Mary Butler
Question:451. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an appointment for a person (details supplied). [28467/16]
View answerHospital Waiting Lists
Questions (451)
Written 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 National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the HSE, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
Long-Term Illness Scheme Eligibility
Questions (452)
Seán Haughey
Question:452. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health if he will amend the legislation dealing with the long-term illness scheme to ensure that the mitochondrial disorder known as CPEO is classified as a long-term illness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28468/16]
View answerWritten answers
The LTI Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act 1970 (as amended). The conditions covered by the LTI are: 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. Under the LTI, patients receive drugs, medicines, and medical and surgical appliances directly related to the treatment of their illness, free of charge.
There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the Scheme.
HSE Staff
Questions (453, 454)
Carol Nolan
Question:453. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the measures his Department has taken to retain nursing staff and reduce the annual spend on agency staff within the health sector; if he has specifically considered any measures to reduce early retirement, in particular, among nursing staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28493/16]
View answerCarol Nolan
Question:454. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if his Department has considered any measures to incentivise nurses and health care staff to work public holidays; if the terms of the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 has had any adverse impact on the availability of staff for public holidays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28495/16]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 453 and 454 together.
Nursing and midwifery recruitment and retention is a priority for the health service. The HSE is focused on offering graduating nurses and midwives permanent posts and on replacing agency staff with permanent staff.
Recruitment of additional nurses is the subject of considerable ongoing activity by the HSE and voluntary hospitals with campaigns in train in Ireland and abroad with a relocation package of up to €1,500 available to nurses who return from overseas. The campaigns encompass General, Mental Health, Intellectual Disability and Registered Children's Nurses, and also Midwives.
Within the Mental Health Sector, where there are particular difficulties at present, a number of measures have been introduced to increase nurse staffing levels in the short and long term. In the short term this Department issued a Circular to the HSE National Director of HR to allow a derogation from public pay policy for mental health nurse retirees to return to work for the HSE beyond the first point of the mental health nurse salary scale typically at the LSI point. In addition to this it was agreed that from 1st September 50% of the Community Allowance will be restored and the remaining 50% will be paid from 1st January 2017 (and backdated to 1st September 2016) for nurses who take up positions in the community. To address the long term staffing levels there has been an increase of 60 additional mental health student nurses for 2016 and an additional 70 places have been agreed for 2017. Efforts will continue to address the recruitment and retention issues within the Mental Health Sector.
All of the measures mentioned above will facilitate the recruitment and retention of nursing staff at all grades and disciplines within the Irish health service. My Department is in regular contact with the HSE on matters concerning the recruitment of nurses and midwives and other key staff.
The Organisation Of Working Time Act 1997 provides a level of protection to employees on health and safety grounds, states that the maximum average working week should not exceed 48 hours and specifies public holiday entitlements. The HSE terms and conditions of employment for staff in the health services who work public holidays meet and in some instances exceed those set out in the Act. Historically the average working week of junior hospital doctors would have been significantly more than 48 hours. Following intensive efforts by management over the past three years, in conjunction with the IMO, the working week of 80% of doctors is now in accordance with the Act and the related EU Directive. This in the interests of the doctors and patients and the aim is to progress to 100% compliance.
Home Care Packages Expenditure
Questions (455)
Catherine Connolly
Question:455. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the funding made available for home help and home care packages for the community health care organisation, CHO, area 2 comprising Galway, Mayo and Roscommon in each of the past five years; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this area has spent in excess of those funds which were provided; the amount of those excesses; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the decision has now been taken to bring the level of service and expenditure into equilibrium with allocated budgets, notwithstanding that patients and families are suffering as a result of insufficient home help and home care packages or that patients cannot be discharged from hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28517/16]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
Home Care Packages Provision
Questions (456)
Catherine Connolly
Question:456. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to increase home care and home help for a person (details supplied) to allow for discharge from hospital. [28518/16]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
Home Help Service
Questions (457)
Michael McGrath
Question:457. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health if the HSE has a policy of outsourcing the home help service to private contractors; the total number of home help hours expected to be provided in 2016; the number provided in this regard by home help assistants employed by the HSE, by private companies or contractors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28519/16]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
Care of the Elderly Provision
Questions (458)
Michael McGrath
Question:458. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 333 of 28 April 2015, the current status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28521/16]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter it has again been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
Services for People with Disabilities
Questions (459)
John Lahart
Question:459. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase the personal assistance hours for wheelchair users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28532/16]
View answerWritten answers
In 2016, the HSE has sought to maximise the provision of health and personal social services, including personal assistant services, for people with a disability, within available resources. In their 2016 National Service Plan, the HSE's priority is to provide 1.3 million hours of personal assistance to more than 2,000 people with a disability. This is the same activity level that was funded in 2014 and 2015. PA hours are reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure that the service is at all times responsive to client's needs and that the hours available are allocated appropriately and in a timely manner. The HSE has confirmed that in excess of €30 million is spent annually on the provision of PA Services.
The HSE funds a range of assisted living services, including personal assistant services, to support individuals to live full and independent lives. The personal assistant works on a one-to-one basis with the person with a disability both in the home and in the community. A vital element of this personalised support is the full involvement of the individual service user in planning and agreeing the type of support and the time that support is required. Assisted living services are provided either directly by the HSE or in partnership with a range of voluntary service providers, such as the Irish Wheelchair Association.
Any increases in demand for personal assistant services due to demographic pressures and changing needs must be met within the level of resources available. As the Deputy will be aware, the level of funding available for the HSE is being considered as part of the national estimates / budgetary process for 2017, which is currently underway. Following this process, the HSE will then prepare its National Service Plan for 2017. Pending agreement of the National Service Plan, I am not in a position to comment on service levels, including personal assistant hours, to be provided in 2017.
National Drugs Strategy Budget
Questions (460)
John Lahart
Question:460. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health his plans to allocate additional funding to support the national drugs strategy in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28533/16]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy will be aware, a Steering Committee, with an independent chair, has been established to advise me on a new National Drugs Strategy, which will take effect in 2017, when the current policy expires
The provision of resources to support the implementation of the new Strategy will be determined in the context of the estimates process.
Legislative Programme
Questions (461)
John Curran
Question:461. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health when he will advance all Stages of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015 [Seanad] through the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28536/16]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy may be aware, the Bill was initiated in the Seanad last December and remains a priority for this Government. It has now been restored on the Seanad Order paper and I would expect to see it progress through the Houses of the Oireachtas this Autumn.
The aim of the Bill is to reduce consumption to the OECD average by 2020 (i.e. 9.1 litres of pure alcohol per capita) and the harms caused by alcohol. This is part of a suite of measures agreed by the Government in 2013 on foot of the recommendations in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy. The Bill is one of a number of measures being taken under the Healthy Ireland Framework.
The Bill includes the following main provisions:
- minimum unit pricing;
- health labelling of alcohol products;
- the regulation of advertising and sponsorship of alcohol products;
- the regulation of sponsorship;
- structural separation of alcohol products in mixed trading outlets; and
- the regulation of the sale and supply of alcohol in certain circumstances.
Motorised Transport Grant Closure
Questions (462)
Thomas Byrne
Question:462. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Health when he envisages an alternative to the motorised transport grant, which was discontinued in 2013, will commence and begin accepting applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28572/16]
View answerWritten answers
Conscious of the reports of the Ombudsman in 2013 regarding the legal status of both the Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport Grant Schemes in the context of the Equal Status Acts, the Government decided to close both schemes. As a result, the Motorised Transport Grant has not been in place for over 3 years and there are no plans for its restoration on the basis of which it was previously operated. However, the Government is aware of the continuing needs of people with a disability who rely on individual payments which support choice and independence. In that regard, monthly payments of up to €208.50 have continued to be made by the Health Service Executive to 4,700 people who were in receipt of the Mobility Allowance.
The Government decided that the detailed preparatory work required for a new Transport Support Scheme and associated statutory provisions should be progressed by the Department of Health. In that regard, I can confirm that work is at an advanced stage on policy proposals for the drafting of primary legislation for this new scheme. I anticipate that this will be brought to Government shortly.
Occupational Therapy
Questions (463)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:463. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment for occupational therapy for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28574/16]
View answerWritten answers
As 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.
Home Help Service Data
Questions (464)
Michael Moynihan
Question:464. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on waiting lists for home help hours in County Cork in the 12 months up to the end of August 2016; the total amount of home help hours that were provided in the same period; the corresponding number of home help hours that were provided in the previous 12 months to the end of August 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28579/16]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
Prescriptions Charges
Questions (465)
Thomas P. Broughan
Question:465. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost in a full year if the prescription charges were abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28584/16]
View answerWritten answers
The estimated cost of abolishing drug prescription charges for medical card holders is approximately €120 million per year.
Home Care Packages Funding
Questions (466)
Gino Kenny
Question:466. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he will fund home care packages on a demand-led basis to reduce the unnecessary suffering and financial costs of delayed discharges from hospital and residential care; if he will quantify these financial costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28592/16]
View answerWritten answers
Home care services are critical to allow older people to stay in their own homes for as long as possible and to avoid excessive admissions to acute hospitals. It is clear that the resources available for home supports need to be strengthened and we have committed in the Programme for Government to improving the situation. As a first step, an additional €40 million has been made available for the maintenance and development of home care services to the end of 2016, including €10 million as part of the HSE's Winter Initiative Plan 2016/2017 for an extra 950 Home Care Packages. These will be targeted at 10 specific hospitals over the winter plan period.
The Government is committed to improving the resourcing of home care services as a priority in the period ahead. I am also considering how the service can be optimally structured to meet the needs of clients in as consistent and transparent a way as possible within the resources available at any given time. In this context the Health Research Board has been asked to carry out an evidence review to examine the regulation and funding of home care services in comparable jurisdictions. This should be completed by the end of the year and will inform future decisions about the structure and governance of home care services.
Medical Card Applications
Questions (467)
Bernard Durkan
Question:467. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health when a medical card will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28593/16]
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 was issued to Oireachtas members.
Motorised Transport Grant Applications
Questions (468)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:468. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a request by a person (details supplied) for a new motorised scooter from the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28595/16]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
Question No. 469 answered with Question No. 350.
Services for People with Disabilities
Questions (470)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:470. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the future of a home (details supplied); if there are plans to close this facility; in the event of closure, his plans for residents and those employed in this facility; if there has been any form of consultation with the families and the employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28602/16]
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 a service matter, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
Primary Care Centres Provision
Questions (471)
Seán Sherlock
Question:471. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the progress regarding the construction of the Celbridge primary care centre in County Kildare, which commenced construction in September 2015; and if the centre will open in January 2017. [28603/16]
View answerWritten answers
The Deputy's question has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply as the management of the healthcare property estate is a service matter.
Obesity Strategy
Questions (472)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:472. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health if the Government has a national nutrition and healthy food strategy; if not, his plans to produce one; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28613/16]
View answerWritten answers
A key recommendation in the Obesity Policy and Action Plan "A Healthy Weight for Ireland" is the development and implementation of a Nutrition Policy and Action Plan. A proposal for this Policy is being developed by the Department of Health in the coming months and work on the policy will commence in 2017.
Hospital Services
Questions (473)
Robert Troy
Question:473. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide assistance to a person (details supplied) who requires a number of scans and cannot afford to pay for them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28618/16]
View answerWritten answers
In accordance with the provisions of the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is based primarily on the undue financial hardship test. The Act obliges the HSE to assess whether a person is unable, without undue hardship, to arrange general practitioner services for himself or herself and his or her family, having regard to his or her overall financial position and reasonable expenditure, and every application must be assessed on that basis.
Every effort is made by the HSE, within the framework of the legislation, to support applicants in applying for a medical card and, in particular, to take full account of the difficult circumstances in the case of applicants who may be in excess of the income guidelines.
In certain circumstances, the HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card, even though an applicant exceeds his or her income threshold, where he or she faces difficult financial circumstances, such as extra costs arising from an illness. Social and medical issues are considered when determining whether undue hardship exists for an individual accessing general practitioner or other medical services.
The person in question should contact the HSE directly to discuss whether they may be eligible for a medical card. HSE local health offices provide assistance to anyone completing the medical card application form.
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.
Services for People with Disabilities
Questions (474)
Joan Collins
Question:474. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health his views on whether personal assistance hours for persons with disabilities need to be increased by at least an additional 500,000 hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28619/16]
View answerWritten answers
In 2016, the HSE has sought to maximise the provision of health and personal social services, including personal assistant services, for people with a disability, within available resources. In their 2016 National Service Plan, the HSE's priority is to provide 1.3 million hours of personal assistance to more than 2,000 people with a disability. This is the same activity level that was funded in 2014 and 2015. PA hours are reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure that the service is at all times responsive to client's needs and that the hours available are allocated appropriately and in a timely manner. The HSE has confirmed that in excess of €30 million is spent annually on the provision of PA Services.
The HSE funds a range of assisted living services, including personal assistant services, to support individuals to live full and independent lives. The personal assistant works on a one-to-one basis with the person with a disability both in the home and in the community. A vital element of this personalised support is the full involvement of the individual service user in planning and agreeing the type of support and the time that support is required. Assisted living services are provided either directly by the HSE or in partnership with a range of voluntary service providers.
Any increases in demand for personal assistant services due to demographic pressures and changing needs must be met within the level of resources available. As the Deputy will be aware, the level of funding available for the HSE is being considered as part of the national estimates/budgetary process for 2017, which is currently underway. Following this process, the HSE will then prepare its National Service Plan for 2017. Pending agreement of the National Services plan, I am not in a position to comment on service levels, including personal assistant hours, to be provided in 2017.