Wednesday, 20 Mar 2024

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (1508)

Brendan Howlin

Question:

1508. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if he will arrange for an early assessment for ADHD and ASD for a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13050/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (1509)

David Stanton

Question:

1509. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that a CAMHS appointment, an ASD assessment and relevant supports are provided to a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13055/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible

Departmental Data

Questions (1510)

Alan Farrell

Question:

1510. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health if he can provide a breakdown of the number of children waiting on a CAMHS appointment in CH08 and a breakdown for each county within that CHO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13067/24]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Medical Cards

Questions (1511)

Emer Higgins

Question:

1511. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health to clarify the policy on blood tests as part of monitoring a medical condition for patients holding a medical card or GP visit card; the steps that can be taken to ensure that blood tests necessary for diagnosis and monitoring are covered by the medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13069/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

GP services are provided without charge to people who hold a medical card or GP visit card under the GMS scheme. Under the terms of the current GMS contract, GPs are required to provide eligible patients with ''all proper and necessary treatment of a kind usually undertaken by a general practitioner and not requiring special skill or experience of a degree or kind which general practitioners cannot reasonably be expected to possess.".

The issue of GPs charging GMS patients for phlebotomy services (blood tests) is complex given the numerous reasons and circumstances under which blood tests are taken. Clinical determinations as to whether a blood test should taken to either assist in the diagnosis of illness or the treatment of a condition are made by the GP concerned. There is no provision under the GMS GP contract for persons who hold a medical card or GP visit card to be charged for such blood tests.

In addition, blood tests undertaken in the context of services provided under the GP Chronic Disease Management Programme are covered by the fees paid to GPs by the HSE for this care.

The issue of certain GPs charging GMS patients for necessary blood tests has been raised with the relevant GP representative body on a number of occasions. However, it has not yet proven possible to achieve agreement that no charges for blood tests would be applied in any circumstances.

Where a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card believes they have been incorrectly charged for routine phlebotomy services or for a different service by their GP, then that patient should report the matter to their HSE Local Health Office. The local management, upon being notified of potential inappropriate charging of a GMS patient, will contact the GP concerned and carry out an investigation into each complaint and, where appropriate, will arrange for a refund of charges incorrectly applied by the GP.

Health Service Executive

Questions (1512)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

1512. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 514 of 30 January 2024 (details supplied), when a full HSE response will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13072/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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.

Health Service Executive

Questions (1513)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

1513. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 651 of 28 November 2023, when a full HSE response will issue to the question (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13078/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Facilities

Questions (1514)

Martin Browne

Question:

1514. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health the progress made in discussions concerning the potential acquisition of a facility (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13087/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible

Nursing Homes

Questions (1515)

Martin Browne

Question:

1515. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health the options being considered regarding long stay beds at a nursing home (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13088/24]

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Written answers

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE recently ended the industrial action which commenced on 6 October 2023. As a consequence, members in these grades were not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result of the accumulated backlog, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.

Health Services

Questions (1523)

Paul Murphy

Question:

1523. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health what actions CHI has taken to respond to the field safety notice issued in late 2021 about magec rods. [13168/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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 (1524)

Paul Murphy

Question:

1524. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health his views on whether the field safety notice relating to magec rods should be observed by CHI, in particular that the device should be removed after implantation time of no more than two years. [13169/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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 (1525)

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Question:

1525. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health how many times the critical lack of care for diabetes patients at Letterkenny University Hospital has been notified to the HSE National Risk Register. [13175/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Home Care Packages

Questions (1526)

Jackie Cahill

Question:

1526. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will have their home care package hours filled, given the urgent nature of the case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13179/24]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE recently ended the industrial action which commenced on 6 October 2023. As a consequence, members in these grades were not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result of the accumulated backlog, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.