Written Answers Nos. 390-409
390. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health the contracts his Department or agencies under his remit have with a company (details supplied); the status of these contracts; the contingency plans that may now be required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3148/18]
View answerMy Department does not hold any contract with, nor has made any payments to the Company in question. I have referred your question to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy. 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.
391. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the amount in donations received by the HSE by hospital or service for each of the past five years through the HSE donation fund form process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3158/18]
View answerThis matter has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
392. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of complaints that have been received regarding dissatisfaction with the HSE donation fund process in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3159/18]
View answerThis matter has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
393. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the number of dietitian posts in a hospital (details supplied) in tabular form; if this is the full complement available to the hospital; if not, the reason all the posts are not filled; when the posts will be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3162/18]
View answerIn response to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
394. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health if a business case (details supplied) has been sanctioned; when the post will be advertised; the expected commencement date of the post; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3163/18]
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 relate to a service matter, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
395. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the number of speech and language therapists for adults, children, children with an intellectual disability or ASD and adults with and intellectual disability or ASD which cover a region (details supplied) in tabular form; if new posts have been sanctioned; when these new posts will commence; his plans to recruit additional speech therapists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3164/18]
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 a service matter, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
396. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health his plans to further develop the relationship between Altnagelvin hospital and Letterkenny University Hospital (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3165/18]
View answerIn response to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
397. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if research or investigations have been undertaken or commissioned into the occurrence of murder-suicide or familicide here; his views on whether it is important to develop some understanding of the factors driving these behaviours; and if he will direct his Department to undertake or commission research and investigations into such difficult occurrences. [3189/18]
View answerMurder and familicide are criminal acts and fall under the remit of the Department of Justice. Policies aimed at prevention and reduction of suicide are the responsibility of my Department.
The National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP) is part of the HSE’s Mental Health Division and its role is to support, inform, monitor and co-ordinate the implementation of Ireland’s National Strategy to Reduce Suicide Connecting for Life.
NOSP is currently participating in a collaborative literature review with the European Network of Psychiatrists. This review is in its early stages, extracting data for collation, so publication of its findings are expected to be in 2019 at the earliest.
399. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Health when a speech and language therapist will be appointed in St Patrick's hospital, Carrick-on-Shannon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3216/18]
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.
400. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health when an operation will be provided for a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay in issuing a date for this procedure; if the person can undergo the procedure on the treatment purchase fund scheme or another way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3218/18]
View answerReducing waiting times for patients is one of the Government's key priorities. October's Budget announced a total 2018 allocation of €55m for the National Treatment Purchase Fund for 2018. This significant increase in funding more than doubles their 2017 total allocation of €20m.
In 2018 the NTPF will continue to arrange the provision of treatment for Inpatient/Daycase patients across a range of specialties.
The HSE and NTPF are working together to develop Waiting List Action Plans for 2018. These plans will see a continued focus on long-waiting patients and overall waiting lists.
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 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 response to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly.
401. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) was assessed on a discretionary basis for a medical card; the reason this person was only issued with a general practitioner card in view of the medical circumstances which bring considerable expense to the person; if the decision made on this application will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3220/18]
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.
402. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Health if he has received correspondence regarding a person (details supplied); if an appointment will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3228/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy.
403. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the number of persons awaiting appointments at the urology outpatient department of University Hospital Waterford from 2015 to 2017 in excess of six, 12, 18 and up to 24 months, respectively, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3258/18]
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.
404. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health if additional funding will be provided in 2018 for home help, home support and home care packages; if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties caused to persons and families when delays occur in providing such support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3262/18]
View answerHomecare is an increasingly important part of the supports we offer to older people, and will continue to increase in importance into the future, as our ageing population grows.
The Department is currently engaged in a detailed process to develop plans for a new statutory scheme and system of regulation for home care services. While this is under development, both the Department and Health Service Executive (HSE) are continuing efforts to incrementally improve the existing home care services. As detailed in its National Service Plan, the HSE has begun work on streamlining home care services by moving towards a single funded home support service. This brings together the funding for home help and standard home care packages which will operate as a single home support service from 2018 onwards. The additional resources made available in 2018 bring the total budget for the direct provision of home support services to €408m. This new approach will provide significant benefits for the service users, the public and the health system including:
- making the services easier to understand;
- streamlining the application processes resulting in only one application and decision being required for home support services for older people; and
- facilitating service users to move to changed levels of services as their assessed needs change, without the need for an additional application process.
The HSE’s National Service Plan provides for a target of some 17.094m home support hours to be provided to 50,500 people, which compares with 16.34m hours delivered to 50,000 people (home help and home hours combined), an increase of 754,000 hours to 500 more people. In addition 235 intensive home care packages will provide 360,000 home support hours for people with complex needs.
Despite this significant level of service provision, the demand for Home Care continues to grow. It is important to note that the allocation of funding for home care across the system, though significant, is finite and services must therefore be delivered within the funding available. Home care is monitored on an on-going basis, to ensure that activity is maximised relative to individual clients’ assessed care needs and within the overall available resources for home care and having regard to demand throughout the year.
405. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health if the funding proposal for a new endoscopy unit at Naas General Hospital has been considered under the capital plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3263/18]
View answerHealth capital funding was outlined in the recently published Public Service Estimates for 2018 and the HSE is currently developing its Capital Plan for 2018-2021.
The Government is preparing a new National Development Plan for the period 2018-2027, which is expected to be published alongside and in support of the forthcoming new National Planning Framework, to sustain national economic and social progress over the long term.
My Department has also referred your question to the Health Service Executive and requested the HSE to reply directly to you in relation to capital developments at Naas Hospital.
406. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health the HSE's policy in relation to the operation of car parks within hospital grounds; the amount of revenue collected in respect of those car parks nationally, by hospital; his views on the charges persons must pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3265/18]
View answerIn response to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
407. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the number of children on a waiting list for scoliosis surgery at Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin in January 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3277/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly.
408. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health if as part of the 2018 capital plan the HSE has made funding available for a project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3278/18]
View answerThe Mid Term review of the Capital Plan was published by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on 13 September 2017. The Government is preparing a new National Development Plan for the period 2018-2027, which is expected to be published alongside and in support of the forthcoming new National Planning Framework, to sustain national economic and social progress over the long term.
Health capital funding was outlined in the recently published Public Service Estimates for 2018 and the Health Service Executive (HSE) is currently developing its Capital Plan for 2018-2021. There is a process in place for the agreement and prioritisation of projects that are proposed for inclusion in the Capital Plan for 2018. Any proposals must be considered in the context of the capital funding available. Priority for funding must be based on verified service needs. The HSE will continue to apply the available funding for capital developments in the most effective way possible to meet current and future needs, having regard to the level of commitments and the costs to completion already in place.
I am informed that the HSE in currently engaging directly with the agency, to which the Deputy refers, in relation to their proposal.
409. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the funding which was allocated to each drugs task force in 2017; the level of funding to be provided to each drugs task force in 2018 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3279/18]
View answerThe budget allocation for the twenty four Local and Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Forces from the Drugs Initiative of the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive for 2017 to 2018 is set out in the table:
|
LDATF |
2017 DOH |
2017 HSE |
2018 DOH |
2018 HSE |
|
Ballyfermot |
€255,446 |
€1,231,286 |
€255,446 |
€1,231,286 |
|
Ballymun |
€422,958 |
€697,957 |
€422,958 |
€697,957 |
|
Blanchardstown |
€179,305 |
€913,589 |
€179,305 |
€913,589 |
|
Bray |
€573,860 |
€916,271 |
€573,860 |
€916,271 |
|
Canal Communities |
€338,605 |
€1,141,309 |
€338,605 |
€1,141,309 |
|
Clondalkin |
€388,114 |
€1,007,948 |
€388,114 |
€1,007,948 |
|
Cork |
€411,988 |
€1,108,299 |
€411,988 |
€1,108,299 |
|
Dublin 12 |
€70,397 |
€993,750 |
€70,397 |
€993,750 |
|
Dublin NE |
€239,971 |
€777,116 |
€239,971 |
€777,116 |
|
Dun Laoghaire |
€94,676 |
€786,755 |
€94,676 |
€786,755 |
|
Finglas Cabra |
€263,277 |
€627,960 |
€263,277 |
€627,960 |
|
NIC |
€394,856 |
€1,834,723 |
€394,856 |
€1,834,723 |
|
SIC |
€176,043 |
€1,868,014 |
€176,043 |
€1,868,014 |
|
Tallaght |
€336,022 |
€898,930 |
€336,022 |
€898,930 |
|
Total LDATF |
€4,145,518 |
€14,803,907 |
€4,145,518 |
€14,803,907 |
|
RDATF |
2017 DOH |
2017 HSE |
2018 DOH |
2018 HSE |
|
East Coast Area |
€58,200 |
€508,500 |
€58,200 |
€508,500 |
|
Midland |
€136,816 |
€662,491 |
€136,816 |
€662,491 |
|
Mid-West |
€147,982 |
€1,260,007 |
€147,982 |
€1,260,007 |
|
North East |
€0 |
€927,813 |
€0 |
€927,813 |
|
North West |
€258,633 |
€461,730 |
€258,633 |
€461,730 |
|
North Dublin City & Co. |
€266,245 |
€511,019 |
€266,245 |
€511,019 |
|
South East |
€0 |
€1,065,760 |
€0 |
€1,065,760 |
|
South West |
€102,820 |
€696,497 |
€102,820 |
€696,497 |
|
Southern |
€0 |
€973,178 |
€0 |
€973,178 |
|
Western |
€136,994 |
€524,155 |
€136,994 |
€524,155 |
|
Total RDATF |
€1,107,690 |
€7,591,150 |
€1,107,690 |
€7,591,150 |
|
Overall Total |
€27,648,265 |
€27,648,265 |
In recognition of the key role Drug and Alcohol Task Forces play in providing a targeted response to the drug problem in local communities, I will shortly be announcing details of a range of new funding initiatives to strengthen the capacity of Task Forces to support the implementation of Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery during 2018.
