Written Answers Nos. 577-591
577. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Kildare is due a refund, given that the person has been paying for blood tests, and is the holder of a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28533/15]
View answerPersons covered by the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme should not be charged for routine phlebotomy services provided by their GP, or the Practice Nurse on behalf of the GP, which are required to either assist in the diagnosis of a patient or to monitor a diagnosed condition. Furthermore, a GP is precluded from demanding or accepting payments, other than payments from the HSE as provided for under his/her contract, for services covered by the GMS contract, such as issuing a letter of referral to another service/clinician.
I have been advised by the HSE that its Local Health Offices will fully investigate any reported incidents of eligible patients being charged for phlebotomy services which form part of the investigation and necessary treatment of patients' symptoms or conditions.
A Memorandum of Understanding signed in February 2015 commits the Department of Health, the HSE and the IMO to substantive negotiations on a new comprehensive GP contract commencing no later than 31 March 2015 with a view to concluding within 12 months. These discussions have commenced and the appropriate arrangements in relation to phlebotomy services will be considered in this context.
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for 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.
578. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health the shortfall in nursing staff in each of the community hospitals in County Kerry, in the St. Columbanus nursing home and in Kerry General Hospital; his plans to restore staff numbers to appropriate levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28540/15]
View answerThe Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform announced in the last budget, that he intends to delegate 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.
I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to the nursing numbers you have sought. 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.
579. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health the shortfall in staff in each psychiatric facility in County Kerry; his plans to restore staff numbers to appropriate levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28541/15]
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 within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
580. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an application under the home help scheme for a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [28542/15]
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.
581. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in publishing the Lightfoot capacity review report on the ambulance service; if the Health Service Executive has received the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28544/15]
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.
582. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Carlow will receive home physiotherapy as the person is unable to travel to receive the required treatment. [28545/15]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for 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.
583. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if a surgical procedure at Naas General Hospital or the Albany Medical Center Hospital will be expedited for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28546/15]
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.
584. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical appointment for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28551/15]
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 scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. 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.
585. Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update regarding a hospital (details supplied) in Dublin 6; if it remains in use by the Health Service Executive; and if not, his plans for this location [28553/15]
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 within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
586. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding general practitioner visit cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28554/15]
View answerThe Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2015 was enacted on 24th June 2015. Under this legislation GP care without fees will be extended to all persons aged 70 years and over in early August. This universal over-70s service will benefit about 36,000 people and will be provided under the existing GMS contract. Registration for this service will begin later this month.
587. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the total annual spend on consultant doctors' salaries for the past four years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28557/15]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the 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.
588. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if an application for a primary medical certificate in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28559/15]
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, please contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
589. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of budget overruns at Mayo General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28575/15]
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.
590. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the up-to-date position in relation to a general practitioner vacancy (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28576/15]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for 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.
591. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of excess winter deaths recorded in each year since 2002. [28577/15]
View answerThe Central Statistics Office (CSO) has provided the following figures showing the numbers of recorded deaths related to hypothermia for each of the years 2002 to 2014, broken down by each month. Please note that data for 2013 and 2014 are provisional. The data relates to people aged 1-98 years.
Hypothermia related deaths 2001 to 2014 classified by month of death
|
Month |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
Jan |
3 |
- |
1 |
2 |
- |
1 |
2 |
2 |
5 |
- |
4 |
2 |
1 |
|
Feb |
2 |
- |
1 |
- |
1 |
- |
1 |
3 |
- |
- |
2 |
- |
2 |
|
Mar |
1 |
1 |
- |
2 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
- |
- |
3 |
- |
1 |
- |
|
Apr |
2 |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
1 |
- |
- |
2 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
May |
1 |
1 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
|
Jun |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
1 |
- |
|
Jul |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
2 |
- |
1 |
2 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Aug |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
2 |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Sep |
- |
1 |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Oct |
- |
1 |
- |
1 |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Nov |
4 |
- |
2 |
1 |
1 |
- |
1 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
|
Dec |
3 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
8 |
3 |
- |
- |
1 |
|
Total |
16 |
6 |
7 |
10 |
9 |
11 |
10 |
9 |
18 |
8 |
8 |
4 |
5 |
2013 and 2014 data are by year of registration and is subject to future revisions.
Age range: 1 to 98 years.
