Peter Fitzpatrick
Question:181. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick 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. [12244/16]
View answerHospital Appointments Status
Questions (181)
Written 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 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.
Health Services
Questions (182)
Jackie Cahill
Question:182. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health to address the lack of an occupational therapist at a clinic (details supplied) which is making it impossible for staff to do their work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12258/16]
View answerWritten answers
As 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.
Public Sector Staff Remuneration
Questions (183)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:183. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding a pay rise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12265/16]
View answerWritten answers
Public sector pay agreements have sanctioned general round increases in public sector pay on numerous occasions in the past 16 years. I can confirm that pay scales for the grades the Deputy is querying have risen in line with these general round pay increases as appropriate.
Most recently, the Lansdowne Road Agreement and the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2015 gave effect to adjustments to annualised salaries up to €31,000 from 1st January 2016 which has resulted in an increase in the salaries of many of the catering grades in the health sector.
HSE Expenditure
Questions (184)
James Browne
Question:184. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the amount the Health Service Executive expended on legal fees in 2015; the barristers and solicitors who received these fees; the amount paid to each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12297/16]
View answerWritten answers
I 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 on the matter with them.
Nursing Home Services
Questions (185)
Róisín Shortall
Question:185. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to set down in tabular form the number of nursing home places by community health care organisation. [12299/16]
View answerWritten answers
The Health Information and Quality Authority is an independent authority established under the Health Act 2007. Since 2009 all nursing homes - public, voluntary and private - have been registered and inspected by HIQA. A register of all nursing homes is available on the HIQA website www.hiqa.ie with a breakdown available per county. I have asked the HSE to provide details of all public beds per CHO area. 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.
Nursing Homes Support Scheme Data
Questions (186)
Róisín Shortall
Question:186. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of fair deal cases, by community health care organisation, in tabular form. [12300/16]
View answerWritten answers
As 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.
HSE Expenditure
Questions (187)
James Browne
Question:187. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the amount the Health Service Executive expended on legal fees in each of the years 2011 to 2016 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12306/16]
View answerWritten answers
I 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 on the matter with them.
Mental Health Tribunals
Questions (188)
James Browne
Question:188. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health when he will put positions on the Mental Health Tribunal up for renewal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12307/16]
View answerWritten answers
The Mental Health Commission appoints Mental Health Tribunals to automatically review all decisions to involuntarily detain patients or to extend the duration of such detentions under the provisions of the Mental Health Act, 2001. A Mental Health Tribunal comprises of a legal person, a lay person and a consultant psychiatrist and they review a person’s involuntary admission. In accordance with Section 48 of the Mental Health Act 2001, Mental Health Tribunal panel members are engaged on a three year cycle. The current cycle will end on the 31 October 2016. The Mental Health Commission recently sought expressions of interest from persons interested in becoming Mental Health Tribunal members. The closing date for receipt of applications was the 6 May 2016.
Health Services Staff
Questions (189)
Robert Troy
Question:189. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health why the Health Service Executive appointed a chiropodist in Athlone, County Westmeath, who now sees persons once every four months as opposed to once every two months. [12309/16]
View answerWritten answers
As 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.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (190)
Peter Burke
Question:190. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health to expedite a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied). [12318/16]
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 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.