Billy Kelleher
Ceist:505. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of public health nurses in 2010; 2011; and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13796/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraNursing Staff Provision
Ceisteanna (505)
Freagraí scríofa
The number (WTE excluding career break) of public health nurses, employed by the Health Service Executive in 2010, 2011 and 2012, is set out in the table below:
|
- |
31/12/2010 |
31/12/2011 |
31/12/2012 |
|
Public Health Nurse |
1553.38 |
1548.12 |
1515.83 |
|
Public Health Nurse, Senior (Immunisation) |
0.8 |
1.16 |
1 |
|
Public Health, Specialist |
47.98 |
48.73 |
48.56 |
|
Total |
1602.16 |
1598.01 |
1565.39 |
Hospital Waiting Lists
Ceisteanna (506)
Sean Fleming
Ceist:506. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health when a hospital appointment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13737/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The management of inpatient and daycase waiting lists for patients awaiting public health care is based on the principle that after urgent and cancer patients are treated, then clinically assessed routine patients should be seen in chronological order (i.e. longest waiter first). Should the patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he/she would be in the best position to take the matter up with the consultant and hospital involved. In 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.
Question No. 507 answered with Question No. 502.
Mental Health Services Provision
Ceisteanna (508)
John Lyons
Ceist:508. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Health the reason a community psychiatric respite bed (details supplied) in Dublin 3 is no longer available for referrals; if this is only temporary or if another respite bed will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13811/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
Health Services Provision
Ceisteanna (509)
Michael Moynihan
Ceist:509. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 270 of 17 April 2008, if he will forward a copy of the reply to this Deputy. [13812/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Parliamentary Question referred to by the Deputy was referred to the HSE for direct reply therefore, the HSE has been asked to provide you with a copy of its response.
Health Services Recruitment
Ceisteanna (510)
Tony McLoughlin
Ceist:510. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the current embargo on recruitment in the Health Service Executive allows the recruitment of all staff except nurses, clerical-administration, maintenance and household staff; and when he will ask the HSE to review the embargo to ensure nurses and other frontline clinical staff can be recruited to ensure the continuity of frontline service. [13813/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Government has decided that the numbers employed across the public service must be reduced in order to meet its fiscal and budgetary targets. The health sector must make its contribution to that reduction. However, the HSE can make staff appointments once it remains within its overall employment ceiling and has the financial resources to do so. As the recruitment of nurse and other frontline clerical staff is a matter for the HSE in the first instance, the Deputy's enquiry has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
Health Services Provision
Ceisteanna (511, 512)
Tony McLoughlin
Ceist:511. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Health the way he proposes to ensure the 3,000 staff to leave the Health Service Executive are not frontline clinical staff. [13814/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraTony McLoughlin
Ceist:512. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Health in view of the proposed reduction of staff in the Health Service Executive, the risk assessment that has been undertaken by the HSE to ensure continuity of service provision; the areas from which the HSE proposes to release the staff; and if he will provide a copy of the risk assessments that have been provided to his Department. [13815/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 511 and 512 together.
The Government has decided that the numbers employed across the public service must be reduced, in order to meet fiscal and budgetary targets. The health sector must make its contribution to that reduction. This policy requires that by the end of 2013, the health service achieves a workforce of 98,955 wholetime equivalents (WTEs). This target takes account of Government commitments to recruit staff in a number of priority areas - primarily mental health and primary care services.
Work is being undertaken at present by my Department, in conjunction with the HSE, to develop a series of targeted measures which will facilitate the achievement of the necessary net reductions in health service staff numbers, while at the same time ensuring that the service levels and other objectives provided for in the HSE's National Service Plan 2013 are delivered upon.
Health Services Reform
Ceisteanna (513)
Tony McLoughlin
Ceist:513. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Health the Public Service Agreement proposals that have been developed and sent to the National Implementation Body by the Health Service Executive in relation to the redeployment or release of clerical-administration staff in the HSE to ensure value for money and more efficiency of frontline service provision. [13816/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Staff redeployment is a key component of the Public Service Agreement. It has been central in enabling the HSE to meet significant budgetary and staffing challenges in the face of increased demands for services. In November 2012, a Revised Action Plan for the Health Sector was submitted to, and subsequently accepted by, the National Implementation Body. The plan confirms the HSE's intention to continue to pursue staff re-deployment in line with the provisions of the Agreement and in particular in the context of a number of shared services developments.
Departmental Staff Redeployment
Ceisteanna (514)
Tony McLoughlin
Ceist:514. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Health the number and grade of clerical-administration staff by each location that have requested to be redeployed for the years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012; from and to where they wished to be redeployed; if he will provide the same number and grade for the same periods that have been redeployed to date and the reasons redeployment did not take peace and the impact on frontline service provision of decisions to prevent redeployments. [13817/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy with the detailed information requested.
Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility
Ceisteanna (515)
Robert Troy
Ceist:515. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will reinstate the foot wear allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13818/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy's question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
Health Services Charges
Ceisteanna (516)
Billy Timmins
Ceist:516. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 501 of 5 March 2013, as a letter from a registered practitioner in the EU is acceptable for other EU members attending accident and emergency in Ireland, the reason it is not acceptable for an Irish person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13820/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As previously indicated, the A&E charge which is currently €100, is provided for by the Health (Out-Patient Charges) Regulations 1994 (as amended). The charge charge applies to persons attending Accident and Emergency, Casualty Departments or any other facility providing similar services subject to exemptions set out in these regulations, including medical card holders and those who have a letter of referral from a registered medical practitioner.
Under EU Regulations, a person who becomes ill or injured while on a temporary stay in any EU/EEA Member State or Switzerland may available of emergency health care in the public health system of the country under the terms of that country's public health system. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is issued to facilitate this process. In Ireland such a person is treated as if they have full eligibility (i.e. have a medical card) and no charge is levied. Irish citizens are treated in a similar manner when they require such emergency public health care within the EU\EEA and Switzerland (and produce their EHIC), the arrangements are reciprocal and Ireland provides services to citizens of other EU\EAA States and Switzerland while they provide emergency care to our citizens.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Ceisteanna (517)
Charlie McConalogue
Ceist:517. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a county by county breakdown of the number of patients currently waiting to see the consultant neurologist for the North-West region in Sligo General Hospital; the timeframe these patients have been waiting to see the neurologist; the number of people who suffer from neurological illness in this region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13827/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The management of waiting lists generally is a matter for the HSE and the individual hospitals concerned. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to the Executive for direct reply.
Health Services Issues
Ceisteanna (518)
Ged Nash
Ceist:518. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health the terms of reference for any planned review into the provision of laundry services in the Louth Meath Hospital Group; if the Health Service Executive intends to carry out a review of laundry services on a national basis; if he will indicate the timeframe for such a review; the nature of engagement planned with staff representatives in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13828/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy's query relates to operational matters for the Health Service Executive, this question has been forwarded to the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy.
Hospital Accommodation Provision
Ceisteanna (519)
Ged Nash
Ceist:519. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health the number of beds/residential places provided in a detoxification unit (details supplied); if this unit accepts clients from counties Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan; the admission criteria employed by the Health Service Executive; the average waiting times for admission to the facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13831/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I understand that the detoxification unit referred to by the Deputy is funded by the HSE. In relation to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service issues, they have been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
Medical Card Appeals
Ceisteanna (520)
Robert Troy
Ceist:520. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a medical card appeal in respect of a person (details supplied). [13832/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Health Services Charges
Ceisteanna (521)
Tom Fleming
Ceist:521. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will reimburse medical costs in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13891/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mobility Allowance Applications
Ceisteanna (522)
John McGuinness
Ceist:522. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health in view of his recent decision, if he will confirm the status of an application for mobility allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow. [13893/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for a direct reply to the Deputy.