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Thursday, 15 Nov 2018

Written Answers Nos. 117-136

Mental Health Services Expenditure

Questions (117)

James Browne

Question:

117. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost, capital and current, of increasing the number of acute mental health beds to 50 per 100,000 of population [47492/18]

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Written answers

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Services for People with Disabilities

Questions (118)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

118. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) will receive an assessment date for autism. [47496/18]

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Written 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.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Data

Questions (119)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

119. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the number of children who attend the clinical psychologist service in Cherry Orchard Hospital for assessment and treatment; the length of the waiting lists; and the average length of time for a child on the waiting list. [47497/18]

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Written answers

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Questions Nos. 120 to 122, inclusive, answered with Question No. 115.

Respite Care Services Provision

Questions (123)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

123. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if respite care will be provided for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47503/18]

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Written 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.

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 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 Administration

Questions (124)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

124. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a change in administrative procedure regarding the way in which the RCSI group communicates with patients (details supplied); if the practice of writing to persons on waiting lists to confirm they still require treatment is standard practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47506/18]

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Written answers

Good practice around the management of hospital waiting lists recommends periodic validation of waiting lists.

Validation is the process whereby hospital administration contacts patients on waiting lists at pre-planned intervals during the year to ensure that patients are ready, willing, suitable and available to attend a hospital appointment or wish to be removed.

Importantly, the validation process allows for situations where, if requested by the GP/referring clinician, patients can be reinstated back to their original place on to the Waiting List.

Earlier this year, I approved the establishment of a Central Waiting List Validation Unit function, within the NTPF. This new function will deliver a standardised approach to validation across all hospitals in line with best patient-centred practices. Other benefits of the new function will include the identification of patients on waiting lists who are ready and available to proceed with hospital care, the reduction in the Did Not Attend rate (DNA), and an improvement in information for managing waiting lists. The NTPF estimates that 30,000 patients who no longer require treatment will come off the outpatient waiting list in 2019 as a result of this activity.

In relation to the particulars matters of the query raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.

Home Care Packages Provision

Questions (125)

Brendan Howlin

Question:

125. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health the status of a home care package application by a person (details supplied); if it has been sanctioned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47511/18]

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Written 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.

Health Services Allowances

Questions (126)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

126. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his plans to introduce financial support for persons who use incontinence pads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47516/18]

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Written answers

As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.

Home Help Service Data

Questions (127)

Fiona O'Loughlin

Question:

127. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health the average length of time spent on a waiting list by patients who already qualify for help via the home help scheme and have applied for additional support in each of the past three years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47519/18]

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Written answers

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Sign Language and Deaf Services

Questions (128)

Fiona O'Loughlin

Question:

128. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin 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. [47522/18]

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Written answers

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Health Services Staff Remuneration

Questions (129)

John Brassil

Question:

129. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health if he will direct the HSE to extend the short timeframe for the return of forms by section 39 organisations in view of the fact that all information has already been provided for pay restoration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47526/18]

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Written answers

I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Hospitals Building Programme

Questions (130)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

130. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the progress on an infrastructural project (details supplied) in County Kildare. [47542/18]

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Written answers

As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of capital projects in the health services, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to you.

Health Services

Questions (131)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

131. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the provision of a facility (details supplied) in County Kildare. [47543/18]

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Written answers

As 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.

General Practitioner Services Provision

Questions (132)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

132. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will examine the policy on out-of-hours general practitioner services in circumstances in which a person's general practitioner is not in the locality of the person's home and the individual needs medical treatment, such as in a case (details supplied); if changes can be made to this policy to avoid similar cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47550/18]

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Written answers

As this question relates to a service matter, I have arranged for it to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Nursing Staff Remuneration

Questions (133)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

133. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of bringing the nursing and midwifery professions in line with the pay grades of other therapeutic grades. [47553/18]

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Written answers

I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Hospital Consultant Remuneration

Questions (134)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

134. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of the restoration of the 30% pay cut to new entrant consultants imposed in 2012. [47554/18]

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Written answers

It is estimated that it would cost approximately €45m to bring the pay of new entrant consultants into line with their colleagues.

The Public Service Pay Commission in its Report published on 4 September found that the differential in pay between pre-existing and new entrant consultants is greater than for other categories of public servants. The Commission proposed that the Parties to the Public Service Stability Agreement jointly consider what measures could be taken, over time, to address this difficulty.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, my Department and the HSE have noted the Commission's views and consideration will need to be given to potential solutions which are in line with public sector pay policy and available budgets.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (135)

Anne Rabbitte

Question:

135. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health when a procedure will be scheduled for a person (details supplied). [47559/18]

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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.

HSE Staff Recruitment

Questions (136, 140)

Stephen Donnelly

Question:

136. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the obstacles that have been encountered in appointing a new chief executive for the HSE; the number of applications received to date for the position; his plans to revise the terms and conditions of the appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47562/18]

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Róisín Shortall

Question:

140. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the way in which he plans to proceed with the recruitment of the head of the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47578/18]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 and 140 together.

The process to select a new CEO for the HSE has not yet concluded successfully. It remains my objective to identify and appoint a CEO with all of the required skills as soon as possible and a revised process to do so is currently being finalised. The CEO will operate under the direction of an independent Board, as provided for in the Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill which is currently before the Oireachtas. Mr Ciaran Devane has been appointed Chair and expressions of interest have been sought for the other Board members. The passing of this legislation and finalisation of the membership of the Board based upon competency will allow it to come into operation in the new year.

In the interim it is envisaged that arrangements will continue for the filling of the DG / CEO position on an acting basis.

As the CEO recruitment process is continuing, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this time.

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