Written Answers Nos. 1054-1073
1054. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase the allocation of a dietician for autistic services in a region (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36286/17]
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.
1055. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of occasions in 2015, 2016 and to date in 2017 that the HSE escalation policy has been in effect at Naas General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36289/17]
View answerIn relation to the query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
1056. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of occasions in 2015, 2016 and to date in 2017 that the HSE escalation policy was implemented in hospitals; which hospitals; the length of time on each occasion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36290/17]
View answerIn response to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
1057. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the amount it will cost to maintain the current levels of service provision across the health service in 2018 in view of demographic changes and inflation. [36352/17]
View answerThe HSE has published a report "Planning for Health" which considers demographics and healthcare needs moving forward. This report, along with other analysis undertaken by my Department will be considered in the context of the Estimates negotiations. The level of funding available for my Department will be considered as part of this national Estimates campaign, and pending completion of this process it is not appropriate for me to comment further at this stage.
1058. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the amount of the health budget that is spent on direct or indirect subsidies to private medicine. [36353/17]
View answerAll persons ordinarily resident in Ireland are eligible for public health services, which are funded from the Health budget. There is no direct subsidisation of private medicine. Indirect subsidisation is largely avoided by maintaining the private hospital charge at, or as close to as possible, the economic rate.
1059. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the amount it would it cost to reduce prescription charges by €0.50. [36354/17]
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.
1060. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the amount it would cost to reduce the drugs payment scheme, DPS, threshold to €132, €100 and €50, respectively. [36355/17]
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.
1061. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the amount it would cost to add 1,000 acute beds to the hospital network. [36356/17]
View answerIn response to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
1062. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the amount it would cost to hire 4,000 new nurses on the pre-2011 rate of pay. [36357/17]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
1063. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the amount it would cost to hire 500 consultants. [36358/17]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
1064. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the amount it would cost to hire 500 directly employed GPs, 100 speech and language therapists, 100 psychologists, 100 occupational therapists and 100 physiotherapists to staff primary care centres. [36359/17]
View answerAs the HSE does not directly hire GPs, it is not possible to quantify the financial implications for the HSE of additional GPs being hired to provide services to the public health system under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme and other schemes. GPs are remunerated for these services primarily on a capitation basis, with a range of additional support payments and fees for specific items of service, which include allowances for the hiring of practice nurses and secretarial support. The amount payable in respect of certain supports is related to the doctor's panel size. In addition, medical indemnity insurance premia are refunded to contract GPs, also based on the size of each doctor's GMS panel.
I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in regard to the costs associated with the hiring of the other grades mentioned.
1065. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the number of children aged 0 to six and six to 18 years of age respectively with autistic spectrum disorder who are being or were diagnostically assessed on a monthly basis, by county, for each of the years 2014 to 2016 and to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36370/17]
View answer1067. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the number of posts required to deliver full diagnostic assessments and support services to children on a waiting list with autistic spectrum disorder in an area (details supplied); the number of posts required on an ongoing basis to deliver the necessary therapies and supports for those children based on current trends; the details of the posts for occupational therapists, psychologist, speech and language therapists posts under relevant headings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36372/17]
View answer1089. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health when he will appoint a psychologist for children with autism aged between six and 18 years of age to a service (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36432/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1065, 1067 and 1089 together.
The 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 questions relate to service matters, I have arranged for the questions to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
1066. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health his plans to provide a designated area or facility within the HSE's portfolio or otherwise in Drogheda, County Louth, to allow for meetings to take place for the carers of persons with mental health issues; if so, the facilities available in Drogheda that would be suitable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36371/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1068. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of beds and wards in all public and voluntary acute hospitals that were closed on 14 July 2017 or the latest date on which data for validated bed closures at hospital and ward level are available, in tabular form. [36374/17]
View answerIn response to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly.
1069. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of delayed discharges in all public and voluntary acute hospitals at the end of June 2017 or the latest date available; and the number of which have been delayed for periods (details supplied) respectively, in tabular form. [36375/17]
View answerIn response to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly.
1070. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if persons aged 75 years of age or over have experienced an emergency department wait time of more than 24 hours to date in 2017; and, if so, the hospital in which the wait occurred. [36376/17]
View answerIn response to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly.
1071. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the targets in place for organ donation and transplant rates; if they have been achieved to date in 2017; and if not, the progress made towards achieving the targets. [36377/17]
View answerThe emphasis of my Department and HSE Organ Donation Transplantation Ireland (ODTI) is on endeavouring to ensure that we avail of all opportunities for organ donation. In 2016, at total of 280 organ transplants were carried out, the second highest annual performance achieved to date. The Living Kidney Donor Programme reached a milestone of 50 living donor transplants for the first time last year.
It is a reality of organ donation and transplantation that the number of deceased donations will always fluctuate. At the same time, our overall aim is to continue to increase donations and transplantation rates.
1072. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the preparations that have been put in place for the implementation of the policy on trauma systems. [36378/17]
View answerAs you are aware, the development of a policy on a trauma system for Ireland is a joint initiative from the Department of Health and the HSE in recognition that the management of patients with multiple injuries compares poorly with contemporary international standards in trauma care.
The primary aim of developing this policy is to improve patient outcomes and to lead to a reduction in preventable death and disability for a particular, small category of patients who sustain major traumatic injuries.
The Trauma Steering Group has completed its work and agreed its report, which is currently being considered by my Department.
1073. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the planning of a national genetic and genomic medicine network service which will operate on a hub and spoke basis; the location of the hubs and spokes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36379/17]
View answerThe development of a national and genomic medicine network will be addressed in the context of the HSE Report of the National Genetic and Genomic Medicine Network Strategy Group (2016). The report and its recommendations are under consideration by the HSE in conjunction with my Department with a view to determining priority next steps.
