Written Answers Nos. 365-380
365. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health his plans for winter 2018 to increase the up-take of the 'flu vaccine across all categories of persons; and his further plans to promote awareness campaigns for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31778/18]
View answerEvery year the HSE hold their Winter Flu and Under the Weather campaigns which focus on reminding people to get their flu vaccination. In developing these campaigns the HSE reviews and updates its influenza plans, including its communications strategy, taking into account lessons learned from previous years and sets out to target key groups to get the greatest impact in terms of people receiving the influenza vaccine.
As this question relates to a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
366. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health his plans for the next school term to increase the up-take of schoolgirls receiving the HPV vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31779/18]
View answerThe main focus of the programme is to increase HPV uptake rates in girls. One of the most important things is to provide accurate and credible information to enable parents to make a fully informed decision concerning HPV vaccination.
Each year at the start of the school term the Health Service Executive runs an awareness campaign for parents which helps them access trusted sources of information to encourage them to get their daughters vaccinated with the HPV vaccine.
The initial evidence suggests that this campaign is having a positive effect with provisional figures showing uptake rates have increased by 11% this year to 62%.
As this question relates to a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
367. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health his plans to roll out the HPV vaccine to boys; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31780/18]
View answer484. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 277 of 3 July 2018, when he expects this to take place; and when the vaccine will be made available to teenage boys [32244/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 367 and 484 together.
The current school immunisation programme offers HPV vaccination to all girls in their first year of second-level education. The Health Information and Quality Authority is currently undertaking a health technology assessment (HTA) on extending the school immunisation programme to include HPV vaccination to boys. This HTA will establish the clinical and cost-effectiveness of providing HPV vaccination to boys and any decision will be informed by the evidence contained in the HTA which is expected in Q4 2018. I have previously indicated that, subject to a favourable recommendation from the HTA, I will seek to extend this vaccine universally as a priority.
368. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health if he has liaised with the Minister for Education and Skills on the findings due in 2018 of the national steering group on out of hospital cardiac arrest in order to make defibrillators more easily accessible in public places and schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31781/18]
View answerThe National Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) steering group has been commissioned by the HSE, as such, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
369. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health if the review of hospital car parking charges has been completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31782/18]
View answerIn March, I requested that the HSE carry out a review of hospital car parking charges, with the aim of establishing clear national guidelines in this area. The review will involve the relevant stakeholders and will take account of the income generated by charges, the impact of any reduction in car parking income on hospital services and the views of patient advocacy groups.
Following this, the HSE established a review group which first met in April 2018. The group is currently compiling information in relation to current charging arrangements countrywide. On 27 June 2018, the HSE held a public consultation forum with key stakeholders invited, including patient advocacy groups. The HSE has advised that it expects that a report will be finalised, including conclusions and recommendations, in August 2018.
370. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health if he has recently met with an organisation (details supplied); if so, the outcome of this meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31783/18]
View answerOwing to scheduling difficulties, it was not possible for me to meet with MS Ireland in June. However, I am willing to meet with MS Ireland on a mutually convenient date.
371. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health if a site has been identified for a new school build (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31785/18]
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.
The particular issue raised by the Deputy is a service matter for the HSE. Accordingly I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
372. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health the status of the establishment of a general practitioner out of hours service in north County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31788/18]
View answerI am committed to the development of an improved GP out of hours service for North Wicklow which can provide the appropriate level of cover for the population of the area. The development of such a service will allow GPs to participate fully in the provision of an integrated healthcare system providing medical services that are appropriate, timely and effective, easily accessible and responsive to the needs of patients.
There is funding provision for the introduction of a structured GP out of hours service for the South Dublin / North Wicklow areas in the HSE 2018 National Service Plan. This service is intended to cover the night time hours from Monday to Friday and 24 hour cover at weekends and public holidays, providing urgent general practitioner services to patients outside of normal surgery hours. The service will include initial triage and GP consultation at treatment centres or home visits as appropriate, in accordance with HIQA standards for Safer Better Healthcare.
The procurement process to identify a service provider is underway and the HSE published a tender on the eTenders website at the beginning of May 2018. The tender period concluded on 08 June 2018 and the evaluation process in ongoing. The evaluation process is likely to conclude with a decision to award in late July. Following any decision to award the tender, a standstill period of fourteen days as required under procurement law will apply.
Subject to successful selection of a suitable service provider, the service is scheduled to be operational this year.
373. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health his plans to make changes to the income disregard for persons with a disability who hold a medical card. [31789/18]
View answerThe Department of Health is committed to ensuring that the recommendation included in the Make Work Pay for People with Disabilities Report to raise the medical card income disregard from its current level of €120 per week for people on Disability Allowance or on Partial Capacity Benefit is implemented.
My officials are continuing to work with the HSE to finalise the operational details to give effect to this recommendation. It is intended that the recommendation will be implemented ahead of the report's timeframe of quarter 4 of 2018.
It is worth noting that the second recommendation in the Make Work Pay Report in relation to the medical card was to remove the requirement that work undertaken for the medical card earnings disregard must be of a "rehabilitative" nature. This measure was implemented by the HSE last year.
374. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the reason self-employment information is requested in respect of a medical card application submitted by a person (details supplied) when no such income exists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31792/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
375. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the immediate plans in place to deal with the backlog in delivery of approved home care packages in CHO 7 (details supplied); if there is adequate funding in place to deliver on the backlog; if not, if additional funding will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31793/18]
View answer376. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health his long-term plans for improving on delivery of home care packages in CHO 7 in view of the fact that census 2016 identified an increase in the ageing population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31794/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 375 and 376 together.
As these are service matters I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
377. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health his views on the fact that a general practitioner service operated through a community health centre (details supplied) is not supplying regular appointments and in many cases does not provide a service within the area on a weekly basis, instead requesting elderly and unwell patients to travel to a second clinic run by the same general practitioners in a different town. [31795/18]
View answerAs this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
378. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if concerns regarding the ambulance service raised by persons (details supplied) will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31812/18]
View answerAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
379. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who presented at the emergency department of Mayo University Hospital from 1 January 2018 to date compared to 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31813/18]
View answerIn relation to Mayo University Hospital, there was an increase in attendances of 6.3% between January and May 2018, which saw 16,162 people attending the ED, compared to 15,202 in the same period in 2017.
380. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for occupational therapy services in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31814/18]
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.
