Timmy Dooley
Question:293. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Health the status of the provision of adult audiology services in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22933/16]
View answerAudiology Services Provision
Questions (293)
Written 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 Waiting Lists
Questions (294)
Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:294. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health when an operation will be provided for a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22934/16]
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. 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 Staff Recruitment
Questions (295)
Mary Lou McDonald
Question:295. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if a clinical lead on dual diagnosis has been appointed by the HSE; if so, the name and remit of the person appointed; and the funding that has been made available to the person appointed. [22935/16]
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.
Departmental Investigations
Questions (296)
Mattie McGrath
Question:296. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health to investigate the matters outlined in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22936/16]
View answerWritten answers
Voluntary/non-statutory service providers have a long history of providing health and personal social services in Ireland. These organisations vary in scale and complexity, ranging from large acute hospitals to local community based organisations providing social care services. Funding provided to agencies for the provision of services under Section 38 of the Health Act 2004 relates to 23 non-acute agencies and 16 voluntary acute hospitals currently within the HSE Employment Control Framework.
Section 38 agencies have played a very important role in the development of our health and social care services. Some agencies delivering services under Section 38 arrangements are amongst the very best we have in terms of the quality of care provided and the systems of governance employed. However, there is a requirement for all such agencies to continually review their governance processes in order to ensure these are sufficiently robust.
The HSE has a Governance Framework in place which incorporates national standardised documentation, and guidance documents, that enables the HSE to contractually underpin the grant-funding provided to all voluntary and non-statutory Service Providers. This Framework seeks to ensure the standard and consistent application of good governance principles, which are robust and effective, to ensure that both the HSE and the Providers meet their respective obligations. It is reviewed and updated as required.
The HSE established a Compliance Unit in late 2014 to strengthen the system of oversight for Section 38 and 39 Providers. A key element of this oversight are the Service Arrangements Part 1 & Part 2, which underpin the HSE's relationship with the Service Providers and in this context, a comprehensive review of the SA documentation (Parts 1 and 2) was conducted in 2014/2015 to further strengthen the governance with Providers. This review involved input from all relevant internal stakeholders and also an extensive engagement took place with representative bodies from the voluntary sector. This has resulted in a strengthening of oversight arrangements for these agencies.
Service Arrangements with agencies under Section 38 and 39 of the Health Act involves the purchase of health and social services from agencies in accordance with strict criteria set out in governance documents and outlined in the National Financial Regulation, NFR- 31 Grants to Outside Agencies and detailed in a comprehensive operational manual.
I have no plans to amend the Health Act to change the current arrangements. The HSE will review all Section 38 Providers during the period 2016-2018. These reviews involve an examination of key governance processes and documents, including obtaining confirmation that there are internal financial controls and that formal financial procedures are in place in these organisations. Six of these reviews are currently underway. The outcomes of the reviews will both inform the HSE’s relationship with the agency concerned and any further enhancement of the HSE’s overall governance framework.
Primary Care Services Provision
Questions (297)
Pat Casey
Question:297. Deputy Pat Casey asked the Minister for Health the variety and level of current services provided at Tinahely health centre; his plans to retain these services at that location; if there is any proposal to move these services to the Carnew primary health care centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22950/16]
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.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Questions (298)
Catherine Connolly
Question:298. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the status of the case of a person, (details supplied) including when the person will receive an appointment. [22973/16]
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. 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 Waiting Lists
Questions (299)
Catherine Connolly
Question:299. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the status of the case of a person, (details supplied) including when the person will receive an appointment. [22974/16]
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. 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.
Primary Care Centres Provision
Questions (300)
John Curran
Question:300. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the status of the provision of a primary health care centre in Lucan, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22980/16]
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.
Primary Care Centres Provision
Questions (301)
John Curran
Question:301. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the status of the provision of a primary health care centre in Rowlagh, Dublin 22; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22981/16]
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.
Primary Care Centres Provision
Questions (302)
John Curran
Question:302. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the status of the provision of a primary health care centre in Clondalkin, Dublin 22; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22982/16]
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.
Home Care Packages Data
Questions (303, 304)
John Curran
Question:303. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health his proposals to increase the number of hours under the home help scheme and the number of home care packages, in the HSE's Dublin west region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22983/16]
View answerJohn Curran
Question:304. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that the home care package is exhausted in the Health Service Executive's Dublin west area; since April 2016; if he will provide extra funding for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22984/16]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 303 and 304 together.
As these are service matters they have 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.
Emergency Departments Closures
Questions (305)
Pat Casey
Question:305. Deputy Pat Casey asked the Minister for Health the current and future status of emergency services provided by Wexford General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22994/16]
View answerWritten answers
I would like to reassure the Deputy, on foot of recent reports in the media concerning trauma services, that the work underway in developing a policy on a national trauma policy is about getting the best outcomes for a particular, small category of patients who sustain traumatic injuries. It is not about closing Emergency Departments or diminishing services. There are currently no plans to close or remove trauma services from any hospital. To put this in context, Emergency Departments provide 24/7 access for emergency and urgent presentations across the spectrum of medical and surgical conditions and major trauma patients represent a very small percentage of total Emergency Department activity.
A trauma patient needs access to the best service that has the right resources to match their often multiple and critical needs in the shortest time possible. The aim of developing national policy on trauma networks is to ensure that trauma patients are brought to the right place at the right time for the right care so they can make the best recovery possible. It is about building on the strengths of pre-hospital care, all of our acute hospitals and post-acute services to provide an optimal configuration of trauma services. The implementation of Hospital Groups provides an opportunity for hospitals to work together to enhance trauma services for patients. Each Hospital Group will develop a Strategic Plan to describe how they will provide more efficient and effective patient services and reorganise their services across the Group to provide optimal care to the populations they serve and future arrangements for trauma management will be informed by trauma policy.
The need for a national trauma system has been recognised for many years. In June 2015 the National Clinical Programme for Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery published the Model of Care for trauma and orthopaedic surgery and strongly recommended that a national approach to trauma services should be taken. The RCSI (the professional body representing all surgeons and emergency medicine specialists) also called for its establishment at their annual scientific meeting last year.
Last year, the then Minister for Health appointed a National Steering Group to develop policy on a major trauma system for Ireland. This is a joint initiative from the Department of Health and the HSE, developed in recognition that we do not have a coordinated trauma network structure in Ireland.
The Steering Group has been working with the Department of Health, the HSE and all relevant HSE National Clinical Leads, including Surgery, Pre-Hospital Emergency Care, Critical Care, Orthopaedics and Trauma on the development of the policy. The group has not yet reported, I have not seen any output from this group and the Group's recommendations are not expected until later this year.
Services for People with Disabilities
Questions (306)
Bernard Durkan
Question:306. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase the number of speech therapists and occupational therapists for children with disabilities; his plans, if any, to co-ordinate with the Department of Education and Skills to facilitate the delivery of these required services while the children are in school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22998/16]
View answerWritten answers
The 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 ad they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
Services for People with Disabilities
Questions (307)
Bernard Durkan
Question:307. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase psychological supports for children with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22999/16]
View answerWritten answers
The 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 ad they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
Services for People with Disabilities
Questions (308)
Bernard Durkan
Question:308. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure the placement of parent representatives on the progressing disability services steering group with particular reference to ensure co-ordinated efforts when planning adequate care and support for children with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23000/16]
View answerWritten answers
The 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 ad they will follow the matter up with the HSE.