Tuesday, 7 Mar 2017

Written Answers Nos. 533-549

Services for People with Disabilities

Questions (533)

Mattie McGrath

Question:

533. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of children waiting for access to early intervention services in County Tipperary; the average waiting times for assessment of needs; the reason the HSE will not accept a diagnosis obtained from a private practitioner due to the delays in obtaining an assessment of needs from the HSE; the number of staff working with the early intervention teams in County Tipperary; the number of vacant posts associated with the early intervention team in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11517/17]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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.

Health Services Data

Questions (534)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

534. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of persons waiting to see a paediatrician or a geriatrician in counties Meath and Louth both publicly and privately; and the average and longest wait for all four categories. [11518/17]

Written answers

Minister for Health

In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.

Hospital Facilities

Questions (535)

Declan Breathnach

Question:

535. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Health if the five new operating theatres and emergency departments will be fully equipped and commissioned to function as per planning permission when the phase two building at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital is complete in November 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11519/17]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The project underway at OLOL is a phased project. The full fit out of two ward floors which will provide 58 beds and the Clinical Decision Unit will be completed by November 2017.

Any future investment must be considered within the overall acute hospital infrastructure programme, the prioritised needs of the Hospital Groups and within the overall capital envelope available to the health service.

My Department is working with the HSE and the Department of Pubic Expenditure and Reform to conduct a mid-term review of the capital programme. The HSE will continue to apply the available funding for infrastructure development in the most effective way possible to meet current and future needs, having regard to the level of commitments and the costs to completion already in place.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (536)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

536. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11520/17]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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. 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 you directly.

Pharmaceutical Sector

Questions (537)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

537. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the consultation process regarding temporary absence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11525/17]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Pharmaceutical Assistants (PAs) are registered with the pharmacy regulator, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI), and under section 30(1) of the Pharmacy Act 2007 may perform the same functions as a pharmacist, in the temporary absence of a pharmacist, with the exception of functions that are restricted to pharmacists under specific medicines legislation, such as vaccination services.

Section 30(2) of the Act provides for the PSI Council to make rules (with the consent of the Minister) defining temporary absence and also what may or may not be done by a pharmaceutical assistant when acting on behalf of a registered pharmacist.

In 2013, the PSI Council directed that a policy position be developed to enable and facilitate the drafting of rules relating to the circumstances in which a registered PA may act in the temporary absence of a registered pharmacist. The PSI Registration and Qualification Recognition Committee (RQR) was assigned responsibility to progress this work. A Pharmaceutical Assistant was sought to join this Committee and was appointed by the PSI Council in March 2014.

The PSI developed the draft Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (Regulation of Temporary Absence Cover by Pharmaceutical Assistants) Rules 2016 following debate and engagement with interested parties including the PAA who it has met on numerous occasions.

The draft Rules were issued for consultation on 8 February 2016, ending on 7 March 2016 and circa 700 submissions were received. An analysis of the submissions received has been concluded. The matter is to be considered further by the PSI Council at its next meeting on 23 March 2017.

These draft Rules have yet to be formally submitted to me. If the PSI Council decides to submit them I will then give consideration to the Rules.

Health Care Infrastructure Provision

Questions (538)

Joan Burton

Question:

538. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Health the level of construction inflation that has been experienced by his Department in each of the past six years and to date in 2017 in respect of construction projects and other capital projects; the way in which he monitors construction inflation and the mechanisms he employs to establish this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11538/17]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The HSE is responsible for the delivery of health care infrastructure projects. Therefore, the Executive has been requested to reply directly to you in relation to construction inflation. There are a number of smaller agencies such as the Health Research Board, Health Information and Quality Authority, CORU and the National Cancer Registry which receive capital funding from my Department, the annual capital allocation is €14.527m. The bulk of this annual funding, circa €10m, is allocated to the HRB for health research and the remainder is allocated for office equipment, ICT, refurbishment and office fit-out. Inflation is not monitored in relation to instances of office fit-out.

Hardship Grant Scheme Applications

Questions (539)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

539. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if required support will issue under the hardship scheme for shoes in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11582/17]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.

Medical Card Applications

Questions (540)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

540. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health when a full medical card will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11583/17]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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 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.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (541)

Robert Troy

Question:

541. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if a hospital appointment can be scheduled for a person (details supplied). [11601/17]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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 you directly.

Services for People with Disabilities

Questions (542)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

542. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of providing an additional 1.5 million personal assistant hours for persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11620/17]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The Government is committed to providing services and supports to 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. The commitment is outlined in the Programme for a Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles, equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) is committed to protecting the level of Personal Assistant services available to people with disabilities. In their National Service Plan for 2016, the HSE exceeded the expected activity level for Personal Assistant hours which was 1.3 million hours, by approximately 200,000 hours. This reflects the responsive nature of the service provided and takes account of assessed need over time, as individual needs change. I understand that in 2017, the HSE expects to deliver 1.4 million Personal Assistance hours, an increase of 100,000 hours, to 2,357 adults with a physical and/or sensory disability.

As the Deputy's query relates to a service matter, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for a more detailed direct reply to the Deputy.

Home Care Packages

Questions (543)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

543. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of providing an additional 200 intensive home care packages for persons with dementia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11621/17]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Medical Card Expenditure

Questions (544)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

544. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of increasing the weekly income limits for the GP visit card by 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% respectively. [11622/17]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I can advise the Deputy that to estimate the costs of any of these measures would require information on the income position of the cohort of the population who do not currently qualify for a GP visit card. As this information is not held by the Department, it is not possible to assess the effect of any of the adjustments suggested.

As the Deputy will be aware, from mid 2015, the Government ensured that all children aged 5 and under and persons aged 70 or older can access a GP service without charges.

General Medical Services Scheme Expenditure

Questions (545)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

545. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his Department’s current estimated full-year cost of providing free general practitioner care to all the population. [11623/17]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The Deputy will be aware of the ongoing review of the GMS and other publicly funded contracts involving GPs, and that the next phase of discussions to progress this work is underway. Initial engagement with GP representative bodies began in January. As with any negotiation-type process, and given the range and complexity of the issues to be discussed, the engagement may take some time.

The estimated cost of extending free GP care to all citizens will vary depending on the outcome of these negotiations and any implications they may have for the future scope and content of the general practitioner service, and the relevant fees and payments to GPs. It would be premature, in advance of substantive progress being made on the development of a new contract, to make statements in relation to funding.

However, the Deputy may be aware that the HSE has recently published the Primary Care Reimbursement Service Statistical Analysis of Claims and Payments 2015, which indicates that the average GP cost per eligible person is €226.07. The extension of free GP care to all citizens not currently covered by a medical card or GP visit card would encompass a further 2.6 million people approximately.

Hospital Beds Data

Questions (546)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

546. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the full-year cost of increasing the number of critical care beds to 579, as recommended by a 2009 report; and the number of additional beds this would entail. [11624/17]

Written answers

Minister for Health

In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.

Hospital Beds Data

Questions (547)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

547. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of providing an additional 150 inpatient rehabilitation beds. [11625/17]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Occupational Therapy

Questions (548)

Robert Troy

Question:

548. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 427 of 14 February 2017, if he will provide additional resources to occupational therapy services in counties Longford and Westmeath in order to reduce the current eight-month waiting list. [11636/17]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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.

Nursing Staff Data

Questions (549)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

549. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of nurses newly recruited in 2016 in public and voluntary hospitals; the number of nurses newly recruited to date in 2017; the full-year cost of their recruitment in each timeframe; and the net increase in nursing numbers resulting from this recruitment. [11637/17]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.