Tuesday, 14 Jul 2015

Written Answers Nos. 557-576

Services for People with Disabilities

Questions (557)

Finian McGrath

Question:

557. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 13 who has a disability is not receiving a service. [28481/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As 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, please contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.

Medical Card Applications

Questions (558)

Finian McGrath

Question:

558. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5. [28483/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The 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.

Home Help Service Data

Questions (559)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

559. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 449 of 23 June 2015 and the failure of the Health Service Executive to answer the question sufficiently, if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of home help hours provided and how this compares to the targets set in each local health office area for each month to date in 2015. [28492/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I understand from the Health Service Executive that it has not to date been possible for them to supply the information requested in the format specified by the Deputy, as the Executive does not normally compile the relevant information in this way.

However, I have asked the Executive to re-examine the matter to establish what information can be furnished that is as close as possible to the Deputy's request, and I will revert to him once I receive their response.

Home Help Service Data

Questions (560)

Michael McNamara

Question:

560. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the average number of home help hours provided to persons over 65 years of age in County Clare, in County Limerick and in the north Tipperary area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28494/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As 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.

Accident and Emergency Departments Waiting Times

Questions (561)

Jack Wall

Question:

561. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the changes proposed or planned, to address the ongoing major problem of patients on trolleys in Naas General Hospital in County Kildare, which currently has one of the highest number of patients on trolleys; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28496/15]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Questions (562)

Jack Wall

Question:

562. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the proposals planned to address the long waiting lists in Naas General Hospital in County Kildare; if he will provide, in tabular form, a list of the waiting lists for each department for each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28497/15]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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.

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Applications

Questions (563)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

563. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the application of a person (details supplied) in County Cork under the fair deal scheme will be expedited given the person's circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28499/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As 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.

Health Services

Questions (564, 566)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

564. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which North-South co-operation can be achieved in the provision of existing or innovative health services, such as deep brain stimulation, as referred to at recent North-South parliamentary discussions; if specialist services of this nature are likely to be the subject of co-operation in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28500/15]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

566. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which joint funding might be considered in respect of innovative surgery or procedures on a North-South basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28507/15]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 564 and 566 together.

As these are service matters, 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.

Health Services

Questions (565)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

565. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which the health services North and South are likely to become associated in a complementary fashion in the provision of services at the proposed new children's hospital; the extent to which paediatric services can be shared North and South, as put forward at recent North-South parliamentary discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28501/15]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As I stated when I appeared before the Joint Oireachtas Committee to discuss opportunities to enhance health service provision through North-South co-operation there is a growing interest in cross-Border all-island health and social care services co-operation where mutual advantage can be demonstrated. There have been several significant cross-Border and all-island initiatives over the past 20 years, with the early experience gained through local and regional pilot projects in the Border area, building the confidence to put more permanent collaborative arrangements in place. Today, there are many examples which illustrate that co-operation between North and South in health makes sense. I am committed to strengthening and increasing North-South health co-operation.

There is continued engagement between my Department and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland on progressing co-operation in paediatric cardiology services on an all-island basis. The expert international working group report on an all-island service for cardiology and cardiac surgery for congenital heart disease was published in October 2014. This report is a pragmatic example of co-operation across both jurisdictions which seeks to create an effective, integrated service for the benefit of patients. It makes clear and explicit recommendations on the development of a single congenital cardiac service for Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. One of the recommendations was that paediatric surgery and interventional cardiology should cease in Belfast and that all services should be provided in Dublin, giving us the critical mass needed for such a centre. This development will ensure that a very vulnerable group of sick children and young people get the best level of care no matter where they come from on the island.

The implementation of the report recommendations has commenced on a phased basis at Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin this year and these services will move to the new children's hospital when built. The new hospital will be co-located with St. James's Hospital, and ultimately tri-located with the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, which will relocate to the campus in due course. In addition to the main hospital, the project includes two satellite centres at the campuses of Tallaght and Connolly Hospitals. Design development for the hospitals and satellite centres is ongoing and a planning submission is to be made in the coming weeks. Subject to planning, work is scheduled to commence at all three sites in early 2016. The intention is that the new children’s hospital will become a child-centred and family-focused world class facility, capable of anticipating and responding to developments in healthcare expected over the next generation. The hospital will provide tertiary and quaternary paediatric services, including on an all-island basis where agreed, as well as secondary paediatric services for the greater Dublin area.

Question No. 566 answered with Question No. 564.

Health Services Funding

Questions (567)

Jack Wall

Question:

567. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an application for funding (details supplied) to address a shortfall in services in County Kildare (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28511/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

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.

Public Sector Staff

Questions (568)

Robert Troy

Question:

568. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that a person who is a clerical officer (details supplied) in the Health Service Executive is provided with a transfer to County Longford, as formally requested. [28514/15]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this 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.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (569, 570, 595, 598, 619)

Colm Keaveney

Question:

569. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the total number of persons by acute hospital and by speciality who are waiting to receive an appointment date for a procedure for one month, two months, three months, three to six months, six to nine months, nine to 12 months and 12 months plus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28515/15]

Colm Keaveney

Question:

570. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the total number of persons who have received an appointment for an orthopaedic procedure broken down by acute hospital; the number of persons who have been waiting for one month, two months, three months, three to six months, six to nine months, nine to 12 months and 12 months plus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28516/15]

Colm Keaveney

Question:

595. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, by Health Service Executive administrative area, the number of persons waiting for a magnetic resonance imaging, MRI, scan for one month, two months, three months, three to six months, six to nine months, nine to 12 months and more than 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28615/15]

Colm Keaveney

Question:

598. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, by Health Service Executive administrative area, the number of persons waiting for their first appointment with a pain clinic following referral for one month, two months, three months, three to six months, six to nine months, nine to 12 months and more than 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28618/15]

Colm Keaveney

Question:

619. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, in respect of each acute hospital in the country, the number of persons on the waiting list for orthopaedic procedures up to three months, three to six months, six to nine months, nine to 12 months, 12 to 18 months and 18 months plus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28800/15]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 569, 570, 595, 598 and 619 together.

As these are service matters, 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.

Health Services Provision

Questions (571)

Jack Wall

Question:

571. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a date for a procurement in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28519/15]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Under 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.

General Medical Services Scheme

Questions (572)

Noel Harrington

Question:

572. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Health the reason e-mails sent to the primary care reimbursement service from this Deputy's office on 4 June 2015, with documentation that was outstanding and with additional information due to a change in circumstances since the initial application, had not been processed by 6 July 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28522/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The 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.

Hospital Consultant Recruitment

Questions (573)

Michael McCarthy

Question:

573. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health the efforts he is making to address the shortage of acute child psychiatric services (details supplied) in County Cork; when a permanent consultant will be appointed to this service as the absence of such has placed a considerable strain on this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28524/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Medical Card Reviews

Questions (574)

Arthur Spring

Question:

574. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health the number of over 70s medical card reviews scheduled to be issued per month for the next 12 months. [28526/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The 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.

Medical Card Reviews

Questions (575)

Arthur Spring

Question:

575. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health the number of under 70s medical card reviews scheduled to be issued per month for the next 12 months. [28527/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The 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.

Medical Card Reviews

Questions (576)

Arthur Spring

Question:

576. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health the amount of discretionary medical card reviews scheduled to be issued per month for the next 12 months. [28528/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The 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.