Written Answers Nos. 360-381
360. Deputy Kate O'Connell asked the Minister for Health the number of contracts and-or tenders that have been awarded to a company (details supplied); the value of these contracts, that is, the amount the company has been paid; the services for which the contracts were awarded; and the number of public sector and-or publicly funded catering facilities being run by the company. [50365/18]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is not readily available. The information will be compiled and forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
In relation to contracts awarded by the HSE, the question has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
361. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase the income levels for eligibility for medical cards in line with tax band and tax credit increases announced in budget 2019; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the increases in tax bands and credits now put many people outside the bracket of eligibility for a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50378/18]
View answerBudget 2019 provided for increases in the income tax standard rate band and tax credits. It would be the Government's intention that people's ability to qualify for a medical card would not be adversely affected by these increases and this will be monitored.
Although increases in income may have an impact on a person's eligibility for a medical card it should be noted that the medical card assessment process does take into account certain allowable expenses such as mortgage costs, travel-to-work costs and childcare costs, which may also vary over time.
If you are not entitled to a Medical Card you will automatically be assessed for a GP Visit Card. Budget 2019 provided for an increase in the GP Visit Card threshold by 10% across all cohorts which will significantly increase the number of persons eligible for free GP care.
It should be noted that the gross medical card income limits for persons aged 70 and over are reviewed annually.
362. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if a hospital bed will be provided for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50392/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
363. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of ambulances and rapid response vehicles, RRVs, that were deployed on each shift on each day for the past month; the number of ambulances and RRVs that were not deployed for each shift for each day for the past month; the reason in this regard; and the effect that the ambulance staff dispute is having on the overall figures of ambulance deployment. [50406/18]
View answerAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
364. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the number of children in each grade on the waiting list for orthodontic treatment in a hospital (details supplied) in tabular form; the length of time they are waiting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50409/18]
View answerReducing waiting time for patients for hospital operations and procedures is a key priority for the Government. This year has seen ongoing improvements with the number of patients waiting for inpatient and daycase procedures (IPDC), now at 72,000 from the peak of 86,100 in July 2017. This represents a 16% reduction in the overall number of patients waiting for an inpatient or day case procedure.
In Budget 2019 the Government has further increased investment in this area, with funding to the NTPF to increase from €55m in 2018 to €75m in 2019.
My Department is working closely with the National Treatment Purchase Fund and the HSE to finalise a coherent Waiting List Action Plan for 2019.
In 2019, the NTPF will continue to work closely with Hospital Groups, inviting proposals to improve access for patients waiting for either Inpatient/Daycase or Outpatient procedures. NTPF authorisations are made in respect of the longest waiting patients first.
The information requested by the Deputy is set out as follows.
Waiting List - Orthodontic Treatment - Letterkenny University Hospital
The NTPF have confirmed that there are currently no children at Letterkenny University Hospital waiting under the IPDC specialties of maxillo-facial, oral surgery, or dental surgery, as of the 1st of November.
There are no children listed for outpatient appointments under the specialties of oral surgery or dental surgery.
The NTPF confirm that there are 73 children listed for outpatient appointments under the specialty of maxillo-facial at Letterkenny University Hospital. A breakdown by waiting times follows.
Letterkenny General Hospital
|
- |
0-3 Months |
3-6 Months |
6-9 Months |
9-12 Months |
12-15 Months |
15-18 Months |
18 Months + |
Grand Total |
|
Maxillo-Facial |
12 |
8 |
5 |
6 |
10 |
6 |
26 |
73 |
|
Grand Total |
12 |
8 |
5 |
6 |
10 |
6 |
26 |
73 |
365. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 163 of 14 February 2018, when Parts 2 and 3 of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 will be commenced; the reason for the delay in enactment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50413/18]
View answerThe Children and Family Relationships (Amendment) Bill 2018 was enacted on 24 July 2018. This Act was introduced to correct typographical and technical errors in the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015, which will facilitate the subsequent commencement of Parts 2 & 3 of the Act. Parts 2 & 3 of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 contain provisions relating to the regulation of donor-assisted human reproduction (DAHR) procedures carried out in the State, including dealing with the rights of children born as a result of those procedures. There are important administrative and operational arrangements to be put in place to facilitate the implementation of Parts 2 & 3, including the establishment of the National Donor-Conceived Person Register and the appointment of authorised persons under the Act. It is my intention that Parts 2 & 3 of the Act will be commenced as soon as possible.
366. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a new cardiologist who was due replace a retiring cardiologist will not now take up this position due to the fact that there is no catheterisation laboratory in Sligo University Hospital; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that the delay in filling this post is having a damaging impact on the provision of cardiac care at the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50421/18]
View answerThe National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services is ongoing and it is expected that the work will be completed by the end of June 2019.
The aim of the Review is to achieve the optimal patient outcomes at population level with particular emphasis on the safety, quality and sustainability of the services that patients receive by establishing the need for an optimal configuration of a national adult cardiac service.
As set out in the National Development Plan 2018-2027, investment in cardiac catheterisation laboratories and other cardiac services infrastructure nationally will be informed by the outcome of the National Review.
367. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health when legislation to regulate counselling services, including crisis pregnancy counselling, will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50443/18]
View answerI signed regulations in May of this year designating the professions of counsellor and psychotherapist for regulation under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 and establishing the Counsellors and Psychotherapists Registration Board. The Public Appointments Service undertook a campaign over the summer inviting applications from suitably qualified persons to apply for appointment to the registration board. This process concluded in late September 2018 and I intend making the board appointments before year end.
Once appointed, the registration board will begin the substantial programme of work that must be undertaken before a registration board can open its registers. This work includes consideration of titles to be protected and minimum qualifications to be required of existing practitioners applying for registration in the transitional period and for future graduates.
368. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the occupational therapy waiting list in community healthcare organisation, CHO, 1 by length of time waiting and age (details supplied) in tabular form. [50457/18]
View answer369. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the occupational therapy waiting list in community healthcare organisation, CHO, area 2 by length of time waiting and age (details supplied) in tabular form. [50458/18]
View answer370. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the occupational therapy waiting list in CHO 3 by length of time waiting and age (details supplied) in tabular form. [50459/18]
View answer371. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the occupational therapy waiting list in community healthcare organisation, CHO, area 4 by length of time waiting and age (details supplied) in tabular form. [50460/18]
View answer372. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the occupational therapy waiting list in community healthcare organisation, CHO, area 5 by length of time waiting and age (details supplied) in tabular form. [50461/18]
View answer373. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the occupational therapy waiting list in community healthcare organisation, CHO, area 6 by length of time waiting and age (details supplied) in tabular form. [50462/18]
View answer374. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the occupational therapy waiting list in community healthcare organisation, CHO, area 7 by length of time waiting and age (details supplied) in tabular form. [50463/18]
View answer375. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the occupational therapy waiting list in community healthcare organisation, CHO, area 8 by length of time waiting and age (details supplied) in tabular form. [50464/18]
View answer376. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the occupational therapy waiting list in community healthcare organisation, CHO, area 9 by length of time waiting and age (details supplied) in tabular form. [50465/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 368 to 376, inclusive, together.
As these questions relate to service matters, I have arranged for them to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
377. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Health the waiting times for smear test results through the CervicalCheck screening programme. [50466/18]
View answer379. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Health the number of women waiting for a smear test result from CervicalCheck; and the length of time they have been waiting in increments (details supplied) in tabular form. [50468/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 377 and 379 together.
The Deputy's questions relate to service delivery matters and accordingly I have asked the HSE to respond directly to her.
378. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Health the advice he received on the point at which a smear test can no longer be read due to being left too long; and the number of weeks a smear test will last until it is read. [50467/18]
View answer380. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to clear the backlog of women waiting for smear test results from CervicalCheck. [50469/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 378 and 380 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, CervicalCheck laboratory activity has been significantly above normal levels in recent months. This is a result both of out-of-cycle smears and increased uptake generally. This has impacted turnaround times for results of smear tests. Between May and October this year and when compared to the same period in the previous year, CervicalCheck recorded an increase of over 75,000 smear tests being carried out.
This has led to a backlog in the laboratories that carry out the analysis of each smear sample slide. It is unfortunate and regrettable that results are currently being reported on average around 20 weeks of the test being taken. In a small number of cases this may take longer. The HSE has apologised to patients affected and are doing everything possible to improve this situation as a priority.
Smear test samples must be sent to the laboratory and transferred onto slides within six weeks of the smear test date. After six weeks, the sample is deemed expired and cannot be processed. There is no requirement for cytology to be undertaken within a certain amount of time, once the sample has been transferred to a slide.The HSE has advised that the majority of smear test samples are now transferred to slides within the six week timeframe. By way of comparison, from April to October 2018 the rate of expired samples and vials was 0.29%. This compares with 0.25% for the same period in 2017.
There may be a small number of cases where the vial used to contain the sample expires before the laboratory has an opportunity to carry out the analysis of the sample and in some cases a sample may be insufficient. Although every effort is made to avoid these situations from happening, it is inevitable that cervical screening programmes will sometimes encounter these issues. In such cases, a woman and her GP are advised, by letter from CervicalCheck, of the need for a repeat test three months after the previous test.
381. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Health the estimated wait time for the result of a smear test for a person (details supplied). [50470/18]
View answerThe Deputy's question relates to service delivery matters and accordingly I have asked the HSE to respond directly to her.
