Written Answers Nos. 166-185
166. Deputy Seán Barrett asked the Minister for Health if he will review the required training programmes in place for those wishing to become carers (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26329/17]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
167. Deputy Seán Barrett asked the Minister for Health the progress which has been made to put regulations in place for private home care companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26330/17]
View answerThe Government recognises the need for effective regulation of home care services, whether funded by the HSE or privately funded by individuals. For that reason, the Department of Health is currently engaged in a detailed process to design a new system of regulation for these important services. This process will also determine the new standalone funding scheme that will apply to home care.
As an initial step, the Department commissioned the Health Research Board to undertake an evidence review of the home care systems that are in place in four other European countries. This review was published on 11 April. The Review will help us to learn from the experiences of other jurisdictions and will inform the debate and future consideration of approaches to formal home care financing and regulation here in Ireland.
Another important step in this process is a public consultation process which I will be launching shortly. The purpose of this consultation is to allow all those who have views on this topic to have their say, including older people themselves, their families, and healthcare workers.
168. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health when a date for a clinical examination for a person (details supplied) will issue; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26331/17]
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 an individual case, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
169. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 443 and 445 of 23 May 2017, when he will finalise the options regarding the recommendations of the vaccine damage steering group and implement such a scheme in line with the commitment in the programme for Government. [26333/17]
View answerAs I stated in my reply to the questions, my Department is considering how to implement the Programme for a Partnership Government commitment, which encompasses consideration of the implementation of the recommendations of the Vaccine Damage Steering Group. The issues being considered are complex and it is not possible at this stage to give an exact date for the completion of this work. However, recommendations on the design and implementation of any proposed scheme will be made in line with the commitments in the Programme for a Partnership Government.
170. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a wheelchair for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26335/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
171. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health the status of the updated submission by a company (details supplied) to bring Translarna for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy here; the reason for the delay in advancing the decision by the HSE; the date for a decision to be reached; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26359/17]
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.
172. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in the determination of an application for a medical card in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26363/17]
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 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.
173. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his views on HIQA’s recommendation that women should be screened for cervical cancer every five years instead of at three-yearly intervals as at present. [26445/17]
View answerIn 2015, the HSE's National Screening Service (NSS) requested that HIQA carry out a health technology assessment (HTA) into the clinical and cost effectiveness of using human papillomavirus (HPV) testing as the primary screening method for prevention of cervical cancer. The primary screening method currently used by CervicalCheck is liquid based cytology, with HPV testing as a secondary screening method. HIQA have now completed this HTA and the final report was published on Monday 29 May.
The report states that a change to primary HPV screening at five yearly intervals for all eligible women would improve the efficiency of the CervicalCheck programme. The report also states that this strategy would provide comparable effectiveness to the current screening programme and would lead to some savings.
Discussions on the implementation of a change in the cervical screening technology will take place between the Department of Health, the HSE and the NSS over the coming months.
174. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the number of children currently awaiting a first assessment from the HSE under the Disability Act 2005 for each local health office area in tabular form. [26446/17]
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.
175. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the speech and language therapy assessment waiting list; the number waiting less than four months; the number waiting four to 12 months; and the number waiting more than 12 months for each local health area in tabular form. [26447/17]
View answer176. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the speech and language therapy treatment waiting list; the number waiting less than four months; the number waiting four to 12 months; and the number waiting more than 12 months for each local health area in tabular form. [26448/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 175 and 176 together.
As these questions relate to service matters, I have arranged for the questions to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
177. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the occupational therapy first-time assessment waiting list; the number waiting less than four months; the number waiting four to 12 months; the number waiting more than 12 months; and the number waiting aged zero to four years, five to 17 years, 18 to 64 years and 65 years and over for each local health area in tabular form. [26449/17]
View answer178. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the occupational therapy treatment waiting list; the number waiting less than four months; the number waiting four to 12 months; the number waiting more than 12 months; the number waiting aged zero to four years, five to 17 years, 18 to 64 years and 65 years and over for each local health area in tabular form. [26450/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 177 and 178 together.
As these questions relate to service matters, I have arranged for the questions to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
179. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health his views on matters (details supplied); his plans to address the issues raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26454/17]
View answerThe project to develop the new children's hospital is an extraordinary opportunity to enhance paediatric services in Ireland, and the Government decision in 2012 to locate the hospital on the campus of St James's Hospital was made in the best interests of children from a clinical perspective. The hospital will be a world class facility to care for children and young people from all over Ireland who are in need of specialist and complex care and, with two outpatient and urgent care centres, will also be the local children's hospital for children and young people in the Greater Dublin area. These two outpatient and urgent care centres, being developed on the campuses of Tallaght and Connolly Hospitals, are an integral part of the children's hospital, and will be supported by the hospital in providing urgent care and outpatient services, including general paediatric rapid access outpatient clinics, orthopaedic outpatient fracture clinics and other chronic disease clinics. The centres will improve geographic access to urgent care for children in the Greater Dublin Area as well as further afield.
In relation to access to the children's hospital at the St James's campus, while noting that the campus is better served by public transport than any other hospital in the country, the plans and design for the hospital recognise the need of most families to access the hospital by car. A traffic management and traffic mobility plan for the hospital, endorsed by the National Transport Authority and Dublin City Council, formed part of the planning application. A 10-day oral hearing took place in December 2015 in which traffic evidence was presented in detail and allowed for cross questioning by those who had concerns. Planning approval for the hospital was granted without change to the proposed traffic and mobility plan. The plans for the hospital provide for 1,000 car parking spaces, of which 675 will be dedicated for use by families, three times the number of spaces currently available at the three Dublin children's hospitals combined. Parents will be able to reserve their space ahead of arriving at the hospital, and emergency drop-off spaces are also being provided.
Incorporating leading practice in children's hospital design, children and young people who need to stay in hospital will have their own single room. Every room, with the exception of critical care rooms, will have an en-suite bathroom and facilities for a parent to comfortably stay overnight. The development of a new 53-bed family accommodation, to be built adjacent to the new children’s hospital, was also included in the new children’s hospital planning permission.
A national model of care for paediatric healthcare services in Ireland has been developed by the HSE. The model aims to ensure that all children should be able to access high quality services in an appropriate location, within an appropriate timeframe, irrespective of their geographical location or social background. The new children’s hospital will engage in shared care arrangements and outreach to support regional paediatric units in Cork, Limerick and Galway, and in turn local hospitals, thereby providing clinically appropriate healthcare for children as close to home as possible. With the new children’s hospital as the future hub, the initial focus in the implementation of the model of care will be on developing the regional units to provide an appropriate range of regional services to minimise the need for children and families to travel to Dublin for services.
180. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the number of trips taken by each hospital in 2015 and in 2016 to recruit nurses; the amount spent on each trip and on expenses associated with the trip; the number of nurses recruited on each trip; the number of nurses that subsequently commenced employment in the relevant hospital; the number of nurses still in employment at each hospital to 30 April 2017 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26455/17]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
181. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the amount spent by his Department, by agencies of his Department or by the HSE in recruiting nurses from abroad in 2015 and in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26456/17]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
182. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the reason the residents and staff of a nursing home (details supplied) temporarily moved out to Mount Carmel Community Hospital while their facility was being refurbished; if they were promised that they were due to move back in February 2017; the new timeframe for staff and residents moving back into the nursing home; the number of beds which are in the refurbished unit; the number of respite beds which will be available in the refurbished unit; if there is a day care facility in the unit; and the number of public and private respite beds which are available in the Dublin 8 area; the bed capacity of each; and the current staff complement in each. [26462/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
183. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Kerry can be prioritised for dental treatment to avoid infection; when they will be receiving treatment following a forthcoming operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26478/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
184. 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. [26485/17]
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.
185. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the status of funding for a facility (details supplied) in County Longford; and if the current level of funding for this facility will be maintained. [26487/17]
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.
