Alan Dillon
Question:140. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health the total funding allocated for respite services for children with special needs in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40534/20]
View answerDisability Services Funding
Questions (140)
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.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Medicinal Products
Questions (141)
Alan Dillon
Question:141. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health the timeline for a decision on the approval of duodopa by the HSE; if any of the €50 million allocation for the approval of new medicines is being used for this consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40540/20]
View answerWritten answers
Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the pricing and reimbursement of medicines; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Disability Services Funding
Questions (142, 143, 144)
Alan Dillon
Question:142. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the funding allocated to early intervention and school age disability services in County Mayo in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40541/20]
View answerAlan Dillon
Question:143. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health the occupational therapy and speech therapy staff resources allocated to disability services in County Mayo in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40542/20]
View answerAlan Dillon
Question:144. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health his plans to fully reinstate the provision of early intervention and school age disability services [40543/20]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 142, 143 and 144 together.
The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future,recognises the need to improve services for both children and adults with disabilities through better implementation and by working together across Government in a better way.
The Government commits to prioritising early diagnosis and access to services for children and ensuring that the most effective interventions are provided for each child, to guarantee the best outcomes.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Disability Services Provision
Questions (145)
Alan Dillon
Question:145. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase staffing resources to disability services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40544/20]
View answerWritten answers
The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future,recognises the need to improve services for both children and adults with disabilities through better implementation and by working together across Government in a better way.
The Government commits to prioritising early diagnosis and access to services for children and ensuring that the most effective interventions are provided for each child, to guarantee the best outcomes.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Covid-19 Pandemic
Questions (146)
Fergus O'Dowd
Question:146. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure when the Covid-19 vaccine becomes available and is being distributed that the hierarchy of priority groups should include at least one nominated visitor or family member to nursing home residents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40552/20]
View answerWritten answers
The Government is committed to the timely implementation of a COVID-19 immunisation programme, as soon as one or more vaccines in the EU portfolio are approved for use. In this regard, a cross-Government High-Level Taskforce has been established to support and oversee the development and implementation of the programme.
Policy in relation to the order in which people should be offered vaccination is being developed as a priority in conjunction with the national experts on immunisation and it is expected that the NPHET will shortly finalise its advice to Government in this regard.
Gambling Sector
Questions (147)
Thomas Gould
Question:147. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health when the 2018-2019 gambling prevalence survey will be published [40560/20]
View answerWritten answers
The national survey on drug and alcohol use is a general population survey of households in Ireland conducted by the Health Research Board (HRB) to estimate the number of people in Ireland who use drugs and alcohol.
The survey conforms to best practice and standards established by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). The first survey was conducted in 2002/03, and had been repeated in 2005/6, 2006/7, 2010/11, 2014/15. In the 2014/15 Survey a new section focusing on gambling prevalence was included.
Interviewing for the 2018/19 survey, which included the gambling modules, ended in May 2020. The HRB are analysing these data now and it is anticipated that the results of the survey which relate to gambling will be published in mid-2021.
Health Services Access
Questions (148)
Bernard Durkan
Question:148. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if it can be arranged for a public health nurse to call to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40566/20]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Dental Services
Questions (149)
Robert Troy
Question:149. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the details of the recruitment of an orthodontic consultant to fill the position which has been vacant for some time; and his views on whether this position must be filled as a matter of urgency in order to deal with extensive waiting times. [40582/20]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Prescriptions Charges
Questions (150)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:150. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if there is guidelines or regulations governing the charging of patients by general practitioners to email prescriptions to pharmacists using the national electronic prescriptions transfer system including repeat prescriptions before and during Covid-19 restrictions; and if so, the amount agreed as appropriate to charge a patient for this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40589/20]
View answerWritten answers
The guidelines published in relation to the electronic transfer of prescriptions between doctors and pharmacies and the removal of the need for a paper equivalent in response to the Covid-19 public health emergency do not address issues on GP charges. While GPs are reimbursed by the HSE for medical services provided to medical card or GP visit card holders, as private practitioners the fees charged by GPs for services to private patients, including fees regarding prescriptions, are a matter of private contract between the GP and their patients.
Disability Services Data
Questions (151)
Seán Sherlock
Question:151. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the overall delay on all interventions for children under the age of 18 years [40599/20]
View answerWritten answers
The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future,recognises the need to improve services for both children and adults with disabilities through better implementation and by working together across Government in a better way.
The Government commits to prioritising early diagnosis and access to services for children and ensuring that the most effective interventions are provided for each child, to guarantee the best outcomes.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Housing Adaptation Grant
Questions (152)
Peter Fitzpatrick
Question:152. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Health the housing adaptation grants available to a person (details supplied) who has suffered life-changing injuries following an accident aside from the Louth County Council housing adaptation grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40603/20]
View answerWritten answers
Housing adaptation grants do not come within the remit of my Department and are a matter for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
I am informed by that Department that it provides funding to local authorities for the Housing Adaptation Grant Scheme for Older People and People with a Disability in private houses. For the purposes of the grant, household income is calculated as the annual gross income of the registered property owner together with all household members aged 18 or over, or aged 23 or over if in full-time education, in the previous tax year. It is important to note that the individual mentioned in the details supplied may benefit from certain income disregards which apply, in calculating household income for eligibility purposes.
I would encourage the applicant to engage with their local authority to explore whether they could be eligible for grant funding.
Home Help Service
Questions (153)
Niamh Smyth
Question:153. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if home help hours will be increased in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40604/20]
View answerWritten answers
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Data
Questions (154)
Pearse Doherty
Question:154. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the total number of beds in St. Joseph’s Community Hospital, Stranorlar, County Donegal; the total number of beds both occupied and unoccupied for the years 2018, 2019 and to date in 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40612/20]
View answerWritten answers
As these are operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible
Hospital Data
Questions (155)
Pearse Doherty
Question:155. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the total number of nursing staff employed at St. Joseph’s Community Hospital, Stranorlar, County Donegal in each of the years 2018, 2019 and to date in 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40613/20]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy, as soon as possible.
Hospital Data
Questions (156)
Pearse Doherty
Question:156. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the total number of nursing staff in St. Joseph’s Community Hospital, Stranorlar, County Donegal re-deployed in 2020; the number that have resumed their positions of those re-deployed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40614/20]
View answerWritten answers
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Data
Questions (157)
Pearse Doherty
Question:157. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the total number of non-nursing staff employed at St. Joseph’s Community Hospital, Stranorlar, Co. Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40615/20]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy, as soon as possible.
Respite Care Services
Questions (158)
Pearse Doherty
Question:158. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when respite services can be expected to resume in St. Joseph’s Hospital, Stranorlar, County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40616/20]
View answerWritten answers
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (159)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:159. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40618/20]
View answerWritten answers
It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic the HSE had to take measures to defer most scheduled care activity in March, April, and May of this year. This was to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related activity and time-critical essential work. This decision was in line with the advice issued by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) in accordance with the advice of the World Health Organisation.
Patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.
The HSE continues to optimise productivity through alternative work practices such the use of alternative settings including private hospitals, community facilities and alternative outpatient settings.
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 is a standardised approach used by the HSE to manage scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures. It sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists and was developed in 2014 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.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.