Billy Kelleher
Question:238. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will consider including multiple system atrophy as part of the long term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17739/16]
View answerLong-Term Illness Scheme Coverage
Questions (238)
Written answers
The Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act, 1970 (as amended). Regulations were made in 1971, 1973 and 1975 specifying the conditions covered by the LTI Scheme, which are as follows: acute leukaemia; mental handicap; cerebral palsy; mental illness (in a person under 16); cystic fibrosis; multiple sclerosis; diabetes insipidus; muscular dystrophies; diabetes mellitus; parkinsonism; epilepsy; phenylketonuria; haemophilia; spina bifida; hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide. There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the LTI Scheme.
Under the Drugs Payment Scheme, no individual or family pays more than €144 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The scheme significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals incurring ongoing expenditure on medicines.
Under the provisions of the Health Acts, medical cards are provided to persons who are unable, without undue hardship, to arrange health services for themselves and their dependants. In the assessment process, the HSE can take into account medical costs incurred by an individual or a family.
Orthodontic Services Provision
Questions (239)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:239. 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. [17740/16]
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.
Medical Aids and Appliances Applications
Questions (240)
Jackie Cahill
Question:240. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health the status of a an application for medical equipment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17741/16]
View answerWritten answers
As 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.
Orthodontic Services Provision
Questions (241)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:241. 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. [17742/16]
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 (242)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:242. 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. [17771/16]
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.
General Medical Services Scheme
Questions (243)
Willie Penrose
Question:243. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that persons (details supplied) who are the holders of a medical card and who wish to transfer to a doctor in the vicinity of where they now reside are allowed to do so because of the unusual circumstances in which they find themselves (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17785/16]
View answerWritten answers
The 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.
Drugs Payment Scheme Data
Questions (244)
Michael McGrath
Question:244. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the annual cost of the drug payment scheme; the annual number of beneficiaries of the scheme; the number of individual monthly claims, in each of the years from 2011 to 2016 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17795/16]
View answerWritten answers
Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the primary care schemes; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and 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.
Nursing Homes Support Scheme
Questions (245)
Michael McGrath
Question:245. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the amount raised by the State from charges on the estate of persons who received nursing home care under the nursing home support scheme in each of the years from 2011 to 2016 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17796/16]
View answerWritten answers
Under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, where an applicant’s assets include land and property in the State, the 7.5% contribution based on such assets may be deferred and collected from his or her estate after his or her death.
Under Section 26(2)(b) of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009 the Revenue Commissioners are the appointed agents for the State in the collection of the repayable monies under the loan element of the Scheme. The Revenue Commissioners and the HSE work together in the calculation of amounts due to be repaid to the State.
The Revenue Commissioners have advised the HSE that the amounts repaid to the State from 2011 to end April, 2016 are as follows:
|
Year |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|
Amount |
€1,417,502 |
€4,592,789 |
€5,902,913 |
€8,293,435 |
€12,006,089 |
€4,148,882 |
The loan can be repaid at any time but will ultimately fall due for repayment upon the applicant’s death.
Health Insurance Data
Questions (246)
Michael McGrath
Question:246. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of health insurance policies offered in the market here as at December 2011, December 2012, December 2013, December 2014, December 2015 and at present in 2016, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17803/16]
View answerWritten answers
The following table provides data received from the Health Insurance Authority regarding the number of health insurance policies available on the market for each end-year requested. This information is compiled in respect of the commercial health insurers.
|
Date |
Number of Plans |
|
December 2011 |
198 |
|
December 2012 |
234 |
|
December 2013 |
295 |
|
December 2014 |
374 |
|
December 2015 |
360 |
|
June 2016 |
354 |
Departmental Staff Recruitment
Questions (247)
Charlie McConalogue
Question:247. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health why the Health Service Executive has reintroduced a freeze on recruitment of front-line staff; if he will consider points raised in corresponsdence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17809/16]
View answerWritten answers
Arising from Budget 2015, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform announced an easing of restrictions on the employment of additional staff. The overriding principle now is one of affordability and compliance with allocated pay budgets which managers must forecast and monitor over the course of each year with the completion of a Pay and Numbers Strategy.
Recent measures taken in relation to service areas in the HSE remaining within budget have been portrayed, incorrectly, as a recruitment freeze. The HSE is currently working with the Department of Health on the finalisation of its 2016 Pay and Numbers Strategy. This has involved the development of detailed workforce plans at hospital and community service level.
These measures do not impact on a hospital’s ability to recruit where funding exists to facilitate that recruitment; for example in the case of funded replacement posts or where additional funding has been allocated for new positions under the HSE service plan. Recruitment can also take place in areas of critical care and emergency services.
The HSE has continuously increased staffing levels since the beginning of 2015. By the end of April this year, overall health service employee numbers had increased by over 6,000 whole time equivalents since the start of last year, with an extra 1,600 WTEs in the first four months of 2016 alone. The vast majority of these employees are in front line positions. Numbers in the Medical and Dental category increased by almost 600 WTEs or 6.5% since the start of 2015 while nursing figures rose by over 1,700 or 5% during the same timeframe.
It is this government’s intention to continue to grow the health budget as the economy improves and to obtain further resources to deliver the level of service that we all want to provide to our patients.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (248)
Robert Troy
Question:248. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health to expedite an appointment for a person (details supplied). [17823/16]
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.
Hospital Consultant Recruitment
Questions (249)
Thomas P. Broughan
Question:249. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the number of consultant posts, by specialty, that are currently vacant at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9; when the Health Service Executive was informed about each vacancy; when each of the vacancies will be filled on a permanent basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17837/16]
View answerWritten answers
I 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.
General Practitioner Data
Questions (250)
Thomas P. Broughan
Question:250. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the number of general practitioner vacancies in community care area 9. [17838/16]
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 the Executive.
Nursing Staff Provision
Questions (251)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:251. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of the shortage of nurses in Kerry mental health service, in particular male nurses (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17852/16]
View answerWritten answers
As 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.
Orthodontic Services Provision
Questions (252)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:252. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of dental treatment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17856/16]
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.