Written Answers Nos. 427-445
427. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the amount the Health Service Executive spent on agency staff each month in 2016 to date and the equivalent figures for each month in 2015; the proportion of the HSE’s anticipated agency staff expenditure for 2016 that has been incurred to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14421/16]
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 the matter with them.
428. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied with the level of data that is collected on the issues which come under his Department's remit; the steps he will take to work with the administration in Northern Ireland to collect data under his aegis on a North-South basis; and the budgets he will put in place to undertake this work (details supplied). [14443/16]
View answerI fully recognise the value of health information on an all-Island basis. The Institute of Public Health was established in 1997 as a North-South Body to promote cooperation on public health between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The Institute works to strengthen public health intelligence, build public health capacity and contribute to policy development. The Institute is jointly funded by the Irish and Northern Ireland administrations. The Institute regularly carries out projects on a North South Basis that focus on public health, including lifestyle issues and chronic conditions.
My Department also works closely with Eurostat and the OECD on a range of health information initiatives, in particular population health indicators.
However, I recognise that there are deficits in the health information landscape in Ireland and my Department has recently commenced a review of health information policy generally to identify the best strategic approach to addressing this.
In relation to acute hospital services, a number of cross-jurisdictional acute services have been established in the last 5 years, such as primary percutaneous coronary interventions and radiotherapy services at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry and the establishment of a Network Board to implement the recommendations of the Expert International Working Group on developing an all-Island model of care for Congenital Heart Disease. Opportunities may exist for further cooperation in areas such as organ donation and transplantation, trauma services, emergency aeromedical services and genomics. As well as benefiting patients through provision of easier access to treatment, such developments afford significant opportunity for the collation of both clinical and demographic information which can inform future health policy and development.
429. Deputy Michael D'Arcy asked the Minister for Health the status of the proposed kidney dialysis unit in Wexford town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14528/16]
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.
430. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his plans to award equal pay to clinical nurse manager 2 grades, to close the gap between those who were regularised and did not get incremental credit, and those appointed recently who are on a higher rate, that existed under old contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14535/16]
View answerDiscussions which took place under the Haddington Road Agreement provided for the regularisation of certain acting posts in the Health Service Executive. HSE HR Circular 017/2013 gave effect to a single set of measures to apply to the regularisation of acting posts which met specific criteria on a once off basis. Any HSE employee who has a specific query in relation to the terms of their contract or their pay scale should contact their HR Department for clarification.
431. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will raise the qualifying age for a personal assistant beyond the current maximum age of 65 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14541/16]
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. 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.
With regard to assisted living services, the Health Service Executive's (HSE's) priority in the 2016 National Service Plan is to protect the level of services provided in 2015 and to provide 1.3 million hours of Personal Assistant services to 2,000 people with a physical-sensory disability and 2.6 million hours of Home Support to 7,300 people with a range of disabilities. The provision of Personal Assistant services has an annual cost of €30 million, with an annual cost of €52 million for Home Support services.
As the Deputy's question regarding a qualifying age for receipt of personal assistant services is a service matter, I have arranged for the question 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.
432. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health if he will examine a case (details supplied) whereby an applicant for a general practitioner card finds themselves unable to backdate a claim for an appointment while their application was being processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14551/16]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has recently issued to Oireachtas members.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
433. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health if he will examine the case of a person (details supplied) who is not receiving funding for required health care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14584/16]
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. 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.
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.
434. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health to expedite an application by a person (details supplied) for a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14586/16]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has recently issued to Oireachtas members.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
435. Deputy Seán Barrett asked the Minister for Health when he plans to introduce the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill into the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14590/16]
View answerThe Public Health (Alcohol) Bill remains a priority for this Government. The Bill is part of a suite of measures agreed on foot of the recommendations in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy. The Government approved the publication of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill and the introduction of the Bill in the Houses of the Oireachtas on the 8 December 2015. The Bill completed Second Stage in the Seanad on the 17 December 2015. We are currently awaiting dates to progress the Bill in the Houses of the Oireachtas.
436. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health to intervene in the case of a person (details supplied) to ensure they are seen by specialist as soon as possible given the apparent oversight in relation to their case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14594/16]
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.
437. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health his plans to introduce regulation of the counselling and psychotherapy profession to address this serious public health issue, in view of a recent newspaper article (details supplied) which stated that members of the public are participating in online, unaccredited courses in counselling and then practising in this area [14598/16]
View answer438. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health when the consultation phase for the statutory regulation of counselling and psychotherapy (details supplied) will take place; and how soon after that regulation of the sector will be introduced. [14600/16]
View answer439. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health when he will regulate the counselling and psychotherapy sector (details supplied) [14601/16]
View answer440. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if there is any provision for the possibility of grandfathering to take place in order that regulation will allow professionals who have been practising for a long period to be eligible to work as accredited counsellors and psychotherapists in view of the standards set by Quality and Qualifications Ireland that those who want to work as professional practitioners will have to achieve. [14602/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 437 to 440, inclusive, together.
The regulation of the 14 professions currently designated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 is being implemented on a phased basis as the registration board and register for each profession is established. Currently, nine of the 14 designated professions have registration boards and registers have been established for seven of them.
Psychotherapists and counsellors are not currently regulated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005. However, the Act provides that the Minister for Health may, by regulation, designate a health and social care profession not already designated if he or she considers that it is appropriate and in the public interest to do so and if specified criteria have been met.
Grandfathering of existing practitioners with minimum qualifications to be specified by regulation is provided for under the Act.
In accordance with the Act, the Health and Social Care Professionals Council has been consulted on the question of regulating counsellors and psychotherapists. Its detailed report on the matter is being examined carefully in the Department of Health with a view to deciding the next steps in the coming months. These steps will, I envisage, include a wider round of consultation involving the various professional bodies and other interested parties.
The regulation of a new profession under the Act involves a consultation process and the making of a number of statutory instruments by the Minister for Health and by the relevant registration board. I envisage that, subject to the outcome of consultations, the statutory phase to regulate counsellors and psychotherapists under the Act will begin later this year or early next year with the submission of draft designation regulations to the Houses of the Oireachtas for their approval. Thereafter, I expect that the registration board should be constituted and operating during 2017. By the end of 2018, or early 2019, the board should be in a position to make the various bye-laws to allow it to accept applications for registration. In parallel, the regulations to protect titles and to prescribe the qualifications to be required of existing practitioners would be drafted and enacted.
While the profession or professions of counsellor and psychotherapist are not specifically designated under the 2005 Act, counsellors and psychotherapists are subject to legislation similar to other practitioners including consumer legislation, competition, contract and criminal law. There are also various regulatory controls on many counsellors and psychotherapists operating in Ireland.
The profession of psychologist, for example, is a designated profession under the 2005 Act which means that those psychologists who are counsellors and/or psychotherapists will begin to be regulated when the Psychologists Registration Board, which is due to be established later this year, opens its register.
Psychiatrists, some of whom practice psychotherapy, are regulated under the Medical Practitioners Act 2007. Also, counsellors/therapists working in the publicly funded health sector are required to have minimum qualifications set by the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004.
441. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be provided with a date for an appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14609/16]
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.
442. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the validation and recognition of non-Irish qualifications. [14610/16]
View answerApplications for recognition of qualifications are assessed under Directive 2005/36/EC which applies to all EEA nationals who wish to practise a regulated profession in an EEA Member State other than that in which they obtained their professional qualifications. Its intention is to make it easier for certain professionals to practise their professions in EEA countries other than their own but due safeguards are provided in the assessment of the qualification for public health and safety and consumer protection.
To be eligible for consideration under the Directive, a person must be eligible to practise his/her profession in the country in which the qualification was obtained. Such eligibility to practise does not however confer automatic recognition of qualifications in another Member State. In the case of the health and social care professions, including psychology, the Directive provides for an assessment on a case-by-case basis of the formal qualifications and professional experience of an applicant against the qualifications required to practise in the host Member State i.e. Ireland.
Due to the case-by-case nature of the assessment process and the need to examine an applicant’s individual professional experience, applications can take considerable time to process. For this reason, my Department's website advises that persons should not seek employment in their professional capacity in the public health sector unless and until their qualifications have been recognised. The Directive provides that a final decision must be communicated to the applicant within 4 months of submission of a complete application. A decision in the case raised by Deputy Collins is due on 18 June, 2016.
443. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment for a person (details supplied) for occupational therapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14615/16]
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
444. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the scheme available for Irish residents to have medical procedures carried out here through the private health system, where they may receive a reimbursement of their medical fees similar to the cross-Border health initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14616/16]
View answerA key challenge for the health system is ensuring timely access to health services. There has been a considerable increase in demand for care in our health system in recent years. In order to effectively manage waiting lists, those patients waiting longest must be prioritised, once emergency and urgent cases have been dealt with. The Programme for a Partnership Government (PfPG) emphasises the need for sustained commitment to improving waiting times for patients, with a particular focus on those patients waiting longest.
No scheme currently exists to commission treatment at individual patient level within the Republic of Ireland for persons resident here. The Health Service Executive does, however, operate the EU Directive on Patients' Rights in Cross Border Healthcare in Ireland. Under the Directive, 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 is proactive in advising potential users of the Scheme that reimbursement will be at the cost of the treatment availed of abroad or the cost of providing the healthcare in Ireland, whichever is the lesser. Information on the Scheme, and its administration, is available from the National Contact Point of the HSE, details of which are on the HSE website. The NCP is happy to advise patients of the reimbursement rate that will apply to the assessment/treatment being accessed. The HSE endeavours to reimburse the cost of treatment incurred or the cost of providing such healthcare in the State, which ever is the lesser, to the applicant within 30 days of receipt of a claim for reimbursement, in line with Prompt Payment Legislation.
The 2016 HSE Service Plan undertakes to maintain 2015 levels of service in respect of scheduled care and to continue to address waiting times as part of the regular performance and accountability process. Currently, 94% of patients wait less than the maximum waiting time of 15 months for inpatient, daycase or outpatient procedures, with c. 60% of patients waiting less than 6 months for their required care. With regard to the PfPG commitment to provide €15 million in funding to the NTPF in 2017, the Department will engage with the National Treatment Purchase Fund and the HSE to deliver on this commitment. As outlined in the Programme, this initiative will commence in 2017 and focus on those patients waiting longest. The PfPG also contains a commitment to continued investment of €50 million per year to address waiting lists.
445. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the reason the drug Fampyra is not being prescribed for a person (details supplied); if the matter will be sorted as soon as possible as having to pay for the drug each week is causing family hardship and distress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14623/16]
View answerAs the particular issue raised relates to an individual case, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for direct reply to you. 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.
