Written Answers Nos. 219-230
219. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in receipt of home support services at 30 September 2018; the number that were approved and waiting for home support services for each CHO area at 30 September 2018; the number of persons waiting for more than one, three and six months, respectively for home support services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44250/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
220. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the status of the delivery of a primary health care centre in Rowlagh, Clondalkin, Dublin 22; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44251/18]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
221. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the status of the delivery of a primary health care centre in Lucan village and Clondalkin village; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44252/18]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
222. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his plans for pharmaceutical assistants (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44257/18]
View answerThe Pharmacy Act 2007 established the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) and the functions of the Society are set out in the Act. The functions of the PSI are carried out on its behalf by the Council of the Society.
Section 30 of the Act provides for an exception to the general provision in the Act which requires the sale and supply of medicines at a pharmacy to be conducted under the personal supervision of a registered pharmacist, and specifies that no offence is committed where a registered pharmaceutical assistant “acts on behalf of a registered pharmacist during the temporary absence of the registered pharmacist”.
Section 30 also permits the Council to make rules as to:
1. What may or may not be done by a registered pharmaceutical assistant when acting on behalf of a registered pharmacist; and
2. What constitutes the temporary absence of a registered pharmacist.
On June 21, the Council of the Society approved for issuance for public consultation the proposed draft Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (Temporary Absence of Pharmacist from Pharmacy) Rules 2018. This public consultation commenced on 17 July and ran until 14 August and afforded any interested party the opportunity to make representations on the matter directly to the PSI.
Following completion of the public consultation phase, the Council of the PSI considered the proposed draft Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (Temporary Absence of Pharmacist from Pharmacy) Rules 2018 at its meeting on the 20th September 2018 where Council approved the draft rules without amendment.
My role in relation to this process is limited to the consideration of any such Rules once submitted for my approval. I must consider any Rules presented to me from a fair and impartial perspective, without prejudice or prejudgement.
I await the receipt of the Rules for my consideration from the PSI and, until that time, I am unfortunately not in a position to comment any further on the matter raised.
223. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the schedule of types of medical treatments covered by the NTPF for 2017 and to date in 2018; the number of procedures and average fee paid for each treatment type; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44258/18]
View answerThe National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) has advised that in 2017 a total of 8,192 people were removed from the Active Inpatient Day Case (IPDC) waiting list as a result of accepting offers of treatment funded through the NTPF. As a result of the NTPF Scopes Initiative, 1,328 patients were removed from the GI Scopes waiting list. The total estimated cost of treatment for those who accepted offers in 2017 is €20.5m. (Please note that the 2017 Annual Financial Statements have not been finalised).
In the first 9 months of 2018, a total of 15,456 patients have accepted offers of NTPF funded treatment, broken down as follows:
Angiograms 1,135;
Cataracts 5,403;
Cystoscopies 2,121;
Joints 1,085;
Lesions 843;
Tonsils 866;
Varicose Veins 1,127;
Other Procedures 2,876;
Total 15,456.
In addition, 2,462 patients were removed from the GI Scopes waiting list this year to end of September 2018.
With regard to Inpatient / Day case (IP / DC), the following procedures are provided in Private Hospitals, funded through the NTPF:
Adenoidectomy;
Angiogram;
Arthoscopy of Ankle DC;
Arthoscopy of Ankle IP;
Arthoscopy of Shoulder DC;
Arthoscopy of Shoulder IP;
Arthroscopy of knee DC;
Arthroscopy of shoulder, diagnostic with or without synovial biopsy;
Arthroscopy of shoulder, surgical, with removal of loose body or foreign body, synovectomy debridement;
Bilateral hernia repair;
Cardioversion;
Carpal Tunnel;
Cataracts;
Cervical Discectomy IP;
Circumcision DC Adults;
Circumcision IP Adults;
Circumcision DC Paeds;
Circumcision IP Paeds;
Colonoscopy;
Correction of Protruding ears (Bilateral);
Cystoscopy Day case;
Endoscopy / Gastroscopy;
Excision Lesion General;
Excision Lesion Plastics;
Excision of hydrocele, bilateral;
Excision of hydrocele, unilateral;
Grommets;
Hip Replacement;
Hysteroscopy with dilatation and curettage (diagnostic or therapeutic);
Interruption of sapheno-femoral junction varicose veins;
Knee Replacement;
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy daycase and inpatient;
Laparoscopy with/without D&C and with/without biopsy;
Lumbar Discectomy IP;
Myringoplasty;
Myringotomy bilateral and Grommets Paeds DC;
Myringotomy bilateral paeds DC;
Nasal/Sinus Endoscopy DC;
Nasal/Sinus Endoscopy IP;
Protoscopy/Sigmoidoscopy DC;
Repair of incisional hernia;
Repair of umbilical hernia;
Resection Ingrown Toenail DC;
Rhinoplasty DC;
Removal of Pin Screw Wire DC;
Removal of Pin Screw Wire IP;
Removal of Plate Rod Nail DC;
Removal of Plate Rod Nail IP;
Septoplasty DC;
Septoplasty IP;
Septorhinoplasty - ENT;
Septorhinoplasty - Plastics;
Strabismus procedure involving 1 or 2 muscles, one eye;
Surgical removal of unspecified number of teeth requiring removal of bone - to be performed by a maxillofacial surgeon;
Tonsils Adult;
Tonsils Paeds;
Transurethral resection of prostate [TURP];
Tympanoplasty IP Adult;
Tympanoplasty DC Adult;
Tympanoplasty IP Paeds;
Tympanoplasty DC Paeds;
Ureteroscope;
Urethroscopy, diagnostic, with or without biopsy; and
Varicose Veins.
The above is not an exhaustive list but covers most of the current procedures. There are also a broader range of procedures that are provided through public hospitals.
In addition, the NTPF has recently tendered for the following procedures:
Excision of chalazions, papillomas, dermoids or other cysts or lesions, one or both eyelids, involving skin, lid margin, tarsus and or palpebral conjunctiva;
Excision of pterygium;
Excision of pterygium and conjunctival graft;
Reconstruction of eyelid;
Syringing and/or probing of lacrimal passages, unilateral or bilateral;
Hallux valgus, bilateral;
Hallux valgus, unilateral;
Reconstruction of eyelid;
Excision of epididymal cyst, bilateral;
Excision of epididymal cyst, unilateral;
Orchidectomy, bilateral;
Orchidectomy, unilateral;
Orchidopexy for undescended testis, bilateral, with or without inguinal hernia repair;
Orchidopexy for undescended testis, unilateral, with or without inguinal hernia repair;
Repair of Variocele;
Vasectomy, bilateral;
Cardiac electrophysiological study with radiofrequency ablation;
Anorectal examination;
Excision of anal skin tag;
Haemorrhoidectomy, external, multiple;
Cauterisation of ectropion;
Cauterisation of entropion;
Dacryocystorhinostomy [DCR];
Repair of epigastric hernia;
Fundoplasty, laparoscopic approach;
Orchidopexy for undescended testis, bilateral, with or without inguinal hernia repair; and
Orchidopexy for undescended testis, unilateral, with or without inguinal hernia repair.
Procedures with the Private hospitals are tendered through an open procurement process and the cost per procedure would be commercially sensitive.
224. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the supports available to the deaf community in accessing mental health supports, including the provision of mental health professionals fluent in sign language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44259/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
225. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the status of the implementation of the three year cap for the fair deal scheme for farm families and small business owners; when it will be put in place; if the cap will apply to fair deal recipients that are already on the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44271/18]
View answerThe proposed policy change to the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS), to cap contributions from farm assets at 3 years where a family successor commits to working the productive asset, has been approved by Government. My Department is working on the development of draft Heads of Bill while considering a number of ancillary policy and operational matters which may need to be addressed in the proposed legislation.
It is intended that this proposed policy change, the 3 year cap, will be extended to eligible existing participants in long term residential care so that they are not disadvantaged, but that there would be no retrospective recoupment of contributions for those who have paid contributions over and above the 3 year period. I expect to bring Heads of Bill to Government in the next session before this year end and that the changes will come into effect in 2019 subject to the legislative process.
226. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the budget 2019 allocation to drug and alcohol task forces in view of the fact that head B3 of the health Estimate shows a figure of €6,987,000 which is the same as the 2018 allocation; if further funding will be allocated to the task forces; if so, the location in which this is identified in the Estimates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44276/18]
View answerDrug and Alcohol Task Forces play a key role in assessing the extent and nature of the drug problem and in initiating appropriate responses, so that there is a coordinated approach involving all sectors to the problem of substance misuse in local communities.
Over €27.85m has been allocated to Task Forces by the HSE and the Department of Health for community-based drugs initiatives this year. This included an additional €540,000 in one off funding to the Task Forces to support implementation of the national drugs strategy. In addition, Task Forces are being consulted by the HSE on the provision of €710,000 in one off funding for priority projects and services in CHO areas.
Implementing the health-led national drugs strategy continues to be a Government priority. Within the increased envelope of resources available in Budget 2019 for health services, my intention is to prioritise funding for community drug and alcohol projects in Task Force areas of greatest need, additional drug and alcohol midwives working with vulnerable mothers-to-be and enhanced treatment services to address existing and emerging needs.
It is intended that all Local and Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Forces will be notified of their 2019 funding allocations by the Department and the HSE as soon as the HSE National Service Plan for 2019 has been approved by the Minister for Health.
227. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health when additional placements will be available in a service (details supplied); if the request will be given urgent consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44277/18]
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 service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
228. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive braces from the HSE. [44278/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
229. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44282/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
230. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when an approved home support package will be in place for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44283/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
