Written Answers Nos. 230-239
230. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will consider opening up State run programmes such as CETS to child minders who provide a vital service particularly in rural areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12183/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt present childminders are excluded from participating in the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme. In the absence of additional funding to provide for extra CETS places, there are no plans to change this position. Future developments relating to early years care and education, including the design of schemes and eligibility of providers, will be considered during the preparation of the new National Early Years Strategy which is currently being developed by my Department.
232. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way child protection and foster care services will be improved, particularly in the areas of staffing levels and supervision; if she will provide an update on the standard of provision of child protection and foster care services in Counties Longford and Westmeath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12239/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the HSE that as part of the transition to the Child and Family Support Agency, child protection and welfare services are currently being reorganised and restructured to ensure optimal delivery of services to children and their families. New National Standards for the Protection and Welfare of Children were published by HIQA in July 2010. They are also subject to independent inspection by HIQA to ensure compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.
Currently there are 132 children placed in care with 70 approved foster carers in Counties Longford and Westmeath. A further 4 relative foster carers are awaiting approval. Ninety eight per cent of children in care are attending full-time education. Notwithstanding the moratorium on recruitment in the public service, a number of vacant positions in the Area have been prioritised for filling and are being processed by the HSE National Recruitment Service. All frontline staff currently receive supervision in line with the HSE Supervision Policy. This level of supervision will continue and be developed further, following the transition to the Child and Family Support Agency.
233. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children waiting for social work services by LHO area or if unavailable by ISA with a breakdown for the reasons they require a social work service and length of time waiting; and if she will provide a comparison with the two previous years for which figures are available. [12258/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has sought the information requested by the Deputy from the HSE and I will provide the Deputy with the information as soon as it becomes available.
234. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the purpose of the Health Service Executive review of incontinence wear supplies in counties Cavan and Monaghan as referenced on page 34 of the HSE Dublin North East Regional Service Plan; if he will direct the HSE to ensure that there is no reduction of either service and supply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12041/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraA review of the existing governance arrangements for incontinence wear supplies in Cavan and Monaghan is planned in order to identify any improvements in terms of service and supply of incontinence wear. The scope of the review will include community nursing continence assessments, order and approval processes, supply efficiencies, and overall data management of a patient management system for clients in receipt of incontinence wear from the Public Health Nursing Service.
235. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health if agency nurses have been employed in the medical wards in Sligo General Hospital at any time since the 1 January 2013; the number employed each month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12053/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the use of agency staff is a matter for the HSE in the first instance, the Deputy's enquiry has been referred to the Executive for direct reply.
236. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of children currently awaiting insulin pump therapy in Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin; the number of nurses on leave from this Department and if this is impacting on the delivery of this very important therapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12058/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the specific query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
237. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will arrange an appointment at the earlist possible date in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12072/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to waiting list management in general, the National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2013, 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, recently been adopted by the HSE, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists. In relation to this particular query raised by the Deputy, I have asked the Health Service Executive to investigate the situation and respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.
238. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence regarding medical cards (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12073/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
239. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health the number of paediatric orthopaedic surgeons in the Health Service Executive system; the facilities in which they are based; his plans to recruit necessary additional specialist surgeons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12082/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraSubject to overall parameters set by Government, the Health Service Executive has the responsibility for determining the composition of its staffing complement. In that regard, it is a matter for the Executive to recruit, manage and deploy staff to best meet the requirements of its Annual Service Plan for the delivery of health and personal social services to the public. The Executive is the appropriate body to consider the matter raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.
