Written Answers Nos. 652-667
652. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an appointment in Letterkenny General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28921/15]
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.
653. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health to outline the Health Service Executive policies and procedure that home help and Blue Bird assistants must follow in respect of dispensing medication to their clients; the exceptions to this procedure if persons are not physically or mentally capable of taking their own medication, or if a member of the person's family is not available to assist them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28922/15]
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.
654. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal may expect a decision on a medical card application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28923/15]
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.
655. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health if the Saolta University Health Care Group has advertised for a consultant urologist for Letterkenny General Hospital, County Donegal; if the advertisement has yet to be placed; when he expects same to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28960/15]
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.
656. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health to set out the position regarding a matter at the emergency department in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28962/15]
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.
657. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health to set out the position regarding a grant in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 17; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28973/15]
View answerThe particular issues raised by the Deputy are service matters for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE 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.
658. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 173 of 25 June 2015 when a response will issue to this Deputy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28978/15]
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.
659. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health to outline the notice periods that ought to be provided to parents who are waiting on appointments for their children in respect of child ophthalmic services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29012/15]
View answer660. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health to outline his plans to improve on the service offered in respect of parents who are waiting on appointments for their children for child ophthalmic services; his views on whether a notice period of less than one week is acceptable after a wait of over 15 months with no update as to the waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29013/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 659 and 660 together.
While there are no guidelines concerning notice periods given to patients, alternative ophthalmic services appointments can be arranged through the relevant HSE clinics if the notice given is insufficient. The Primary Care Eye Services Review Group, which was established by the HSE is due to report in Q3 of 2015. It will set out a clear blueprint with recommendations for the delivery of primary care eye services which will ensure a high quality, safe and consistent service for patients.
661. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health to detail the hospital waiting lists, categorised by hospital and operation, that are closed to new referrals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29014/15]
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.
662. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health to set out the number of procedures conducted within the European Union following a referral from an Irish general practitioner on behalf of the Health Service Executive; the cost of these procedures to the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29015/15]
View answerThe Health Service Executive operates the EU Directive on Patients’ Rights in Cross Border Healthcare in Ireland. The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine the matter of the data requested and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. 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.
663. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Health whether he supports the work of a charity (details supplied); and if he will provide State funding to the charity. [29017/15]
View answerFunding from the Department of Health's Drugs Initiative Fund is allocated to the Local and Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Forces to support community based drugs initiatives. Applications for funding for the organisation concerned should be made directly to the relevant Local or Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force.
664. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health to explain the reason lottery funding was refused in the past for an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29026/15]
View answerMy Department received an application for lottery funding from the person referred to by the Deputy on behalf of the South Louth Branch of the Alzheimer Day Care Centre in each of the years 2013 and 2014. Applications for National Lottery grants far exceed resources and as the funds available for 2013 and 2014 had been disbursed, it was not possible, unfortunately, to assist in this particular case.
My Department has received an application for funding from the 2015 National Lottery allocation from the Alzheimer Society South Louth. This is one of a large number of applications currently being assessed by my Department. The organisation will be informed of the outcome of this application as soon as a decision has been made. It is hoped to fund successful organisations in November.
665. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health to set out the number of patients in Letterkenny General Hospital, County Donegal, who have been offered an appointment and treatment in a private hospital; if all treatment, including follow-up diagnostics and surgery will be provided in these private hospitals; the number of these patients who were previously outsourced with outpatient appointments at private hospitals before later having the file recalled to Letterkenny General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29033/15]
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.
