Written Answers Nos. 57-68
57. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the reason for the ongoing deterioration in waiting times at the three children’s hospitals in Dublin, with more than 10,000 waiting over a year for an outpatient appointment in March 2017. [20767/17]
View answerReducing waiting times for the longest waiting patients is one of this Government's key priorities. Consequently, Budget 2017 allocated €20 million to the NTPF, rising to €55 million in 2018.
In December 2016, I granted approval to the NTPF to dedicate €5m to a daycase waiting list initiative with the aim of ensuring that no patient will be waiting more than 18 months for a daycase procedure by 30 June 2017. In excess of 2,000 daycases will be managed through this process and patients are already receiving appointments.
In order to reduce the numbers of long-waiting patients, I asked the HSE to develop Waiting List Action Plans for 2017 in the areas of Inpatient/Daycase, Scoliosis and Outpatient Services. The plans have now been finalised and will be communicated shortly.
In relation to the query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
58. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the delivery of a new recovery-based model for the treatment of dual diagnosis or mental health and addiction in the HSE's services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20712/17]
View answerAs this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
59. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 238 of 25 January 2017, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that south Connemara has been without a physiotherapy service since August 2016, leaving patients bereft of an essential health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20731/17]
View answerI understand that the Health Service Executive (HSE) forwarded a response to the Deputy on 1 February 2017 in relation to Question No. 238 of 25 January 2017. As this question relates to service matters, I have again arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for direct reply.
60. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health his plans to introduce subsidised asthma medication in the absence of asthma being recognised on the long-term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20799/17]
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.
62. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the number of persons under 16 years of age in the Cavan-Monaghan LHO area waiting one to six months, seven to 12 months, 13 to 24 months, 25 to 48 months and over 48 months for orthodontic treatment. [20245/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
63. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the number of properties the HSE has a lien on in terms of the fair deal scheme. [20199/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
64. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the status of both the national and local implementation plans on Connecting for Life. [20748/17]
View answerConnecting for Life is Ireland’s National Strategy to Reduce Suicide 2015 – 2020. It sets out a vision where fewer lives are lost through suicide, and where communities and individuals are empowered to improve their mental health and wellbeing. This vision is to be realised through seven goals. These are better understanding of suicidal behaviour; supporting communities to prevent and respond to suicidal behaviour; targeted approaches for those vulnerable to suicide; improved access, consistency and integration of services; safe and high-quality services; reduce access to means; and better data and research.
The Cross-Sectoral Connecting for Life Implementation Steering Group was established in 2015 in response to the actions set out in Connecting for Life, the national strategy to reduce suicide. This strategy contains a detailed and clear plan to achieve each of the goals it proposes, with defined actions and a lead agency and key partners in place for each individual action. As a whole of government strategy, Connecting for Life requires cross-sectoral leadership, resource structures and teams for implementation.
The structures exist at national, organisational and local level and include the National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP), to oversee the implementation of Connecting for Life; the National Cross-Sectoral Steering and Implementation Group, with responsibility for high-level implementation planning and addressing national blockages to implementation; a National Taskforce on Youth Mental Health, convened to consider how best to introduce and teach resilience and coping mechanisms to children and young people, and to provide national leadership on youth mental health and well-being; a Pathfinder project, which is providing the mechanism for shared whole-of-government approach to youth mental health and suicide prevention; a cross-departmental group consisting of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, The Press Council and NOSP focused on improving the reporting of suicidal behaviour within the media; and a multi-agency Central Statistics Office Liaison Group on suicide mortality statistics.
The 23 lead agencies responsible for actions report twice per year to NOSP on progress against Actions (Action Reporting Template). NOSP collates the activities and provides a report to the National Implementation Group. The most recent return of this template, in November 2016, showed the number of actions for which progress was achieved in November 2016 was 65 of 69, amounting to 94%.
The majority of the actions within Connecting for Life will be delivered by the HSE (44 of the 66 individual lead agency actions). The HSE Cross-Divisional Implementation Group (Primary Care, Acute Hospitals, Health and Wellbeing, Mental Health and NOSP) is fully operational. Oversight is provided by the HSE National Leadership Team. This committee has established structures and processes to agree a HSE cross-divisional Connecting for Life Implementation Plan.
Additionally, as part of this national strategy, local implementation plans for each CHO either have been or are being developed. There will be 26 local suicide prevention action plans by Quarter four, 2017, and work has commenced in all of the nine CHO areas on these.
65. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the status of the provision of a new health centre for Inisboffin, County Galway, in view of the unsuitability of the current accommodation and the delay to date in providing a modern primary care facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20734/17]
View answerAs this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
66. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health his views on the serious lack of services for children with complex and non-complex intellectual and physical disability needs in a special needs school (details supplied); the number of parents who have contacted him regarding problems accessing services in the school; the length of time since his attention was drawn to the problems accessing speech and therapy, access to swimming, access to the July provision, no health nurse provision and access to multidisciplinary teams; and the action he has taken to date to resolve this problem. [14829/17]
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.
68. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the reason more than 900 children under 18 years of age in the Laois-Offaly LHO area were waiting more than a year for occupational therapy assessment in January 2017. [20781/17]
View answerAs this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
