Written Answers Nos. 660-680
660. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health for details of the four demonstrator sites established in community health care organisations, CHOs, to implement a new model of practice for the management of children with non-complex needs in primary care in collaboration with mental health and social care services. [24088/16]
View answerThe HSE is committed to addressing the mental health needs of those under age 18 by developing services, as outlined in the HSE Mental Health Operational Plan 2016. Along with the expansion of CAMHS services generally, 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.
As the details raised in the question relates to a service issue, the 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.
661. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the percentage of medical card-GP visit card applications being accurately processed within 15 days. [24089/16]
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.
662. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when the individual health identifiers register will be designed and built. [24090/16]
View answerIn September 2015 the relevant provisions of the Health Identifiers Act 2014 to establish the Individual Health Identifier Register were commenced. These provide for the establishment of systems of identifiers for clients and for healthcare providers, both professionals and organisations. They also allow for Individual Health Identifiers to be assigned to individuals and to establish the related governance structure. Operational responsibility for the identifier system has been delegated to the HSE as provided for in the Act. The data to establish the register is leveraging the work that is ongoing in supporting the Public Services Card initiative by the Department of Social Protection. The register and supporting infrastructure has been designed and built and is currently being tested. The next step is to populate the register with live data. As the Health Identifiers Act is essentially a patient safety initiative to positively identify patients and clients it is important to ensure the validity of the data pertaining to each individual. It was anticipated that the register would have been in a full production environment by the end of Q2 2016 but there has been some slippage due to technical resource scheduling constraints and is now expected to be in place by end Q3 2016.
663. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the HSE plan for phased increased access to buprenorphine/naloxone and buprenorphine products within the context of available resources has been commenced; and the resources required for commencement. [24091/16]
View answerBuprenorphine-naloxone is a medicinal product, authorised as a substitution treatment for opioid drug dependence within a framework of medical, social and psychological treatment. It is currently being provided to a cohort of patients involved in a piloting and feasibility study.
The report of an implementation group established by the HSE to determine the conditions to govern the wider availability of buprenorphine-naloxone recommends the phased increased access to the product for a cohort of patients in specific circumstances, subject to the required legislation being enacted to provide the product on the same statutory basis as methadone.
If the provision of buprenorphine-naloxone is to be given the same statutory basis as methadone, in order to ensure its safe appropriate and cost-effective use, an amendment to the Misuse of Drugs (Supervision of Prescription and Supply of Methadone) regulations 1998 will be required.
The Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016 is currently making its way through the Houses of the Oireachtas and will allow for the revocation of the previously confirmed regulations. It is hoped that this Bill can be enacted before the summer recess. New regulations will then be required to allow legitimate users, such as patients with a prescription and healthcare professionals, to possess the newly controlled substances. Work is underway on drafting these regulations as a matter of priority.
Any regulations made in relation to buprenorphine-naloxone will be drafted subsequent to this legislative agenda and will then be subject to the 3-month EU notification under the EU Technical Standards Directive.
The resource requirements for making buprenorphine-naloxone more widely available following the enactment of the required legislation will be examined in the context of the estimates process for 2017.
664. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the opioid treatment protocol has been implemented. [24092/16]
View answer666. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the HSE clinical guidelines for opioid substitution treatment, OST, have been launched. [24094/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 664 and 666 together.
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days he should contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
665. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if an addiction clinical lead has been appointed by the HSE. [24093/16]
View answerThe HSE has appointed a National Addiction Clinical Lead to strengthen the development and implementation of clinical governance structures in the HSE addiction services and in respect of services that receive funding from the HSE. The Clinical Lead also supports and advises on the delivery of national policy objectives and the actions of the HSE National Service Plan, which include supporting the establishment of the new Mental Health Clinical Programme for co-morbid Mental Illness and Substance Misuse.
667. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health to detail those hospital groups and community health care organisations that are currently implementing discharge protocols for homeless persons in acute hospitals and mental health facilities in tabular format. [24095/16]
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.
668. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if each Traveller health unit has developed a three to five year action plan based on identified priorities within their respective catchment. [24096/16]
View answer669. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health for details of the HSE review of arrangements in respect of addressing Traveller and Roma health needs in line with new community healthcare organisation, CHO, structures and processes; the findings of the review; the recommendations of same; and the timeframe for implementation. [24097/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 668 and 669 together.
As these are service matters, they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days he should contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
670. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the way in which the low uptake of vaccinations in the Roma community has been addressed by the HSE. [24098/16]
View answerThe collation of data regarding vaccinations is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE) and, as such, I have referred the question to the HSE for attention and direct reply. 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.
671. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the outcome of work by the HSE primary care division with community health care organisations to map existing models of interpreting provision, including details in respect of uptake, costs and outcomes. [24099/16]
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.
672. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the results of the survey of health service user experiences of using interpreting services in two settings. [24100/16]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, I would ask him to please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
673. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health to provide those community healthcare organisations, CHOs, in which TENI, Transgender Equality Network Ireland, training has been rolled out. [24101/16]
View answerI 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.
674. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the proportion of acute hospital staff who received seasonal 'flu vaccination in 2015-2016. [24102/16]
View answerThe collation of data regarding vaccinations is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE) and, as such, I have referred the question to the HSE for attention and direct reply. 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.
675. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if Beaumont Hospital has extended the elderly day hospital to a five-day service. [24103/16]
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.
676. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of additional consultants appointed in 2016 in the Mater Hospital acute medical assessment unit. [24104/16]
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.
677. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of additional consultants appointed in 2016 in the St. Vincent’s hospital acute medical assessment unit. [24105/16]
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.
678. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if additional home support services will be put in place to allow a person (details supplied) in County Donegal to remain in their own home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24116/16]
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.
680. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on a hospital (details supplied); the works being carried out; and when persons expect to return to this facility. [24132/16]
View answerAs the HSE is responsible for the management of the health care estate the Executive has been requested to reply directly to you on this matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office who will follow up.
