Written Answers Nos. 135-153
135. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if all diagnostic procedures carried out by the HSE or that are commissioned by the HSE from private providers are priced at no more than €130 for accounting purposes. [29298/17]
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.
137. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29301/17]
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 National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the HSE, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
138. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding home help hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29304/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
139. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the support provided to the cardiac screening programme (details supplied) provided at the Mater Misericordiae university hospital; the details of funding provided for the provision of the service for each of the years 2014 to 2016; if such a programme is offered at public facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29313/17]
View answerIn relation to the query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service issue, I have again asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
140. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an appointment from Galway University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29314/17]
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 National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the HSE, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
141. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an appointment at Letterkenny University Hospital, County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29315/17]
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 National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the HSE, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
142. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an appointment for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29316/17]
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 again asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
143. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will have an assessment of needs carried out under the Disability Act 2005. [29330/17]
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.
144. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the monetary value of all work contracted out under the aegis of his Department to external agencies or consultancies for work completed or investigations undertaken in human resources and industrial relations including hiring and interviewing of staff, disciplinary procedures and workplace-related issues such as allegations of bullying and so on or dignity at work issues in each of the years 2015 and 2016. [29340/17]
View answerMy Department did not contract out any work or investigations undertaken in human resources and industrial relations in 2015 or 2016.
I asked the HSE to respond to you directly on the aspect of the question that relates to their employees. In relation to the Non-Commercial State Agencies under the remit of my Department, this information is being sought and will be forwarded to the Deputy when collated.
145. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an operation for a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29347/17]
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 National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the HSE, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
146. 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. [29350/17]
View answerMedical Assessment Units (MAUs), Minor Injuries Clinics and similar units provide valuable services to local communities and alleviate the pressures on EDs. MAUs facilitate the immediate medical assessment, diagnosis and treatment of medical patients who suffer from a wide range of medical conditions who present to, or from within, a hospital requiring urgent or emergency care.
The Programme for a Partnership Government recognises the contribution of MAUs, Urgent Care Clinics and Minor Injury Clinics, and commits to a review of such clinics, acknowledging that some of these facilities have limited hours of operation.
The Department is committed to undertaking the Review, as outlined in the Programme for a Partnership Government, with a view to extending their hours of opening and weekend opening. In considering the opening hours of MAUs, the Review will have particular regard to the distance from the nearest ED and existing workloads. Work on this Review is progressing in 2017.
147. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of recruiting an extra 500 hospital consultants; and the average estimated cost for support staff required per consultant. [29351/17]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
148. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of recruiting an additional 4,000 nursing staff. [29352/17]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
149. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of abolishing prescription charges. [29353/17]
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.
150. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of increasing the general practitioners' rural practice allowance to €25,000. [29354/17]
View answerRegulations were signed on 5 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. 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 1 June 2017, there are 251 practice units in receipt of rural supports under the RPSF. 176 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 almost €928,000. 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.
151. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of implementing the national maternity strategy. [29355/17]
View answerIreland's first National Maternity Strategy - Creating A Better Future Together 2016 - 2026 - will be implemented on a phased basis led by the National Women & Infants Health Programme. The Programme is currently drawing up a detailed action plan to inform this process; this work is expected to be completed by the end of this month and includes the identification of both capital and revenue funding requirements, which will in turn inform the annual Estimates process over the lifetime of the Strategy.
€3 million development funding provided for maternity services in 2016 was allocated in line with the Strategy, and included funding for additional staff, including 100 midwives, the development of specialist bereavement teams and for the implementation of the Maternal and Newborn Clinical Management System. Increased funding of €6.8m has been provided for maternity services in 2017 which will allow for the continued implementation of the Strategy.
152. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of providing an additional 2.2 million home help hours. [29356/17]
View answer153. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of providing an additional 5,000 home care packages. [29357/17]
View answer163. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of providing an additional 200 intensive home care packages for persons with dementia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29367/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 152, 153 and 163 together.
As these are service matters they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
