Written Answers Nos. 696 - 706
696. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health why documentary evidence provided from the account of persons (details supplied) in County Kildare is insufficient as proof of lack of income; what will be accepted as evidence in this instance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1449/16]
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.
697. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Health the status of the ongoing review of the mobility allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1455/16]
View answerThe Government decided that the detailed preparatory work required for a new Transport Support Scheme and associated statutory provisions should be progressed by the Minister for Health. The Department is seeking a solution which would best meet the aim of supporting people with severe disabilities who require additional income to contribute towards the cost of their mobility needs, while remaining within the available budget and satisfying all legal and equality concerns.
On foot of a Government decision, monthly payments have continued to be made by the Health Service Executive to 4,700 people who were in receipt of the Mobility Allowance at the time that the scheme closed, on the basis that this would prevent hardship and, on an interim basis, alleviate stress, anxiety and uncertainty among a vulnerable group in society.
Work is ongoing on the policy proposals to be brought to Government for the drafting of primary legislation for a new scheme. The proposals seek to ensure that:
- There is a firm statutory basis to the Scheme's operation;
- There is transparency and equity in the eligibility criteria attaching to the Scheme;
- Resources are targeted at those with the greatest needs; and
- The Scheme is capable of being costed and it is affordable on its introduction and on an ongoing basis.
698. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health when a final reply will issue to his interim reply regarding persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1456/16]
View answerThe Government's decision to locate the new children’s hospital on the St. James’s hospital campus was based on the over-riding priority of best clinical outcomes for our children, and in particular the sickest of these.
It is important to recognise the benefits of co-location with St James's Hospital. St. James's Hospital and the new children's hospital are both model 4 hospitals. St James's Hospital has the widest range of sub-specialities and the highest level of clinical complexity of all the adult hospitals in the country. The skill and expertise of the clinical staff in the co-located new children's hospital and St James's Hospital match appropriately, and these shared skills and expertise are precisely what is required for the care of the most complex and life-threatening conditions with which children from all over Ireland will present to the new children's hospital. By bringing together the full spectrum of sub-specialities in paediatric and neonatology on a single campus, the degree of critical mass can be attained that will support the more complex treatment and care for the sickest children and young people of Ireland.
The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) is the statutory body responsible for planning, designing, building and equipping the new children's hospital. On 10 August 2015 the NPHDB submitted a planning application for the new hospital and satellite centres to An Bord Pleanála.
The oral hearing process began on 30 November and heard submissions from key stakeholders and interested parties, including the Jack and Jill Foundation, before concluding on 15 December. An Bord Pleanála will consider all of the evidence presented and I look forward to the planning decision which is expected in February.
A final reply to the Deputy has issued on this matter.
699. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health when services will be provided to a person (details supplied) in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1473/16]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (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 they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
700. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Health the number of patients under 18 years of age awaiting an operation for scoliosis; the time they have spent on a waiting list; the number of these patients who have been listed as urgent; if there is a definite time period in place for when these operations will be carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1491/16]
View answerOur Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin is the largest provider of scoliosis surgery for children and young people. Funding was allocated in 2015 for additional consultant posts including two consultant orthopaedic surgeons, anaesthetist and support staff at Crumlin while capital funding was also provided for a new theatre on site to expand theatre capacity further. The 2016 Service Plan specifically provides for support for the new theatre capacity and the continued development of paediatric scoliosis services to address ongoing capacity deficits.
In order to address waiting times in the interim, patients from Crumlin have been transferred to other hospitals where capacity is available and where that is clinically appropriate. These include Temple Street, Cappagh, Tallaght and the Blackrock Clinic. External capacity has also been identified at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital at Stanmore in the UK. The HSE is continuing to work with the Children’s Hospital Group and the individual hospitals to identify all options to increase capacity further to improve access times for surgery.
As the specific issues raised are 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.
701. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health to investigate the cost of employing an additional 100 dentists, dental nurses and dental hygienists for the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1503/16]
View answerThe estimated annual cost of a dental team, i.e. a dental surgeon with nursing support, is approximately €128,000. The cost of employing 100 additional oral health staff would depend on a number of factors, including the skills mix and associated non-pay and capital costs. Future service provision will be informed by the National Oral Health Policy, which the Department of Health is currently developing. This three-year project commenced in 2014 and is being led by the Chief Dental Officer. The project includes a needs assessment, a review of resources and involves consultation with stakeholders, including dental professionals and the public.
702. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will receive an appointment for a long-awaited procedure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1513/16]
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 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.
703. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health his view on the legalisation of the medicinal use of cannabis and the use of such medical products under prescription from a medical doctor. [1521/16]
View answerUnder the Misuse of Drugs Acts, 1977 to 2015 and the Regulations made thereunder, the manufacture, production, preparation, sale, supply, distribution and possession of cannabis is currently unlawful except for the purposes of research.
My Department is aware that cannabis for medicinal use has been legalised in some countries and that there have been several studies internationally on the therapeutic effects of cannabinoids for a number of medical issues. Under European and Irish legislation, before a medicine can be placed on the Irish market the manufacturer has to seek an authorisation from the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) or in the case of certain medicinal products, the European Medicines Agency (EMA). A determination on an application for authorisation of a medicine is based on a rigorous scientific assessment of the application against legal and regulatory requirements.
In July 2014, the Misuse of Drugs Regulations were amended to allow for certain cannabis based medicinal products to be used in Ireland. Subsequently the HPRA granted a marketing authorisation for a cannabis based medicinal product which is indicated for the relief of certain symptoms for people with multiple sclerosis.
My Department will continue to keep developments in relation to cannabis based medical products under review.
704. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will receive an appointment for surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1524/16]
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 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.
705. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health in the event of the relocation of the Lantern Lodge day care centre from New Road in Killarney to Leewood House on the Countess Road in Killarney, County Kerry, if the provision of shower facilities and midday meals for service users will be a priority at the new location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1547/16]
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 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
706. Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the titles physiotherapist and physical therapist are clearly defined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1551/16]
View answerThe Physiotherapists Registration Board will soon make the necessary by-laws under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 to allow it to establish its register. 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.
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 shortly that ensures public protection and appropriately addresses the legitimate concerns of all parties.
