Written Answers Nos. 585-600
585. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the number of intermediate care vehicles deployed to 999 calls in each of the past six months for which data is available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30252/15]
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.
586. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health further to the PA Consulting report and action plan into the financial management of the health service in 2012, the steps taken to date to implement its recommendations or to otherwise address the cost containment challenge within the health sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30259/15]
View answerIn 2012, my Department engaged with an expert from the UK NHS (Mark Ogden) to examine the financial management of the Health Service Executive and make recommendations regarding strengthening and improving the management of its finances. Subsequently, PA Consultancy was engaged to undertake a wide-ranging review of financial management and cost containment systems in the health service, including an assessment of the Ogden Report and the preparation of an action plan for the implementation of its recommendations.
Financial Reform is a key element of Future Health - A Strategic Framework for Reform of the Health Service 2012 – 2015. The HSE commenced the Finance Reform Programme in 2012. Central to the establishment of this programme was the recognition that successful implementation of Future Health and the wider reform agenda will require fundamental changes in the way financial management is delivered across the health system in Ireland.
One of the early outputs of the programme was the development of a new operating model for finance in health. The HSE has submitted a business case for the new operating model which defines the case for change and scope as well as providing an estimate of the resources required to deliver the new operating model and supporting technology.
Whilst the change programme covers a number of different strands and involves business process re-engineering, most recently the concentration has been on the technology aspect of the Reform Programme. Last May an ICT business case for an Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) was submitted to my Department and to the to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. This will be the subject of Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) and peer reviews.
Finance Reform is considered to be the single most important non-clinical priority for the HSE. Work is progressing on the Reform Programme on a number of important work streams. Key activities being worked on across the reform programme include developing a stabilisation approach for legacy finance systems and a business intelligence solution for identifying and agreeing one national reporting finance system for the HSE. Significant progress has been made in developing and finalising the approach for the procurement of the key components of an IFMS and the current focus is on securing agreement of the procurement approach.
The new financial operating model will greatly enhance the health sector's ability to effectively manage and monitor its budget at all levels.
587. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in implementing the national rare diseases plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30261/15]
View answerThe National Rare Disease Plan for Ireland, which is a generic policy framework for rare diseases, was published in July 2014. One of the principal recommendations in the Plan was the establishment of a National Clinical Programme for Rare Diseases. This programme will be responsible for, among others: mapping, developing and implementing care pathways for rare diseases; facilitating timely access to centres of expertise - nationally and internationally; developing treatment guidelines for many rare disorders; and developing care pathways with European Reference Centres for those ultra-rare disorders where there may not be sufficient expertise in Ireland.
In line with this recommendation, a National Clinical Programme for Rare Diseases has been established under the National Clinical Strategy and Programmes Division of the HSE. The programme is a joint initiative between the HSE and the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and was established with a view to improve and standardise the quality of care for patients with rare diseases in Ireland by increasing detection and prevention, facilitating early timely diagnosis, intervention and coordination of care, and increasing awareness, information and support.
This clinical programme will ultimately be a channel for advancing and implementing other recommendations in the plan, such as those on National Centres of Expertise for rare diseases.
The establishment of a National Rare Disease Office featured prominently in the recommendations of the Rare Disease plan. This national office has now been established by the HSE and its work will be led by a Consultant Geneticist who will to be supported by a Genetics Counsellor and an Administrative Officer. It will, among other functions, provide up-to-date information regarding new treatment and management options, including clinical trials. In addition, the post of Information Scientist for the office will be funded jointly by the HSE and the EU Commission with a number of recommendations in mind. These refer to rare disease registries and the utility of data currently captured in health information systems.
The Health Identifiers Bill - the publication of which was recommended in the plan - has now been enacted. A similar recommendation on the Health Information Bill is being advanced.
A new National Oversight Group has now been established by my department and its role will be as a departmental advisory group that provides oversight on the implementation of the plan.
588. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the current status of the provision of general practitioner services by NoWDOC; the impact that the change in the delivery of the service will have on patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30262/15]
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.
589. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health further to a Topical Issue matter of 25 March 2015, the progress to date in resolving the outstanding payment of arrears to the staff involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30265/15]
View answerPayment in respect of "twilight shift", from 8pm until end of shift has 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 underway 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 is currently being considered by both parties who are required to respond to the LRC by July 17. Should either party fail to respond by this date, the LRC consider this to be a rejection of the proposal.
590. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in publishing the review of the fair deal nursing home support scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30267/15]
View answerWhen the NHSS commenced in 2009, a commitment was made that it would be reviewed after three years. The reason for allowing this period to elapse was to ensure that the scheme had bedded in, and that established and validated trends and statistics would be available in order to inform the work of the review. In addition, the Programme for Government 2011-2016 committed to reviewing the ‘Fair Deal’ system of financing nursing home care with a view to developing a secure and equitable system of financing for community and long-term care which supports older people to stay in their own homes and communities for as long as possible.
The Terms of Reference for the review were taking account of Government policy, demographic trends and the fiscal situation: 1. To examine the on-going sustainability of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme; 2. To examine the overall cost of long-term residential care in public and private nursing homes and the effectiveness of the current methods of negotiating/setting prices; 3. Having regard to 1. and 2. above, to consider the balance of funding between long-term residential care and community based services; 4. To consider the extension of the scheme to community based services and to other sectors (Disability and Mental Health); and 5. To make recommendations for the future operation and management of the scheme.
The review was led by the Department of Health, in collaboration with the HSE, and with input and analysis provided by Deloitte and Touche Consultants on specific issues that required specialised expertise.
The Department of Health carried out an extensive public consultation before commencing the review. The review examines five main areas: the scheme administration and processes; the price of care in private and public nursing homes; the re-orientation of services for older people towards the community; the provision of adequate long-term residential care places; and financing of long-term care in the future.
The Review took longer to complete than was originally expected because it required a greater degree of detailed analysis and its scope turned out to be broader than was initially expected. However, it is now complete and will be published very shortly.
591. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health if the current review of mental health services in counties Roscommon and Galway will also include a review of the acute admission unit at Roscommon County Hospital; when it is expected that the review will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30269/15]
View answer593. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 171 of 11 June 2015 when a reply will be provided to the very serious issues raised on 22 April 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30271/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 591 and 593 together.
As these are service issues these questions 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.
592. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health if he will approve capital funding for the Sacred Heart Hospital in Roscommon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30270/15]
View answerThere will always be more projects than can be funded by the Exchequer. As with all capital projects, the further development of the national CNU programme which includes the Sacred Heart Hospital, Roscommon, must be considered within the context of the overall capital envelope available to the health service. There is limited funding available for new projects over the next multi-annual period 2015-2019 given the level of commitments and the costs to completion already in place. In addition, the HSE cannot exceed or plan to exceed its approved commitment thresholds. The HSE is concentrating on applying the limited funding available for capital works in the most effective way possible to meet residential need now and in the future.
594. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health his plans to provide a cardiac catheterisation laboratory at Sligo Regional Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30275/15]
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.
595. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the location of each of the 12 telemedicine stroke machines purchased under the TRASNA programme; if he will provide the locations where the machines are fully operational; if he will provide the locations where the machines are not used for stroke care, but for other diagnostic purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30276/15]
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.
596. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Health the number of staff employed in the National Ambulance Service; if he will provide a breakdown for each station by grade and the number of administrative and frontline staff at each station; if he will provide the same figures for 2005 and 2010, and the number of vacancies at each station at present, by grade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30279/15]
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.
597. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the situation regarding hospital overcrowding; and the amount spent since the beginning of the year specifically on this issue. [30300/15]
View answer598. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health if his Department has conducted an analysis on when hospital overcrowding and the need to use trolleys to accommodate the increased number of patients will be resolved. [30301/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 597 and 598 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.
599. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the proposals planned to increase bed capacity in Cavan General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30332/15]
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.
600. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the agency responsible for considering requests for home assistance in particular circumstances (details supplied); if assistance has been provided to mothers in similar circumstances before; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30350/15]
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.
