Hildegarde Naughton
Question:82. Deputy Hildegarde Naughton asked the Minister for Health his plans to provide for an action plan for osteoporosis in the west of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9310/16]
View answerHealth Services Provision
Questions (82)
Written answers
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.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (83)
Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:83. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health when he will provide an appointment for an operation for a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay, given the urgency of the medical circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9311/16]
View answerWritten answers
Long waiting times for scoliosis services 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. 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.
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.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (84)
Barry Cowen
Question:84. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the status of a case (details supplied) including when the person will receive a hospital appointment. [9313/16]
View answerWritten answers
Under 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 scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. 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.
Health Services Staff
Questions (85)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:85. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of the lack of paediatric rheumatologists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9314/16]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Medical Card Eligibility
Questions (86)
Finian McGrath
Question:86. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health to support a request for medical cards for persons over 70 years of age (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9322/16]
View answerWritten answers
The Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Act 2013 sets out that, when a person attains the age of 70, the medical card income limits are €500 gross income per week for a single person and €900 gross income per week for a couple. There are no proposals to change these gross income limits.
The Deputy will be aware that persons aged 70 or older, who are assessed as ineligible under the gross income thresholds, may also have their eligibility assessed under the means tested medical card scheme in the event that they face particularly high expenses, e.g. nursing home or medication costs. This scheme is open to all persons, irrespective of their age and assessment is based on net income and assessable outgoing expenses. The qualifying income thresholds under this scheme are lower than over 70s gross income thresholds.
Furthermore, persons, including those aged over 70 years, may be eligible for a medical card where discretion is exercised where they face undue hardship in arranging medical services as a result of medical or social circumstances.
The Deputy will be fully aware that, from August 2015, the Government ensured that all persons aged 70 or older can access a GP service without charges regardless of income under the second phase of universal GP care.