Written Answers Nos. 1268-1287
1268. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of medical cards and general practitioner cards respectively as of 1 August 2017; and the number of each type of card issued on a discretionary basis as of 1 August 2017. [38931/17]
View answer1269. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of medical cards in each local health office, LHO, as of 1 August 2017; and the figures for each LHO on 1 January 2017. [38932/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1268 and 1269 together.
As this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
1270. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of ambulance attendances at each emergency department nationwide in June 2017; the number of such ambulances that waited longer than of 20, 40, 60, 90, 120 and 180 minutes respectively to hand over patients, retrieve their trolleys and return to responding to calls, in tabular form [38933/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
1271. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an appointment for a scan at Letterkenny university hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38940/17]
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.
1272. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the waiting times for gallbladder removal surgery nationally and in Wexford general hospital and University Hospital Waterford in each of the years 2010 to 2016 inclusive, and the date in 2017, in tabular form. [38942/17]
View answerI acknowledge that waiting times are often unacceptably long and I am conscious of the burden that this places on patients and their families.
Reducing waiting times for the longest waiting patients is one of this Government's key priorities. Consequently, Budget 2017 allocated €20 million to the NTPF, rising to €55 million in 2018.
In order to reduce the numbers of long-waiting patients, I asked the HSE to develop Waiting List Action Plans for 2017 in the areas of Inpatient/Daycase, Scoliosis and Outpatient Services. The Inpatient/Daycase Action Plan is being delivered through a combination of normal hospital activity, as well as insourcing and outsourcing initiatives utilising NTPF funding. Under the Inpatient/Daycase Plan, since early February, almost 22,000 patients have come off the Inpatient/Daycase Waiting List.
The NTPF has advised that to date 5,295 patients have been authorised for treatment in private hospitals under its Day Case Initiative, 2,065 patients have accepted an offer of treatment in a private hospital and that 954 patients have received their procedure. The NTPF has also indicated that 2,496 patients have been authorised for treatment in public hospitals under the plan’s insourcing initiatives, 558 offers of treatment have been accepted and 104 patients have been treated.
Under the Oupatient Plan, since early February, almost 79,000 patients have come off the Outpatient Waiting List.
In response to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly.
1273. 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. [38944/17]
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.
1274. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive a hospital appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38945/17]
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.
1275. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the procedures in place whereby persons who are in full-time residential care under the HSE and in which family members are consulted regarding their care plan and the persons in care are making payments to the HSE on a weekly or monthly basis from their social welfare payment for top-up services; the categories of services that are covered by same; the number of persons who are making such payments; and the amount involved on an annual basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38951/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1276. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal can expect to receive an appointment for cataract surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38958/17]
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.
1278. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide information on the midlands public health dental service (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38966/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
1279. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health when physiotherapy services will be returned to a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38969/17]
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.
1280. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the information available to him regarding the growth in the use of cocaine and crack cocaine throughout the country; the steps which are being taken to address this problem; and the treatment available to persons using this drug. [38980/17]
View answerMy Department and the Health Service Executive have a range of mechanisms for sharing information about the drugs situation with An Garda Síochána, including the Early Warning Emerging Trends Committee (EWET) and the HSE Public Alert System for adverse events due to drugs.
The EWET provides a forum for representatives from my Department, An Garda Síochána, the Health Service Executive and other relevant experts to exchange information on emerging trends and patterns in drug use.
I understand that anecdotal reports of an increase in the use of crack cocaine and apparent paraphernalia being found have been raised by service providers attending the EWET. The authorities remain vigilant for the possibility of an increase in the use of crack cocaine in Ireland.
The most recent Drugs Prevalence Survey for 2014/2015 indicates that there has been no increase in last month or last year use of cocaine, including crack cocaine, since the previous survey for 2010/2011.
The Health Service Executive has reoriented the addiction services in recent years so that they are capable of dealing with all substances. The HSE is continuing to develop the spread and range of addiction services to achieve better coverage across the country, especially in areas most affected by the drug problem. Treatment is provided through a network of statutory and non-statutory agencies, using a four tier model of service delivery. The four tier model is based on the principle that drug treatment is best provided at the lowest level of complexity, matching the patient’s needs and as close to the patient’s home as possible.
1281. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of drug deaths in each of the past ten years by type of drug in each case. [38981/17]
View answerThe National Drug Related Deaths (NDRDI) index is an epidemiological database administered by the Health Research Board which records cases of death by drug and/or alcohol poisoning and deaths among drug users and those who are alcohol dependent. The Health Research Board published a report on the NDRDI in December 2016, which shows deaths up to 2014, the latest year for which data is available. The number of poisoning deaths categorised by drug group between 2004 and 2014 are set out in the following table:
|
Multi-response: Poisoning deaths categorised by drug group, NDRDI 2004 to 2014 (N = 3,864) |
|||||||||||
|
- |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
All poisoning deaths* |
266 |
301 |
326 |
387 |
386 |
372 |
340 |
377 |
358 |
397 |
354 |
|
Opiates† |
131 |
159 |
183 |
190 |
219 |
236 |
190 |
260 |
224 |
251 |
249 |
|
Benzodiazepines
|
77 |
79 |
116 |
123 |
123 |
136 |
131 |
251 |
174 |
238 |
228 |
|
Alcohol |
125 |
116 |
113 |
172 |
155 |
143 |
152 |
142 |
129 |
140 |
115 |
|
Antidepressants |
54 |
53 |
43 |
48 |
87 |
67 |
67 |
99 |
90 |
121 |
120 |
|
Other prescription meds § |
43 |
42 |
41 |
63 |
62 |
60 |
77 |
90 |
103 |
142 |
190 |
|
Stimulants (exc NPS)
|
32 |
46 |
62 |
84 |
68 |
56 |
22 |
35 |
38 |
46 |
55 |
|
Non-opiate analgesics |
13 |
23 |
11 |
19 |
18 |
16 |
15 |
21 |
23 |
30 |
33 |
|
New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
6 |
8 |
8 |
30 |
23 |
|
Others/Unknown‡ |
7 |
23 |
21 |
23 |
31 |
42 |
31 |
30 |
28 |
36 |
25 |
*This is a multi-response table taking account of up to six drugs. Therefore numbers in columns may not add up to totals shown, as individual cases may have more than one drug implicated in their death.
† Includes heroin, methadone, morphine, codeine, unspecified opiate-type drug, other opiate analgesic.
§ Includes non-benzodiazepine sedatives, anti-psychotics, Z drugs(e.g. zopiclone), barbiturates, cardiac and all other types of prescription medication(e.g. pregabalin).
Includes cocaine and MDMA.
‡ includes solvents, insecticides, herbicides, other amphetamines, hallucinogens and other chemicals.
1282. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the way in which and the locations in which the additional €3 million allocated to drugs services is being spent in 2017. [38982/17]
View answerThe Department of Health allocated an additional €3m to the HSE for drugs-related measures in 2017. It is intended that this additional funding will be used to:
establish a pilot supervised injecting facility in Dublin city centre during 2017;
increase access to buprenorphine/naloxone and buprenorphine products as an alternative treatment for the identified cohorts of patients for whom methadone treatment is not suitable;
address gaps in addiction service provision for under 18s; and
provide more detoxification places in community and residential settings.
I have asked the Health Service Executive to provide details of the locations in which this funding has been used to date and reply directly to the Deputy.
1283. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the promised additional €25 million for drugs services over the next five years; and the details of the scheduling and purpose of this funding. [38983/17]
View answerFunding for “Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery – a health led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2025” will be addressed every year as part of the estimates process.
1284. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the annual estimate of the number of babies born with foetal alcohol syndrome; and the steps which are being taken to reduce this figure. [38984/17]
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.
1285. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in negotiating and finalising a new general practitioner contract; the timeframe to which he is working; and if he will expedite this matter in view of the need to expand the capacity of general practitioner and primary care services. [38988/17]
View answerThe development of primary care is central to the Government's objective to deliver a high-quality, integrated and cost effective health service. The Programme for Government commits to a decisive shift within the health service towards primary care in order to deliver better care close to home in communities across the country. The development of a new, modernised contract for the provision of general practitioner services will be a key element in facilitating this process.
The aim is to develop a contract which has a population health focus, providing in particular for health promotion and disease prevention and for the structured ongoing care of chronic conditions. A new contract should be flexible and be able to respond to the changing nature of the GP workforce. It should also include provisions in relation to service quality and standards, performance, accountability and transparency. I think this will be key in making general practice a more attractive career.
Since 2015, negotiations have resulted in a number of service developments including the provision of free GP care to under 6 year olds and over 70's, the introduction of a Diabetes Cycle of Care for adult GMS patients with Type 2 Diabetes and enhanced supports for rural GPs. The next phase of discussions on a new GP contract is under way and officials from my Department and the HSE meet with GP representatives on a regular basis.
I understand that the discussions taking place are wide ranging and definitely ambitious in their scope. I think it is important to acknowledge that, as with any negotiation-type process, and given the range and complexity of the issues to be discussed, these engagements take time. While I am of course anxious to see good progress made, it is not my intention to set a deadline for completion of discussions. I look forward to significant progress being made in the months ahead. While there will be challenges for all parties involved, I would hope that everyone will remain focused on our common goal of putting suitable new arrangements in place that will work for patients, GPs, and other health care providers in primary care. I look forward to continued ongoing positive engagement with GP representatives in the months ahead.
1286. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reason he will not proceed to make arrangements for the employment of salaried general practitioners in view of the shortage of general practitioners and the need to attract back Irish-trained general practitioners who are working abroad. [38989/17]
View answerThe development of primary care is central to the Government's objective to deliver a high-quality, integrated and cost effective health service. The programme for Government commits to a decisive shift within the health service towards primary care in order to deliver better care close to home in communities across the country. The development of a new, modernised contract for the provision of general practitioner services will be a key element in facilitating this process.
The aim is to develop a contract which has a population health focus, providing in particular for health promotion and disease prevention and for the structured ongoing care of chronic conditions. A new contract should be flexible and be able to respond to the changing nature of the GP workforce. It should also include provisions in relation to service quality and standards, performance, accountability and transparency. I think this will be key in making general practice a more attractive career.
Since 2015, negotiations have resulted in a number of service developments including the provision of free GP care to under 6 year olds and over 70's, the introduction of a Diabetes Cycle of Care for adult GMS patients with Type 2 Diabetes and enhanced supports for rural GPs. The next phase of discussions on a new GP contract commenced in January of this year. Officials from my Department and the HSE meet with GP representatives on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of issues. The option of salaried GPs for areas where it has proven difficult to attract and retain GP services is one of the issues I expect will be considered in this context. Any proposed model involving salaried GP positions would require careful consideration to ensure the required level of service could be provided to remote and deprived areas, as well as providing a financially viable solution for doctors who wish to work in such areas, without displacement of other GP services in surrounding areas.
I understand that the discussions taking place are wide ranging and definitely ambitious in their scope. I would hope that everyone will remain focused on our common goal of putting suitable new arrangements in place that will work for patients, GPs, and other health care providers in primary care. As with any negotiation-type process, and given the range and complexity of the issues to be discussed, these engagements take time. While I am of course anxious to see good progress made, it is not my intention to set a deadline for completion of discussions. I look forward to significant progress being made in the months ahead.
