Bernard Durkan
Question:352. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health when an appointment will be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40556/17]
View answerHospital Appointments Status
Questions (352)
Written answers
Under 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.
General Practitioner Services Provision
Questions (353, 354)
Fiona O'Loughlin
Question:353. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health if a replacement general practitioner for a doctor (details supplied) in Kildare has been advertised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40558/17]
View answerFiona O'Loughlin
Question:354. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health if interviews have been held for a replacement of a retired general practitioner (details supplied) in Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40559/17]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 353 and 354 together.
As these questions relate to service matters, I have arranged for the questions to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
Mental Health Services Staff
Questions (355)
Pat Buckley
Question:355. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the detail of the standard contracts offered to each of the members of the community teams in CAMHS services (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40560/17]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services Report
Questions (356)
Pat Buckley
Question:356. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the HSE child and adult mental health service, CAMHS, reports for each of the years 2013 to 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40561/17]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services Expenditure
Questions (357)
Pat Buckley
Question:357. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the agency spend by CAMHS for each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017 by CHO area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40562/17]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services Staff
Questions (358)
Pat Buckley
Question:358. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of professions (details supplied) employed in CAMHS services in 2016 and 2017 [40563/17]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services Data
Questions (359)
Pat Buckley
Question:359. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of young persons waiting longer than 12 months for a first appointment for CAMHS at the end of June for each of the years 2014 to 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40564/17]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services Funding
Questions (360)
Pat Buckley
Question:360. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the percentage of the overall mental health budget CAMHS services have received by year since 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40565/17]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services Data
Questions (361)
Pat Buckley
Question:361. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the waiting list times for a mental health service (details supplied) by site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40566/17]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services Staff
Questions (362)
Pat Buckley
Question:362. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of employees in each of the sites of a mental health service (details supplied) in each of the years 2012 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40567/17]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Disability Services Provision
Questions (363)
Mick Wallace
Question:363. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if he has read the recently published Health Information Quality Authority, HIQA, inspection report on an organisation (details supplied); if he has satisfied himself that the organisation can implement the proposed action plan in view of the volume of complaints from families and their lack of confidence in the board and directors of the organisation and other issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40576/17]
View answerWritten answers
I am aware of the organisation to which the Deputy refers and I understand that there have been issues at its centre in Wicklow in relation to compliance with regulatory standards. The most recent inspection report on this centre, which was published by the Health Information and Quality Authority on 13 September 2017, identified a number of areas where significant improvements were needed.
Where issues of non-compliance are identified, HIQA’s inspection reports include a series of follow-on actions that the service provider must implement within a prescribed time-frame. The Health Service Executive has assured me that it is working closely with Sunbeam House Services to help it address these issues with a view to ensuring that HIQA’s action plan is implemented in a timely fashion and to the satisfaction of the regulator.
HSE Data
Questions (364, 365)
Noel Grealish
Question:364. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health the number of day care centres for the elderly that have received capital funding from his Department or the HSE in 2016, and to date in 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40577/17]
View answerNoel Grealish
Question:365. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health the number of community-run day care facilities that are in operation; the number of persons that attend these centres on a weekly basis; the number of persons referred to these facilities by the HSE on a weekly basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40578/17]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 364 and 365 together.
As these are a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Medical Aids and Appliances Expenditure
Questions (366)
Noel Grealish
Question:366. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if there are grants from his Department, the HSE or another Department for community groups to purchase defibrillators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40582/17]
View answerWritten answers
It is the local community who initiates the setting up of a First Responder scheme or group or the provision of public access defibrillators in their area and a local committee is usually formed to organise and implement these initiatives. The local committee contacts the National Ambulance Service (NAS) and a formal process is undertaken to integrate the group with the NAS.
The NAS continues to support the establishment of new groups around the country and encourages all communities to consider the setting up of such schemes in their areas. The National Ambulance Service is in the process of appointing a Community Engagement Officer in each of the three NAS areas to establish a range of health educational and training programmes, including Basic Life Support within the community and will be developed in conjunction with public health and health promotion staff and key external partners such as the Irish Hearth Foundation and Community First Responder Ireland, as part of a wider commitment to promote the Health and well-being of patients and the general public.
The HSE has been allocated National Lottery Funding for distribution to community based groups and voluntary organisations. Groups and organisations involved in the provision of Health and Personal Social Services can apply to their Community Heathcare Organisation (CHO) for once off funding of between €500 and €10,000 for suitable projects.
Health Services Staff
Questions (367)
Seán Haughey
Question:367. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health if Ireland is implementing the Kampala Declaration and Agenda for Global Action of the World Health Organisation; his views on the fact that foreign doctors are taking up permanent positions in the health service rather than practising in their home countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40593/17]
View answerWritten answers
The Kampala Declaration and Agenda for Global Action recognise the need for action to resolve the accelerating crisis in the global health workforce and call on Governments to determine the appropriate health workforce skill mix while providing coordinated and coherent support to formulate and implement comprehensive country health workforce strategies and plans.
As set out in its Statement of Strategy 2016-2019, my Department has committed to developing a national strategic framework for health workforce planning, in collaboration with Government Departments and agencies. During 2016, my Department convened a Cross-sectoral Steering Group to develop a national strategic framework for health workforce planning. A consultation draft of the framework was completed in mid-2017 and was subject to a stakeholder consultation process over the summer. Submissions received as part of this consultation process have been considered by the Steering Group and the draft Framework has been updated accordingly. I expect to receive the final version of the Framework shortly, accompanied by a high-level implementation plan.
The Fourth Global Forum on Human Resources for Health, which will take place in Dublin in November and is co-hosted by my Department in collaboration with the WHO, Irish Aid and HSE will provide a key opportunity for all stakeholders to show a collective commitment to developing and making available the workforce required to achieve universal health coverage and deliver the Sustainable Development Goals targets for health.
Question No. 368 answered with Question No. 262.
Respite Care Services Funding
Questions (369)
Robert Troy
Question:369. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if there will be funding for respite care services outside Dublin in 2018. [40595/17]
View answerWritten answers
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.
The Programme for Partnership Government states that the Government wishes to provide more accessible respite care to facilitate full support for people with a disability.
Funding of €1.69 billion has been allocated by the Health Service Executive (HSE) for disability services in 2017. This represents an increased allocation of €130 million compared to the previous year.
My Department is currently engaged in discussions with the HSE and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform as part of the Estimates Process for Budget 2018. Pending the conclusion of these discussions, I am not in a position to comment on the level of funding that will be available in 2018 for disability services generally and for respite care services outside Dublin in 2018.