Written Answers Nos. 152-171
152. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the disciplinary proceedings which were enacted as a result of the publication of the Report of the External Independent Review of Maternity Services at Portiuncula University Hospital. [27143/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
153. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the status of the schedule of supports being offered to women affected by the controversy surrounding the CervicalCheck screening service; the number of women for whom supports are in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27144/18]
View answerOn 11 May 2018, the Government agreed a comprehensive package of health and social care measures to support the 209 women who have been diagnosed with cervical cancer and whose audit result differed from their original smear test and for their families.
A range of services is being made available to all women, tailored to their individual needs and circumstances. This includes medical cards, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, home care packages, counselling, disability services, medication, transport and childcare costs and other supports.
Since the decision to establish the support package, a team of specially designated Liaison Officers has been appointed to work with individuals and put in place the required supports. At close of business on Thursday 14 June 2018, the Liaison Officers had contacted 203 individuals and held 143 face-to-face meetings to discuss their needs.
It is important to note that every individual’s circumstances will be unique to them and thus the HSE has taken care to respect the wishes of the women and their families regarding the timing of contacts and subsequent meetings. Where meetings have not yet been held, this reflects the wishes of the individuals concerned either to meet at a future date that suits them or, in some instances not to take up the offer of support.
To date, the HSE has issued 246 new medical cards to women and family members or next-of-kin, and has also made amendments to the terms of existing medical cards or G.P visit cards in 87 cases to re-categorise these as medical cards under the terms of the CervicalCheck support package. A very small number of registration requests are currently on hand and liaison officers are working with clients to complete these, while any outstanding registration requests will be processed as a matter of priority as soon as they are submitted.
Where women have been prescribed a medicine by their treating clinician, any out-of-pocket costs will be met. This includes medicines not officially approved for reimbursement and any other non-standard therapies, once prescribed for the patient by their doctor.
Arrangements are in place to reimburse a range of costs that the women and their families incur from 11 May 2018 including travel costs, childcare costs and medical appointment costs among others. These will be reimbursed upon receipt of claims from individuals.
My Department is working with the HSE to gather information on the type and scale of costs that individuals have incurred retrospectively, to enable a decision to be made on the most appropriate means of supporting people in this regard.
In response to a recommendation from Dr Scally's recently published progress report, I have also made available an ex gratia payment of €2,000 to the women and families affected. As Dr Scally rightly states in his report, it is important that women do not encounter any financial obstacles to participating and making their voices heard in relation to the Scoping Inquiry or any subsequent Commission of Investigation. These payments will be made as quickly as possible. I am advised that the HSE aims to have all the payments processed by the end of June.
This should not be considered a bar to any further payment that Government may decide to make available. It should be noted that not all of the 209 women and families to whom the package of supports has been offered has taken this up, and this may also apply in relation to the ex gratia payment. The process and all required supports will continue to be rolled out to all women directly affected.
154. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the proactive outreach actions being taken to contact and offer additional screening services for those with a high risk profile for cervical cancer in view of the controversy surrounding the CervicalCheck screening service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27145/18]
View answerCervical screening tests women for changes in the cells of the cervix using a smear test. Changes are common and cervical screening by smear tests can pick up early cell changes so they can be monitored or treated. The earlier abnormal cell changes are found, the easier they are to treat. Early detection and treatment of changes in the cells of the cervix can prevent cervical cancer.
All women are actively encouraged to attend for cervical screening at appropriate intervals. Women aged 25 to 44 will be invited routinely for a free smear test every three years and women aged 45 to 60 will be invited routinely every five years.
Women who are recommended for increased surveillance are re-called after one year following a normal smear test result.
Cervical screening tests, like other screening tests, are not 100% accurate. Any women who has concerns or experiences suspicious symptoms should visit her doctor for further investigation.
155. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the status of the development of a business case for a modular catheterisation laboratory for the south east; the decision date for the business case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27146/18]
View answerFollowing an independent review of the need for a second cath lab in University Hospital Waterford, the Herity report concluded that the needs of the effective catchment population for Waterford University Hospital could be accommodated within a single cath lab. Funding has been provided to support extension of the existing cath lab operating hours to 12 weekly sessions per week, or by 20%, as recommended in the Herity Report. The HSE has advised approval and funding has been provided for the posts required to facilitate this service expansion and recruitment is currently being progressed by local management and the HSE’s National Recruitment Service. A mobile cath lab has been deployed since October 2017, initially for a period of 20 weeks but since extended to allow time for University Hospital Waterford to complete recruitment of the additional staff required for the service extension to the existing cath lab.
The aim of the National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services, which has been underway since January, is to achieve optimal patient outcomes at population level with particular emphasis on the safety, quality and sustainability of the services that patients receive by establishing the need for an optimal configuration of a national adult cardiac service. The anticipated timeline is 18 months although the Chair will seek to expedite the submission of the Final Report if possible.
As set out in the National Development Plan 2018-2027, investment in cardiac catheterisation laboratories and other cardiac services infrastructure nationally will be informed by the outcome of the National Review.
The Deputy might wish to note that I met with South East Oireachtas members on 14 February and indicated that I would give some consideration to the various issues raised by the group, including the potential for the deployment of a modular cath lab, as an interim solution, pending the outcome of the National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services. My Department is currently examining this matter at my request and it is envisaged that this examination will be completed shortly.
156. Deputy Hildegarde Naughton asked the Minister for Health the reason intermediate care staff are the only grade in the Ambulance Service not entitled to a long service increment in view of the fact that this discriminates against just one grade of the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27148/18]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to you directly on this matter.
157. Deputy Hildegarde Naughton asked the Minister for Health the number of occasions in which intermediate care operatives have been tasked before the community responders groups in 2017 and to date in 2018. [27149/18]
View answerAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
158. Deputy Hildegarde Naughton asked the Minister for Health the reason the volunteer community response groups are being tasked to 999 emergency calls and in some cases dispatched to calls beyond the scope of that for which the community groups were intended. [27150/18]
View answerAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
159. Deputy Hildegarde Naughton asked the Minister for Health the reason none of the control measures identified in the risk assessment reports regarding the design and ergonomics of the intermediate care vehicles carried out in 2016 and 2017 have been implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27151/18]
View answerAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
160. Deputy Hildegarde Naughton asked the Minister for Health the amount spent nationally on private ambulances for patient transport in comparison to that which is spent on the intermediate care service overtime in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27152/18]
View answerAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
161. Deputy Hildegarde Naughton asked the Minister for Health the amount it costs the HSE for one discharge from the emergency department to a local address if a private ambulance is used in comparison to an intermediate care operative vehicle on overtime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27153/18]
View answerAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
162. Deputy Hildegarde Naughton asked the Minister for Health the reason there are no career progression prospects for intermediate care operatives in view of the fact that intermediate care operatives cannot go to a basic level of lead supervisor positions or managerial roles due to lack of lead supervisor experience (details supplied). [27154/18]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to you directly on this matter.
163. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the number of sexual assault treatment units here; the location of each unit; the opening hours of each unit; the location to which complainants are brought if the closest unit is not open at the time a complaint is made; if consideration has been given to opening each unit on a 24 hour basis seven days a week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27162/18]
View answerAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
164. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the amount paid to private investigators to investigate hospital consultants in preparation for the court case regarding the 2008 consultant contract. [27163/18]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to you directly on this matter.
165. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the value of private activity in public hospitals by publicly employed consultants on type B contracts for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27164/18]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to you directly on this matter.
166. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of medical cards issued per LHO in each of the years 2011 to 2017 and to date in 2018. [27168/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
167. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae 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. [27169/18]
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 since 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 the Deputy directly.
168. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health the average number of ambulances suitable for an echo or delta response; the number of echo and delta response calls; the number of echo and delta response calls that fall outside of the 18 minutes 59 second response time in each of the past five years by county and NUTS 3 regional basis in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27173/18]
View answerAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
169. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health the average number of qualified ambulance personnel at each grade; the allocated budget and expenditure of the National Ambulance Service in each of the past five years by county and NUTS 3 regional basis in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27174/18]
View answerAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
170. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if he will identify non-service issues for purposes of raising a parliamentary question in relation to the National Ambulance Service. [27175/18]
View answerI am happy to answer any questions in relation to pre hospital emergency care policy; however as the operation of the ambulance service is the responsibility of the HSE, questions in relation to services are referred to the National Ambulance Service for direct reply.
171. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae 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. [27176/18]
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 since 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 the Deputy directly.
