Written Answers Nos. 1068-1087
1068. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if he will intervene and provide funding and instruct the HSE to ensure the completion of the group home for women with physical and sensory disabilities in a location (details supplied). [37730/17]
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.
The particular issue raised by the Deputy is a service matter for the HSE. Accordingly I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
1069. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the steps he will take to ensure further resources for respite care for persons with autism or intellectual disabilities in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37754/17]
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.
1070. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the steps he will take to ensure continuing respite services for school leavers with autism or intellectual disabilities who often have very reduced services available once they leave school, although their needs stay the same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37755/17]
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.
The particular issue raised by the Deputy is a service matter for the HSE. Accordingly I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
1071. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will advise on a procedure for a person (details supplied). [37760/17]
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.
1072. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding a hospital waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37763/17]
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, in conjunction with the NTPF, to develop Waiting List Action Plans for 2017 in the areas of Inpatient/Daycase, Scoliosis and Outpatient Services. These plans have been published and their implementation is ongoing. The Inpatient/Daycase and Outpatient Plans focus on reducing the number of patients waiting 15 months or more for inpatient and daycase treatment or for an outpatient appointment by the end of October. The NTPF is currently rolling out its Waiting List Initiative focused on supporting the delivery of the HSE’s Inpatient/Daycase Waiting List Action Plan
1073. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an appointment for a person (details supplied) who has been waiting a considerable period of time. [37766/17]
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.
1074. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Health if hospital catering facilities are made aware of a person's health issues, including those patients who are diabetic, before serving food to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37773/17]
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.
1076. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Health if he has given consideration to adding conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, pulmonary fibrosis and motor neuron disease to the list of applicable conditions in the long-term illness scheme as part of budget 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37776/17]
View answerThe LTI Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act 1970 (as amended). The conditions covered by the LTI are: acute leukaemia; mental handicap; cerebral palsy; mental illness (in a person under 16); cystic fibrosis; multiple sclerosis; diabetes insipidus; muscular dystrophies; diabetes mellitus; parkinsonism; epilepsy; phenylketonuria; haemophilia; spina bifida; hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide. Under the LTI Scheme, patients receive drugs, medicines, and medical and surgical appliances directly related to the treatment of their illness, free of charge.
There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the Scheme.
1077. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the timeframe for the introduction of statutory registration for counselling and psychotherapy services under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005. [37780/17]
View answerI recently concluded a public consultation on my proposal to regulate counsellors generally under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005. On foot of the consultation process, I have decided to proceed with the designation of two distinct professions under the Act, that of counsellor and psychotherapist. Each will have its own register under one registration board. This decision has been communicated to the Health and Social Care Professionals Council, the relevant professional bodies and all the respondents to the public consultation process.
I expect that the draft regulations to designate the professions and to establish the registration board will be ready for submission to the Houses of the Oireachtas for their approval during the forthcoming session. Subject to the approval of the Houses, the next step will be the appointment of the 13 members of the registration board following the submission of suitable candidates for my consideration by the Public Appointments Service. I hope that the registration board will be in a position early in the New Year to begin the task of drafting the various bye-laws to allow it to establish its registers.
1078. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37785/17]
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.
1079. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an appointment for hip surgery for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37797/17]
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.
1080. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37802/17]
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.
1081. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a place in a centre for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37804/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
1082. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that all outpatient appointments in May 2017 were cancelled at the eye and ear hospital in Dublin; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that appointments are not being issued and there is no indication of when appointments will be issued in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37816/17]
View answer1083. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is an impediment to issuing outpatient appointments since mid-September 2016 at the eye and ear hospital in Dublin; the reason no outpatient appointments are being issued in view of the fact that the medical issues are both urgent and complex; the strategies in place to resolve the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37817/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1082 and 1083 together.
In relation to the queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service issues, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
1084. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health in view of the anecdotal evidence of significant use of self sourced PrEP, the steps he is taking to ensure the information and clinical monitoring services are available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37821/17]
View answerAs clinical monitoring and information in relation to PrEP are service issues, I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy.
1085. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 960 of 2 May 2017, the work of the PrEP working group; the membership of this group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37822/17]
View answerAs this question relates to a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy
1086. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of work of the sexual health implementation group and the sexual health clinical advisory group; the number of meetings each group has had since 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37823/17]
View answerAs this question relates to a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
