Written Answers Nos. 237-248
237. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health the status of the planned €16 million new build at St. Patrick’s Hospital, Carrick-on-Shannon; when work on the planned public private partnership will commence; the timeframe for the completion of works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20981/17]
View answerThe Capital Programme announced in January 2016 provides for the replacement and refurbishment of 90 public nursing homes across the country over the next five years including St Patrick's Hospital, Carrick-on-Shannon. Under this Programme it is proposed to deliver a new build 100 bed community nursing home by 2021. This will replace existing beds where the physical environment requires substantial improvement.
Significant work has been undertaken by the HSE in determining the most appropriate scheduling of projects over the multi-annual period from 2016 to 2021, within the phased provision of funding, to achieve compliance and registration with HIQA. All healthcare infrastructure developments, including this development, must comply with DPER guidelines and EU directives and will require a lead-in time to complete the various stages. These stages include appraisal, project brief, design feasibility, detailed design, some of which may overlap, the review of costing estimates and finalisation of financing.
238. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health his plans to locate a stabilisation type unit at Roscommon County Hospital in the absence of a 24-hour accident and emergency department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20982/17]
View answerIn response to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
239. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the additional funding that will be made available to the HSE for section 39 organisations' pay restoration in view of the fact that pay cuts were imposed following 2009 funding cuts from the HSE; the measures he will take to ensure that there is pay parity for those performing the same roles in section 38 and section 39 organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20986/17]
View answerUnder section 39 of the Health Act 2004, the HSE has in place Service Level Agreements with voluntary providers which set out the level of service to be provided for the grant to the individual organisation. Any individuals employed by these section 39 organisations are not HSE employees and therefore, the HSE has no role in determining the salaries or other terms and conditions applying to these staff. It should also be made clear that as the staff of these Section 39 organisations are not public servants, they were not subject to the provisions of the Public Service Agreements or the FEMPI legislation which imposed the associated pay reductions. Accordingly, any arrangements offered by each service provider in relation to its employees terms and conditions, including rates of pay, may vary.
240. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the nature of negotiations between the State and an organisation (details supplied) during the transfer of St. Vincent’s Hospital from St. Stephen’s Green to Elm Park; if there was agreement regarding the sale or transfer of the St. Stephen’s Green property after the hospital relocated; if all aspects of any agreement have been honoured by the organisation; if not, the aspects that have not been honoured; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20989/17]
View answerAny information the Department may have on this matter will be in historical files held in off site storage. The files are currently being retrieved. Once received they will be examined and I will contact you further then.
241. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied). [20993/17]
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 you directly.
242. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if he will examine the case of a person (details supplied). [20999/17]
View answerAs 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.
243. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Health if he will instruct the NCPE to review its decision to reject, for the purpose of reimbursement, the combined drugs (details supplied) in view of the data presented last week at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting in Washington DC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21001/17]
View answerThe HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines 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.
244. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the number of legal actions alleging misdiagnosis currently being taken against the HSE western division; the way in which cases are recorded in data; if such data is made available to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21006/17]
View answerThere are 50 claims alleging misdiagnosis under active management by the State Claims Agency with respect to the HSE Western Division. Claims are reported using the “National Incident Management System”. This is hosted by the State Claims Agency for the HSE and other Healthcare enterprises and delegated State Authorities. A claim refers to notification of intention to seek compensation for personal injury where negligence is alleged. The management of clinical negligence claims arising from the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients in public health care enterprises is delegated to the State Claims Agency which has a statutory mandate to investigate and manage these cases to completion.
245. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with cardiac conditions in the south east region that were treated in hospitals in counties Cork, Waterford, Limerick, Wexford, Kilkenny and Dublin by hospital and by county in each of the years 2014 to 2016, inclusive, and to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21021/17]
View answer246. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with cardiac conditions in the south east region that were seen for planned work in hospitals in counties Cork, Waterford, Limerick, Wexford, Kilkenny and Dublin, in each of the years 2014 to 2016, inclusive, and to date in 2017 by hospital and county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21022/17]
View answer247. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of persons (details supplied) in the south east region who received PPCI care in hospitals in Cork, Waterford, Limerick, Wexford, Kilkenny and Dublin, by hospital and by county in each of the years 2014 to 2016, inclusive, and to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21023/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 245 to 247, inclusive, together.
In relation to the queries raised, as these are service matters, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
248. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21026/17]
View answer257. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will utilise the available capacity by lowering the age of eligibility in view of the low uptake of the free bowel screen service, which is reported at just 40% of those eligible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21048/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 248 and 257 together.
BowelScreen, the National Bowel Screening Programme, is run by the HSE's National Screening Service. It offers free bowel screening to men and women aged 60-69. The BowelScreen Round One Programme Report, 2012-2015, which was launched on 25th April 2017, shows that 521 cancers were detected through bowel screening, 3 out of 4 of which were detected at an early stage. Bowel cancer is the second most common cancer in both men and women and bowel screening is recommended as an effective programme to reduce cancer mortality.
The BowelScreen programme is adequately funded and strenuous efforts are being made to improve the uptake, particularly among men who have lower rates of participation but significantly higher rates of cancer detection compared to women. These efforts include digital and social media initiatives, as well as targeted radio and press advertisements. The BowelScreen website, www.bowelscreen.ie, was developed to provide information to the public and allow them to ensure they are on the register, as well as providing a suite of information leaflets, posters and flyers for healthcare professionals. BowelScreen continues to promote the screening programme by engaging with stakeholder groups in promoting and encouraging the screening population to avail of this free test.
