Written Answers Nos. 1071 - 1089
1071. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will examine a review of a general practitioner visit card for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; if he will expedite same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31747/15]
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, will he please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
1072. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will examine and expedite a review of a medical card for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry as all relevant information has been submitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31795/15]
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, will he please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
1073. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if the inequity in the costs of the drugs payment scheme for a single person household will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31796/15]
View answerUnder the Drugs Payment Scheme, no individual or family has to pay more than €144 per month for approved prescribed drugs, medicines and certain appliances for use by that person or his or her family in that month. The definition of a family for this Scheme is an adult, their spouse, and any children under 18 years. Dependents over 18 years and under 23 years who are in full time education may also be included.
There are no plans at present to change the operation of the Scheme.
1074. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in determination of an application for a medical card in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; the list of documentation still outstanding in this instance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31799/15]
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, will he please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
1075. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he has received correspondence from a group of ten health and children’s charities requesting a commitment to ordering a full, independent impact assessment of transatlantic trade and investment partnership on the work of his Department; his plans to formulate a clear policy advocating for the exclusion of public health in the final agreement; his plans in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31827/15]
View answerI can confirm that the correspondence to which the Deputy refers has been received and a response will issue as soon as possible.
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is a free trade and investment treaty currently being negotiated between the European Union and the USA.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation (DJEI) leads on negotiations for Ireland. DJEI commissioned Copenhagen Economics to prepare a report on TTIP and its impact in Ireland. This report is available on the Department's website http://www.djei.ie/trade/tradepolicy/news.htm.
The EU’s mandate to negotiate the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) states that services supplied in the exercise of governmental authority as defined by Article I.3 of General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) shall be excluded from these negotiations. Both chief negotiators confirmed after the 7th Round of negotiations that no commitments will be taken on public services.
On the 20th March 2015, EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström and the US Trade Representative Michael Froman confirmed in a joint statement that trade agreements do not prevent governments from providing or supporting services in areas such as water, education, health, and social services. On 8 July 2015, the European Parliament adopted a resolution which built on this statement to exclude current and future Services of General Interest as well as Services of General Economic Interest from the scope of application of TTIP. This includes but is not limited to water, health, social services, social security systems and education, to ensure that national authorities retain the right to introduce, adopt, maintain or repeal any measures with regards to the commissioning, organisation, funding and provision of public services as provided in the Treaties as well as in the EU's negotiating mandate. The resolution also stated that this exclusion should apply irrespective of how the services are provided and funded.
On the 16 September 2015, the European Commission published the text of its proposal for the Investment Chapter of TTIP. It will be presented as the EU text proposal in the EU-US trade talks following consultation with the Council and discussion with the European Parliament. DJEI informs my Department that the proposal states that the right to regulate to achieve legitimate policy objectives such as the protection of public health is preserved; the proposal also clarifies that investment protection provisions shall not be interpreted as a commitment from governments not to change their legal framework, including in a manner that may negatively affect the investor’s expectations of profits.
As negotiations progress my Department continues to liaise with DJEI to consider potential impacts for the health sector. It would not be appropriate for me to comment specifically on matters which are currently under deliberation and are being treated as confidential. My Department welcomes the views of stakeholders in the interests of assessing the potential implications of TTIP for health.
1076. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an application for a motorised wheelchair in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31828/15]
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, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
1077. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of beds originally designated to oncology and other medical treatments that have been reassigned to emergency departments in the past four years and the number in each sector for the past four years. [31832/15]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days will he please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
1078. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure that children with diabetes get the medical support they require at University Hospital Limerick; if he is aware that there have been a number of cancelled clinics at the hospital and that this has been accompanied by indefinite postponement of access to an insulin pump, and that the endocrinologist who provides the service has recently had to take emergency medical leave; that the hospital has failed to provide alternate temporary consultant support, or seemingly to make any alternate arrangements for emergency cover; that the crucial medical support required by these afflicted children and their families has been, in effect, withdrawn until further notice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31833/15]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days will he please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
1079. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding home help assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31837/15]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days will he please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
1080. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Health the number of applications received in respect of the Cross Border healthcare directive; the number of applications granted and country of treatment; if the information can be provided in tabular form for the years 2014 and 2015 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31846/15]
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, will he please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
1082. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical appointment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31850/15]
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 the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days will he please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
1083. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of applications for a medical card that have been refused on the basis of a person’s income being below the minimum threshold; the way he will provide health care for those disadvantaged persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31857/15]
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, will she please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
1084. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health his plans to provide health care for homeless persons who are registered as being homeless and by being homeless have their medical cards withdrawn where those persons are outside the Dublin regional homeless executive area and other city homeless executive areas in the State; his plans to allow an interim medical card for these homeless adults and children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31859/15]
View answerUnder the Health Act, 1970, as amended, eligibility for health services is based primarily on residency and means. In accordance with the Act, the assessment for a medical card is determined primarily by reference to the means, including the income and expenditure, of the applicant and his or her partner and dependants.
The HSE has a system in place for the provision of medical cards to homeless persons who need ongoing emergency care or in response to an emergency situation. Applications for such persons are forwarded to the National Medical Card Unit by Local Health Office Managers or Social Workers.
With the exception of terminally ill patients all medical cards, granted on an emergency basis, are issued on the basis that the patient is eligible for a medical card on the basis of means or undue hardship, and will follow up with a full application within a number of weeks of receiving the medical card eligibility. Eligibility, in these circumstances, is granted to a named individual for a period of six months.
The Primary Care Reimbursement Services has advised that it is unaware of medical cards being withdrawn from homeless persons living outside executive areas. If the Deputy will provide specific details of the person or persons concerned, the Health Service Executive will examine the matter and reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1085. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health his plans to resolve the administration issues relative to the border areas of counties Laois and Carlow in respect of the services being delivered to those with disabilities from the Carlow-Graiguecullen area; if he will address the needs of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow who is seeking a place and therefore funding within the L'Arche Services; and if he will expedite a positive response [31865/15]
View answerEach Local Health Office area in the Health Service Executive (HSE) has a dedicated Disability Manager to coordinate the delivery of services to people with disabilities. It is open to the individual and their family to pursue this matter with the Disability Manager for their area who can be contacted at the HSE offices, St Canice's Hospital, Dublin Road, Kilkenny, telephone 056-7784483.
As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, 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.
1086. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an overall figure for Health Service Executive expenditure in relation to personal assistants for persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31872/15]
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, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
1087. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in scheduling an operation in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 2 [31877/15]
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 the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days will she please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
1089. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 462 of 15 April 2015 (details supplied), the reason a reply has not yet issued from the Health Service Executive. [31889/15]
View answerI understand that the HSE provided a response to the Deputy in April on this matter.
