Written Answers Nos. 345-359
345. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of consultancy reports, analyses and so on that the Health Service Executive commissioned since July 2014, in tabular form, including details of such consultancies and the amount spent on each project [4157/16]
View answerI have referred this matter to the HSE for attention and 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.
346. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the status of the co-operation activities carried out under the memorandum of understanding on health regulation, traditional Chinese medicine, training, promotion, hospital standards, and so on, with the People's Republic of China since August 2012; if further agreements are being negotiated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4160/16]
View answerA Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on health co-operation between the Department of Health of Ireland and the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China was signed by both Ministers at a bilateral meeting in China on 16 August 2012. The Memorandum replaced a previous MOU which covered the period 2004 to 2009. The objective of the MOU is to encourage and develop co-operation and exchange in the field of healthcare between the two countries.
The areas of co-operation set out in the Memorandum 2012-2017 are:
1. Health regulation;
2. eHealth and telemedicine;
3. Medical professional training;
4. Health promotion;
5. Maternal and child health;
6. Hospital standards; and
7. Traditional Chinese medicine.
The MOU is valid until 2017. There is currently no further agreement under discussion.
Ireland enjoys a strong and growing bilateral relationship with China. Since the Ministerial visit to China in 2012 there was a return visit of a Chinese delegation, headed by the Chinese Minister for Health, to Dublin in May 2013. There was also a high level visit from senior health officials from Shanghai in May 2015. These visits allowed the Chinese delegations to discuss health policy with the Minister and health officials and to visit hospital, primary and community services to see these services first hand and to meet the health professionals responsible for the delivery of these services to exchange views and experiences.
In addition, the Department facilitates, where possible, requests from Chinese delegations to discuss and share experiences on health matters.
347. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Health the number of children waiting for a full diagnostic assessment in respect of autism in Waterford University Hospital, including a breakdown of the waiting list times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4161/16]
View answer348. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Health the status of the composition of the autism team in University Hospital Waterford; if all the positions are covered; the number of psychologists on the team who can do a full diagnostic assessment; the length of time it takes; the progress made in recruiting staff who can carry out a full diagnostic assessment; the status of the progress made in tackling the waiting list for diagnosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4162/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 347 and 348 together.
As 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 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.
349. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Health the status of recruitment and waiting times for child and adult mental health services in County Waterford, given the significant delays parents are experiencing in accessing this essential service for their children; the number of similar child psychologist posts, by county and by unit, at which they are based, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4163/16]
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.
350. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health to immediately examine and intervene in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 10; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4175/16]
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.
351. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the status of a service (details supplied) in Dublin 13; the reason that the Special Needs Programme was withdrawn; the reason the funding for a clinical director was withdrawn; and when grant funding from TÚSLA - Child and Family Agency for a counselling service will be restored [4177/16]
View answerThe particular issues raised by the Deputy in terms of the Health Service Executive's funding of a special needs programme and counselling service are operational matters for the HSE and 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.
In terms of grant funding from the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, for the counselling service in question, it should be noted that Tusla falls within the remit of my colleague the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. I am advised that the service received funding of €49,600 from Tusla in 2015 and will shortly be invited by Tusla to apply for 2016 funding. I understand, in this context, that Tusla will be organising a meeting with the service in the near future to discuss the appointment of a new Manager.
352. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if additional funding will be made available to a General Practitioner practice (details supplied) in County Donegal, to ensure that the centre is fit-for-purpose and to improve accessibility; the supports which will be made available to management at the centre; if he is aware of management concerns, that the centre will be forced to close, unless issues surrounding access and unsuitable building design are addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4179/16]
View answerThe HSE has responsibility for the provision, maintenance and operation of Health Centres. Therefore, I have asked the Executive to respond directly to the Deputy on this issue. 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.
353. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will introduce measures in order that persons who are 80 years of age and over are automatically entitled to a medical card (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4180/16]
View answerThe separate scheme of assessment for an over-70's medical card is applicable to all persons aged 70 and over. Currently, there are no proposals to introduce an age specific income threshold or to provide medical cards to those aged 80 and over without assessment.
I can advise the Deputy that persons aged 70 or older, who are assessed as ineligible under the gross income thresholds, may also have their eligibility assessed under the standard means tested medical card scheme where the qualifying income thresholds are lower. This assessment is based on net income and assessable outgoing expenses, including nursing home or medication costs.
Furthermore, persons aged over 70 years may still be eligible for a medical card on a discretionary basis where they face undue hardship in arranging medical services as a result of medical or social circumstances.
The Deputy should be aware that, from August last year, the Government ensured that all persons aged 70 or older can access a GP service without charges under the second phase of universal GP care.
354. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the number of adult beds available in the cystic fibrosis unit in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin 9; the number of persons awaiting a bed; if the number of beds in this unit will be increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4182/16]
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.
355. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Health if hospital acute bed capacity here is sufficient, and if the norm for hospital bed occupancy should be 85% capacity, as is the case in other countries; the acute bed capacity as of 1 January 2016; the number of additional beds that is required in order that bed capacity here has a norm of 85% occupancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4183/16]
View answerThe number of acute beds available can fluctuate greatly over time for various reasons that include refurbishment, maintenance work and infection control. Last year additional funding of €18 million was provided to support acute hospitals over the winter period by providing additional bed capacity and other initiatives to improve access to care. As a result of this an additional 301 beds were commissioned across various locations and to date 202 of these beds have been opened. Taking into account these beds recently opened, there are 10,705 acute beds available in January 2016.
The HSE advised that the overall national total bed occupancy to the end of December 2015 is 89.8%, which is above the norm of 85%, although there is variation between hospitals and over time.
While the number of resourced beds is clearly an important factor, the understanding and focus has shifted from an over-reliance on in-patient acute beds to a more comprehensive range of care options as are found in advanced health systems. The aim is to ensure the patient or service user has his or her needs met in the most effective way possible with the majority of care provided through community-based facilities, supported by appropriate technology and specialist expertise.
The HSE is continually developing and improving day services and developments which facilitate hospital admission avoidance that include:
- Increased provision of Community Intervention Teams delivering services outside of hospitals;
- Increased day surgery rates;
- Medical Assessment Units and Acute Medical Assessment Units opened at all major hospitals;
- Intravenous administration of antibiotics whether organised at outpatients departments, in the community or at home, which can deliver bed-day and cost savings and reduce risk of healthcare associated infections; and
- Better use of technology to support patients and primary care professionals in managing illnesses and accessing specialist opinion and support.
357. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide more hospitals (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4191/16]
View answerPublic residential care units provide over 5,000 long stay beds, mainly for older people who require round the clock nursing care, amounting to approximately 20% of the total stock of nursing home beds nationally. They are of critical importance, particularly for those with higher or more complex care needs and it was, accordingly, essential that these beds be put on a sustainable footing. For this reason, I was delighted to announce last week an extensive national programme of capital investment in public residential units that will bring them into compliance with relevant National Standards by 2021. This significant investment reflects our determination to maintain the current public nursing home bed stock and will provide an additional 215 beds across the country.
Given the requirement for additional services to provide for the needs of older persons right around the country there will, in parallel with residential beds, be an ongoing need for the provision of short stay services such as rehabilitation, respite, step up, step down facilities, all with a view of maintaining older people in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. It is important to acknowledge that this is where most people want to be. Despite continuing pressure on the public finances the level of home and community based services were significantly strengthened last year and this will be maintained in 2016. This year the HSE will be providing almost 2,000 short stay residential beds, over 300 transitional care beds, about 10.4 million home help hours, and 15,450 Home Care Packages. In addition, some 130 Intensive Home Care Packages will be provided to support the discharge from acute hospital settings of people with more complex needs.
358. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the proposals to recruit additional staff to ensure that the full complement of beds is used in a nursing home (details supplied) in County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4200/16]
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 they will follow up the matter with them.
359. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry in relation to the persons's pay scale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4201/16]
View answerI 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 on the matter with them.
