Written Answers Nos. 533-551
533. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the most up-to-date figures for the number of vacant positions in each public and voluntary hospital in the following categories: consultants; non-consultant hospital doctors; nursing positions; other health and social care professionals; management: administration; and general support staff. [29990/15]
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.
534. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form and by Health Service Executive region, sub-divided by every 50,000 miles or 80,000 km, the distances that have been travelled by emergency ambulances currently in service; those travelled by intermediate care ambulances currently in service; those travelled by rapid response vehicles currently in service, in such a capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29991/15]
View answer535. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form for each ambulance station and in each month in the year to April 2015, the percentage of clinical status 1 echocardigram incidents responded to by first responder in seven minutes and 59 seconds or less; and the percentage of clinical status 1 DELTA incidents responded to by a patient-carrying vehicle in seven minutes and 59 seconds or less. [29992/15]
View answer536. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the number of ambulance attendances at each emergency department nationwide in April 2014; the number of such ambulances that waited longer than 20 minutes, 40 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 120 minutes, and 180 minutes to hand over patients, get the trolleys back and return to responding to calls. [29993/15]
View answer550. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health to set out the number of emergency ambulances that have been decommissioned by the Health Service Executive national ambulance service in 2015 to date; the number of new emergency ambulances that have been acquired in 2015 to date; the number of intermediate care ambulances that have been decommissioned by the executive's national ambulance service so far in 2015; the number of new intermediate care ambulances that have been acquired so far in 2015; the number of rapid response vehicles that were decommissioned by the executive's national ambulance service in 2014; the number of new rapid response vehicles that have been acquired in 2015 to date; the number of vehicles which have been commissioned or purchased as rapid response vehicles that have been acquired in 2015 to date; the number currently in use; the number awaiting entry into service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30014/15]
View answer551. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health to outline the number of emergency ambulances currently in service; if he will provide in tabular form a breakdown of the total number according to the year they entered service; if he will provide in that table data on pods and vehicles in terms of the date they entered service and the Health Service Executive region in which they are based; the number of intermediate care ambulances currently in service; if he will provide in tabular form a breakdown of the total number according to the year they entered service; if he will also provide in that table data on pods and vehicles in terms of the date they entered service and the Health Service Executive region in which they are based; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30015/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 534 to 536, inclusive, 550 and 551 together.
With regard to the detailed queries raised by the Deputy, 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.
537. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the progress made in implementing each of the 31 recommendations in the 2011 Health Service Executive report, Time to Move on from Congregated Settings; the timeframe for full implementation of the recommendations in same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29994/15]
View answerThe HSE’s report “Time to Move on from Congregated Settings – A Strategy for Community Inclusion”, (2011) proposes a new model of support in the community by moving people from institutional settings to the community, over a seven year time frame. The plan will be rolled out at a regional and local level and will involve full consultation.
In terms of housing, the Department of Health and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government are working in collaboration to support the transition of people with a disability from institutions to social housing in the community under the Government's National Housing Strategy for People with Disability 2011 to 2016.
As part of the implementation process, in 2013 and 2014 one million euro was transferred from the Department of Health’s Vote to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government’s (DECLG) Vote to provide for the ring-fenced social housing costs of up to 150 people leaving disability or mental health institutions. At the end of December 2014, it is estimated that there were circa 3,000 people with a disability living in congregated settings. The HSE has prioritised the transition of 150 people from congregated settings in 2015. In 2015, one million euro has been allocated to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to continue this process.
As the HSE is responsible for leading out on the recommendations on “Time to Move on from Congregated Settings – A Strategy for Community Inclusion”, 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, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
538. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form details of the primary care centre projects announced on 17 July 2012; the current status of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29995/15]
View answerThe development of primary care is central to the Government's objective to deliver a high quality, integrated and cost effective health care system. Supporting infrastructure, procured through a combination of public and private investment, will facilitate the delivery of multi-disciplinary primary health care. The mechanism and timescale for delivery of primary care infrastructure is dependent on a number of factors. Regardless of the delivery mechanism, all potential primary care infrastructure is subject to suitable locations being offered/provided/available, to successful planning processes and GP commitment to sharing accommodation and delivering health care services with HSE staff. In addition the operational lease mechanism is subject to market pressures such as the developers' access to adequate financing. Delivery of primary care infrastructure is a dynamic process, constantly evolving to take account of changing circumstances including the feasibility of implementation. The following table sets out the current status of the 35 locations announced on 17 July 2012.
Primary Care Infrastructure
|
- |
- |
- |
- July 2012 - 35 locations |
PQ answer - 16/07/2015 |
|
Count |
HSE Region |
County |
Location/PCT Name |
Delivery Mechanism |
|
1 |
DML |
Dublin |
Rowlagh/North Clondalkin |
Direct/own build |
|
2 |
DML |
Dublin |
Crumlin/Drimnagh |
Planning not completed in timeframe for PPP |
|
3 |
DML |
Dublin |
Knocklyon/Rathfarnham |
Planning not completed in timeframe for PPP |
|
4 |
DML |
Wicklow |
Rathdrum |
Operational Lease |
|
5 |
DML |
Kildare |
Kilcock |
PPP |
|
6 |
DNE |
Dublin |
Coolock/Darndale |
PPP |
|
7 |
DNE |
Dublin |
Summerhill, north inner city Dublin |
PPP |
|
8 |
DNE |
Dublin |
Balbriggan |
Operational Lease |
|
9 |
DNE |
Dublin |
Swords |
Operational Lease |
|
10 |
DNE |
Louth |
Drogheda north |
Operational Lease |
|
11 |
DNE |
Meath |
Laytown and Bettystown |
Operational Lease |
|
12 |
DNE |
Meath |
Kells |
Operational Lease |
|
13 |
DNE |
Monaghan |
Carrickmacross |
Nov 2014 advertisement for operational lease mechanism delivery - no expressions of interest received |
|
14 |
South |
Carlow |
Tullow/Rathvilly/Hacketstown |
Direct/own build |
|
15 |
South |
Kilkenny |
Kilkenny city |
Nov 2014 advertisement for operational lease mechanism delivery - suitable for further consideration |
|
16 |
South |
Wexford |
Wexford town |
PPP |
|
17 |
South |
Waterford |
Dungarvan |
PPP |
|
18 |
South |
Waterford |
Waterford city |
PPP |
|
19 |
South |
Cork |
Cork city - Togher |
Nov 2014 advertisement for operational lease mechanism delivery - suitable for further consideration |
|
20 |
South |
Kerry |
Tralee |
Operational Lease |
|
21 |
South |
Tipperary |
Carrick-on-Suir |
PPP |
|
22 |
South |
Tipperary |
Clonmel |
Nov 2014 advertisement for operational lease mechanism delivery - suitable for further consideration |
|
23 |
West |
Tipperary |
Thurles |
Nov 2014 advertisement for operational lease mechanism delivery - suitable for further consideration |
|
24 |
West |
Limerick |
Limerick city (Ballinacurra/Weston) |
PPP |
|
25 |
West |
Clare |
Ennis |
Nov 2014 advertisement for operational lease mechanism delivery - suitable for further consideration |
|
26 |
West |
Galway |
Tuam |
PPP |
|
27 |
West |
Galway |
Gort |
Nov 2014 advertisement for operational lease mechanism delivery - suitable for further consideration |
|
28 |
West |
Roscommon |
Boyle |
PPP |
|
29 |
West |
Roscommon |
Ballaghadereen |
Nov 2014 advertisement for operational lease mechanism delivery - suitable for further consideration |
|
30 |
West |
Mayo |
Westport |
PPP |
|
31 |
West |
Mayo |
Claremorris |
PPP |
|
32 |
West |
Sligo |
Ballymote |
PPP |
|
33 |
West |
Donegal |
Dungloe |
Direct/own build |
|
34 |
West |
Donegal |
Donegal town |
progress challenging |
*Coolock and Darndale were announced as two separate locations.
539. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the number of beds and wards in hospitals (details supplied); the number of those beds and wards that are currently closed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29996/15]
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.
540. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health to provide details of the discussions he has undertaken with the relevant members of the Northern Ireland Executive with regard to a joint approach to the introduction of minimum prices for alcohol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29997/15]
View answer570. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health to provide details on his discussions with the Northern Ireland Government to ensure that the introduction of minimum unit pricing as part of the proposed public health (alcohol) Bill will happen in tandem with similar minimum unit pricing regulations in Northern Ireland; his plans to ensure that a joint approach by both Governments is taken to the introduction of minimum unit alcohol pricing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30165/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 540 and 570 together.
Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) is one of a package of measures to be implemented in the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. MUP sets a minimum price per gram of alcohol, where the minimum price is based on the number of grams of alcohol in the product. This is a targeted measure, aimed at those who drink in a harmful and hazardous manner, and designed to prevent the sale of alcohol at very cheap prices. MUP is able to target cheaper alcohol relative to its strength because the minimum price is determined by and is directly proportional to the amount of pure alcohol in the drink.
The Minister for Health in Northern Ireland has announced plans to introduce minimum unit pricing for alcohol. A policy paper and public consultation is being finalised by the Executive and will be published in the near future. This consultation will shape and inform future decisions on any legislation needed to bring minimum unit pricing into law in Northern Ireland. My Department is in contact with its counterparts in the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety on the matter.
A health impact assessment, in conjunction with Northern Ireland, was commissioned from the University of Sheffield as part of the process of developing a legislative basis for minimum unit pricing. The University of Sheffield produced a further report - Addendum to Irish and Northern Ireland Minimum Unit Price Appraisals - comparison of results. The report compares the results of the appraisal of minimum unit pricing in both jurisdictions. Further discussions are to be held with Northern Ireland regarding the publication of this additional report.
541. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health to outline the progress made on the development of the national children's hospital since the selection of the site at St. James's Hospital in autumn 2012; the timelines for the next steps in the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29998/15]
View answerThe National Paediatric Hospital Development Board is the statutory body responsible for planning, designing, building and equipping the new children's hospital. 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 re-locate to the campus in due course. Since the decision to locate the hospital at the St. James's campus, the Board's initial focus was on decant planning; site surveys and investigations; design team procurement; and review and update of the Project Brief to take account of the new site. The revised Project Brief also took account of the outcome of a review of the location, model and number of urgent care centres which was undertaken in 2013. Following that review, which involved significant consultation with the relevant stakeholders, it was decided that satellite centres, which will share governance and staffing with the new children's hospital, will be built on the campuses of Tallaght and Connolly Hospitals.
The Development Board submitted the Project Brief to the Department of Health in May 2014 for the Minister’s consent and separately to the HSE for approval, in line with the approval process set out in the Board’s Establishment Order (SI 246 of 2007). Minister Reilly informed the Government on 1 July 2014 of his consent and HSE approval. The Project Brief sets out details of the specialties to be provided and the planned accommodation. The design team was appointed in August 2014 and commenced work on the detailed design development. A planning submission is to be made in the coming weeks. Subject to planning, work is scheduled to commence at the main site at St. James's, and at satellite centre sites at Connolly and Tallaght, in early 2016.
542. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the number of operations and procedures that have been cancelled or postponed in each public hospital in 2015 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29999/15]
View answer543. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the number of operations and procedures that have been cancelled or postponed, by voluntary hospital, in 2015 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30000/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 542 and 543 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.
544. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health to provide details of the number of procedures the Health Service Executive procured from private and independent hospitals in 2015 to date; the amount spent by the executive on these procedures in private and independent hospitals in 2015 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30001/15]
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.
545. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the measures that have been introduced to achieve projected savings of €95 million from the annual drugs budget, as outlined in the Health Service Executive national service plan for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30002/15]
View answer546. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health to outline the measures that have been introduced in 2015 to improve the procurement of medicines to realise savings in the drugs budget, as outlined in the Health Service Executive national service plan for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30003/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 545 and 546 together.
The Health Service Executive's National Service Plan for 2015 provides for savings of €95 million to be achieved across the areas of general procurement and drug price savings. The HSE has achieved significant savings over the last number of years through the ongoing reform of its procurement process and in particular the development of a central procurement function. Other measures adopted include steps to achieve improved contract compliance, better stock management at point of use, training on the importance of compliance with procurement rules and national financial regulations and continued work with the Office of Government Procurement to deliver on the Government’s commitment to Public Sector Reform, which includes public procurement reform.
In relation to the achievement of further drug cost savings, my Department and the HSE engaged with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association on this issue as part of a mid-term review of the 2012 Agreement with the IPHA. Whilst the preference was for these additional savings to be delivered in co-operation with the pharmaceutical industry, agreement was not reached in discussions. Consideration is therefore now being given to a range of options available to the State to achieve further savings on the cost of drugs in the current and future years. The Government's preference is that this should be achieved through a process of negotiation with the representatives of the pharmaceutical industry rather than the use of the legislative powers afforded to the HSE under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 to review and alter prices.
547. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the number of critical care beds in each public hospital at the end of each of the years 2011 to 2014 and the latest figure for 2015. [30004/15]
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.
548. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form for each public and voluntary hospital with an emergency department, the number of emergency medicine consultants in each; and the number of each that have an emergency medicine consultant available daily on a 24 hour basis. [30005/15]
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.
549. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form and by public and voluntary hospital the revenue raised between 1 January 2015 and 30 June 2015 from charges for private patients in public beds; the same details for the first six months of 2014 and for 2013; if he will provide in tabular form and by public and voluntary hospital the number of procedures from 1 January 2015 to 30 June 2015 in each hospital which has treated private patients in public beds and the equivalent figures for the first six months of 2014 and of 2013; and the number of applications for payment by the insurer that were submitted by each hospital for such procedures carried out between 1 January 2015 and 30 June 2015, between 1 January 2014 and 30 June 2014 and between 1 January 2013 and 30 June 2013. [30006/15]
View answerI have referred your question to the Health Service Executive for consideration and direct reply.
If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office who will follow up on the matter.
