Thomas Pringle
Question:1326. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the reason no appeal mechanism is included in the job evaluation scheme conducted by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12031/24]
View answerHealth Services Staff
Questions (1326)
Written answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Cross-Border Co-operation
Questions (1327)
Michael Ring
Question:1327. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of citizens of Northern Ireland availing of procedures and treatment in the State under a scheme similar to the treatment purchase fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12043/24]
View answerAwaiting reply from Department
Health Services Staff
Questions (1328)
Michael Creed
Question:1328. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Health if he can assist in expediting a registration with CORU (details supplied). [12057/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this matter concerns an individual's application for registration I have asked CORU to respond to the Deputy directly.
Health Services
Questions (1329)
Fergus O'Dowd
Question:1329. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if assessments and diagnosis services for adults within counties Louth or Meath are available through the public system; if not, the reasons for same; if they are not, if the cost of accessing a diagnosis can be applied for through the NTPF or other funding avenues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12070/24]
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.
Departmental Correspondence
Questions (1330)
Niamh Smyth
Question:1330. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on a case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12071/24]
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.
Disease Management
Questions (1331)
Paul Murphy
Question:1331. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 219 of 24 January 2024, given the criteria to qualify for the scheme outlined in his response, if he will instruct the HSE to reverse this rejection from the treatment abroad scheme and enable this person to access the treatment recommended by their consultant. [12076/24]
View answerWritten 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.
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.
Medical Cards
Questions (1332)
Brian Stanley
Question:1332. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the medical card entitlement income thresholds in 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019, in tabular form. [12079/24]
View answerWritten answers
Medical Card provision is primarily based on financial assessment. In accordance with the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is determined by the HSE, which assesses each application on a qualifying financial threshold.
Persons aged 69 and under are assessed under the general means tested medical card thresholds which are based on an applicant’s household income after tax and the deduction of PRSI and the Universal Social Charge. Certain expenses are also taken into account. Examples of allowable expenses include rent, mortgage, certain insurance costs, childcare, maintenance, nursing home net costs which help to increase the amount a person can earn and still qualify for a medical card. The applicable income thresholds for this cohort, as administered by the HSE during the relevant years referenced, are set out within the HSE Medical Card National Assessment Guidelines available at National Medical Card Assessment Guidelines (hse.ie).
Persons aged 70 or older are assessed under the over 70s medical card income thresholds which are based on gross income. The thresholds for weekly gross income in respect of eligibility for medical cards for those aged over 70 are set out as follows.
Over 70s Medical Card Income Thresholds
|
- |
2004 |
2009 |
2014 |
2019 |
2020 |
|
Single |
Automatic Entitlement |
€700 |
€500 |
€500 |
€550 |
|
Couple |
Automatic Entitlement |
€1,400 |
€900 |
€900 |
€1050 |
It should be noted that in November 2020, the weekly gross medical card income thresholds for those aged 70 and over were increased to €550 per week for a single person and €1050 for a couple. This increase helps to ensure that a greater proportion of those aged 70 and over qualify for a medical card. Furthermore, the Deputy may be aware that, since 2015, every individual aged 70 and over has automatic eligibility for a GP visit card.
Hospital Services
Questions (1333)
Mark Ward
Question:1333. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health his views on the services that have been reduced at a hospital (details supplied); the steps being taken to restore the level of services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12084/24]
View answerWritten answers
Children’s Health Ireland has advised that there has been no reduction in paediatric orthopaedic surgery at CHI at Crumlin.Children’s Health Ireland has advised that the reduction of clinical commitments by one Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon has been addressed by the appointment of a full time locum to cover the clinical commitments at CHI at Crumlin.
Health Services
Questions (1334)
Paul Murphy
Question:1334. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 559 of 20 February 2024, how exactly hormone concentrations are used in dosage increases; and if any international clinical guidelines are used in this process. [12087/24]
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.
Health Services
Questions (1335)
Paul Murphy
Question:1335. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 559 of 20 February 2024, if the National Gender Service will commit to mentioning the role of hormone concentrations in guiding treatment decisions in future communications with GPs and others. [12088/24]
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.
Health Services
Questions (1336)
Paul Murphy
Question:1336. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 368 of 1 February 2024, if the National Gender Service will commit to updating its future communications with GPs and others to reflect the fact that the mentioned private provider does have a prescriber registered with the Irish Medical Council. [12089/24]
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.
Question No. 1337 answered with Question No. 1280.
Emergency Departments
Questions (1338)
Cian O'Callaghan
Question:1338. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the new emergency department at Beaumont Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12110/24]
View answerWritten answers
The proposed new Emergency Department (ED) at Beaumont Hospital, (which includes the reconfiguration of the existing ED), is a large and complex capital proposal, which is in the early stages of design development.
The HSE has appointed a design team to progress the proposal for the new ED. The Design Team intend to commence the planning and statutory consents process in Q2 2024, subject to compliance with the HSE Capital Development Procedure and Protocols and the Infrastructure Guidelines (which replaced the Public Spending Code in December 2023).
The project team is currently finalising the Preliminary Business Case (PBC) in line with Infrastructure Guidelines requirements. As a proposal of projected cost less than €200m, the process for the new Beaumont ED proposal will be managed through the HSE capital development process rather than requiring direct submission to the Department or Government for consent.
The final decision to proceed with construction and estimate the timeline to completion, cannot be made until there is a Final Business Case, the tender process is completed, and determination made that the proposal remains affordable and continues to represent value for money.
Mental Health Services
Questions (1339)
Cian O'Callaghan
Question:1339. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the number of autistic children refused CAMHS treatment because on absence of a moderate to severe mental disorder in 2023, broken down by CHO area, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12111/24]
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 Overcrowding
Questions (1340)
Martin Browne
Question:1340. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health his views on the suspension of planned surgeries, procedures and appointments at the UL Hospitals Group to facilitate surge capacity at the constituent hospitals in the mid-west; the measures to be introduced to perform those procedures at the earliest date possible; to provide data on the number of and type of cancelled surgeries and procedures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12121/24]
View answerWritten answers
I fully acknowledge the distress and inconvenience for patients and their families when hospital appointments and procedures are cancelled.
While every effort is made to avoid cancellations or postponements, they can happen for a variety of reasons, including capacity issues due to increased scheduled and unscheduled care demand, and unforeseen circumstances that may impact a service.
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 follow HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.
Cancelled hospital appointments and procedures are, where appropriate, rescheduled as early as possible with priority given to patients requiring time-sensitive and urgent treatment.
In relation to the particular queries raised, as these are service matters I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Hospital Facilities
Questions (1341)
Alan Kelly
Question:1341. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health if the new 96-bed block of beds that are being constructed for UHL will be all new beds for the hospital; if not, if some of them be replacement beds; if so, the number of new and replacement beds, respectively; and the net increase in beds as a result. [12132/24]
View answerWritten answers
I am delighted that work commenced on a 96-bed ward block at University Hospital Limerick in September 2022. It is anticipated that the construction phase will be completed by the first Quarter of 2025. Once handed over by the contractors, this first block will need to be equipped and commissioned, and staff trained following the completion of a recruitment campaign.
My Department anticipate that this much-needed additional bed capacity for the HSE Mid-West region will become operational in mid-2025. This first block will add an additional 71 new acute beds to University Hospital Limerick. The remaining 25 new beds will replace existing beds from nightingale wards that require replacement and refurbishment in line with regulatory requirements.
Preparatory works have also commenced for a second 96-bed block.
Hospital Facilities
Questions (1342)
Alan Kelly
Question:1342. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the date on which he expects the medical assessment unit in Nenagh Hospital to move to operating 24-hour care. [12138/24]
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.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (1343)
Denise Mitchell
Question:1343. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) can expect to have a planned cardiac procedure carried out at the Mater Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12140/24]
View answerWritten 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.
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.
Mental Health Commission
Questions (1344)
Mark Ward
Question:1344. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of reviews of reported deaths carried out by the Standards and Quality Assurance division of the Mental Health Commission in each year of the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12143/24]
View answerWritten answers
My Department has contacted the Mental Health Commission who said that the carrying out of reviews of deaths in mental health facilities does not fall within its remit. Therefore, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (1345)
Mark Ward
Question:1345. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of deaths in approved centres and mental health services reported to the coroner for the past ten years; the follow up procedures when a death is reported in an approved centre; if records of findings are maintained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12144/24]
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.
Mental Health Services
Questions (1346)
Mark Ward
Question:1346. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of wrongful death cases relevant to deaths in mental healthcare taken in a civil litigation context against the HSE by bereaved persons in the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12145/24]
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 Facilities
Questions (1347)
Maurice Quinlivan
Question:1347. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health the progress being made in the construction of the 96-bed unit at University Hospital Limerick; when construction will be finished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12148/24]
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.