Brendan Griffin
Question:440. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health the status of the new diabetes day centre at Kerry General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46001/15]
View answerHospital Services
Questions (440)
Written answers
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.
Palliative Care for Children
Questions (441)
Pearse Doherty
Question:441. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if, and the first date on which, a position for a paediatric palliative care nurse specialist to serve County Donegal, to be based at Letterkenny General Hospital, was advertised; the number of applicants for this post; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46008/15]
View answerWritten answers
I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this 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.
Magdalen Laundries Data
Questions (442)
Pearse Doherty
Question:442. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the cost of broadening the scheme for women living abroad who suffered in the Magdalen laundries, who are now entitled to free general practitioner services, prescribed drugs, surgical appliances, nursing and home help services, dental, ophthalmic and aural services, counselling, chiropody and physiotherapy, upon their return to Ireland, to include all returning Irish emigrants over 65 years of age. [46013/15]
View answerWritten answers
The Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Act 2015, inter alia, provided for a range of primary and community health services to be made available without charge from 1st July 2015 to a woman who was resident in a specified institution and who has accepted a formal offer made to her by the Minister for Justice and Equality under the ex-gratia payments scheme.
Only participants in the scheme who reside outside Ireland are entitled to access the specified primary and community health services under the Act if they visit or return to Ireland. There is no basis for providing similar access to non-scheme participants. It is not possible to attempt a costing in respect of an extension of the terms of the Act to a wider group within the population without a detailed understanding of the underlying assumptions, for example in relation to the number of persons projected to benefit and the extent to which such persons might qualify on means or age grounds for a number of existing schemes or supports.
Health Services
Questions (443)
Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Question:443. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if services will be expedited for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46017/15]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Questions (444)
Michael McGrath
Question:444. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the status of the rescheduling of surgery for a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [46028/15]
View answerWritten answers
Under 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 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.
Speech and Language Therapy
Questions (445, 446, 447)
Billy Kelleher
Question:445. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of additional speech and language therapists to be recruited by the Health Service Executive in 2016 and the full-year cost of same. [46041/15]
View answerBilly Kelleher
Question:446. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of additional physiotherapists to be recruited by the Health Service Executive in 2016 and the full-year cost of same. [46042/15]
View answerBilly Kelleher
Question:447. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of additional occupational therapists to be recruited by the Health Service Executive in 2016 and the full-year cost of same. [46043/15]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 445 to 447, inclusive, together.
I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on these matters. 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 matters with them.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Questions (448)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:448. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an operation in the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital in Cork for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46051/15]
View answerWritten answers
Under 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 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 (449)
Billy Kelleher
Question:449. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the reason for the lengthy delays in nursing registration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46055/15]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Treatment Abroad Scheme
Questions (450)
Bernard Durkan
Question:450. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if approval will be forthcoming for treatment overseas for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who has multiple and challenging conditions requiring surgery which is available outside the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46071/15]
View answerWritten answers
The HSE operates the Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS) for persons entitled to treatment in another EU/EEA member state or Switzerland under EU Regulation (EC) No. 883/2004, as per the procedures set out in EU Regulations (EC) No. 987/2009, and in accordance with Department of Health Guidelines. Patients have the ability to apply to the HSE TAS seeking access to public healthcare outside the State through model form E112. The application requires the patient's Irish-based public referring hospital consultant, following clinical assessment, to certify, among other things, that the treatment is medically necessary and will meet the patient’s needs. The treatment must not be available within the State or not available within a time normally necessary for obtaining it.
There is no statutory framework for referral of patients outside the EU/EEA Member States. In the instance that a consultant wishes to refer a patient to a non-EU/EEA country, the HSE applies the TAS administrative process and documentation for the purposes of such applications. Such applications for treatment in non-EU/EEA countries are required to include evidence that the treatment is not available within the EU/EEA.
The HSE has advised that an application under the Scheme has yet to be received in respect of the case detailed by the Deputy. In the first instance an application to the HSE will require to be made. Full details of the application process are available on the HSE website.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Questions (451)
Regina Doherty
Question:451. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Health if a date for surgery will be arranged for a person (details supplied); the reasons for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46078/15]
View answerWritten answers
Under 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 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.
Neuro-Rehabilitation Policy
Questions (452)
Billy Kelleher
Question:452. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he is committed to the national policy and strategy for the provision of neuro-rehabilitation services; the funding he has allocated for it in 2015 and in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46089/15]
View answerWritten answers
A Steering Group led by the Health Service Executive (HSE) Social Care Division, with representation from the National Clinical Programmes for Rehabilitation Medicine and Neurology, Department of Health, Primary Care, Therapy Professions and the Neurological Alliance of Ireland has been assigned the task of developing an implementation framework for the National Policy and Strategy for Neuro-Rehabilitation Services. Once the implementation framework has been agreed by the Steering Group, it will go for consultation to the wider stakeholder interest groups. Following this consultation the framework will be revised and will guide and oversee the reconfiguration and development of Neuro-rehabilitation structures and services at national and local level, from within existing resources.
In August 2015, my colleague, the Minister for Health, announced an additional €15 million for the redevelopment of the National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH) in Dún Laoghaire. This allocation will now enable the NRH and the HSE to proceed with a new 120 bed building on the Dún Laoghaire campus. The redeveloped facility will be purpose built to accommodate integrated therapy services, hydrotherapy and sports facilities.
Outside of the Clinical Programme, the HSE’s Disability Services Division has a role in certain key aspects of Neuro-Rehabilitation Services, primarily the provision of community based therapy services, and personal social services, often funded through partner service providing agencies in the non-statutory sector. The Disability Services Division will focus on Disability funded rehabilitation services in 2016, and enable reconfiguration of existing provision through the establishment of demonstration sites. Close links will be maintained with the Rehabilitation Medicine Clinical Programme to ensure that there is no duplication of effort and that all initiatives receive optimal support. Demonstration sites have been identified by Disability Services and mapping has commenced.