Written Answers Nos. 315 - 329
315. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Health if the National Treatment Purchase Fund will cover an increase by the nursing home under the fair deal scheme or if this increase needs to be covered by the patient; how does this affect the person's existing fair deal agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4005/16]
View answerThe legislation underpinning the Nursing Homes Support Scheme requires each private nursing home to negotiate and agree a price for long-term residential care services with the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) should they wish to be an approved nursing home for the purposes of the Scheme.
The NTPF is independent in the performance of this function and, in carrying it out, it must ensure value for money for both the individual and the State. In negotiating with nursing homes the NTPF has regard to:
- costs reasonably and prudently incurred by the nursing home and evidence of value for money;
- price(s) previously charged;
- local market price, and
- budgetary constraints and the obligation on the State to use available resources in the most beneficial, effective and efficient manner to improve, promote and protect the health and welfare of the public.
The Nursing Homes Support Scheme covers the cost of the standard components of residential care which are:
- Nursing and personal care appropriate to the level of care needs of the person;
- Bed and board;
- Basic aids and appliances necessary to assist a person with activities of daily living;
- Laundry service.
Charges may only be levied in respect of services which are additional to the above, and which are clearly specified in a contract to be concluded within one month of admission between the relevant residential facility and the resident.
316. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure the provision of a medical card to a person (details supplied) is expedited. [4015/16]
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.
317. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health why he is not releasing funding to cover transportation costs for young adults with a disability at Saint Michael’s House in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4021/16]
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.
318. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if he will include fibromyalgia in the long-term illness scheme and provide increased supports to persons suffering from fibromyalgia, a condition now recognised by the World Health Organisation as a distinct disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4023/16]
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, which 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.
Under the Drug Payment Scheme, no individual or family pays more than €144 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The scheme significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals incurring ongoing expenditure on medicines.
Under the provisions of the Health Acts, medical cards are provided to persons who are, in the opinion of the Health Service Executive (HSE), unable without undue hardship to arrange GP services for themselves and their dependants. In the assessment process, the HSE can take into account medical costs incurred by an individual or a family.
319. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of the sale of a HSE building (details supplied) in Castleisland, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4032/16]
View answerThe Health Service Executive (HSE) operates a protocol for the disposal of surplus property assets. This protocol sets out three options.
1. Does a State Agency require the property?
2. Open market sale, subject to favourable market conditions.
3 Community/voluntary use will be considered only if points 1 and 2 above do not materialise.
The Health Service Executive is required to obtain value for money when disposing of surplus property assets. These proceeds will be re-invested in delivering much needed health care infrastructure.
As it is responsible for the management of the health care estate the HSE has been requested to reply directly to the Deputy on this matter. If he has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office who will follow it up.
320. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an operation for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4036/16]
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 the Deputy directly. If he has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
321. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an operation for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4039/16]
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 the Deputy directly. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
322. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Health the amount paid to general practitioners (details suppled) under the medical card and general medical services schemes by the Health Service Executive in 2014 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4040/16]
View answer324. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Health the grants paid to general practitioners (details supplied) for staff, capital payments, out-of-hours payments, practice manager subsidies and so on in 2014 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4042/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 322 and 324 together.
As these are service matters, they have 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 please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with the Executive.
323. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health to review a decision to refuse a person (details supplied) in County Meath preschool assistance hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4041/16]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme, is the responsibility of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. While certain flexibilities had been built in to the Programme to facilitate the inclusion of children with a disability the Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures children and young people's policy framework contained a commitment to develop a plan to facilitate the full participation of such children in the ECCE Programme. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has lead responsibility for the implementation of this commitment and has concluded an intensive process of deliberation and consultation on the matter in conjunction with the Departments of Health and Education and Skills and has brought forward a new model of supports to facilitate the full participation of children with a disability in the ECCE Programme.
As part of Budget 2016, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs announced the necessary funding to implement the new model of ECCE supports for children with a disability. The new model will provide supports including enhanced continuing professional development for early years practitioners; grants for equipment, appliances and minor alterations; and access to therapeutic intervention. Funding of €15m has been provided to phase these supports in during 2016. Full year costs for these supports are estimated to be €33m from 2017 onwards. This model of supports was launched on 18 November last by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs with my full support and the support of my Government colleague Jan O'Sullivan T.D., Minister for Education and Skills.
It should be noted that while the Health Service Executive has no statutory obligation to provide assistant supports for children with special needs wishing to avail of the ECCE scheme, it has, to date, worked at local level and in partnership with the relevant disability service providers to address individual needs as they arise. This has been done, for example, by funding special pre-schools that cater specifically for children with disabilities. In some limited cases at local level, disability services have also facilitated children with a disability to attend mainstream pre-schools by providing assistant supports where possible and where resources are available. The provision of such pre-school assistant supports should not be confused with Special Needs Assistants who are funded by the Department of Education and Skills to support children with special educational needs in primary and post-primary school settings.
Within this context, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in relation to the individual case he has raised. If he has 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.
325. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health to outline the number of persons in County Galway and in County Mayo waiting for assessment and reassessment for home help hours, and for additional home help hours; the number who have been approved but are on a waiting list, including how long they have been waiting in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4049/16]
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 please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
326. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when an urgent procedure will be provided for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4054/16]
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 the Deputy directly. If he has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
327. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the case of a person (details supplied); if he was contacted regarding the matter; the basis upon which a foetus can be considered a person; and the advice given regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4065/16]
View answerI have not been contacted regarding the decision of coroner Paul Morris in relation to the inquest of the death of a pregnant woman in a car accident in March 2012 and no advice was sought or provided by my Department on this matter.
328. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 429 of 8 December 2015, his plans to roll out similar projects to other hospitals in the Saolta Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4072/16]
View answerAs 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 please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
329. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment for a person (details supplied) in County Offaly including when a person will receive it. [4078/16]
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 please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
