Written Answers Nos. 639 - 666
640. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health when he will allocate the €12 million ring-fenced funding for mental health services, given that it is not being spent as the additional staff it was to fund will not be hired on time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9392/16]
View answerThe last Government provided additional ring-fenced mental health funding of €160 million over 2012 - 16 inclusive. Funding for mental health in 2016 will increase from the 2015 outturn of €785m, to a projected budget of €826m in the 2016 NSP, an increase of €41m or 5.2% which includes €35m ring-fenced for mental health in 2012.
The €35m allocation for mental health will fund new service developments. The HSE National Service Plan 2016 identifies priorities for allocation of the €35 million, including the continued development of counselling services across both primary and secondary care including the provision of three new Jigsaw mental health services in Cork, Dublin city centre and Limerick; the continued development of Community Mental Health teams; improved 24/7 response and Liaison Services; Psychiatry of Later Life; Perinatal Mental Health, and two new mental health clinical programmes, specifically ADHD in Adults and Children, and Dual Diagnosis of those with Mental Illness and Substance Misuse. The Department of Health is currently examining proposals from the HSE relating to the development of these specific enhanced priority services, as well as proposals for the ongoing development of a range of existing and new specialist mental health services. It is expected that a decision on the release of the funding will be made shortly.
Staff recruitment is a key element of these developments. As staff recruitment takes time, however, the Service Plan provides that time-related savings of approximately €12m from this and it will be used, on a once-off basis, to maintain services in home care and transitional care beds and for vaccine procurement. As the initiatives planned for mental health and other areas identified in the Service Plan are approved, arrangements will be made for the release of funding, having regard to the overall Service Plan.
641. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9426/16]
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 HSE, 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 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.
642. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health his views on the policy of closing facilities in Cheeverstown hospital in Dublin 6W for severely disabled children such as in a case of a person (details supplied); and his views on the provision of special needs assistants for such children. [9411/16]
View answerThe Early Children care and Education (ECCE) Programme, is the responsibility of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has brought forward a new model of supports to facilitate the full participation of children with a disability in the ECCE Programme. 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 18th November last by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs with the full support of both Department of Health and the Department of Education and Skills.
The Government is committed to providing services and supports for people and disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.
Improving access to therapy services for children in primary care and in disability services is a particular priority for the Government. Building on additional investment in recent years, funding of €8m is being provided to the HSE in 2016 to expand the provision of Speech and Language Therapy in primary care and the further development of early intervention therapy services under the Progressing Disabilities Programme to facilitate the inclusion of children with a disability in mainstream pre-school settings, as part of the roll out of the new inclusive preschools model.
It should be noted that while the Health Services 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 services 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 and specific cases at local level, disability services have in the past also facilitated children with a disability to attend mainstream pre-schools by providing additional supports where possible and where resources are available. The provision of such additional 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 raised. 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.
643. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health to expedite a medical procedure for a person (details supplied). [9486/16]
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 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.
644. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9445/16]
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 them.
645. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if he has costed a comparison of funding the Inclusion Ireland WALK PEER project against the access to Health Service Executive day services which would be required if the project was to close; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9451/16]
View answerEmployment activation projects for all citizens, including citizens with a disability, are the responsibility of the Minister for Social Protection. I understand that the WALK Peer Project referred to was funded by the Department of Social Protection and any decision on the continuation or otherwise of its funding would be a matter for that Department.
Adult day services for people with a disability are an operational matter for the HSE. As that aspect of 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.
646. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health when he will provide full day services to young persons on the autism spectrum disorder who were left without local, full day services in north and west County Dublin from summer 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9512/16]
View answer647. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the cost of providing full day services to young persons on the autism spectrum disorder who were left without local, full day services in north and west County Dublin from summer 2015; the amount of funding and the number of personnel required to provide such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9513/16]
View answer648. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health to report on the preparations taking place to provide full, local, day services to young persons on the autism spectrum disorder graduating from children's services in summer 2016 in north and west County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9514/16]
View answer650. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the public service providers for young adult school leavers on the Autism Spectrum Disorder in County Dublin, by capacity, by number of staff, by number on waiting lists for 2015 and to date in 2016, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9516/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 646 to 648, inclusive, and 650 together.
The Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. The commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. With regard to the provision of day services for school-leavers with disabilities, the Programme for Partnership Government says that the Government is committed to ensuring that all 18 year old school leavers with intellectual and physical disabilities have continued education or training opportunities.
The process of planning for the needs of around 1,500 young people with disabilities and autism who will require continuing health-funded supports on leaving school or rehabilitative (life-skills) training this year commenced in September 2015. To ensure these needs are met, funding of €7.25m is being allocated by the HSE to provide appropriate services and supports. Once off funding of €2 million is also being provided for the refurbishment and fit-out of buildings to provide suitable service locations by September, based on an assessment of the physical capacity within existing services to accommodate the additional numbers. A standardised process for the identification of support needs has been put in place and a profiling exercise has now been completed with each individual in order to ascertain their needs and preferences.
As the Deputy's questions relate to service matters, I have arranged for the questions to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received replies from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
649. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the funding and resources he will provide to Gheel Autism Services in each of the years 2016 to 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9515/16]
View answerThe Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. The commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. With regard to the provision of day services for school-leavers with disabilities, the Programme for Partnership Government says that the Government is committed to ensuring that all 18 year old school leavers with intellectual and physical disabilities have continued education or training opportunities.
The process of planning for the needs of around 1,500 young people with disabilities and autism who will require continuing health-funded supports on leaving school or rehabilitative (life-skills) training this year commenced in September 2015. To ensure these needs are met, funding of €7.25m is being allocated by the HSE to provide appropriate services and supports. Once off funding of €2 million is also being provided for the refurbishment and fit-out of buildings to provide suitable service locations by September, based on an assessment of the physical capacity within existing services to accommodate the additional numbers. A standardised process for the identification of support needs has been put in place and a profiling exercise has now been completed with each individual in order to ascertain their needs and preferences.
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.
651. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health to publish the 2014 National Ambulance Service of Ireland emergency service and baseline capacity review; if he accepts the review's findings and if he has costed the three key proposals contained therein; if the implementation of these recommendations will improve the eight-minute response time from the current 26.6% to 60.6% and the 19-minute response time from the current 67.2% to 81.5%; if he has enacted any of the recommendations; if so, which; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9463/16]
View answerThe National Ambulance Service (NAS) Capacity Review is one of three recent reports on pre-hospital emergency care services, along with HIQA's review of the NAS and the HSE/Dublin City Council review of the Dublin Fire Brigade ambulance service. A draft Action Plan, which incorporates the recommendations of both the HIQA and the Capacity Review, is currently being implemented. The HSE/Dublin City Council review recommendations will be incorporated into the Action Plan once that report is completed.
I intend to bring the Capacity Review to Government this week, after which I hope to be in a position to advise the HSE to proceed with publication. While the overall funding requirement remains to be quantified, it is clear that a very significant programme of investment in our ambulance services is required. In that context, a phased investment in a multi annual programme involving manpower, vehicles and technology is required. The Deputy may wish to note that the Programme for Government commits to additional annual investment in terms of ambulance personnel and vehicles.
652. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health to ensure a person (details supplied) is granted an appointment with a surgeon; why a scheduled appointment was deferred without explanation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9465/16]
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.
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.
653. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health to provide the waiting times for appointments to the counselling in primary care service, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9466/16]
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.
654. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his response to concerns being raised regarding medication management at a Dublin hospital (details supplied). [9468/16]
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.
655. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a medical appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9615/16]
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.
656. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health to urgently arrange an operation for a person (details supplied). [9624/16]
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 HSE, 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 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.
657. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be seen by a paediatrics occupational therapist, given that 11 months have elapsed since the referral. [9501/16]
View answerAs this is a service issue, this question 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 them.
658. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the outturn in 2015 and the projected number of home help hours to be provided in each local health office area in 2016 [9628/16]
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.
659. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health when he will issue the circular outlining the new criteria for the rural practice allowance scheme to the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9479/16]
View answer699. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health why the rural practice allowance framework announced in February 2016 has not yet commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9700/16]
View answer759. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health when he will announce the new criteria for the rural practice allowance scheme for general practitioners; and when he will issue a circular. [10031/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 659, 699 and 759 together.
The Regulations governing changes to the Rural Practice Allowance Scheme were signed on the 5th May, 2016. These Regulations provide for the introduction of the new Rural Practice Support Framework, including a change in the qualifying criteria for rural support and an increase in the financial allowance, from €16,216 to €20,000 per annum. The Regulations also revise the list of Special Items of Service, which are made available to patients under the General Medical Services scheme.
The HSE will write to GPs shortly, outlining details of the new arrangements.
660. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Health the status of the work of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics in relation to the full health technology assessment being carried out on the new drug Orkambi for cystic fibrosis sufferers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9528/16]
View answerThe National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) commenced its Health Technology Assessment (HTA) of Orkambi on 14 March, and hopes to be in a position to issue its recommendation on the drug in June.
A summary of the HTA report will be published on the NCPE website.
661. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health to expedite an operation for a person (details supplied). [9503/16]
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 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.
662. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health to expedite a procedure for a person (details supplied). [9488/16]
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.
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.
663. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Health the status of the allocation of funding for students leaving a school (details supplied); why the Health Service Executive has not corresponded with concerned parents regarding funded adult education and training placement services with effect from 30 June 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9489/16]
View answerThe Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. The commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. With regard to the provision of day services for school-leavers with disabilities, the Programme for Partnership Government says that the Government is committed to ensuring that all 18 year old school leavers with intellectual and physical disabilities have continued education or training opportunities.
The process of planning for the needs of around 1,500 young people with disabilities and autism who will require continuing health-funded supports on leaving school or rehabilitative (life-skills) training this year commenced in September 2015. To ensure these needs are met, funding of €7.25m is being allocated by the HSE to provide appropriate services and supports. Once off funding of €2 million is also being provided for the refurbishment and fit-out of buildings to provide suitable service locations by September, based on an assessment of the physical capacity within existing services to accommodate the additional numbers. A standardised process for the identification of support needs has been put in place and a profiling exercise has now been completed with each individual in order to ascertain their needs and preferences.
As the remainder of 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.
664. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Health the status of the allocation of funding for a service (details supplied); why the Health Service Executive has not corresponded with concerned parents about funded adult education and training placement services with effect from 30 June 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9490/16]
View answerThe Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. The commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. With regard to the provision of day services for school-leavers with disabilities, the Programme for Partnership Government says that the Government is committed to ensuring that all 18 year old school leavers with intellectual and physical disabilities have continued education or training opportunities.
The process of planning for the needs of around 1,500 young people with disabilities and autism who will require continuing health-funded supports on leaving school or rehabilitative (life-skills) training this year commenced in September 2015. To ensure these needs are met, funding of €7.25m is being allocated by the HSE to provide appropriate services and supports. Once off funding of €2 million is also being provided for the refurbishment and fit-out of buildings to provide suitable service locations by September, based on an assessment of the physical capacity within existing services to accommodate the additional numbers. A standardised process for the identification of support needs has been put in place and a profiling exercise has now been completed with each individual in order to ascertain their needs and preferences.
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.
665. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health to continue the funding of the walk peer programme under the disability activation project, given that otherwise the programme will close, resulting in a group of young persons who have taken the difficult steps into mainstream further education, training and employment options being without support from 1 August 2016 and as a result applying to the Health Service Executive for expensive day service places, and given that the cost to the Exchequer of continuing this initiative is €280,000 per year while the cost of ceasing it could be as high as €1,704,000 per year. [9571/16]
View answerEmployment activation projects for all citizens, including citizens with a disability, are the responsibility of the Minister for Social Protection. I understand that the WALK Peer Project referred to was funded by the Department of Social Protection and any decision on the continuation or otherwise of its funding would be a matter for that Department.
Adult day services for people with a disability are an operational matter for the HSE. As that aspect of 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.
666. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health to immediately restore the funding which was cut to a project (details supplied) as it is now understaffed and cannot take any more referrals, and yet is a vital part of the Kilkenny mental health day services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9469/16]
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.
