Noel Rock
Question:181. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) can avail of a dental service grant for dental implants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21222/17]
View answerDental Services
Questions (181)
Written answers
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
Medical Aids and Appliances Provision
Questions (182)
Noel Rock
Question:182. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) can avail of a grant for making a prosthetic eye; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21223/17]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
Vaccination Programme
Questions (183)
Noel Rock
Question:183. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase the uptake rate for vaccines, specifically for measles; the timeframe expected to reach a 95% uptake rate; if there is currently a risk of a measles outbreak; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21225/17]
View answerWritten answers
There has been an increase in measles outbreaks in Europe and we have been taking appropriate response measures in Ireland including measures to identify and treat all cases.
A notification was circulated by the HSE-Health Protection Surveillance Centre to all:
- Departments of Public Health;
- General Practitioners;
- Consultants in infectious diseases, emergency medicine, and microbiology; and
- Other health professionals.
Updating them of the increase in measles cases in Europe, the risk of importation into Ireland, and information on procedures to deal with a suspected case of measles.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, in a Rapid Risk Assessment issued on 3 March 2017, noted that immunisation is the only effective preventive measure against acquiring measles. Immunisation against measles was introduced in Ireland in 1985, and from 1988 the MMR vaccine replaced the single measles vaccine. It is included in the Primary Childhood Immunisation Programme with the first dose given at 12 months and the second dose at 4-5 years of age. It can also be given at any age to those who need it for travel, work, or to protect vulnerable children or adults. Immunisation rates in Ireland remain high. Vaccination rates for MMR at 24 months were 92% in 2016 and have been above 90% since 2008. Uptake rates fell when links between MMR and autism were first reported in the 1990s. At that time people falsely linked the development of autism with MMR, but these claims have been fully discredited.
The HSE continues to work to, increase MMR immunisation rates, particularly in those areas of the country where they are below average. These activities include:
- ongoing training for health care professionals;
- meetings with key stakeholders including the Department of Education and school management bodies;
- articles in parents magazines and for health professionals;
- letters to be sent to all language and summer schools highlighting measles outbreaks in Europe and the importance of MMR vaccination;
- publication of hot topic article highlighting measles outbreaks in Europe and importance of MMR vaccination on National Immunisation Office website (which is accredited by the World Health Organisation)http://www.hse.ie/eng/health/Immunisation/news/measles2017.html;
- circulation of the latest edition (April 2017) of the National Immunisation Newsletter which contains an article about measles at http://www.hse.ie/eng/health/Immunisation/infomaterials/newsletter/newsletter25.pdf. Hard copies of the newsletter are sent to all sites that receive vaccines (2000+) from the National Cold Chain Service and it is also sent electronically to HSE staff and others who request it.
There were a number of imported cases of measles in Ireland last year. In 2015 measles incidence in Ireland was 0.2 per million of the population. In 2016 the incidences was 8.7 per million of the population. This increase was as a result of forty three confirmed measles cases were notified, all of which were linked to an imported cases. Despite this outbreak Ireland is still on track to meet the WHO Euro target for the elimination of measles by 2020.
Hospitals Patronage
Questions (184)
Noel Rock
Question:184. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Health the expected start date of a review of church-State relations in hospitals; the time such a review would take; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21227/17]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy is aware and will appreciate, voluntary and non-statutory providers, including religious bodies, have historically played an important role in the provision of health and personal social services in Ireland. Many of our largest and most developed health service providers are voluntary organisations, some with religious involvement.
Ireland is not unique in the participation of voluntary organisations, including those with religious involvement, in the delivery of publicly funded healthcare. However, it is proper that the frameworks within which service providers operate in delivering publicly funded heath services are subject to ongoing consideration.
In recent years, the nature of the relationship between voluntary organisations and the State has been clarified in a number of ways. The HSE operates a robust Governance Framework which governs grant-funding provided to all Non-Statutory Service Providers and provides for detailed service level agreements. In the voluntary sector, it is required practice for public capital investment to be accompanied by a lien which protects the State's interest. All public hospitals are regulated by HIQA and are subject to national clinical standards and guidelines. Moreover, as part of the establishment of hospital groups, voluntary hospitals will be required to plan and deliver services in a manner which integrates service provision with HSE-owned hospitals in the region. These arrangements and controls are what are paramount in ensuring high quality care and patient safety, robust operational and clinical governance, and value for State investments.
I recognise that there are different and evolving views on the ownership and governance of publicly funded hospitals. Therefore, before determining future policy I believe it is appropriate to put in place an inclusive process of consideration and I am open to listening to the views of colleagues in this House before embarking on such a significant undertaking.
This process can be expected to raise a broad range of complex policy issues that will need to be addressed on a general basis within the health service into the future and therefore can, rightfully, be expected to take some time.
National Children's Hospital Expenditure
Questions (185)
Noel Rock
Question:185. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Health if the lower cost per square metre of the new children’s hospital, €4,200 per square metre compared to an average of €4,700 per square metre in the US, is indicative of a lower quality of care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21236/17]
View answerWritten answers
An internationally recognised design team, supported by an experienced National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) and Project Team are in place to drive the project to develop the new children’s hospital and focus on delivering the project in accordance with national policy to optimal design and value for money. They have followed best international design, planning and procurement processes at each stage of the project. A world class design, with child-friendly, high spec, modern interiors and acres of outdoor space has been completed. Hundreds of staff from the three children’s hospitals continue to input into the fit out and internal design to ensure that the children, young people and their families can be treated in the best possible environment – helping to improve clinical outcomes as well as overall well-being and patient experience.
The tender process for the core construction elements for the new children’s hospital and the Paediatric OPD and Urgent Care Centres was highly competitive and BAM Buildings Ltd, the most competitive tenderer, has been notified that it is the preferred bidder. The final construction elements of the project compare favourably when benchmarked against the costs of international projects of a similar size and scale, in the UK, US & Middle East.
I would like to emphasise again that the project to develop the new children’s hospital is an extraordinary opportunity to enhance paediatric services for children. The Department of Health continues to work closely with the HSE, the Children's Hospital Group Board and the NPHDB to ensure that we deliver a world class hospital needed and wanted by children, young people, their families and the staff in the three children’s hospitals.
National Children's Hospital Administration
Questions (186)
Noel Rock
Question:186. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Health the rationale for imposing parking fees at the new children’s hospital; if he will revise this stance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21238/17]
View answerWritten answers
Arrangements in hospitals for car parking generally is an operational matter for the HSE. The HSE has advised that income from car parking charges in most statutory hospitals and some voluntary hospitals forms an integral part of the hospitals budgetary policy and is invested back into services provided at the hospitals. Income is also used to fund the upgrade and upkeep of the car parks, including security and management systems.
The HSE has also advised that it does not provide guidelines on hospital parking and each hospital/hospital group implements its own guidelines. Some hospitals provide reduced parking rates for long-term patients and visitors for whom the payment of the full rate would cause hardship. Of the 1,000 spaces at the new children's hospital, 675 will be for families. Up to 100 of these spaces will be reserved for concessionary use, such as in the case of long stay patients or those under financial pressure.
Cross-Border Health Services Provision
Questions (187)
Noel Rock
Question:187. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Health the conditions or criteria required to allow a person to be eligible for the cross-border healthcare directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21239/17]
View answerWritten answers
The 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 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.
Under the Directive, insured patients are entitled to have costs of cross-border healthcare service reimbursed if the healthcare service in question is among the benefits to which they are entitled in their Member State of affiliation. The HSE is pro-active in advising potential users of the Scheme that reimbursement will be at the cost of the treatment availed of abroad or the cost of providing the healthcare in Ireland whichever is the lesser. The patient is notified of this by the HSE in numerous ways: via the HSE website or in response to phone queries; on the Pro-forma invoice to be used for cases where an overnight in-patient stay is not required; and the letters issued in response to prior authorisation applications for cases involving an overnight in-patient stay will advise the actual amount to be reimbursed, based on the treatment code/s provided by the treating/referring consultant in the application form.
The HSE also advises where a patient is in any doubt as to the need to seek prior authorization before availing of a consultation or treatment abroad to contact the NCP. The NCP is happy at that stage to advise patients of the reimbursement rate that will apply to the assessment/treatment being accessed.
Questions Nos. 188 to 190, inclusive, answered with Question No. 169.
Medical Card Applications
Questions (191)
Eamon Scanlon
Question:191. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Health the status of a medical card application by a person (details supplied). [21254/17]
View answerWritten answers
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.