Written Answers Nos. 487-510
487. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health when the freestyle libre system will be made available under the long-term illness scheme for persons with diabetes; if availability will not be restricted only to persons with type 1 diabetes but will be made available to every person on multi-daily insulin injections based on clinical need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39589/17]
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.
488. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the progress made to introduce a scheme to replace the motorised transport grant scheme; when such a replacement scheme will likely be operational and open to new applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39590/17]
View answerConscious of the reports of the Ombudsman in 2011 and 2012 regarding the legal status of both the Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport Grant Scheme in the context of the Equal Status Acts, the Government decided to close both schemes in February 2013.
The Government is aware of the continuing needs of people with a disability who rely on individual payments that support choice and independence. In this regard, monthly payments of up to €208.50 have continued to be made by the Health Service Executive to 4,700 people who were in receipt of the Mobility Allowance.
The Government decided that the detailed preparatory work required for a new Transport Support Scheme and associated statutory provisions should be progressed by the Minister for Health and the Programme for a Partnership Government acknowledges the ongoing drafting of primary legislation for a new Transport Support Scheme. I can confirm that work on the policy proposals for the new Scheme is at an advanced stage. The proposals seek to ensure that there is a firm statutory basis to the Scheme's operation; there is transparency and equity in the eligibility criteria attaching to the Scheme; resources are targeted at those with greatest needs; and the Scheme is capable of being costed and is affordable on its introduction and on an ongoing basis.
The next step is to seek Government approval to the drafting of a Bill for the new Scheme.
489. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if an appointment will be scheduled for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39598/17]
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.
497. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of car parking spaces available at University Hospital Waterford; the charge in place; the charge in each of the years 2008 to 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39609/17]
View answerIn relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
498. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the name of the body that inspects buildings to ascertain if their disability access is suitable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39614/17]
View answerI understand that building inspection is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government.
499. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the number of replacement motorised wheelchairs that are available in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown to be used when an existing person's chair is being repaired or needs replacement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39616/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
500. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied). [39633/17]
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.
501. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health the details of all publicly run nursing homes in County Wicklow. [39638/17]
View answer502. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health the details of all privately run nursing homes in County Wicklow. [39639/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 501 and 502 together.
The weekly cost of all approved private and voluntary residential facilities is published on a monthly basis on the HSE website
http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/4/olderpeople/nhss/costs.html.
Details of the cost of care for all public nursing homes is also available on their website.
The Health Information and Quality Authority is an independent authority established under the Health Act 2007. Since 2009 all nursing homes - public, voluntary and private have been registered and inspected by HIQA.
A register of all nursing homes is available on the HIQA website www.hiqa.ie with a breakdown available per county.
503. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Health if he will waive the €80 fee which haemochromatosis patients who do not qualify for a medical card must pay each time they get a venesection; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that persons are turning away from treatment due to this charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39640/17]
View answerThe Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides that all people ordinarily resident in the country are entitled, subject to certain charges, to public in-patient hospital services including consultant services and to public out-patient hospital services. Under the Health (In-Patients Charges) (Amendment) Regulations 2008, a person who has been referred to a hospital for an in-patient service, including that provided on a day case basis, will have to pay the statutory daily charge, currently €80 per day, up to a maximum of €800 per year. On this basis, where venesection is classed as a day case procedure and is not carried out in an out patient setting, the public in-patient charge applies. There are no plans at present to exclude haemochromatosis patients from this charge.
The following revised reply was received on 15 November 2017
The Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides that all people ordinarily resident in the country are entitled, subject to certain charges, to public in-patient hospital services including consultant services and to public out-patient hospital services. Under s52 of the Health Act 1970, as amended by s12 of the Health (Amendment) Act 2013, a person who has been referred to a hospital for an in-patient service, including that provided on a day case basis, will have to pay the statutory daily charge, currently €80 per day, up to a maximum of €800 per year. On this basis, where venesection is classed as a day case procedure and is not carried out in an out- patient setting, the public in-patient charge applies. There are no plans at present to exclude hemochromatosis patients from this charge.
504. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health if financial assistance can be given by the HSE to a person (details supplied) who was unable to wait on a lengthy waiting list due to the severity of the case to have two new knee replacements, the first of which will be done in a private hospital (details supplied) in the near future. [39663/17]
View answerIn relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
505. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health when the freestyle libre system will be made available under the long-term illness scheme for persons with diabetes; if availability will not be restricted only to persons with type 1 diabetes but will be made available to everyone on multi-daily insulin injections based on clinical need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39664/17]
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.
506. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the progress of the availability of a medical device for diabetes (details supplied) on the long-term illness scheme; and if the device will also be available for those with type 2 diabetes. [39669/17]
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.
507. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the operational primary care centres and the year in which they opened, by county, in tabular form. [39706/17]
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.
508. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding paid to private nursing homes under the fair deal scheme for 2015 and 2016; the names of the nursing homes; the location of each nursing home in cases in which subvention has been paid; the amount paid to each participant nursing home on a per annum basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39715/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
509. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health if he will assist in the urgent provision of a necessary item of equipment for a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [39716/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
510. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that there is a doctor operating in Ballivor, County Meath, five days a week (details supplied). [39724/17]
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.
