Written Answers Nos. 537-556
537. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the number of patients of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, who were diagnosed with multidrug-resistant bugs in each year over the past five years. [37123/16]
View answer538. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the number of patients of Louth County Hospital, Dundalk, who were diagnosed with multidrug-resistant bugs in each year over the past five years. [37124/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 537 and 538 together.
As these are service matters the questions have been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
The prevention and control of healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) has been a significant patient safety and public health priority for the Department of Health for numerous years. Ireland is fully committed to and engaged in addressing resolution of the problem of HCAI and AMR and will continue to collaborate at international, EU and national levels to this end.
539. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the number of patients in nursing homes in County Louth who were diagnosed with multidrug-resistant bugs in each year over the past five years. [37125/16]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
540. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 97 of 18 October 2016, if the figures provided in tabular form in reply to the question include the 78 midwives recruited since moneys were allocated to recruit 100 additional midwives or if the figures pertain to the period before that recruitment took place. [37158/16]
View answerIn relation to this particular query, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
541. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health if he will commence a health technology assessment to assess the benefits and cost-effectiveness through the HSE of FreeStyle Libre, a sensor for measuring blood sugars, with a view to making it available on the General Medical Services, GMS, and long-term illness card, in view of the fact that this technology is available on the Irish market through a website (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37159/16]
View answerThe HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the community drug schemes in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
542. Deputy Michael Harty asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a personal budget for persons with disabilities to allow them to fund their own services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37160/16]
View answerOne of the Government's key objectives is to provide people with disabilities with services and supports which will empower them to live independent lives, provide them with 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. To achieve this aim, the Programme for Government provided a commitment to the establishment of a Task Force on Personalised Budgets.
The Task Force has two components - a Strategy Group and an Advisory and Consultative Group - and its remit is to make recommendations on a personalised budgets model which will give people with disabilities more control in accessing health funded personal social services, giving them greater independence and choice in accessing services which best meet their individual needs.
The Task Force comprising both the Strategy Group and Advisory and Consultative Groups met in plenary session on 13th October and is now undertaking an ambitious work programme. The Task Force aims to recommend an approach and a suggested implementation strategy for the Government’s consideration by the end of 2017.
543. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health if there has been a change to statutory instrument No. 654 of 2004, Maternity Protection (Protection of Mothers Who Are Breastfeeding) Regulations 2004, specifically the timeframe from six months to two years; and if school principals and boards are obliged to facilitate mothers who wish to pump breast milk during their working day. [37164/16]
View answerThere has been no change to statutory instrument number 654 of 2004 from the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform in relation to the provision of Lactation or Breastfeeding breaks.
In relation to schools, the support of school principals in facilitating staff returning to work who need to express milk would be very welcome. As well as ensuring that the staff member maintains her milk supply enabling her to continue to breastfeed, expressing helps to reduce discomfort and prevent mastitis, which could result in absenteeism.
In Ireland, current entitlement to Lactation or Breastfeeding breaks for working mothers is up to 26 weeks after the date of confinement (estimated delivery date). Teachers returning to work after this time need to negotiate arrangements with their principals.
545. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an ear, nose and throat, ENT, assessment for a person (details supplied); the reason the person has been referred to Mallow General Hospital instead of the nearest hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37170/16]
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.
The scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
546. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the number of vacancies on each board and State agency under the remit of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37174/16]
View answerThe nomination and appointment process for boards of bodies under the aegis of my Department is set out in legislation. In line with Government Decision S180/20/10/1617 of 2014 and Guidelines set out by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform relating to the advertising for expressions of interest in vacancies on State Boards, my Department in conjunction with the Public Appointments Service currently advertises for board vacancies as they arise, where I, as Minister for Health, have nominating rights under relevant legislation. I also appoint members on the nomination of various bodies, again in accordance with the relevant legislation.
The following table sets out the information requested by the Deputy.
|
Board |
Current Number of Vacancies |
|
Consultative Council on Hepatitis C |
8 |
|
Dublin Dental Hospital Board |
2 |
|
National Paediatric Hospital Development Board |
1 |
|
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland |
1 |
|
Voluntary Health Insurance |
1 |
|
Health and Social Care Professionals Council |
5 |
|
Dietitians Registration Board |
3 |
|
Medical Scientists Registration Board |
1 |
|
Occupational Therapists Registration Board |
4 |
|
Optical Registration Board |
1 |
|
Physiotherapists Registration Board |
3 |
|
Social Workers Registration Board |
2 |
|
Speech and Language Therapists Registration Board |
4 |
In addition, I will make appointments to fill the 8 vacancies on the board of the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council this week.
547. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide funding to make dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, DEXA, scan services available to public patients at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37176/16]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
548. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the bacillus Calmette-Guérin, BCG, vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37186/16]
View answerThere is only one licensed supplier of BCG vaccine to Ireland and to other countries within the EU. The manufacturer has had difficulties in the production of the BCG vaccine. Since this problem became apparent, the HSE National Immunisation Office has been in regular contact with the manufacturer of the BCG vaccine to ascertain when the vaccine might be available. The HSE has also asked the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), which licenses and regulates all human medicines in Ireland, to source an alternate supplier of the BCG vaccine. Efforts have been made to find a company that can provide the vaccine for use in Ireland which satisfies all the HPRA requirements on safety and efficacy. There has been a worldwide shortage for over two years and to date no suitable alternative BCG product has been found. Therefore the HSE has been unable to procure the BCG vaccine from any other source and still awaits the product from the HPRA licensed supplier of the vaccine.
The supplier has indicated that supplies of the vaccine are not expected to be delivered into Ireland until early 2017. When there is confirmation of the date of new supply, the HSE will be guided by the recommendations of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee on its administration.
549. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) is eligible for medical treatment under the cross-Border health care directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37197/16]
View answerThe Health Service Executive operates the EU Directive on Patients’ Rights in Cross Border Healthcare in Ireland. In line with practice in other EU Member States, the HSE, through the National Contact Point (NCP) office, provides information for patients on the Cross-Border Directive on its website - www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/schemes/cbd/ - and also by phone. The principal function of the NCP (which is the mechanism specified under the Directive for the dissemination of information on the Directive by Member States) is to facilitate exchange of information for patients concerning their rights and entitlements relating to receiving healthcare in another Member State, in particular the terms and conditions for reimbursement of cost and the procedures for accessing and determining those entitlements.
The NCP also has a responsibility to ensure that all enquirers are informed of the right to healthcare, if any, that they may have through the European legislation on the coordination of social security schemes (EU Regulation 883/04) and which may be more beneficial to them. The NCP is able to inform patients what the cost of their treatments would be in Ireland to allow them make a comparison with the costs they are being quoted for comparable treatment in another Member State.
Similar to other healthcare schemes operated by EU Member States under Community legislation, access to healthcare abroad under the Cross-Border Healthcare Directive is based on patients following public patient pathways, hence the HSE has in particular concentrated on informing the doctors who make the referrals.
In order to determine if a patient is eligible under CBD an application must be submitted to the NCP. The contact details are: Cross Border Directive Office at 056 778 4547 or 056 778 4546 or 056 778 4556.
550. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health the number of consultant paediatricians currently employed in approved posts. [37201/16]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
551. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the funding provided to County Louth over the previous three years, 2014 to 2016, by project name, location and funding amount, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37224/16]
View answer552. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the applications submitted for funding projects from Louth County Council in each of the years 2014 to 2016 in tabular form; and if the applications were successful. [37240/16]
View answer553. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the funding for projects in 2017 in County Louth to be funded by his Department by project name, location and funding amount, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37256/16]
View answer554. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the funding provided to County Meath over the previous three years, 2014 to 2016, by project name, location and funding amount in tabular form. [37272/16]
View answer555. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the applications submitted for funding and projects from Meath County Council in each of the years 2014 to 2016, in tabular form; if the applications were successful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37288/16]
View answer556. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the funding for projects in 2017 in County Meath to be funded by his Department by project name, location and funding amount, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37304/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 551 to 556, inclusive, together.
My Department administers a National Lottery Discretionary Fund from which once off grants are made to community and voluntary organisations providing a range of health related services. Lottery funding provided in each of the years 2014 to 2016 amounted to €3.286 million.
A list of all the organisations that received lottery funding in 2014, 2015 and 2016 is available on my Department's website at http://health.gov.ie/about-us/national-lottery-grant-scheme/list-of-approved-national-lottery-grants/.
My Department has not received any applications for lottery funding in 2017.
