Written Answers Nos. 641-659
641. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the average delay that occurs in commencing home support following initial approval of such support in counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24058/16]
View answer642. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the proposals there are to recruit additional home support workers in counties Cavan and Monaghan as difficulties arise in some instances in commencing such support for persons following initial approval and also at holiday time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24059/16]
View answer643. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of home help hours approved for counties Cavan and Monaghan for 2016; the number approved to date; if the number of hours approved is likely to meet the demand for these supports in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24060/16]
View answer679. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of home help-home support hours provided in counties Cavan and Monaghan on an annual basis from 2010 to 2015 inclusive and to date in 2016; the proposals there are to increase the number of hours currently available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24117/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 641 to 643, inclusive and 679 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.
644. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health when additional child psychologists and child psychiatrists will be provided in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24063/16]
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.
645. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a medical card application will be processed for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24068/16]
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.
646. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a medical card application will be processed for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24069/16]
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.
647. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the national maternity strategy; the total funding that is to be provided for the strategy; the funding being provided in 2016; and the outputs and services being provided by the funding being provided in 2016. [24075/16]
View answerThe National Maternity Strategy 2016 - 2026 - Creating a Better Future Together - was published in January 2016 and sets out the vision for the future of Ireland's maternity services. The Strategy recommends that services should be woman-centred and provide integrated, team-based care, with women seeing the most appropriate professional, based on their need. A choice of care pathway will be provided and women will be helped to make an informed decision around their care pathway.
A National Women & Infants Health Programme is being established to lead the management, organisation and delivery of maternity, gynaecological and neonatal services by bringing together work that is currently undertaken across a number of HSE divisions. The Programme will develop a detailed Strategy implementation plan and timetable. Progress on the implementation of the Strategy will form part of the normal performance dialogue between the Department and the HSE and the Programme will submit an annual report to me which will be published.
The Strategy will give rise to both capital and revenue costs over the ten years 2017-2026. €3 million development funding has been provided for maternity services in the 2016 Service Plan; this funding will be allocated in line with the Strategy and includes the establishment of the National Women & Infants Health Programme and maternity networks, appointment of additional staff, development of specialist bereavement teams and implementation of the Maternal and Newborn Clinical Management System. It will be necessary for the Programme to examine the ongoing capital and revenue requirements at network and hospital level, and this work will inform the annual Estimates process.
648. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health to provide an updated projection on the number of medical cards to be provided in 2016; the additional costs that have arisen to date in 2016 owing to the HSE service plan’s projection not being met; and the likely full year costs in 2016 of the projection not being met. [24076/16]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to provide the Deputy with the information requested.
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.
649. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health with regard to the €110 million targeted reductions in drug and prescribing costs to be achieved by the primary care division of the HSE in 2016, the amount of this reduction that has been achieved to date; and the projections for 2016. [24077/16]
View answerAs the HSE has responsibility for this matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this issue. 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.
650. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the accreditation process for minor surgery in primary care has been finalised. [24078/16]
View answerAs this 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 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.
651. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the details of the primary care division diagnostics oversight group. [24079/16]
View answerAs this 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 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.
652. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the existing access gaps for GP direct access to X-ray have been mapped and identified; and if he will provide the details of these gaps. [24080/16]
View answerAs this 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 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.
653. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if a business plan for the delivery of counselling services to children 0-18 years of age has been received in his Department. [24081/16]
View answerThe HSE is committed to addressing the mental health needs of those under age 18 by developing services, including counselling services, as outlined in the HSE Mental Health Operational Plan 2016. The Plan provides for improved collaboration between the Mental Health and Primary Care Divisions of the Executive in the areas of Early Intervention and Counselling services aimed at young people, and it was in the context of agreeing the 2016 Plan overall that the latest initiatives on counselling were formulated. The Government will also shortly launch the Task Force on Youth Mental Health, which will focus on promoting positive mental health and resilience among young people.
As the question raised relates to a detailed service issue, in terms of how the Executive is progressing counselling services for young people at regional or local level, it 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.
654. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if a standard operating procedure for provision of school vision screening has been agreed and if school vision screening has now been standardised. [24082/16]
View answerAs 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.
655. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health for detail of the HSE’s speech and language therapy expert steering group and project group. [24083/16]
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.
656. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the review of data collection systems and definitions in line with the development of electronic referrals to community intervention teams has been completed. [24084/16]
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.
657. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if daily electronic reports on referrals to community intervention teams by source are being produced. [24085/16]
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.
658. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if a procurement tender, evaluation and award of contract for the community intervention team-outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy, CIT-OPAT management control centre has taken place. [24086/16]
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.
659. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health to detail the recommendations of the GP out-of-hours service review and if he will provide an update on the implementation of the recommendations in tabular format. [24087/16]
View answerAs this 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 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.
