Written Answers Nos. 892-913
892. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 336 of 28 November 2017, the reason a person (details supplied) is on the HSE's assessment of need waiting list since only 13 June 2017 even though the HSE acknowledged the application for an assessment of need by the person's parents in October 2016. [55170/17]
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 an individual case, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
893. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Health his views on whether parents of children with ADHD who need medication should be legally entitled to retrospective repayment from the HSE for the costs of treatment for ADHD from the time that the Ombudsman decided that it should be included in the long-term illness scheme in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55177/17]
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.
894. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be called for cataract surgery in the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital. [55178/17]
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.
895. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that under the Child Care Act 1991 the legal definition of a child is a person under 18 years of age, excluding a person who has been married; the reason funding for children needing access to ADHD medicine under the long-term illness scheme is stopped at 16 instead of 18 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55181/17]
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.
897. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health his plans to support Naas General Hospital in addressing overcrowding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55183/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly.
898. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health the length of the waiting list in Tallaght hospital to visit a consultant in a department. [55184/17]
View answerThe NTPF publishes the Inpatient/Daycase and Outpatient waiting list figures by specialty for each hospital on its website each month. This information is available at www.NTPF.ie. The most recent figures published by the NTPF for the end of December 2017 indicate that there is a total of 4,176 people on the Inpatient/Day case waiting list for Tallaght Hospital and a total of 26,808 people on the Outpatient waiting list for Tallaght Hospital.
899. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health the educational background required for a counselling position with the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55189/17]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
900. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health the reason the Tuesday dental surgery which operates at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, for persons with special needs has had its output cut from treating three persons per session to treating just one person; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this is causing delays for persons seeking such treatment; if his decision will be reversed and the full service restored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55202/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
902. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the vacant properties and land not in use, owned, rented or leased by his Department or by bodies and agencies under its aegis by square footage for buildings and acres for land, in tabular form; the address and location of these properties; and the last date of occupancy or use of these properties. [55214/17]
View answerMy Department does not have any vacant or unused properties or land not in use. Details for other bodies under the aegis of the Department are operational matters for the bodies concerned and the Deputy should contact the relevant Director/CEO/Registrar directly.
903. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55221/17]
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.
904. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Health if the expert body on fluorides and health will consider a paper (details supplied); and his views on its conclusions. [55222/17]
View answerI have asked the Irish Expert Body on Fluorides and Health to examine the study to which the Deputy refers and I will write directly to the Deputy once the Expert Body has provided its advice.
905. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the reason the disbursement of lottery grants to a group (details supplied) has been delayed; if this disbursement can be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55223/17]
View answerMy Department administered a National Lottery Discretionary Fund during the years 2008 to 2016 from which once-off grants were paid to community and voluntary organisations providing a range of health related services. My Department no longer operates a National Lottery Fund. However, the HSE operates a similar scheme and continues to provide grants to health agencies and other organisations from National Lottery funds.
I have asked the Health Service Executive to reply directly to the Deputy regarding this particular query.
906. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the status of appointments for two scans for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55224/17]
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.
907. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if the HSE is making funding available to an organisation (details supplied) in order to pay for legal advice regarding the release of the final reports on the two audits of that organisation carried out by the HSE in 2015. [55225/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
908. Deputy Niamh Smyth 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. [55226/17]
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.
909. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if an appointment will be maintained for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55233/17]
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.
910. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health when a medical card will issue in the case of persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55234/17]
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.
911. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if allocated hours of home help service will be commenced for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55235/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
912. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the status of the assessment of Kuvan; when a final decision will be made to make Kuvan available to persons with phenylketonuria, PKU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55246/17]
View answerThe HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drug schemes, under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
In reaching a decision, the HSE examines all the evidence which may be relevant in its view for the decision and will take into account such expert opinions and recommendations which it may have sought, including, for example, advice from the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE).
Sapropterin (Kuvan) was considered under the national pricing and reimbursement processes in 2009. At that time, insufficient evidence was available to support the pricing and reimbursement application submitted.
In 2016, the HSE was advised that a new health technology assessment dossier would be submitted on sapropterin. The NCPE completed its assessment of the new dossier in September 2017 and did not recommend sapropterin for reimbursement, as it was not deemed cost effective at the price sought by the company.
The HSE assessment process is ongoing and the HSE will take into account any relevant expert advice when making its decision, in line with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
913. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the figures regarding a service (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55250/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
