payment in the 3 organisations concerned in counties Galway and Roscommon was the subject of a Labour Relations Commission (LRC) process involving the HSE and the unions on June 22 and more recently on July 6.
The LRC has tabled a proposal for settlement of the matters in dispute. This will be considered by both sides over the next 10 days.
18. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if his Department has had discussions or correspondence with the Minister for Justice and Equality in view of the eight maternal deaths by medical misadventure since 2007, regarding developing a system whereby automatic inquests would take place in cases of maternal deaths. [27584/15]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware the issue of inquests into maternal deaths is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality and I understand that the Deputy was advised of the procedures in relation to Coroner's Inquests in a response to a recent Parliamentary Question put to my colleague. My officials have not had any discussions with the Department of Justice and Equality in relation to this matter.
However, the Chief Medical Officer in his report, HSE Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise Perinatal Deaths (2006 -date) published in February 2014 recommended that the Department of Health should engage with the Department of Justice and Equality in respect of the coronial service. This recommendation was made in light of the comments that some of the families affected by events in Portlaoise Hospital made in relation to Coroner's Inquests.
My officials have held a meeting with their counterparts in the Department of Justice to discuss the issues highlighted in the CMO's Report and I understand that a further meeting will take place on the issue.
19. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the action that will be taken to reduce the waiting times for outpatients in the west seeking an outpatient rheumatology appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27580/15]
View answerThe HSE has advised that due to consultant staff shortages, a number of rheumatology outpatient clinics in GUH are being postponed during the months of July and August 2015. New appointments will be rescheduled as soon as possible and urgent patients will continue to be seen.
There are currently 3 consultants in Galway University Hospital, covering OPD clinics, a day ward service in Merlin Park as well as emergency medical intake and a consult service at University Hospital Galway. A Locum Consultant will take up post in September 2015 and an extra Consultant for GUH will take up post in October 2015. An additional Registrar is being assigned to Rheumatology and will commence in July 2015. From 1 October 2015, there will be 4 Consultant Rheumatologists at GUH. There is approval to appoint a third consultant, to be based in Manorhamilton. This consultant will also provide services for patients in Mayo General Hospital Castlebar and the recruitment process for this post has commenced.
The HSE has advised that 38 acute consultant posts were filled in 2014 in HSE hospitals and there have been 36 filled so far in 2015. Ongoing recruitment of 193 consultant posts is in progress and this is carried out in conjunction with the Public Appointments Service. There are some specialties in which there are international shortages and which have been traditionally difficult to fill, regardless of the salary scale. The establishment of hospital groups will help to address shortages, as this will allow doctors to be appointed as group resources - instead of to just one hospital.
20. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 727 of 26 May 2015, (details supplied), his views that the deployment of one child psychologist at the mid-Kildare Linn Dara child and adolescent mental health service team is satisfactory in view of the very significant delays that parents are experiencing accessing this essential service for their children; if he will provide, in tabular form, a breakdown of the number of similar child psychologist posts per county, indicating the address of the unit at which they are based in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27649/15]
View answerA Vision for Change recommends the provision of 1 Community based Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) Team per 50,000 of the population. At present, Linn Dara Child and Adolescent Mental Health services provide specialist mental health services, including CAMHS, in Co. Kildare for an overall population of approximately 210,000.
There are currently 3 multi-disciplinary community CAMHS teams for Kildare: the North Kildare CAMHS Team based in Celbridge; the South Kildare CAMHS Team based in Athy; the Mid-Kildare CAMHS Team based in Naas.
Each of the 3 Kildare teams has a clinical psychologist as a member of the multi-disciplinary team, under the direction of a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. The introduction of a fourth CAMHS team is planned in the last quarter of this year, to serve the catchment population of Co. Kildare and West Wicklow. This team will also have a CAMHS psychologist post as part of its multi-disciplinary approach. The introduction of the fourth team will make a significant improvement to CAMHS provision overall in Kildare, and will meet the requirements of A Vision for Change.
At the end of May last, the Mid-Kildare CAMHS Waiting List had a total of 44 cases.
This has reduced from a waiting list of 67 for the previous month.
A targeted Waiting List initiative was recently implemented to reduce waiting times. In the first month of the programme, the waiting list for children who were waiting more than 12 months reduced from 34 to 11. The continuation of this initiative, in combination with implementation of the new CAMHS Standard Operating Procedures launched in June will ensure that children are referred to the service most appropriate to their need. It is expected that this trend will continue, in line with HSE policy to improve waiting list targets.
In relation to the information sought by the Deputy in tabular form, my Department does not collect this information as a matter of routine. I have therefore asked the HSE to write to the Deputy with the information sought as soon as possible.
21. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health his plans to provide a day care centre in Youghal in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27650/15]
View answerThe proposed Day Care Centre in Youghal, for which a site was allocated at Youghal Community Hospital, was included in the HSE's Capital Plan in 2008. However, as with many other projects, funds were not available to progress this project due to the reduced capital budget which followed the down turn in the economy.
Subsequent to the initiation of the Day Care Centre project, the inspection of residential services for older people by the Health Information and Quality Authority commenced. The renewal of the registration for Youghal Community Hospital comes up in 2015. It has been established that the hospital will require a significant extension to fully comply with HIQA's infrastructural standards. The HSE has undertaken a preliminary review of the existing community hospital and, given the topography of the hospital site, such an extension could well impact on the site set aside for the proposed Day Centre.
The HSE has appointed a Design Team to develop the plans to achieve full HIQA compliance for Youghal Community Hospital. One of the first tasks assigned to the design team is to advise on whether the significant extensions required to the hospital will impact on the site designated for the Day Care Centre. Naturally, the intention will be to avoid impact if reasonably possible. Once this step is completed, the HSE can make a final decision on the whether the Day Care Centre can go ahead on the site originally set aside. Capital funding will be required to progress the project at that stage and it will also have to be confirmed that the revenue funding needed to operate the centre once completed can be made available.
22. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health his awareness of the crisis across the nursing home sector regarding the recruitment of nurses; the steps he is taking to ensure there are adequate nurses available to take up vacant post opportunities as they arise, including recruiting nurses from overseas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27597/15]
View answerThe 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. 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/failure by the applicant or third parties to furnish the necessary documentation required to assess eligibility for registration and the overall volume. It is important to note that the NMBI are dealing with very significant volumes of applications at present. The NMBI are processing all applications as quickly as possible, while ensuring appropriate procedures and checks which are designed around protection of the public.
The NMBI, following assessment of qualifications by an applicant, may require an applicant nurse or midwife to undertake a period of adaptation and assessment, which if required, must be successfully completed as a pre-requisite to registration. This clinical adaptation period may last between six and twelve weeks. Clinical adaptation is a process of adjustment and assessment to support candidates who have not worked in the Irish health system previously. The NMBI require that adaptation takes place in an appropriate setting approved by the Board and within a certain timeframe. The minimum timeframe for completing the period of adaptation and assessment is six weeks.
A collaborative group including the Department of Health, HSE, the NMBI and Nursing Homes Ireland representatives have met to explore solutions to facilitate adaptation and registration delays. Proposals were agreed which will now be implemented and should result in an improvement in the difficulties currently being experienced.
23. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the action his Department will take to address the shortage of nurses in the nursing home sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27576/15]
View answerI wish to thank Deputy Moynihan for the question raised.
The background to this issue is the current high level of nurse recruitment activity that includes the recruitment of nurses who trained in a country outside of Ireland. These positive recruitment initiatives, to attract nurses back into our Irish health system, are generating an increasing volume of nurse registration applications that is directly connected to the delays in the nurse registration process along with the requirement for clinical adaptation places.
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 of the necessary documentation has been supplied by the applicant.
The main difficulty to expediting timely applications as reported by the NMBI is that of delay/failure by the applicant or third parties to furnish the necessary documentation required to assess eligibility for registration, coupled with the overall volume. It is important to note that the NMBI are dealing with very significant volumes of applications at present. The NMBI are processing all applications as quickly as possible, while ensuring appropriate procedures and checks which are designed around the protection of the public.
The NMBI, following assessment of qualifications by an applicant, may require an applicant nurse or midwife to undertake a period of adaptation and assessment, which if required, must be successfully completed as a pre-requisite to registration. Clinical adaptation is a process of adjustment and assessment to support candidates who have not worked in the Irish health system previously. The NMBI require that adaptation takes place in an appropriate setting approved by the Board and within a certain timeframe. This clinical adaptation period may last between six and twelve weeks, with six being the minimum.
In 2014 the HSE facilitated 151 nurses, recruited through Nursing Homes Ireland to complete a period of adaptation. Currently there are 58 candidates undergoing assessment with a further 126 candidates due for assessment up to the final programme in August 2015. There are however additional requests for clinical adaptation programmes outside of the current provision.
A collaborative group including the Department of Health, HSE, NMBI and Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) representatives have met to explore solutions to facilitate adaptation and registration delays. Proposals were agreed which will now be implemented and should result in an improvement in the difficulties currently being experienced. The Deputy may also wish to note that the NMBI have been allocated additional resources to address the delays in registration.
24. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the proposals he has to increase orthopaedic surgery capacity in the north east, given the numbers waiting for treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27577/15]
View answerImproving waiting lists for scheduled care is a key priority for Government. In January, I put in place maximum permissible waiting times for inpatient and day case treatments and outpatient appointments of 18 months by 30 June and 15 months by year end.
An initial assessment by the HSE indicated that 4,995 patients would require inpatient or day case treatment by the end of June 2015. The HSE has advised that 4,976 of these patients have received treatment, leaving just 19 waiting for longer than 18 months and equating to 99.6% achievement of the 18 month maximum permissible wait time. The HSE has also advised that for outpatients, the initial assessment was that 50,490 patients would need OPD appointments by the end of June 2015 and that as of 30 June 2015, this has reduced to 1,988 patients, equating to 96% achievement against the maximum permissible waiting time.
In respect of orthopaedic services in the North East, a national initiative was introduced in 2013 which provides physiotherapy triage of patients on orthopaedic OPD waiting lists. As a result approximately 40% of patients are getting earlier intervention. The National Trauma Programme is also looking at orthopaedic services nationally to determine recommendations for managing both trauma and elective workloads.
Our Lady’s Hospital Navan and Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital provide the majority of in-patient and day case elective care for the North East. Navan Hospital is close to maintaining a 6 month in-patient and day case access time. Cappagh National Orthopaedic has received an additional allocation of €3.8 million in 2015. Consequently activity in 2015 has exceeded 2014 levels and will continue to improve month on month to year end. This has resulted in a gradual reduction in access times.
Both hospitals have met the current maximum permissible waiting time of 18 months at end June 2015 and anticipate they will be compliant with the 15 month waiting time to be achieved by the end of this year.
25. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied that outpatient waiting list figures published for December 2013 by the National Treatment Purchase Fund were accurate; if the data reported in waiting lists published a year later did not contradict the information published in December 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27658/15]
View answerThe NTPF reports are generated from data provided by hospitals regarding all patients on their waiting lists at a specific point in time. The figures reported by the NTPF as waiting over one year at 31 December 2013 were accurate as of that date.
Only hospitals have the capacity to add patients to or to remove patients from waiting lists. The NTPF reports reflect objectively the numbers on the waiting list as provided by hospitals: any variance in figures is due to internal hospital management of those waiting lists subsequent to providing 'point in time' data to the NTPF.
In the final quarter of 2013 hospitals conducted full waiting list validation, specifically targeted to address patients waiting in excess of 1 year. This resulted in a cohort of patients being removed by hospitals from waiting lists on the basis that they no longer wanted the appointment or because they did not respond to the validation requests.
As is best practice during such validation processes internationally, GPs and patients themselves can request re-instatement to a waiting list after removal. In such instances, patients are re-instated at the original date of referral to ensure their former position on the waiting list is retained. I am informed that a proportion of the variance between patients waiting over 2 years on December 2014 and patients waiting over 1 year on December 2013 is likely to have resulted from patients being placed back on a waiting list at the GP's request or the patient's own request.
Patients were also placed back on waiting lists following the 2013 initiative which saw over 20,000 patients awaiting OPD appointments attending for consultation in the private system: after attending an initial outpatient appointment in a private facility, patients who required further treatment were placed on the appropriate waiting list in order to continue their care within the public health service. All of those who were returned to the public hospital waiting list re-entered the waiting lists at their original date to ensure that they were not disadvantaged.
26. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the action being taken to reduce waiting lists at the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore in County Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27669/15]
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.
