Written Answers Nos. 367-384
367. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the other departmental capital budgets that will see funding cuts in order to compensate for the overrun for the new children’s hospital in 2019; the amount in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4079/19]
View answer368. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the health capital projects that will see funding cuts in order to compensate for the overrun for the new children’s hospital in 2019; the amount in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4080/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 367 and 368 together.
My Department is working with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Health Service Executive on capital planning for 2019 and subsequent years having regard to the increased capital costs of the new children's hospital, following Government’s approval to proceed with phase B of the new children's hospital and outpatient and urgent care centres.
The Health Service Executive is currently developing its Capital Plan for 2019. The requirements of the new children's hospital and other health capital projects, currently at various stages of development, are being considered as part of this process.
369. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the number of consultant cardiologist whole-time equivalent posts in place in University Hospital Waterford, UHW; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4082/19]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
370. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent cardiac consultants required to provide 24-7 cardiac cover at University Hospital Waterford, UHW; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4083/19]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
371. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health if enhanced cardiac care was provided at University Hospital Waterford, UHW, on Saturday and Sunday and whether the current consultant cardiologists employed at UHW under their current contracts would be able to provide this extra cover. [4084/19]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
372. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the rota of consultant cover for the emergency department at University Hospital Waterford, UHW, for all weekends from January 2018 to December 2018; and if consultant cover at weekends for the emergency department is voluntary or a condition of contract. [4085/19]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
373. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health if the mobile unit located at University Hospital Waterford, UHW, which provides diagnostic cardiac care is capable of delivering PPCI intervention care in its current format; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4086/19]
View answer375. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health when he expects the appointment of an additional cardiology consultant at University Hospital Waterford, UHW, to provide for an expansion of cover from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Friday; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4088/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 373 and 375 together.
In 2016, the Herity Report concluded that the needs of the effective catchment population of University Hospital Waterford, UHW, could be accommodated from a single cath lab and recommended that the operating hours of the existing cath lab should be extended. Approval and funding has been provided for the additional staff required to facilitate this service expansion and five staff - Grade IV Admin, Porter, Senior Cardiac Physiologist, Senior Radiographer and Staff Nurse - have now been recruited on an 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. working day basis. Furthermore, the recruitment of a cardiologist to facilitate an increase in the operating hours of the existing cath lab is also being progressed by the HSE.
A mobile cath lab has also been deployed at UHW since October 2017 to conduct diagnostic cardiac procedures. In Autumn 2018, it was replaced with a relocatable cath lab, operating on the same basis as the mobile cath lab, that is, it carries out diagnostic cardiology procedures only. The contractual arrangements currently in place at UHW are for the provision of a unit capable of carrying out diagnostic cardiac procedures only.
I remain committed to the provision of a second cath lab in University Hospital Waterford. It is intended that the cost of progressing the project to design, planning and construction stages will be considered in the context of the HSE’s Capital Plan for 2019, which is currently being finalised.
The Herity Report also recommended that the current 9-to-5 provision of emergency PPCI services should cease to allow the hospital focus on the much larger volume of planned work. I asked my Department to address the implications of this recommendation by undertaking a National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services. The aim of this review is to achieve 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 cath labs and other cardiac services infrastructure nationally will be informed by the outcome of the National Review, which is expected to be complete by June 2019.
374. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health if funding of €4.35 million has been agreed and allocated to provide a permanent second catheterisation laboratory at University Hospital Waterford, UHW, as per a previous meeting with Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas from County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4087/19]
View answerFollowing the publication of the Health Service Executive's National Service Plan for 2019, the HSE is currently developing its Capital Plan for 2019. The HSE Capital Plan will determine the projects that can progress in 2019 having regard to the available capital funding, the number of large national capital projects currently under way and the relevant priority of each project. The requirements of University Hospital Waterford and other health capital projects, currently at various stages of development, are being considered as part of this process.
376. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the expected completion date of the national review for cardiac services being undertaken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4089/19]
View answerThe National Review of Specialised Cardiac Services is ongoing and it is expected that the work will be completed by the end of June 2019.
The aim of the National Review of Specialised Cardiac Services is to achieve optimal patient outcomes at population level with particular emphasis on the safety, quality and sustainability of the services that patients receive through establishing the requirements for an appropriate 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.
377. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the average and longest ambulance response times for each of the past five years in each of the eight health ambulance regions. [4098/19]
View answerAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy directly.
378. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the projected cost escalation for the national children’s hospital since October 2018; the manner in which the cost overrun will be spread over the following years until the completion of the project; the way in which revenue will be found and sourced to fund the overrun; if the cost overrun will affect the National Development Plan 2018-2027; the way in which it will affect voted capital ceilings for the years 2019 to 2022; and the capital projects in health and other Votes which will be stalled, delayed or cancelled as a result of these adjusted capital ceilings. [4103/19]
View answer386. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the capital projects that will be delayed or deferred across all Departments due to the cost overruns of the national children’s hospital by the date on which they were due to commence in tabular form; and the date to which they have been deferred. [4151/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 378 and 386 together.
My Department is working with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Health Service Executive on capital planning for 2019 and subsequent years having regard to the increased capital costs of the new children's hospital, following Government’s approval to proceed with phase B of the new children's hospital and outpatient and urgent care centres.
The Health Service Executive is currently developing its Capital Plan for 2019. The requirements of the new children's hospital and other health capital projects, currently at various stages of development, are being considered as part of this process.
379. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health when the in loco parentis principle will be addressed in respect of the provision of respite care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4105/19]
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.
380. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of day and overnight respite care sessions provided in 2017 compared to 2018, by CHO and LHO in tabular form. [4106/19]
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.
381. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will fund treatment for a person (details supplied) in London in view of the fact that the treatment is not available here; if the matter will be expedited in further view of the fact that alternative forms of treatment and other existing treatments here have failed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4114/19]
View answerThe HSE operates the Treatment Abroad Scheme, TAS, for patients entitled to treatment in another EU/EEA Member State under EU Regulation 883/2004, where the treatment is not available in the Irish public hospital system.
The treatment must be a treatment which the patient could legally avail of in the public healthcare system in Ireland if the treatment were available in Ireland.
GPs refer patients to consultants for acute care and it is the treating consultant who, having exhausted all treatment options including tertiary care within the country, refers the patient abroad under the terms of the TAS. The consultant must specify the specific treatment and in making the referral accepts clinical responsibility in relation to the physician and facility abroad where the patient will attend.
Applications to the TAS are processed and a determination given in accordance with the statutory framework prior to a patient travelling to avail of treatment. The statutory framework stipulates the patient must be a public patient and is required to have followed public patient pathways.
Information on the TAS can be accessed on the HSE treatment abroad website and also by phone at: 056 7784551.
382. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health his plans to include more organisations such as an organisation (details supplied) under the section 39 agency pay restoration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4125/19]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that in February 2018, an agreement was reached at the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, between my Department, the HSE and health sector trade unions in relation to a process aimed at resolving the pay restoration issue for staff employed by section 39 bodies in 50 pilot organisations. The 50 organisations included were agreed at the WRC by all parties.
I asked the HSE to engage with the Section 39 organisations to establish the facts around what cuts were applied and how and when they were implemented. The HSE completed the first phase of its work in relation to the agencies identified as part of the WRC process. This exercise has shown that of the agencies who returned data, a majority did apply pay reductions of some form. It also showed that some agencies made some form of pay restoration between 2016 and 2018.
Following constructive engagement with the assistance of the Workplace Relations Commission, an agreement was reached on 2 October between the parties. Pay restoration will commence with an annual pay increase of up to €1,000 in April 2019 for those employed by the 50 organisations involved in the pilot. Any outstanding balance will be paid in two equal amounts in 2020 and 2021.
The HSE is undertaking a further validation exercise of those 50 pilot organisations and their funding requirements to enable the pay restoration. Further information was requested from these organisations. Some of the organisations which did not form part of this pilot phase are likely to have pay restoration issues also. A process of engagement to address this will commence in 2019.
383. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4139/19]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
384. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the status of the case of a person (details supplied); and when the person can expect a hospital appointment. [4144/19]
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 inpatient, 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.
