Written Answers Nos. 167-174
167. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009 requires the Health Service Executive (HSE) to place the cost of care in long-term residential care and for the components that make up the cost before the Houses of the Oireachtas; and why this has not happened since March 2011 when the HSE last published the fees payable to its nursing homes for care provision. [18664/16]
View answer168. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health if he has concerns regarding breaches of competition law by his Department and the Health Service Executive in relation to the cost of care in State run nursing homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18665/16]
View answer169. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health why a report promised in a reply to a Parliamentary Question in February 2015 has not been published; his views on the review of costs undertaken and its conclusions; and if he agrees with the former Minister who stated the review would lead to good practice and value for money actions being embedded within spending for care in Health Service Executive nursing homes. [18666/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 167 to169, inclusive, together.
In relation to the cost of care in public residential facilities, the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act, 2009 provides that the components that make up the cost of care must be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas, and the HSE has complied with this requirement. There is no legal obligation under the Act for the HSE to publish the public cost of care.
Over the past number of years the cost of care for public nursing homes under the Scheme as published on the HSE website has not been updated as the HSE was undergoing a process to review all costs associated with both long stay and short stay care services provided in public facilities. This work was acknowledged in the Review of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, which was published by the Department of Health in July 2015. The HSE will, however, publish the cost of care for public residential care centres in September 2016 as part of a process to provide additional information on its services to the public.
It should be noted that more complex and highly dependent residents are catered for by the public system whereby private nursing homes may not have the available skillset and multidisciplinary personnel to cater for such complex needs. From an acute hospital discharge perspective the challenge to find suitable placements for those with more complex needs is often resolved in public centres where nurse staffing levels in particular can cater for their needs.
In addition, conditions of employment and tenure differ between private and public residential care facilities. Negotiations relating to the review of costs referred to by the Deputy, as mentioned in a reply to a Parliamentary Question in February 2015, have extended longer than anticipated. As part of the process to review and bring consistency to pay costs in public facilities, the HSE has been engaged in extensive negotiations with staff organisations to agree consistent staffing levels and mix in public centres. To date it has not been possible to get agreement despite extensive discussions under the auspices of the Haddington Road Agreement and the Joint Oversight Group. The HSE is now considering its options to focus on those centres with a higher cost of care and will also continue to strive to reach an overall framework agreement with the staff representative organisations.
It is important that public facilities operate as efficiently and economically as possible, and towards that end the Department of Health will conduct a Value for Money Review of public nursing home costs to identify more fully the factors that may be increasing costs and any areas that require correction.
I am not aware of any breaches of competition law arising in this context.
170. 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. [18678/16]
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.
171. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 326 of 20 April 2016, the number of hospital beds required by the number of patients undergoing full and partial lower limb amputation procedures in 2014 and 2015 by county, in tabular form. [18683/16]
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.
172. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health for an update on the prevention pillar of the national drugs strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18741/16]
View answerThe overall objective of the National Drugs Strategy is to tackle the harm caused to individuals and society by the misuse of drugs through a concerted focus on the five pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research. Periodic reviews of progress of the actions of the current Strategy are carried out through the Oversight Forum on Drugs, which I chair. The 2015 progress report on the implementation of the actions of the National Drugs Strategy is available on the Department's website at www.health.gov.ie.
Prevention programmes constitute a significant part of the Government's response to the drug problem, particularly among young persons. Substance use education in schools is provided in the context of Social Personal and Health Education. Local and Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Forces operate a range of education and prevention programmes in non-school settings, which aim to promote healthier lifestyle choices among young people and other vulnerable groups at risk of problem drug use. In addition, young people at risk of drug misuse can access diversionary programmes, facilities and services and family support. More information in relation to these initiatives, as well as information campaigns and harm reduction initiatives undertaken by the Health Service Executive, is available in the 2015 progress report on the Strategy referred to above.
Finally, my Department has commenced work on the development of a new Strategy for the period after 2016. This process will involve a comprehensive consultation with key stakeholders and the public on the current national drugs policy and future priorities. A Steering Committee with an independent chair has been set up to oversee the development of the new Strategy and focus groups have been established to advise the Committee on priorities for the next Strategy, which will include education and prevention measures.
174. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health his views on the efficacy of the national drugs strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18743/16]
View answerThe National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016 is a cross cutting area of public policy and service delivery, which requires a coordinated multi-sectoral approach to tackling the drugs problem. Periodic reviews of progress of the actions of the current Strategy are carried out through the Oversight Forum on Drugs, which I chair. The 2015 progress report on the implementation of the actions of the National Drugs Strategy is available on the Department’s website www.health.gov.ie.
As the Deputy will be aware, a Steering Committee has been established to advise me on a new National Drugs Strategy, which will take effect in 2017 when the current policy expires. A high level review of the current Strategy has been undertaken by a panel of international experts as part of this process, which includes consideration of the overall impact of the Strategy in tackling the drugs problem in Ireland and on progress in terms of developments internationally. The final report of the expert panel, which is expected shortly, will assist the Steering Committee in determining how the new Strategy should address problem drug use to meet the challenges ahead.
