Written Answers Nos. 919-938
919. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the allocations by the Health Service Executive to day services under certain funding bands in 2015 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31123/15]
View answerGovernment policy is to enable young people with disabilities to develop the skills they will need to live independent lives to the greatest extent possible, and to receive the supports they need in order to achieve this. Additional funding of €12 million, of which €6 million is available from September, was allocated by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to meet the needs of around 1,500 young people who will require continuing health-funded supports on leaving school or rehabilitative training this year.
In January 2015, a National Project Group was established by the HSE to develop and oversee a national process to responding to the needs of these young people and to ensure a consistent approach is taken across the country to meeting those needs. When this year’s support requirements were identified, the cost of meeting those needs in full exceeded the amount available, therefore, an additional €1.5 million was added by the HSE to the overall allocation, making a total of €13.5 million full-year costs available to meet those needs. A further €1.5 million once-off capital funding was also allocated by the HSE for the provision of suitable buildings, premises and accommodation.
The approach adopted by the National Project Group from the outset was that a cost banding structure would be developed to inform the allocation of the available funds. The costing bands were then applied to the identified need in each of the county’s nine regions so that a nationally consistent approach would be applied, which was needs-based as opposed to population-based. Based on this cost-band structure, five support levels were identified.
In relation to the breakdown of allocations under each funding band, as this is a service matter, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the 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.
920. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the progress to date for the provision of a new community hospital for Killarney, County Kerry which services such a wide and vast area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31124/15]
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.
922. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if organisations that receive funding under section 39 agreements are obliged under their service level agreements to accept and implement recommendations by the State industrial relations institutions (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31136/15]
View answerIn the context of public service pay talks in 2015, it was agreed that Service Level Agreements with the HSE will contain a clause requiring service providers to use State dispute resolution machinery. It is intended that a joint group will be established to implement this and other issues relating to Section 39 bodies.
923. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the bed capacity of the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31137/15]
View answer924. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the bed capacity for the brain injury programme at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31138/15]
View answer925. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the number of persons waiting for treatment at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin. [31139/15]
View answer926. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the number of persons waiting to access the brain injury programme at the National Rehabilitation Programme, in Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin; and the number of referrals received for the years 2011 to 2015. [31140/15]
View answer927. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the annual funding received by the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin for the years 2011 to 2015, inclusive. [31141/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 923 to 927, inclusive, together.
As the Deputy's questions relate to service matters, I have arranged for the questions 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.
928. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health his plans to request the Health Service Executive to review the proposed ban on smoking in hospitals and all HSE institutions with a view to providing designated areas and time schedules to facilitate patients in psychiatric care and elderly in long term care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31143/15]
View answerA key recommendation from Tobacco Free Ireland is to promote tobacco free campuses for all health care facilities in consultation with key stakeholders. As the Deputy refers to Health Service Executive services and institutions I am referring the matter to the HSE for direct reply.
929. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the reason medical cover, excluding surgical, at Portiuncula Hospital, County Galway is being run down as most of the consultants are acting as locums (details supplied). [31152/15]
View answerIn 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.
930. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical procedure in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31155/15]
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.
931. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of children and adolescents presenting with autism spectrum disorder at a facility (details supplied) in County Cork, specifying the geographic area that the southern services area encompasses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31157/15]
View answer932. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will provide for each specialty such as speech and language, occupational therapy and so on, the number of whole-time equivalent posts employed at a facility (details supplied) in County Cork; if there are currently any vacancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31158/15]
View answer937. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health his plans to make available a copy of the service level agreement that exists between the Health Service Executive and a facility (details supplied) in County Cork responsible for regional services for children and adolescents presenting with autism spectrum disorder; if the HSE carried out an annual performance check on the implementation of the SLA; the extent to which the HSE directs the way in which the annual grant is to be spent by the facility in the delivery of services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31163/15]
View answer938. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will provide detailed information relating to services provided by a service provider at a particular centre in County Cork (details supplied). [31164/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 931, 932, 937 and 938 together.
The particular issues raised by the Deputy are service matters for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy with the detailed information requested. 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.
933. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will provide for each service provider in Cork city and county responsible for assessing children with possible special needs including autism spectrum disorder, the number of children awaiting an assessment of need under the Disability Act 2005; the current waiting period for a child joining that list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31159/15]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive 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.
934. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health his plans to reconfigure the delivery of disability services for children with special needs in Cork; the progress to date on the issue; his plans to reconfigure services; when the changes will be effective from; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31160/15]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive 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.
935. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health in respect of the delivery of intervention services for children with autism in Cork such as, for example, speech and language therapy, if he has been requested by service providers to consider sanctioning resources to allow therapy to be bought in externally; if a budget exists for such an initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31161/15]
View answer936. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health in respect of each child with autism spectrum disorder in Cork, his plans to request the service providers to confirm the exact intervention services the child will receive on a September to September basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31162/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 935 and 936 together.
The particular issues raised by the Deputy are service matters for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly I have arranged for these questions 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.
