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Tuesday, 15 Oct 2019

Written Answers Nos. 402-427

HSE Waiting Lists

Questions (402)

James Browne

Question:

402. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in County Wexford awaiting ophthalmic services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41916/19]

View answer

Written answers

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

Hospital Waiting Lists Data

Questions (403)

James Browne

Question:

403. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in County Wexford awaiting cataract operations in each of the years 2015 to 2018 and to date in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41917/19]

View answer

Written answers

Reducing waiting time for patients for hospital operations and procedures is a key priority for Government. In this regard, the Government is committed to improving waiting times for hospital appointments and procedures.

Under the Inpatient Day Case Access Plans for 2018 and 2019, cataracts has been among the specialties targeted by the NTPF, and by end of September 2019, the number of people waiting nationally for a cataract procedure had almost halved, from 10,024 in July 2017 to 5,074. In this same period, there has also been a reduction of 88% in the number of patients waiting over 9 months for a cataract operation.

More broadly, Budget 2020 announced that the Government has further increased investment in tackling waiting lists, with funding to the National Treatment Purchase fund (NTPF) increasing from €75 million in 2019 to €100 million in 2020. The year-on-year increases to the National Treatment Purchase Fund since Budget 2017 reflect this Government’s priority to improve waiting times for patients to access hospital treatment.

My Department is working with the HSE and National Treatment Purchase Fund to develop the Scheduled Care Access Plan 2020. In this regard, the HSE National Service Plan 2020 will set out a planned activity level for the year ahead, while the NTPF will work with the hospital system to provide additionality to improve access to inpatient/daycase treatment and with a particular focus on hospital outpatient services.

In this regard, I would encourage all hospital groups and individual hospitals to engage with the NTPF to identify waiting list proposals for the remainder of this year and for 2020.

The information requested by the Deputy has been provided by the National Treatment Purchase Fund and is outlined in the table below.

IPDC Total Waiters for a Cataract Procedure with an Area of Residence in Co.Wexford 2015-2019

Year

No.

2015

44

2016

59

2017

47

2018

50

To date 2019

42

Hospitals Data

Questions (404)

Mary Butler

Question:

404. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the number of persons that required in-hospital treatment for diabetes-related foot complications and lower limb loss in each of the years 2014 to 2018 and to date in 2019, in tabular form by CHO and by hospital within each CHO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41922/19]

View answer

Written answers

I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.

Respite Care Services Funding

Questions (405)

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony

Question:

405. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the funding that will be provided in 2020 to build capacity and respond to the evolving needs of respite service users and their families overnight, in home, day or sessional; and the full-year cost of same. [41923/19]

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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 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 Staff Recruitment

Questions (406)

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony

Question:

406. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the number of therapists that will be recruited in total on foot of the announcement in budget 2020 of extra community health staff to be provided; and the total number that will be in place in 2020. [41924/19]

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Written answers

The recent Budget included an additional 2020 provision of €10 million (€60 million in a full year) for the enhancement of community and primary care. I particularly welcome the advance commitment to €60 million in 2021 as it will enable the recruitment of up to 1,000 therapists, nurses and other professionals in the community on a phased basis during the course of next year. This will allow for these funded posts to be in place by the end of next year and throughout 2021 in order to address the needs identified in the Health Service Capacity Review recommendations. This funding will also facilitate the recruitment of dementia advisers. The planning for these posts will be in conjunction with the development of the new regional health areas so as to reflect the specific needs of the region.

Services for People with Disabilities

Questions (407)

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony

Question:

407. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the additional residential and other services for persons with disabilities in response to their priority needs that are to be provided in 2020 on foot of the announcement on emergency protocols in budget 2020; the cost of this in 2020; and the full-year cost of same. [41925/19]

View answer

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.

Autism Support Services

Questions (408)

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony

Question:

408. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the funding that is to be provided in 2020 for an autism plan to improve services for persons with autism and their families. [41926/19]

View answer

Written answers

Budget 2020 provided €2 million for a range of measures under an Autism Plan.

The additional funding secured will be used in the following priority areas:

- To implement a programme of awareness raising that can provide a better information resource for children and parents about what supports are available.

- A campaign to assist in creating awareness of the challenges, needs and experiences of people with autism.

- To build capacity and competence amongst key professionals working with autism – including a national training programme for clinicians and the implementation of a tiered model of assessment in order to improve access to and responses by services for those with ASD.

Health Services Staff Recruitment

Questions (409)

Mary Butler

Question:

409. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health further to the announcements in budget 2020, the number of dementia advisers to be recruited in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41927/19]

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Written answers

The Dementia Adviser Service, established by the Alzheimer Society of Ireland in 2014, covers 12 counties: Cork, Kerry, Tipperary, Limerick, parts of Clare, Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan and Dublin. Seven ASI Dementia Adviser posts have been funded by the HSE since 2016, with €400,000 allocated by the HSE in each of the last 3 years towards the cost of the service. A commitment has been made to continue this funding in 2019 and in future years.

In line with the continued rollout of the Sláintecare Implementation Plan, funding of €10 million has been secured in Budget 2020 to invest in the enhancement of community services, including allied health professionals, with a full year investment of €60 million for 2021. The additional full year funding of €60 million will provide for up to 1,000 therapists, nurses and other professionals in the community. It will also facilitate the recruitment of 10 dementia advisers; further details will be outlined in the HSE National Service Plan for 2020.

Home Care Packages Administration

Questions (410)

John Lahart

Question:

410. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the grounds and protocols on which home support hours are allocated. [41930/19]

View answer

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 Provision

Questions (411)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

411. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health his plans for the roll-out of full access to free contraception as recommended by the Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41938/19]

View answer

Written answers

The question of access to contraception is an important one. That is why, following on from the recommendations of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment, I established a Working Group within my Department to examine the range of policy, regulatory and legislative issues arising in relation to improving access to contraception.

Since its establishment at the end of April, the Group has overseen a public consultation exercise, undertaken a review of research and met directly with a number of stakeholders. The Group has recently finalised its report and has submitted it for my consideration.

I intend to fully consider the detail of the report. We do, however, know that there can be barriers to accessing contraception, and that for some people cost is an issue. Most forms of contraception, including Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives, are provided free of charge to those with medical cards, while the National Condom Distribution Service also supports free access to contraception among those that may be at increased risk of negative sexual health outcomes.

The Working Group examined other means by which the costs involved in accessing contraception can be reduced, and its recommendations in this regard will be of particular interest.

It is also important to acknowledge that there can be barriers to contraception aside from cost, such as difficulty accessing services in a particular locality or feelings of embarrassment. For example, in the United Kingdom, where contraceptive products and services are available free at the point of service, recent research shows that a high proportion of pregnancies are still deemed unwanted or unintended.

Clearly, this is a complex and multi-faceted issue, and I look forward to examining the report of the Working Group in more detail.

Medical Card Administration

Questions (412)

Robert Troy

Question:

412. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) cannot change general practitioner on the person's medical card; and when the person will be able to change general practitioner. [41968/19]

View answer

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.

Medical Card Eligibility

Questions (413)

Alan Kelly

Question:

413. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health when free-of-charge medical cards will be made available to all terminally ill patients following budget 2020. [41996/19]

View answer

Written answers

In accordance with the provisions of the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is determined by the HSE.

As part of Budget 2020, I announced that the HSE would undertake a review and extend arrangements regarding the provision of emergency medical cards in cases of terminal illness. It is expected that the review process will be carried out and completed as a matter of priority.

Cross-Border Health Services Provision

Questions (414)

Thomas Byrne

Question:

414. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Health the number of persons reimbursed under the cross-border scheme in 2019; the timeframe for turning around applications; the waiting time for persons to be reimbursed; the number of persons awaiting reimbursement having received their treatment; and the number of applications for authorisation outstanding [42010/19]

View answer

Written answers

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Home Help Service Provision

Questions (415)

Eugene Murphy

Question:

415. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health the provision of home help hours for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42014/19]

View answer

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.

Proposed Legislation

Questions (416)

Carol Nolan

Question:

416. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health when the legislation regarding the fair deal scheme, which has been approved at Cabinet level, will progress further; the timeframe for the next steps in the legislative process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42017/19]

View answer

Written answers

The proposed policy change to the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS), to cap contributions based on farm and business assets at 3 years where a family successor commits to working the productive asset, has been approved by Government. The Department developed draft Heads of Bill while considering a number of complex ancillary policy and operational matters which may need to be addressed in the proposed legislation.

The General Scheme of Bill for the NHSS was approved by Government on the 11th June 2019 and subsequently published. The changes to the Scheme will come into effect as soon as the legislative process is successfully complete. The Department will progress this as quickly as possible, however, the timeline for completion of the legislation will also depend on how it passes through the Houses. The General Scheme has been sent to the relevant Joint Committee and the Department will participate in pre-legislative scrutiny when the Committee sets a date in the coming months.

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.

Nursing Home Services

Questions (417)

Robert Troy

Question:

417. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if a nursing home bed will be allocated to a person (details supplied). [42027/19]

View answer

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. 418 to 420, inclusive, answered with Question No. 319.

Local Drugs Task Forces Funding

Questions (421)

John Curran

Question:

421. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the combined total funding from both his Department and the HSE to each local and regional drug task force in each of the years 2014 to 2019, in tabular form. [42035/19]

View answer

Written answers

A table outlining the combined total funding allocations from the Department of Health and the HSE to local and regional drug and alcohol task forces in each of the years 2014 to 2019 is attached.

The funding for 2019 includes an additional €20,000 to each task force, of which €10,000 is recurring.

Combined Funding

Hospitals Funding

Questions (422, 423)

Alan Kelly

Question:

422. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health when he received a copy of a report by a person (details supplied) into inequity in the funding of acute hospitals here. [42036/19]

View answer

Alan Kelly

Question:

423. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health when the HSE received a copy of a report (details supplied) by a person into inequity in the funding of acute hospitals here. [42037/19]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 422 and 423 together.

A report on Inequity in the Funding of Acute Hospital Groups in Ireland was completed by Dr. Anne Dee in 2015, and presented to University Hospital Limerick in January 2016. I am advised that the work was internal to University Hospital Limerick and not intended for wider circulation. In those circumstances the report was not shared with my Department at that time.

I understand that the report was a preliminary scoping document and it subsequently formed the basis of a successful HRB Applied Partnership Award. The HRB study, which is now underway, is being led by Prof Cathal Walsh, University of Limerick.

Health and Social Care Professionals Regulation

Questions (424)

Alan Kelly

Question:

424. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health if he will request an investigation into the way in which the Medical Council dealt with the case of a person (details supplied) as highlighted by RTÉ recently. [42039/19]

View answer

Written answers

My thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to the family in the case referred to by the Deputy.

Under the Medical Practitioners Act 2007, the Medical Council has statutory responsibility for the regulation of registered medical practitioners in Ireland, including managing complaints made about doctors. As Minister I do not have a role in relation to individual cases addressed by the Medical Council. Following the recent RTE programme, I understand that the Council is seeking a meeting with the family.

National Drugs Strategy Budget

Questions (425)

John Curran

Question:

425. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the funding provided in each of the years 2014 to 2018 and to date in 2019 by the Health Service Executive to support implementation of the national drugs strategy in tabular form. [42041/19]

View answer

Written answers

A table outlining the funding provided in each of the years 2014 to 2017 by the Health Service Executive to support implementation of the National Drugs Strategy is attached.

I have asked the Health Service Executive to collate the figures for 2018 and 2019 and to reply directly to the Deputy.

HSE Expenditure to support the National Drug Strategy 2014-2017

2014 (€m)

2015 (€m)

2016 (€m)

2017 (€m)

HSE Addiction Services

€86.12

€86.28

93.96

€97.867

HSE Drugs and Alcohol Task Force Projects

€21.57

€22.59

22.25

€22.146

Total

€107.69

€108.87

€116.21

€120.01

HSE expenditure

Drug Treatment Programmes Data

Questions (426, 427)

John Curran

Question:

426. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the average length of time for which a person remains on a methadone programme; the average cost per annum in maintaining a person on a programme; the number of locations from which methadone programmes are operated; the number of persons provided for on average at these locations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42042/19]

View answer

John Curran

Question:

427. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the year in which the persons currently on methadone treatment entered the treatment programme in the past twenty years in tabular form. [42043/19]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 426 and 427 together.

As these are service matters they have been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

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