Written Answers Nos. 865-884
865. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Health if a person's (details supplied) audiology consultation can be moved to Dublin in view of the fact that no audiologist is available in the person's home county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36453/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
866. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if, and when, interviews were held by the HSE at University Hospital Limerick for the post of acting or temporary CEO; and if the post was advertised internally within the HSE or through publicjobs.ie. [36457/18]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this question.
867. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if the CEO at University Hospital Limerick has retained a post within the Saolta group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36458/18]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
868. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will request an urgent and immediate review of the case file of a mental health patient (details supplied) where affirmative action needs to be taken in the person's care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36468/18]
View answerThe Mental Health Act 2001 sets out the formal procedures that must be followed to lawfully admit a person to a psychiatric hospital or unit as an involuntary patient. The Act also provides the necessary safeguards to protect the rights of such patients, as admissions on this basis proceed regardless of whether the patient consents to admission or not.
The process of involuntary detention under the Mental Health Act is a three-step process. The first step requires an applicant who has concerns about the mental health and welfare of the person to make an application for the person to be involuntarily admitted.
The second step requires that the person be examined and reviewed by a General Practitioner. Where the General Practitioner is of the view that the person is suffering from a mental disorder and would benefit from a period of treatment in hospital, or if there is a risk of harm by that person to themselves or others, he/she would then make a recommendation that the person concerned be involuntarily admitted to hospital.
The third step requires a consultant psychiatrist on duty to examine and review the person who is the subject of the application. If the psychiatrist, following an assessment agrees that clinically the person satisfies the criteria for detention and requires an in-patient admission under the Act, he/she will sign an admission order.
It is important to note that an application for an involuntary admission is ultimately a clinical decision as to whether the individual meets the criteria for detention. Therefore, 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 as a matter of urgency to the Deputy.
869. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health when an item will be provided to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36473/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
870. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if a process in the case of a person (details supplied) will be expedited by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36483/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
872. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive braces. [36498/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
873. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the number of children awaiting an outpatient appointment in the three Dublin children's hospitals for more than 18 months has risen (details supplied); the actions he will take to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36518/18]
View answerI acknowledge that Outpatient waiting times are often unacceptably long and I am conscious of the burden that this places on patients and their families. Reducing waiting times for hospital procedures is a key priority of this Government.
The latest NTPF figures show that 61% of patients on the Children’s Hospital Group (CHG) Outpatient Waiting list are waiting 12 months or less and 69% of patients are waiting 15 months or less.
The CHG advises that there has been a major investment in additional consultant posts this year to reduce waiting times including orthopaedics and cardiology. As part of the national model of care for children an additional 12 Consultant posts are being recruited in three specialities, namely General Paediatrics (4 posts), Paediatric Emergency Medicine (6 posts) and Paediatric Radiology (2 posts). These consultant posts will join the cross-city department/s of Paediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM), General Paediatrics and Paediatric Radiology to support the delivery of care at the existing children’s hospitals; Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Group, Temple Street Children’s University Hospital, the National Children’s Hospital, Tallaght University Hospital and at the Paediatric Outpatients and Urgent Care Centre at Connolly upon opening in 2019.
In addition, the planned new national children’s hospital will in time expand the physical capacity needed to increase activity and reduce waiting times in all paediatric services to help tackle current and future challenges in child health.
The CHG advises that the challenge for the children’s hospitals is the volume of patients referred to the three hospitals and the Consultant capacity to deliver the service. The children’s hospital have and continue to work with specialists to reduce waiting lists. The National Model of Care aims to deliver a hub and spoke model of care by providing treatment as near to the child’s home as possible depending on their clinical needs.
Earlier this year, I approved the establishment of a Central Waiting List Validation function in the NTPF. The new office will consolidate and centralise validation activity for all Inpatient / Daycase and Outpatient waiting lists, thus ensuring a standardisation of approach across all waiting lists and all hospitals.
874. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the progress made to date in appointing a new director general for the HSE and the re-appointment of its board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36519/18]
View answerThe recruitment competition for the appointment of a Director General to the Health Service Executive is in process. The competition is being managed by the Public Appointments Service (PAS). The post was advertised on Friday 22 June 2018 with a closing date of Thursday 9 August 2018. It is expected that an appointment will be announced by year end.
The PAS has concluded the process for recruitment of a Chairperson of the Board of the Health Service Executive and has sent its report to me. A decision on the successful candidate is imminent. A PAS campaign to identify 8 ordinary members of the Board, one of whom will be nominated as Deputy Chairperson, will commence in the coming weeks. This campaign will seek to identify persons with the appropriate skills and expertise to support the Chairperson in giving strong leadership to the HSE in delivering safe effective health and social care services and in guiding the HSE through a challenging programme of change.
875. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the number of cases of measles reported in each of the years from 2015 to 2017 and to date in 2018; the steps that have been taken to reduce and contain the spread of measles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36520/18]
View answerThe HSE - Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) is Ireland's specialist agency for the surveillance of communicable diseases. Measles has been a notifiable disease in Ireland since 1948.
As the Deputy’s question relates to a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply.
876. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health if the HSE consulted with drug task forces regarding the provision of €710,000 funding for priority projects and services in CHO areas to address drug and alcohol misuse; the projects and funding being supported under this initiative; if these projects will be supported beyond this initial funding period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36521/18]
View answerIn June 2018, I announced funding of €1 million for the enhancement of addiction services. The funding will be allocated in two parts:
- €290,00 via local and regional drug and alcohol task forces.
- €710,000 via the Health Service Executive, in consultation with local and regional drug and alcohol task forces.
The allocation of €710,000, referred to by the Deputy, will be used to enhance and expand the delivery of addiction treatment services, with a strategic focus on young people, dual diagnosis, service user involvement, and older people.
The funding will be administered by the nine community healthcare organisations (CHO) in the HSE. The addiction service manager in the CHO will agree on a list of priority projects and services for additional once-off funding following collective consultation with the task forces on their recommendations for funding in the area. Every CHO will be allocated in the region of €79,000 under this funding initiative.
The timeframe for allocating and spending these additional resources is quite limited. The proposals must be agreed in September, the funding allocated in October and the resources spent by the end of 2018. The critical issue is to ensure that all the resources provided in Budget 2018 are used to enhance drug addiction services.
I understand that the consultation process is currently underway. The list of projects funded under this allocation will be announced in due course.
Funding for these projects beyond 2018 will be considered in the context of the 2019 Estimates and Budget.
877. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the number of approved child psychiatrist posts in County Wexford; the number recommended for the county under A Vision for Change; the number vacant; the location of such vacancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36542/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
878. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae 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. [36549/18]
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.
879. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason for the HSE's decision to cease respite services at a location (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this is the only centre providing this type of care in the town; the services taking its place; the reason this new service has been introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36552/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
880. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on hospital trolleys in all hospitals in the Dublin north east region, including Cavan and Monaghan Hospital, in each month since 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36553/18]
View answerThe Minister fully acknowledges the distress for patients and their families, caused by overcrowded conditions in some of our hospital EDs and is committed to tackling overcrowding in EDs, which impacts on patients and staff working on the frontline.
This year has been characterised by high demand for unscheduled care, particularly in the over-75 age group. By the end of July 2018, total attendances were up 3.5% and admissions up 1.6%, compared to the same period in 2017. For those over 75, in the first 7 months of the year, attendances rose by 5.6% and admissions by 5.2%, compared to the same period in 2017. This increased level of demand was further exacerbated by the severe weather associated with Storm Emma earlier this year.
This growth in demand is well ahead of population growth and reflects international evidence that emergency department demand is driven by more than demographic factors.
In relation to the specific question raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to the Deputy respond directly.
881. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the number of respite beds available in counties Cavan and Monaghan; the facilities in which they are located; the number of beds available in each; if they are full as at 31 August 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36554/18]
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 Programme for Partnership Government states that the Government wishes to provide more accessible respite care to facilitate full support for people with a disability.
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.
882. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the number of respite beds available in counties Cavan and Monaghan in the past ten years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36555/18]
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 Programme for Partnership Government states that the Government wishes to provide more accessible respite care to facilitate full support for people with a disability.
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.
883. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health when sonographers will be in place to provide anomaly scans at Cavan General Hospital; the timeline for the scan at the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36562/18]
View answerThe National Maternity Strategy is very clear that all women must have equal access to standardised ultrasound services. The Strategy is being implemented on a phased basis and this work is being led by the National Women and Infants Health Programme. The Programme's Implementation Plan for the Strategy includes a number of actions to facilitate the provision by all maternity hospitals/units of dating and anomaly scans to all pregnant women.
Furthermore, additional development funding of €4.15 million is being allocated to maternity services this year. The Programme has prioritised improving quality and safety, establishing community midwifery teams and increasing access to anomaly scans. I understand that the Programme has approved the appointment of an additional 28 ultrasonographers which was the total requirement identified to provide 100% access to anomaly scanning.
Pending the completion of the requisite recruitment and training processes, I am assured that the Programme will continue to work with the six Hospital Groups to assist in increasing access to anomaly scans for those units with limited availability. The Programme is also working with the Maternity Networks to ensure foetal medicine expertise is available when an anomaly is identified. In relation to Cavan General Hospital specifically, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
884. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of children aged zero to 18 years of age on waiting lists for an assessment with their local child and adolescent mental health team; the length of time they have been waiting by community healthcare organisation area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36563/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
