Written Answers Nos. 791-808
791. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Health for an update on an application for a full medical card by a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38053/15]
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 which will follow up the matter with it.
792. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an application for a medical card by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry, given that all relevant information has been submitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38054/15]
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 which will follow up the matter with it.
793. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if urgent consideration will be given to a request by Ballybay and Clones municipal district, County Monaghan, in respect of respite facilities (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38055/15]
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 it will follow up the matter with the HSE.
794. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health the number of home help persons employed; the number of recipients of same; the amount of home help hours; the total cost per year in each of the years 2010 to 2014 and to 30 September 2015, in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38060/15]
View answer796. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health the number of home care packages; the number of recipients; the cost of this service, in County Kerry, in each of the years 2010 to 2014, and to 30 September in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38072/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 794 and 796 together.
As these are service matters they have 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 he should please contact my Private Office and it will follow up the matter with the HSE.
795. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in approving an application for a medical card by a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38068/15]
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 which will follow up the matter with it.
797. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the reason the Health Service Executive requires a receipt with proof of travel as part of the application for reimbursement of financial expenses for patients from here who have availed of medical procedures or operations across the Border; his view on whether forms that are completed by the relevant hospital or clinic confirming that a procedure or operation took place on a given date should suffice. [38074/15]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter 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, please contact my Private Office which will follow up the matter with it.
798. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with disabilities who have been allocated a personal assistant; are currently waiting to be allocated a personal assistant; are waiting in excess of six months; are waiting to be assessed for a personal assistant; the number of personal assistant hours allocated to persons with disabilities in 2013, 2014 and 2015 to date; his views that budget 2016 will increase the number of personal assistants and personal assistant hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38076/15]
View answerThe Health Service Executive (HSE) funds a range of assisted living services, including Personal Assistant services, to support individuals to live full and independent lives. In the 2015 HSE National Service Plan, the HSE's priority is to provide 1.3 million hours of Personal Assistant services to adults with a physical or sensory disability. The projected outturn for 2015 is 1.4 million, which compares with 1.34 million hours in 2014 and 1.29 million hours in 2013.
The Government currently provides funding of almost €1.5 billion to the Disability Services Programme, through the HSE's National Service Plan for 2015.
Any increases in demand for Personal Assistant services due to demographic pressures and changing needs, must be met within the level of resources available. The HSE is currently in the process of preparing its 2016 National Service Plan and is not in a position to comment on the funding details or quantum of services to be delivered in the 2016 disability services programme for children and adults. However the HSE will continue to seek to maximise the provision of health and personal social services, including Personal Assistant services, within existing resources.
I have referred the element of the Deputy's question regarding the numbers of people both availing of and waiting for Personal Assistant services 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 it will follow the matter up with the HSE.
799. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an application for a medical card by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry, as all relevant information has been submitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38079/15]
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 which will follow up the matter with it.
800. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Health when the public health alcohol Bill will be published; if minimum unit pricing will be included; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38081/15]
View answerThe 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 shortly.
801. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for Health the reason the response time for questions submitted regarding the Health Service Executive through the parliamentary question system has been extended from ten working days to 15 working days. [38084/15]
View answerThe Health Service Executive (HSE) 2015 National Service Plan sets out a commitment to respond to 75% of all parliamentary questions referred to it for direct answer within 15 working days. This has been the target since 2008. Up to that date the target was 20 working days. The Department monitors progress on achieving the target and works closely with the HSE's Parliamentary Affairs Division to ensure that it is met.
There has never been a commitment to answer questions referred within 10 working days.
802. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the current waiting times for outpatient cataract surgery at University Hospital Galway following initial assessment; the number of procedures carried out in each of the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38088/15]
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.
803. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the current waiting times for outpatient cataract surgery at each hospital where such surgery takes place; the number of procedures carried out at each hospital in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38089/15]
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.
804. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the progress made on the recruitment of paediatric nurses for the emergency department at Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38090/15]
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.
805. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the reason patients attending the osteoporosis department in the regional hospital in Mullingar have to wait for two months for the results of a Dexa scan, which normally takes about two weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38094/15]
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.
806. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health for details of the response times and the depot of departure of ambulances responding to Echo and Delta calls in north Kildare from September 2014 to October 2015. [38095/15]
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.
807. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of persons currently waiting for treatment at Naas Hospital in County Kildare; the treatments for which they are waiting; the time they have been waiting; the number of persons transferred from the hospital's waiting lists to the National Treatment Purchase Fund; and the cost of this transfer. [38096/15]
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.
808. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Health who will pay for the training of members of the public to administer certain medicines, including EpiPens, in emergency situations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38099/15]
View answerOn Thursday 15th October 2015 I signed new regulations which will allow certain prescription-only medicines, including adrenaline auto-injectors, to be administered by trained members of the public and by Pharmacists in emergency situations.
Organisations such as colleges, schools, restaurants and sports clubs will be allowed to hold these medicines and to arrange for staff to be trained in their use in the event of an emergency. The Statutory Instrument makes it a condition of administration of the medications concerned by lay persons that such persons must have undergone appropriate training in this regard.
Training courses may be provided by training organisations which have met the Pre-hospital Emergency Care Council accreditation standards. It is likely that a fee will be charged by the training course providers. As these fees will not be set by the Department of Health, I am not in a position to provide details of them. However, I anticipate that the fees will not be prohibitive. Organisations which wish to have their staff trained in the use of emergency medicines will pay for the courses.
The arrangements which the new regulations permit are voluntary. Organisations are not obliged to participate unless they wish to do so.
