Written Answers Nos. 360-374
360. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of the Autism Bill legislation which was promised to give Ireland a national strategy on autism; the status of the autism service for adults in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4203/16]
View answerIn March 2013, a Private Members Bill entitled the Autism Bill 2012 was debated and passed Second Stage in the Dail. The Bill, as introduced, makes provision for the preparation of an autism strategy and a national framework for addressing the specific needs of adults with autism. The broad trust of the Bill was accepted by Government and it was not opposed at Second Stage. Although the needs of people with autism have received some recognition in recent years, the Bill is seen as contributing to a more enlightened and educated public debate.
In the context of the Autism Bill, it is important to note that the Government is already committed under the National Disability Strategy (NDS) to ensuring that people with autism are empowered by policy and programmes to participate meaningfully as citizens in Irish society. The NDS is driven by this basic but fundamentally important objective and is the most effective combination of legislation, policies, institutional arrangements and services to support and reinforce equal participation for all people with disabilities.
The Cabinet Committee on Social Policy has been examining issues around autism across Government Departments in association with the National Disability Authority (NDA). This work by the NDA, which has included consultation with families, has been of significant assistance in informing how best to address the needs of people with ASD as part of the National Disability Strategy which covers a wide range of policy areas and Government Departments and agencies, so that we can be sure that they are appropriately reflected and included in policies and actions. The proposed approach was also discussed with the National Disability Strategy Steering Group.
I understand from the NDA that a programme of specific measures has now been agreed for delivery by the relevant Government Departments and agencies, including specific actions to be delivered by the NDA.
The Minister for Justice & Equality is currently preparing a revised National Disability Inclusion Strategy with a view to having it in place by early 2016 following a wide consultation with interested parties.
As a particular issue raised by the Deputy is a service matter for the Health Service Executive, 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.
361. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the status of a payment for a medical test by a person, details supplied, who has a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4209/16]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been 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 the Executive.
362. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the amount of fines imposed on hospitals and the number of hospitals that have been fined, by hospital, as a result of not meeting hospital waiting unit targets in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4244/16]
View answerWaiting List Penalties have been applied to each Hospital Group in relation to those patients waiting 18 months or more. All hospital groups have been communicated with in relation to the penalties and deductions have been applied to hospital budgets. The HSE has supplied the below details in relation to these fines, for the period up to 31/12/2015.
|
Hospital Group |
Grand Total |
|
Children's Hospital Group |
159,441 |
|
Dublin Midlands Hospital Group |
691,537 |
|
Ireland East Hospital Group |
9,182 |
|
RCSI Hospitals Group |
1,048,012 |
|
Saolta University Health Care Group |
1,189,039 |
|
South/South West Hospital Group |
357,348 |
|
University of Limerick Hospital Group |
306,947 |
|
Grand Total |
3,761,505 |
363. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the status of the upgrade of the Shiel Hospital in Ballyshannon, County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4256/16]
View answer373. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health in relation to the recently announced capital programme for nursing home facilities 2016 to 2021; if he will provide details of how this plan will affect residential care services at Lifford, St. Joseph's and Ramelton Community Hospitals, County Donegal; if long-term residential care services and community care nursing will end at these facilities; if he will provide the total number of bed reductions which will be made as a result of the plan at each of these three units; if staffing levels at these facilities will be reduced; if he will provide a time frame as to when these facilities will be removed to the new CNU in Letterkenny, County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4298/16]
View answer374. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding that will be allocated to Lifford Community Hospital, St. Joseph's Community Hospital and Ramelton Community Hospital, County Donegal under the capital programme for nursing home facilities, 2016 to 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4299/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 363, 373 and 374 together.
I was delighted, with Minister Leo Varadkar, to announce last week an extensive national programme of investment in public residential units that will bring them into compliance with relevant National Standards by 2021.
With regard to care units in Donegal referred to by the deputy is his questions, this matter was addressed in the Minister's reply to the Topical Issue raised on 28th January. No further information in relation to specific centres is available at this stage.
364. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Health if he will address the long waiting lists for appointments for children diagnosed with scoliosis, given the response from the parliamentary affairs division (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4257/16]
View answerLong waiting times for scoliosis surgery are unacceptable and I have been clear in my determination that these waiting times are reduced, through additional resources and capacity.
Our 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. 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.
As a result of these initiatives, at the end of 2015 no child was waiting longer than 15 months for scoliosis surgery. In addition, I am advised that no child is currently waiting longer than 15 months at Crumlin for an outpatient appointment at the hospital. The Department of Health is continuing to work with the HSE, the Children’s Hospital Group and the hospitals themselves to ensure that we continue to make strong progress in addressing this issue and to identify all options to further improve access times for surgery.
365. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health why braces for the treatment of scoliosis are not funded in all hospitals, given their obvious importance to patients, especially children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4259/16]
View answer366. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health the hospitals which fund braces for treatment of scoliosis and those which do not; the reasons why not; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4260/16]
View answer370. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health if children with scoliosis who urgently require serial casts as a result of growth will be prioritised for magnetic resonance imagery scanning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4264/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 365, 366 and 370 together.
Long waiting times for scoliosis surgery are unacceptable. I have been clear in my determination that these waiting times are to be addressed as a priority, through additional resources and capacity.
Our 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 including 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. As a result of this initiative, 94 scoliosis surgeries were carried out in 2015, 42% more than in 2014. The Department of Health is continuing to work with the HSE, the Children’s Hospital Group and the hospitals themselves to ensure that we continue to make strong progress in addressing this issue and to identify all options to increase capacity to further improve access times for surgery.
In relation to the specific case raised, 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.
367. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health to amend the current protocols to allow children with scoliosis who are under 14 years of age and whose parents pay private health insurance to access surgery through a private facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4261/16]
View answerTaking out health insurance is optional. Anyone ordinarily resident in the country is entitled, subject to certain charges, to receive public in-patient and out-patient hospital services. People who do not take out health insurance continue to have the same entitlement to services in the public hospital system.
Long waiting times for scoliosis surgery are unacceptable and I have been clear in my determination that these waiting times are reduced, through additional resources and capacity.
Our 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. 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.
As a result of these initiatives, at the end of 2015 no child was waiting longer than 15 months for scoliosis surgery. In addition, I am advised that no child is currently waiting longer than 15 months at Crumlin for an outpatient appointment at the hospital. The Department of Health is continuing to work with the HSE, the Children’s Hospital Group and the hospitals themselves to ensure that we continue to make strong progress in addressing this issue and to identify all options to further improve access times for surgery.
368. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health why children with scoliosis whose conditions are deemed as progressive are waiting up to 18 months for a magnetic resonance imagery scan; the measures being implemented to reduce the waiting time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4262/16]
View answer369. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health the supports available to children who suffer with scoliosis and the parents of these children who are enduring mental health issues such as depression and anxiety as a result of exorbitant waiting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4263/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 368 and 369 together.
Our 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 including at Crumlin. Capital funding was also provided for a new theatre on site to expand theatre capacity further, and 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 for surgery in the short-term, 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. As a result of this initiative, 94 scoliosis surgeries were carried out in 2015, 42% more than in 2014. The Department of Health is continuing to work with the HSE, the Children’s Hospital Group and the hospitals themselves to ensure that we continue to make strong progress in addressing this issue and to identify all options to increase capacity to further improve access times for scoliosis surgery.
In relation to the specific issues raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you do not receive a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
Question No. 370 answered with Question No. 365.
371. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health to re-introduce the Adam's forward bend test school scoliosis screening programme to ensure early diagnosis for children suffering from scoliosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4265/16]
View answerThe introduction of any screening campaign has to be very carefully considered and the positive and negative impact of screening programme evaluated. In 2011, the UK National Screening Committee commissioned a full and systematic assessment of the international evidence base for scoliosis screening. The review concluded that screening for scoliosis was not recommended.
This comprehensive assessment drew on studies from many countries. The Irish epidemiology of scoliosis is not known to differ significantly from that in other countries, therefore this finding is also relevant for the Irish population.
The US Preventive task force and a similar body in Australia which reviewed screening for scoliosis, also came out against screening. The US task force are in the process of updating this review, which is due to report in 2016, and any changes in that position will be noted.
In conclusion, there is no evidence to support the re-introduction of scoliosis screening in schools in Ireland at the present time, but as with all potential screening programmes this will be subject to review as new evidence emerges.
372. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the educational institutions offering degree programmes and-or training programmes for those wishing to specialise in paediatric palliative care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4294/16]
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.
Questions Nos. 373 and 374 answered with Question No. 363.
