Written Answers Nos. 121-140
121. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who are receiving anti-depression medication through the general medical services scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44309/15]
View answerUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the primary care schemes; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE 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.
122. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health if negotiations have begun with the general practitioner unions on the free general practitioner care for children under 12 scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44314/15]
View answerIn Budget 2016, the Government made financial provision for the extension of GP care without fees to all children aged 6 to 11 years. It is envisaged that, subject to enactment of appropriate changes to the legislation, this extension will take effect in the latter part of 2016. This will also be subject to negotiation with the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) in relation to the scope of the service to be provided and the fee arrangements to apply. The necessary contractual provisions will be developed in the context of overall new GP contract arrangements and not as a stand-alone extension or amendment to the current contract. Negotiations in relation to the new GP contract have commenced with the IMO.
123. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health the status of an application for orthodontic treatment by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and the reason for the delay in issuing an appointment. [44315/15]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy. If he 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.
124. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health the number of patients who have had to wait on trolleys for over 24 hours between 2010 to 2015 to date in tabular form. [44331/15]
View answerIn relation to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service matters, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly. If he has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days he should contact my Private Office and my officials will follow up the matter.
125. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health when a home care package will be completed in order for a bed to become available for a person (details supplied) who is currently awaiting transfer to Cork University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44337/15]
View answerAs this is a service issue, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy. If he 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 the Executive.
126. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will review the fair deal package for a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath. [44343/15]
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 he should contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
127. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Health if he has received the report on regulation of physiotherapists and physical therapists; the outcome of the report and if it will ensure protection of both titles under the one register, given that Ireland currently lacks regulation to protect these titles, thus causing a significant risk to public safety where any persons can call themselves a physiotherapist or a physical therapist even with just months of part-time training and given that his Department is currently reviewing regulation of the professions which would allow physical therapists their own register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44344/15]
View answer129. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Health the status of the regulation of physical therapists. [44348/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 129 together.
The Physiotherapists Registration Board will soon make the necessary bye-laws under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 to allow it to establish its register early next year. The title of physiotherapist will, as a consequence, be protected for the exclusive use of the board's registrants when the register's 2 year transitional period ends in 2018.
I am currently examining the issue of also protecting the title of physical therapist under the Act. In the rest of the English speaking world the titles of physical therapist and physiotherapist are interchangeable and their users are qualified physiotherapists. In Ireland, however, the title is used by a number of practitioners who are not physiotherapists but who are competing with physiotherapists in the private sector in the provision of musculoskeletal therapies.
Earlier this year, having consulted with the Health and Social Care Professionals Council, I wrote to a number of relevant organisations regarding my proposal to protect the title of physical therapist as a variant of the title of physiotherapist and invited them to submit their views. The submissions are now being examined and I expect that I will make a decision on the matter before the end of the year that ensures public protection and appropriately addresses the legitimate concerns of all parties.
130. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the status of the establishment of a headstrong jigsaw site in the north inner city of Dublin following from a meeting held with an organisation (details supplied) in summer 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44352/15]
View answerAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within the next 15 days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
131. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the funding allocation for home care packages and home help services per community health care office, the basis on which these amounts are determined; and the current waiting times for services in each case. [44369/15]
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 she should contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
132. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of early intervention teams in each local health office; the waiting time for assessments and the numbers on the waiting list by team. [44370/15]
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 she has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days she should contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
133. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of children on an orthodontic waiting list by geographical area. [44371/15]
View answerThe HSE provides orthodontic treatment to those who have been assessed and referred for treatment before their 16th birthday. It should be noted that the nature of orthodontic care means that immediate treatment is not always desirable. It is estimated that in up to 5% of cases it is necessary to wait for further growth to take place before treatment commences. Patients are assessed by the HSE Orthodontic Service under the modified Index of Treatment Need. Patients with the greatest level of need are provided with treatment by the HSE. The most recent information available is for Q3 of 2015.
|
Area |
TOTAL |
|
HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster |
5,135 |
|
HSE Dublin North East |
4,162 |
|
HSE South |
4,213 |
|
HSE West |
4,596 |
|
Total |
18,106 |
134. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health when an operation will be performed on a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44372/15]
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 the Deputy directly. If he has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days he should contact my Private Office and my officials will follow up the matter.
135. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the waiting list figures for child and adolescent mental health services by the number waiting and by duration. [44375/15]
View answerAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If the Deputy has not received a reply within the next 15 days she should contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
136. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the status of the eligibility for a medical card for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44377/15]
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 he should contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
138. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the status of the case of a person (details supplied) who requires advice and support from a social worker; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44383/15]
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. In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly. If he has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days he should contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
139. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for speech and therapist services in primary care by age category, geographical area and time waiting. [44391/15]
View answerAs this is a service issue, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy. If she has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days she should contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with the Executive.
140. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for physiotherapy in primary care by age category, geographical area and time waiting. [44392/15]
View answerAs this is a service issue, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy. If she has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days she should contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with the Executive.
