Written Answers Nos. 208-222
208. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when she will publish the promised plan for the arts; her plans to publish the plan as a draft and seek further consultation; the areas the plan will cover; if estimated costings for implementation will be included; if there will be a commitment by the Government to fund the various elements of the plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17895/16]
View answerSignificant progress has been made in drafting the first National Cultural Policy - Culture 2025. This followed a major public consultation process in 2015, including a national cultural workshop held in October at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Work by my Department, the expert steering group and a wider expert committee continued on the document in early 2016 and is currently on-going. This expert committee has broad representation across arts and cultural interests.
The Programme for a Partnership Government commits to the publication of Culture 2025 as a priority. As I have stated previously, this first such policy will be a living document and will form the basis of an on-going dialogue with all who are interested in cultural policy. My Department is continuing to consider inputs on the draft document from the Steering and Expert Groups which I established and I expect to forward a draft for consideration to the relevant Oireachtas Committee shortly.
It should be noted that this will not be a costed plan for the Arts but a much wider framework policy to guide future Government action across the cultural sector, and will be followed by more detail actions for implementation.
209. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health why vocational educational services are ceasing operation in a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17650/16]
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.
210. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health to review the situation whereby members of the voluntary sector working in section 39 funded organisations who were subject to pay reductions are not getting their pay reinstated as other employees in the public sector are; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17805/16]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, Section 39 provides that the HSE may give grant aid assistance to a person or body to deliver a service similar to a service that the HSE may deliver. Assistance in this way can range from a large proportion of an organisations’ overall funding requirements to a small fixed amount for a specific purpose.
These organisations are not public sector organisations and their employees are not public servants, are not included in public service employment numbers and do not have access to public service pension schemes.
211. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the progress being made in respect of the All-Ireland Network Board, established to oversee the creation of a single, all-island treatment network for congenital heart disease, and to ensure that all children have access to the highest standard of cardiac care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17637/16]
View answerThe creation of a single, all-island treatment network for Congenital Heart Disease, ensuring that all children have access to the highest standard of cardiac care, is the subject of very active engagement between my Department and the Department of Health in Northern Ireland. It is my Department’s view that the development of such a service is of grave importance to a cohort of clinically vulnerable children on the island of Ireland, and consequently is both ethically and clinically the correct course of action to pursue.
A Business Case was prepared, with the assistance of the appropriate stakeholders in both jurisdictions, and outlines the plans and the associated costings for the medium to long term development of the Network. The Business Case is intended to form the basis for formal engagement between the CHD Network Board and both Departments in terms of implementing an all island paediatric cardiology model of care. This Business Case was submitted to my Department and the Department of Health in Northern Ireland and is currently under consideration. It is anticipated that both Departments will be in a position to make an announcement on this matter very shortly.
212. Deputy Hildegarde Naughton asked the Minister for Health the number of the nine new radiographer posts in University Hospital Galway (details supplied) who will be dedicated primarily to musculoskeletal disease; and of those dedicated musculoskeletal disease posts, the number who will be assigned for dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanning. [17640/16]
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.
213. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the follow-up that will be undertaken, following the publication of the second annual report of the National Healthcare Quality Reporting System; if there will be investigations into variances in the figures across different hospitals; if actions will be taken based on the findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17642/16]
View answer214. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the follow-up that was undertaken, following the publication of the first annual report of the National Healthcare Quality Reporting System; if actions will be taken based on the findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17643/16]
View answer215. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health why some figures on smaller hospitals were blacked out, in respect of the second annual report of the National Healthcare Quality Reporting System; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17644/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 213 to 215, inclusive, together.
The purpose of the annual National Healthcare Quality Reporting System (NHQRS) Report is to use easily accessible information to develop a better understanding of whole health system performance. The NHQRS was established to provide a broad overall picture of the quality of our health services. It is intended to demonstrate to individual hospitals and other health service providers the importance of examining their own data in order to improve the services they provide. It must however, be understood that the performance and quality of a service cannot be measured by one indicator alone. This is why the NHQRS presents an analysis of a range of indicators that reflect different parts of the services and allows progress and priorities in the health system to be identified. The NHQRS will help to inform many improvements in service outcomes for patients.
The information will inform my priorities as Minister for Health, it will provide intelligence and information for the 10 Year Plan for Health and I hope the Health Committee will avail of the opportunity to be briefed on this. It will also inform my Department's Statement of Strategy.
The Second annual NHQRS Report was published last Thursday 16th June. It is very encouraging to see improvements in many areas, for example in the areas of immunisation, uptake of cancer screening and survival rates for patients with breast and colorectal cancer which are improving at a rate faster than most other European countries in the OECD. One example of how this information will be used is to ensure that the cancer indicators feed into the new Cancer Strategy currently being drawn up by my Department. Similarly, the figures for stroke patients, indicate over 80% are admitted to hospitals with a designated stroke unit which, again, is to the forefront of other OECD countries.
I recognise that there are areas identified where further room for improvement exists. In particular, considerable variation can be seen between counties in rates of hospitalisation for common chronic diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, diabetes and heart failure. Identifying this variation is a first step to addressing the reasons why this variation exists and to improving it. For example, the information on COPD is already informing requirements in Primary Care and the National Clinical Effectiveness Committee (NCEC) COPD Guideline being developed by the HSE Clinical Programme for the management of this disease.
It is international standard best practice not to report rates for small numbers such as hospitals with less than 100 cases as outlined in the NHQRS Report. The number of cases for each hospital are, however, reported in the NHQRS.
216. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health to grant funding to a school (details supplied) in order that they may maintain the services they provide, after a hospital withdrew funding from the school, resulting in the loss of vocational education services. [17649/16]
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.
217. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if additional home help hours will be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17651/16]
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.
218. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the number of the 34 posts in the national forensic mental health service, which are required in order to meet more secure therapeutic environments for those persons who meet the criteria for section 21 (2) of the Mental Health Act, that have been filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17658/16]
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.
219. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the number of the seven dietician-clinical nurse specialists, required in 2016 to address the physical health needs of persons with severe and enduring mental illness, that have so far been appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17659/16]
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.
220. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health regarding progressing the implementation of the three existing clinical programmes in mental health services, the number of the two clinical leads, 12 local programme co-ordinators and 18 early intervention for psychosis workers, which have to be appointed in 2016, that are in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17660/16]
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.
221. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health if the €7.85 million funding for the proposed rehabilitation unit in Roscommon county hospital has been withdrawn; if so, on what grounds; and if the funding for the rehabilitation unit has been included in the Health Service Executive's 2016-2021 capital programme. [17663/16]
View answerRoscommon University Hospital is a Model 2 hospital within the Saolta University Healthcare Group. It provides a significant range of hospital services to patients in the region, including extended day surgery, certain acute medicine services and local injuries services. It also provides a wide array of diagnostic services (including endoscopy, laboratory medicine, point of care testing and radiology), as well as specialist rehabilitation medicine and palliative care. The Hospital has 86 in-patient beds, which includes an acute mental health unit.
Roscommon University Hospital plays an essential role as part of the Saolta Healthcare Group of hospitals and will continue to do so in the future. We know that the future growth in healthcare will be in the areas of chronic disease management and day surgery, diagnostics and rehabilitation. The activity levels of Model 2 hospitals, such as Roscommon University Hospital, will continue to increase over the coming years as these hospitals specialise in providing these services to meet the needs of their local populations.
A new Endoscopy Unit at the Hospital opened on a phased basis on 1 June, 2016. When fully operational, all endoscopy procedures will be carried in the new Unit, freeing up theatre capacity for more day surgery cases to be carried out in Roscommon. The official opening of the unit will take place later this year.
The Specialist Rehabilitation Unit planned for Roscommon University Hospital was one of the many projects in the HSE multi-annual Capital Plan 2015-2019 and internal HSE approval was granted to progress the development of the Rehabilitation Unit in 2015. The spatial plan for Roscommon Hospital was approved in the first quarter of 2016 and the project team, comprising hospital/clinical and Estates personnel, is currently being assembled.
Following this work by the project team, the project will move to the next stage. The HSE has advised the Department of Health that funding for the project would be considered in the 2017-2021 multi-annual period. It is my expectation that every effort will be made to fund this project as early as possible in that time period.
222. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to move the primary care centre in Monksland, south Roscommon from the Galway-Roscommon-Mayo area, CHO2, into the Laois-Offaly, Longford-Westmeath, Louth-Meath community health organisation CHO8; and if so, the rationale or reasoning behind such a proposal. [17664/16]
View answerIt is very important to stress that, from the point of view of people using the wide range of services provided by the HSE at community level, the management structures which overlay these should be of little or no consequence. The objective is to ensure that services are responsive to people’s needs and enable them to receive a joined-up service that results in the most favourable health outcomes for patients.
The HSE has indicated that Monksland Primary Care Centre is currently located in CHO Area 2 (Mayo/Galway/Roscommon) and that no decision has been made to transfer this Centre to CHO Area 8.
