Thursday, 1 Oct 2015

Written Answers Nos 168-179

Nursing Staff Recruitment

Questions (168)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

168. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health with regard to a request from the Health Service Executive, HSE, in which national approval is being sought for the establishment of a panel of nursing staff to be employed on a permanent basis by the HSE to provide home care nursing services to children with complex medical conditions, if he will provide details of the recruitment process which will be employed; if he will state if it is intended that following the panel's establishment only staff who will reside on the panel may be deemed eligible for recruitment to future permanent posts involving care provision for such children; if he will provide an expected timeframe as to when such a panel will be formally established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33705/15]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I 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.

Nursing Staff Recruitment

Questions (169)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

169. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health regarding current inadequacies in home care nursing for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal, due to the failure of the responsible private home care agency to source adequate nursing staff; if he will provide details of the plans to recruit permanent staff to a nursing panel, which it is proposed will be responsible for providing home care to this person; if personnel currently charged with providing home care nursing to this person may be eligible to apply for positions on this panel, considering the advantage which this would have for continuity of care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33706/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As 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.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (170)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

170. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the reason all the appointments of a person (details supplied) was cancelled in Galway University Hospital in 2015, with the person now being unable to access Lidocaine infusion for pain management; when is it expected that this service will become available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33707/15]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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.

Registration of Nurses

Questions (171, 172, 173)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

171. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the crisis in the registration of nurses who have been identified as candidates to fill nursing posts given that as of 4 September 2015, 2,313 applications were outstanding, according to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, and given that in a statement issued on 16 September 2015, the Department stated that 70% of outstanding applications had submitted incomplete documentation and that 30% of applications that were complete, which equates to 694 applications, are still outstanding. [33711/15]

Billy Kelleher

Question:

172. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the requirement for nurse candidates seeking registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland to submit €350 with their application, to signal their serious intent to fulfil nursing posts in the Irish health service; his views that it is extremely disappointing that applications are subject to huge delays, and candidates are met with silence when they seek information as to the status of their application. [33712/15]

Billy Kelleher

Question:

173. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken by his Department to ensure the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland addresses the crisis in processing applications for nurse registrations; and when he expects measures to take effect so that prospective candidates receive an appropriate level of service. [33713/15]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 171 to 173, inclusive, together.

I wish to thank the Deputy for the matter raised.

Given that this is an operational matter, it is appropriate that it should be dealt with by the NMBI. I have referred the Deputy's question to the NMBI for attention and direct reply.

If you have not received a reply from the NMBI within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Health Services Provision

Questions (174)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

174. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if financial assistance will be provided to a family in County Kerry (details supplied) for additional physiotherapy sessions for their child.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33724/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As the particular issue raised by the Deputy relates to an individual case, this is a service matter 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.

Legislative Measures

Questions (175)

Ciaran Lynch

Question:

175. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health when the public health (alcohol) Bill 2015 will be published; the measures under consideration to address the pricing of alcohol in the event that minimum unit pricing is found to be illegal by the European Court of Justice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33732/15]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The General Scheme of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill was approved by Government on the 3 February 2015. The Scheme includes provisions for minimum unit pricing, health labelling on products that contain alcohol, restrictions on the advertising and marketing of alcohol and the regulation of sports sponsorship. The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill will also provide for the making of regulations to restrict promotions including price based promotions. As part of the pre-legislative scrutiny process, the measures were debated in detail by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children. The JOCH report was published in June 2015. The Department of Health is continuing to work on the preparation of the legislation. The Bill is due to be published in the autumn.

The opinion of the Advocate General of the European Court of Justice on minimum unit pricing (MUP) for alcohol products was published on the 3 September 2015. The opinion indicates that minimum unit pricing may be compatible with European Law if it can be shown to be more effective than other alternative measures. The Department of Health will study the opinion and its implications before the final judgement of the Court. This is expected towards the end of the year.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Questions (176)

Michelle Mulherin

Question:

176. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Health the progress made in reducing waiting times for patients awaiting inpatient and day care treatment; for outpatient appointments at Mayo General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33741/15]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Improving waiting times for scheduled care for patients is a key priority for the Government. In January, taking into account current pressures on acute hospital services, the Minister for Health put in place maximum permissible waiting times for inpatient and day case treatment and outpatient appointments of 18 months by 30 June and 15 months by year end. The HSE was provided with additional funding of €51m to ensure that these maximum waiting times would be achieved.

In June, the HSE reported a performance against the 18 month maxima of 99.6% for in-patient/day cases (IP/DC) and 92% for out-patients (OPD). In order to maintain progress and to make further improvements to achieve a 15 month maxima by end December, the HSE has directed that hospitals which breach the 18 month maximum waiting time in August are to be fined. The fines will be calculated on the basis of the Activity Based Funding cost of each procedure and are being imposed from 1 September.

The HSE, in conjunction with Hospital Groups is focused on delivering these targets through maximising use of internal capacity within and across Hospital Groups in the first instance. Hospitals have been requested to produce clearance plans in this regard.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Questions (177)

Michelle Mulherin

Question:

177. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Health the progress made in reducing waiting times for patients awaiting inpatient and day care treatment; outpatient appointments at Galway University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33742/15]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Improving waiting times for scheduled care for patients is a key priority for the Government. In January, taking into account current pressures on acute hospital services, the Minister for Health put in place maximum permissible waiting times for inpatient and day case treatment and outpatient appointments of 18 months by 30 June and 15 months by year end. The HSE was provided with additional funding of €51m to ensure that these maximum waiting times would be achieved.

In June, the HSE reported a performance against the 18 month maxima of 99.6% for in-patient/day cases (IP/DC) and 92% for out-patients (OPD). In order to maintain progress and to make further improvements to achieve a 15 month maxima by end December, the HSE has directed that hospitals which breach the 18 month maximum waiting time in August are to be fined. The fines will be calculated on the basis of the Activity Based Funding cost of each procedure and are being imposed from 1 September.

The HSE, in conjunction with Hospital Groups is focused on delivering these targets through maximising use of internal capacity within and across Hospital Groups in the first instance. Hospitals have been requested to produce clearance plans in this regard.

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Administration

Questions (178)

Michelle Mulherin

Question:

178. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Health the current waiting time in County Mayo for patients awaiting approval under the fair deal scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33743/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As 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.

Hospital Accommodation Provision

Questions (179)

Michelle Mulherin

Question:

179. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Health the assessment that has been made by the West North West Hospital Trust of the business case presented to it for an extension to the accident and emergency department, and for the provision of additional medical beds at Mayo General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33744/15]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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.