Written Answers Nos. 532-552
532. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an appointment at St. James's Hospital in Dublin 8; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36623/15]
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 you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow up the matter.
533. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 525 of 6 October 2015, when a person (details supplied) in County Limerick will be provided with an appointment for surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36648/15]
View answerI understand that the HSE issued a written reply to you on the 13th October in relation to this matter. I will forward your follow on question to the HSE for direct reply to you. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow up the matter.
534. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health his plans to address levels of childhood obesity and the measures his Department is taking to promote healthy eating and increased levels of physical activity among children and young persons. [27333/15]
View answerChildhood obesity is a public health issue in Ireland. The recent Healthy Ireland Survey shows that adult obesity seems to be levelling out however, 60% are still overweight. The most recent health information data on childhood obesity from 2012 studies Growing Up in Ireland and the Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative, confirm that one in four children are overweight or obese.
This Government established a Special Action Group on Obesity (SAGO). The aim was to advise the Minister, based on best available evidence, on how best to halt the increase in rates of obesity and how to reduce the burden on individuals, communities and the State. Its work programme has included:
- The development of a new Obesity Policy and Action Plan for 2015 – 2025:
- Publication of Healthy Eating Guidelines and a revised Food Pyramid;
- Production of a report on Top Shelf Foods to promote healthy eating;
- Commissioned a Health Impact Assessment in relation to fiscal measures on sugar sweetened drinks;
- With Safefood, a multimedia campaign to tackle childhood obesity; and
- Action during the Irish presidency of the EU which led to the development of an EU Joint Action on childhood obesity.
My Department is currently developing Heads of a Health and Wellbeing Bill which will include calorie posting on menus.
In addition to the above, my Department assisted in food labelling, in the development of a number of treatment algorithms and clinical guidelines, providing for child monitoring in primary care, worked with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland on advertising of food to children in the broadcast media and is also working on a Code of Practice for the food industry in relation to advertising, product placement and sponsorship.
Furthermore, Healthy Ireland was established to address the health of the nation. The Taoiseach and all Ministers agreed to work across Government Departments to achieve better health for the Irish population. The Government has established a Cross Sectoral Group to oversee this process and a Healthy Ireland Council has been appointed to advice and guide the process. Both groups have been proactive in relation to obesity. One of the agreed programmes is the development of a National Physical Activity Plan for Ireland. My Department and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in partnership with a number of other key stakeholders have developed this draft Plan to encourage greater levels of physical activity by everyone living in Ireland and encouraging more children to be active will be a key focus of attention. I will shortly be seeking the approval of Government to publish the Plan later this year.
Also, my Department is finalising a national Obesity Policy and Action Plan. It will require the support of many sectors. The Obesity Policy will be ambitious in its scope and will have a key focus on children, including prevention, early intervention and treatment. It will set clear targets and a set of responsibilities for achieving these targets. The Policy will take a life course view with emphasise on maternity and childhood phases. The Action Plan will be concise and focus on outcomes.
535. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the reason a residential intellectual disability service (details supplied) in County Kildare was permitted to operate, from 2012 to 2015, at a location for which no planning permission had been granted. [35943/15]
View answerI have no statutory role or function in relation to the granting of planning permission. The granting of planning permission is a matter for the relevant Local Authority.
All functions pertaining to Local Authorities come within the remit of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.
536. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive or the Health Information and Quality Authority conduct a site or location survey to assess the suitability of a particular location as the site of a private residential intellectual disability service prior to permission being granted for such a service at any given location. [35944/15]
View answer537. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if, as part of its inspection process, the Health Information and Quality Authority assesses the suitability of the location of private residential intellectual disability services, with particular regard to the proximity of hospital, fire prevention and Garda Síochána services. [35945/15]
View answer538. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive or the Health Information and Quality Authority has engaged with a local community on that community's concerns regarding a residential intellectual disability service (details supplied) which is located in County Kildare; if not, the reason. [35946/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 536 to 538, inclusive, together.
HIQA has informed the Department of Health that it does not comment on specific individual situations. Under the Health Act 2007 and associated regulations, the provider of disability services is responsible to ensure that a designated centre meets the assessed needs of the residents. Prior to registering a centre, HIQA undertakes an inspection to ensure the centre meets the needs of the residents and resulting inspection reports are published on the HIQA website.
The HSE has no role in carrying out a site or location survey to assess the suitability of a particular location as the site of a private residential intellectual disability service prior to permission being granted to operate a residential intellectual disability service at any given location.
The HSE has advised that it has not been informed of any concerns from a local community regarding this NUA Healthcare house.
539. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) in County Cork will have an assessment of need carried out; the length of time the child has been on a waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35956/15]
View answerAs 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.
540. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health if he will consider covering the significant cost of the drug Lucentis under the medical card scheme for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35967/15]
View answer541. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health the reason Lucentis is not covered by the medical card scheme under certain circumstances, such as when the disease becomes more aggressive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35968/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 540 and 541 together.
The HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the community drug schemes in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to you. 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.
542. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Health the number of persons currently on outpatient waiting lists for Mayo General Hospital, by the specialities for which they are waiting, in each case stating the number of patients who have been waiting more than one year; two years; and three years [35983/15]
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.
543. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Health the amount currently owed to acute hospitals by private health insurance companies pending the submission of documentation by hospital consultants required for payment to be processed, by hospital. [35984/15]
View answerYour question 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 who will follow up on the matter.
544. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who have availed of addiction services in each Local Health Office area, by addiction service, in 2013; and in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35985/15]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days he should contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
545. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Health the amount paid to medical doctors under the Medical Card and General Medical Services Schemes by the Health Service Executive in 2014; citing, in tabular form, the names of the top 100 recipients; and the amounts paid to each individual or company. [35986/15]
View answerUnder the General Medical Services (GMS) contract, GPs are reimbursed by the HSE's Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) for a range of services they provide to medical card and GP visit card holders. The current fee and allowance rates are set out in S.I. 277/2013 - Health Professionals (Reduction of Payments to General Practitioners) Regulations 2013, which are available on line at: http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2013/en/si/0277.html.
The PCRS publishes an annual statistical analysis of payments to health professionals who hold contracts for service with the HSE. The most recent report published is in respect of 2013 and is available on line at: http://www.hse.ie/eng/staff/PCRS/PCRS_Publications/PCRS_Statistical_Analyis_of_Claims_and_Payments_2013.pdf.
This shows payments to GPs under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme amounting to some €450 million in 2013.
As the information requested by the Deputy in relation to 2014 is not readily available to my Department, the Deputy's question has been referred to the HSE 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.
546. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the hospitals, in tabular form, on which fines were imposed for failing to meet waiting list targets in August 2015; the hospitals for which fines were reduced due to extenuating circumstances; the details of such circumstances; and the extent of the reduction in the fine. [35991/15]
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 up the matter.
547. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive has, to date, appointed surgeons to carry out pancreas transplants in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin 9; the steps the Executive has taken, to date, to reduce the waiting times for patients awaiting these transplants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36009/15]
View answerIn recent months St Vincent’s University Hospital has been collaborating with Beaumont Hospital in relation to the transfer of pancreas transplantation to St Vincent's. As St Vincent’s University Hospital is already established as the national liver transplant centre, and is a designated centre for pancreas cancer services, it is well placed to undertake pancreas transplants. The arrangements being put in place will involve transplant surgeons from both St Vincent’s University Hospital and Beaumont Hospital working together on the St Vincent’s campus. The two hospitals, together with the HSE and my Department, are putting the necessary arrangements and protocols in place to facilitate the commencement of pancreas transplantation in St Vincent’s University Hospital in the coming weeks, should a suitable donor/recipient match occur.
Interviews were held recently for consultant transplant surgeons and it is expected that two surgeons will commence work at St Vincent’s University Hospital in January 2016 to support the pancreatic transplant programme. St. Vincent’s University Hospital has also established a link with the pancreas transplant programme in Edinburgh's Royal Infirmary Hospital to provide oversight of the transfer of the pancreas transplant service.
The deceased donor transplant programme is dependent on the availability of suitable donors who can be matched with recipients. My Department and the HSE continue to work to improve organ donation and transplantation rates with the aim of reducing waiting times for patients.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
548. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health for an update on the whooping cough vaccine (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36026/15]
View answerThe Vaccine Damage Steering Group was established in 2007. The report from this Group was published on my Department's website in June 2009. There are no plans to introduce a vaccine damage compensation scheme at this time.
549. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) in County Cavan can expect an appointment for a diagnosis with an occupational therapist; if this will be given priority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36030/15]
View answerAs 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.
550. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when a medical card will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36061/15]
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, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
551. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health to indicate if and when Crohn's disease will be included in the long-term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36072/15]
View answerThe Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act, 1970 (as amended). Regulations were made in 1971, 1973 and 1975 specifying the conditions covered by the LTI Scheme.
The conditions covered by the LTI Scheme are as follows: Acute Leukaemia; Mental handicap; Cerebral Palsy; Mental Illness (in a person under 16); Cystic Fibrosis; Multiple Sclerosis; Diabetes Insipidus; Muscular Dystrophies; Diabetes Mellitus; Parkinsonism; Epilepsy; Phenylketonuria; Haemophilia; Spina Bifida; Hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide. There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the LTI Scheme.
552. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the reason the primary care reimbursement scheme, PCRS, is refusing to accept the self-assessment - Chapter 4 of Part 41A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, concerning income tax - for the relevant year return from the Revenue Commissioners as a valid assessment of income, and is instead forcing applicants to go back to their accountant and the Revenue Commissioners to obtain a Form 11 return summary, which provides the exact same validation of income; the reason the PCRS does not get this information directly from the Revenue Commissioners given the data sharing agreement; the reason the PCRS is so insistent on the harp when it has direct access to the data held by the Revenue Commissioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36078/15]
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, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
