Gerry Adams
Question:91. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the Health Service Executive funding available to community and voluntary suicide prevention groups and the application process to access it. [8648/16]
View answerSuicide Prevention
Questions (91)
Written answers
Funding for suicide prevention is provided to the National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP) by the HSE from its overall budget for mental health. The role of the NOSP is to oversee the implementation of our suicide prevention strategy Connecting for Life, and to coordinate suicide prevention efforts around the country. The NOSP, in partnership with the voluntary sector, helps to support a wide array of work in communities across the county that focus on promoting positive mental health and reducing suicide and self-harm by providing significant grant funding each year as well as by assisting in coordinating and giving a strategic direction to the work undertaken. Funding for NOSP has increased from €3.7 million in 2010 to the current level of €11.55 million.
I have referred the Deputy's question to the HSE for direct reply in respect of detailed information sought relating to the NOSP, or any other funding source used by the Executive for the purposes indicated by the Deputy.
Autism Support Services
Questions (92)
Finian McGrath
Question:92. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health to support a matter (details supplied) regarding services for young adults with autism spectrum disorder; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8650/16]
View answerWritten answers
As 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.
Cross-Border Health Services Provision
Questions (93)
Finian McGrath
Question:93. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health to support a matter regarding medical treatment in another European Union state (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8652/16]
View answerWritten answers
The Health Service Executive operates the EU Directive on Patients’ Rights in Cross Border Healthcare in Ireland. It is within the professional/patient relationship that the options for treatment are most appropriately discussed and advice as to where services might be sought is given, including availing of this Directive for overseas treatment within the EU/EEA. In order to inform health professionals about the Directive, the HSE has met and communicated with a number of professional bodies and organisations, such the ICGP, the Independent Hospital Association, and various voluntary hospitals and hospital groups, to inform them how their patients can access healthcare under the terms of the Directive.
The HSE also wrote to the Hospital Groups CEOs and each Hospital Chief Officer in January 2016 reminding them of the Directive and its operation. In the letter the HSE provided sample text informing patients of their rights under the Directive. The letter suggested that, as they deem appropriate, the CEOs/Chief Officers might include this information in any relevant communication to patients, e.g., waiting list letters. The HSE continues to be available to meet Groups regarding the Directive.
Under the Directive insured patients are entitled to have costs of cross-border healthcare services reimbursed if the healthcare service in question is among the benefits to which they are entitled in their Member State of affiliation. The HSE endeavours to reimburse the cost of treatment incurred or the cost of providing such healthcare in the State, whichever is the lesser, to the applicant within 30 days of receipt of a claim for reimbursement, in line with Prompt Payment legislation.
Each Member State is free to set its own payment policy for cross-border healthcare services; by means of reimbursement to the patient or by direct payment to the healthcare provider. That policy decision is a matter for each Member State under the Directive and, similar to the majority of Member States, Ireland has no plan to introduce a policy of direct payment to each healthcare service provider, both public and private, in all EU/EEA Member States for healthcare services provided by them.
Mental Health Services
Questions (94)
Finian McGrath
Question:94. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health to support a matter (details supplied) regarding mental health services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8653/16]
View answerWritten answers
Ireland's national Mental Health policy, A Vision for Change, provides a framework for the development of more accessible, community-based or specialist services for people with mental illness. This policy has been supported by the provision of €160 million since 2012. Over this period, in the region of 1,550 new Mental Health posts have been approved.
In 2015, the Government launched ‘Connecting for Life’, our new strategy to reduce suicide for the period 2015 – 2020. The Strategy sets out a vision where fewer lives are lost through suicide, and where communities and individuals are empowered to improve their mental health and wellbeing. This includes a greater focus on the important area of support for families and communities in suicide prevention, and will include providing community-based organisations with guidelines, protocols and training on effective suicide prevention.
Dealing with the current levels of suicide and deliberate self-harm is a national priority. Funding for suicide prevention, provided to the National Office for Suicide Prevention by the HSE, has increased from €3.7 million in 2010 to €8.8 million in 2015, an increase of almost 140% in just five years. In addition, €1.2 million has been made available annually since 2014 to fund HSE Resource Officers for Suicide Prevention, Self-Harm Liaison Nurses in Hospital Emergency Departments and other regional suicide prevention initiatives.
Services for People with Disabilities
Questions (95)
Catherine Murphy
Question:95. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of children who have a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and who are issued with the long-term illness card; the services this inclusion affords them; the areas where children have such a diagnosis but are not awarded a long-term illness card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8659/16]
View answerWritten answers
As this is an operational 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.
Services for People with Disabilities
Questions (96, 97)
Gerry Adams
Question:96. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health where the 15 residents of the residential centre for persons with disabilities in Drumcar, County Louth, have been placed following the recent decision of the Health Information and Quality Authority to close the centre. [8660/16]
View answerGerry Adams
Question:97. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the number of residential places for persons with disabilities in County Louth; and if the closure of the residential centre at Drumcar has resulted in a reduction in provision. [8661/16]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 97 together.
As the Deputy's concerns relate to service matters, I have arranged for the questions to be referred to the 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.