Peter Burke
Question:228. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if an appointment for a person (details supplied) will be expedited. [29805/18]
View answerHospital Appointments Status
Questions (228)
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 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.
Speech and Language Therapy Provision
Questions (229)
Robert Troy
Question:229. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health when speech therapy services will be provided to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29806/18]
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.
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.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (230)
Peter Burke
Question:230. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if an appointment for a person (details supplied) will be expedited. [29823/18]
View answerWritten 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 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.
Speech and Language Therapy Waiting Lists
Questions (231)
Joan Burton
Question:231. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Health the length of time children are waiting for speech therapy and occupational therapy services after assessment for developmental language disorder nationally; the comparable length of time in Dublin 15; and the number of children on such a waiting list nationally and in the Dublin 15 area. [29831/18]
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.
As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
Psychological Services
Questions (232)
Jan O'Sullivan
Question:232. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if funding will be made available to ensure the continuation of an early intervention service (details supplied) which provides immediate access to psychological services for children under its care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29833/18]
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.
As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
Departmental Staff Training
Questions (233)
Micheál Martin
Question:233. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Health the training his Department and agencies under its aegis will receive on GDPR legislation; when it will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29849/18]
View answerWritten answers
My Department went to tender in May for the provision of online GDPR training for all staff in my Department. A successful tenderer will be selected shortly. In addition some staff with data protection responsibilities have received training specific to their needs.
I have also been informed by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform that they have issued a request for tenders for the provision of training for Data Protection officers within the civil service and bodies across the public sector. The submitted tenders have been assessed and the winning tenderer will be notified shortly.
GDPR training for staff in agencies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for the agencies concerned. I have forwarded your question to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply. Information relating to other agencies should be sought directly from the relevant Director/CEO/Registrar.
National Treatment Purchase Fund Data
Questions (234)
Micheál Martin
Question:234. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who have been treated under the National Treatment Purchase Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29857/18]
View answerWritten answers
Improving waiting times for hospital procedures is a key commitment in the Programme for Government and in 2018 €50 million was allocated to the NTPF to provide treatment for patients. The Inpatient/Day Case Action Plan 2018 outlines the combined impact of HSE and NTPF activity in 2018. Under the Plan, the NTPF activity will target provision of 22,000 inpatient day case procedures in 2018.
The NTPF advises that as at the end of June, across insourcing, outsourcing and scopes initiatives, almost 22,000 patients have been authorised for treatment. Of these, over 11,100 have accepted offers of treatment and of these almost 9,000 patients have treated to date in 2018.
National Treatment Purchase Fund
Questions (235)
Micheál Martin
Question:235. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Health the way in which the National Treatment Purchase Fund has been promoted to consultants and others in the health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29858/18]
View answerWritten answers
The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) is responsible for collecting and validating all waiting lists for public hospitals; improving processes relating to waiting lists, and advising the Minister of same.
In this regard, the NTPF engages with stakeholders in the health service, including consultants and others. Such engagements provide opportunities for colleagues to discuss projects and initiatives, share perspectives and work together in the interests of patients.
The NTPF advises that it is in regular contact with Hospitals and Hospital Groups at many levels, including through hospital waiting list leads and designated contacts in Hospital Groups who work with the NTPF and its colleagues in the hospital system to achieve shared objectives in the interests of patients.
The NTPF has received substantially increased funding from the Government in Budget 2018 which is resulting in an intensification of activity this year. As a result, I envisage that there will be further opportunities to promote the option of NTPF waiting list initiatives for patients.
Medicinal Products Availability
Questions (236)
Peter Burke
Question:236. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) is still not receiving a drug; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29875/18]
View answerWritten answers
Under 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.
HSE Expenditure
Questions (237)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:237. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the amount spent by the HSE on taxis in each of the years 2011 to 2017 and to date in 2018, in tabular form; and the reason for using taxis, for example, patient transfer, transfer of paper files between hospitals and so on. [29876/18]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
HSE Expenditure
Questions (238)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:238. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the amount spent by hospital or hospital group on taxis in each of the years 2011 to 2017 and to date in 2018, in tabular form; and the reason for using taxis, for example, patient transfer, transfer of paper files between hospitals and so on. [29877/18]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
Ambulance Service
Questions (239)
Clare Daly
Question:239. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the reason no ambulance was despatched to a 999 call for a sick child on 10 May 2018 at an address (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29878/18]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
General Practitioner Services
Questions (240)
Róisín Shortall
Question:240. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the contract arrangements with a company (details supplied); if triage staff are incentivised to refer patients for general practitioner review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29879/18]
View answerWritten answers
As this question relates to a service matter, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
Cancer Screening Programmes
Questions (241)
Róisín Shortall
Question:241. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his views on public concern about the thoroughness of the BreastCheck screening programme; the action which is taken in cases in which a mammogram indicates increasing breast density; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29880/18]
View answerWritten answers
BreastCheck, the National Breast Screening Programme, operates in line with screening protocols which are underpinned by National Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Mammography Screening and further supported by European policy guidelines. These protocols aim to ensure that all women eligible for the programme receive the highest quality mammography screening based on international evidence.
BreastCheck has been accredited three times by international experts. At its most recent inspection, the accreditation agency EUREF (European Reference Organisation for Quality Assured Breast Screening and Diagnostic Services) awarded the programme reference status for the period until 2020, indicating that the policy and practices in place were an example to other national programmes to follow.
Digital mammography was introduced by BreastCheck in 2007 following a successful pilot programme which demonstrated significant improvements in diagnostic accuracy, particularly for women with denser breast tissue, when compared to analogue or screen-film mammography.
The digital format has resulted in enhancement of image quality, particularly associated with improved visualisation of dense breast tissue. Digital mammography also results in significant reductions in radiation dose associated with screening examinations, and allows images to be acquired and viewed in a shorter time. At present, digital mammography platforms do not provide a quantifiable breast density measurement.
BreastCheck has always emphasised that a woman developing any symptom after a normal mammogram should contact their GP.