Written Answers Nos. 372-385
372. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the situation in relation to the approximately 240 public health nurses on the transfer panel since its establishment in 2014 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32140/17]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
373. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) can expect a hospital appointment. [32145/17]
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.
374. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) can expect a hospital appointment. [32146/17]
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.
375. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the person or body responsible for the health centre in Finea, County Westmeath (details supplied). [32149/17]
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.
376. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health if he will provide funding for additional seven day residential care for a service (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32167/17]
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 HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
377. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) can expect an appointment in Beaumont Hospital. [32175/17]
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.
378. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the supports or grants available to help persons to get motorised wheelchairs; the date on which these supports were ended; and the rationale behind this decision. [32201/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
379. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will facilitate treatment of a person (details supplied) in a UK hospital and recoup the costs from its health insurer that has already agreed to pay for treatment. [32203/17]
View answerThe HSE operates the Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS) for persons entitled to treatment in another EU/EEA Member State or Switzerland under EU Regulation (EC) No. 883/2004, as per the procedures set out in EU Regulations (EC) No. 987/2009, and in accordance with Department of Health Guidelines.
Patients apply to the HSE TAS seeking access to public healthcare outside the State through model form E112. Subject to the EU Regulations and Guidelines, the TAS provides for the cost of approved treatments in another EU/EEA member state or Switzerland through the issue of form E112 (IE) where the treatment is:
- Among the benefits provided for by Irish legislation,
- Not available in Ireland,
- Not available within the time normally necessary for obtaining it in Ireland, taking account of the patient's current state of health and the probable course of the disease.
Applications to the TAS are processed and a determination given in accordance with the statutory framework prior to a patient travelling to avail of treatment. The statutory framework stipulates the patient must be a public patient and is required to have followed public patient pathways.
As the Treatment Abroad Scheme is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to examine this issue and respond to the Deputy directly.
380. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the status of the reimbursement of the drugs Respreeza and Zemaira; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32208/17]
View answerThe HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
The HSE has considered the issue of reimbursement of Respreeza for maintenance treatment of emphysema in adults with documented severe alpha1-proteinase inhibitor deficiency. Following this process, it has decided not to support reimbursement of the medicine.
The HSE, in such instances, is required under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 to issue a notice of proposal to the applicant, setting out that it does not intend to reimburse this medicine and the reasons why.
The company is entitled to make written representations and is given at least 28 days in which to do so. The HSE is required to consider carefully any written representations it receives from the applicant.
The notice period for applicant company representations recently ended. The HSE is now considering the representations received from the applicant and has also met with the company.
A final decision by the HSE can only be made after the representations received under the 2013 Health Act processes have been carefully considered.
381. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health if a home help service can be reinstated for a person (details supplied) in County Cork and the issues which arose resolved. [32212/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
382. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the assistance available in terms of respite care, home help, speech and language therapy, medical care and toilet training for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32221/17]
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.
383. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a decision will be made regarding a discretionary medical card application by a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32222/17]
View answerThe 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.
384. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health his plans to develop primary care facilities in Cahir, County Tipperary; the amount of funding needed to bring the project to completion; if such funding has been allocated or guaranteed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32224/17]
View answerAs the HSE has responsibility for the provision, along with the maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres and other Primary Care facilities, the Executive has been asked to reply directly to the Deputy.
385. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the unallocated spend within his Department for 2017; the expenditure allocated to programmes in 2017 which are due to cease in 2017; the funds that will become available within the Department's expenditure profile in 2018 due to changes in demand for goods and services and or changes to costs within his Department and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32228/17]
View answerAll 2017 funding approved by the Oireachtas for non-HSE expenditure has been allocated to-date. To end June, overall net Vote Issues are €57.5m under profile. Revenue subheads account for €21m of this variance while Capital subheads account for the remaining €36m. The positive revenue variance relates to the Department’s spending with the HSE revenue vote spend on profile. The capital underspend relates predominantly to the HSE subheads. In the main, the variances represent timing and profiling issues which are expected to reverse prior to year end.
In the case of the HSE, €36.5m was held back at the beginning of the year pending the commencement of certain developments. Most of this funding will be approved and released in the context of the mid-year adjustment to the HSE approved level of expenditure.
At this stage, the Department does not anticipate that any programme or services allocated funding in 2017 will cease to exist in 2018.
As ongoing demographic and inflationary pressures result in cost increases in the health system year on year, there is no evidence to suggest that changes in demand for or costs of goods and services will yield savings to be reallocated to other areas in 2018.
