Written Answers Nos. 563-580
563. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the current number of approved registered intellectual disability nurses currently employed by the HSE; and the equivalent figures for the same date in 2015 and 2016. [11651/17]
View answerThe 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.
564. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year running costs of providing an additional 500 extra acute hospital beds, 1,000 extra acute hospital beds and 2,000 extra acute hospital beds. [11652/17]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
565. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year running costs of opening all medical assessment units on a seven-day basis. [11653/17]
View answerThere is a commitment in the Program for Partnership Government to build the capacity for our Emergency and Acute Services. The Government has agreed to a timely review of the management, operation and funding of Medical Assessment Units (MAUs) which provide a safe and local alternative to EDs, but usually operate within limited hours and 5 days a week. This review will be conducted with a view to extending their hours of opening and weekend opening.
In relation to costings requested by the Deputy, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
566. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of recruiting an extra 500 hospital consultants, including an average estimate for any support staff required per consultant. [11654/17]
View answer567. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of recruiting an additional 4,000 nursing staff. [11655/17]
View answer575. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of recruiting an additional 200 speech and language therapists. [11663/17]
View answer576. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of recruiting an additional 200 occupational therapists. [11664/17]
View answer577. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of recruiting an additional 200 physiotherapists. [11665/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 566, 567 and 575 to 577, inclusive, together.
I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
568. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of abolishing prescription charges. [11656/17]
View answerI am informed by the HSE that the estimated full year cost of abolishing prescription charges is €120m. The estimated full year cost of reducing the charge for the over 70s is €12m. Therefore, taking account of the reduction in the charge for over 70s which has been introduced on an administrative basis from 1 March, the additional cost of abolishing the charge is approximately €108m in a full year.
569. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of increasing the general practitioner rural practice allowance to €25,000. [11657/17]
View answerRegulations were signed on 5th May 2016 which provide for the introduction of the new Rural Practice Support Framework (RPSF), which includes improved qualifying criteria for rural support and an increase in the financial allowance from €16,216.07 to €20,000 per annum. The Regulations also revise the list of Special Items of Service, which are made available to patients under the General Medical Services (GMS) scheme.
Under the new Framework, if two practice units are providing general practitioner services in the same qualifying area, both practices may qualify for a modified allowance of €10,000. GPs holding a permanent GMS contract who received the Rural Practice Allowance of €16,216.07 immediately prior to the introduction of the new Regulations who do not meet the new qualifying criteria continue to receive the payment on a personal basis, provided they retain their contractual commitment to the remote rural area.
As at 1st February 2017, there are 252 practice units in receipt of rural supports under the RPSF. 177 practices receive the financial allowance of €20,000 and 19 practices receive the modified allowance of €10,000. The full year cost of increasing the existing allowance to €25,000 and the corresponding modified allowance to €12,500 for these practices would amount to nearly €1 million. Any increase in the financial allowance under the new RPSF would only apply to those practices that qualify under the new criteria. Therefore, these calculations have excluded the 56 GPs who currently receive the old financial allowance of €16,216.07.
570. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of implementing the national maternity strategy. [11658/17]
View answerIn relation to this particular query, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
571. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of providing an additional 2.2 million home help hours. [11659/17]
View answer572. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of providing an additional 5,000 home care packages. [11660/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 571 and 572 together.
As these are service matters they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
573. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of completing the recruitment required for the full implementation of A Vision for Change. [11661/17]
View answerA Vision For Change, our national Mental Health Policy, was introduced in 2006. Among its recommendations were that approximately 10,650 Mental Health Whole Time Equivalents were required to fully implement the policy.
This figure was based on Ireland’s then population of 3.917 million, as indicated in the 2002 census. The population of Ireland today, based on the most recent confirmed Census figures in 2011, is 4.499 million. Taking into account this demographic change, the required number of Mental Health Whole Time Equivalents is now 12,240.
As of November 2016, there were 9,576 Mental Health Whole Time Equivalents employed, a gap of 2,664. Using an average figure of €66,000 per Whole Time Equivalent, the additional resources required to fill the gap would be €175.8 million per annum.
Since 2012, around €115 million has been added to the HSE Mental Health Budget, which totalled €826 million in 2016. Budget 2017 made allowance for an additional €35 million for services to be initiated in 2017. Recognising the time lag in new staff taking up posts and the completion of preparations for the introduction of these services, it is estimated that the revenue spend in 2017 associated with this increased allocation will be some €15 million. There will also be a further additional spend of €9.5 million in mental health associated with increased pay rates. With other minor adjustments the total budget for mental health in 2017 will be €853.1 million.
Recruitment to meet the needs of our mental health services is therefore underpinned by the increased Budget Allocations in the National Service Plans of recent years, which have progressed the implementation of A Vision For Change. A Vision for Change has guided national mental health policy for the past 10 years and its term came to an end in 2016. The Department of Health recently commissioned an expert evidence review and analysis of national and international best practice in the development and delivery of mental health services. This review of evidence will inform the parameters of a review of A Vision for Change, by identifying sites of best practice and outlining how these models can apply to the Irish context. The evidence review has now been completed and will inform the ongoing review of mental health policy. Consideration is currently being given to establishing an appropriate oversight structure for the mental health policy review process, based on the outcome of the expert review.
574. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the full-year cost of reducing the drugs payment threshold from €144 to €100. [11662/17]
View answerUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the community drug schemes; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
578. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of recruiting an additional 50 dental surgeons. [11666/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
579. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated capital cost of providing an additional emergency ambulance fleet; and the estimated full-year costs of additional personnel required for its staffing. [11667/17]
View answer580. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated capital cost of providing an additional emergency ambulance; and the estimated full-year costs of additional personnel required for its staffing. [11668/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 579 and 580 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
