Written Answers Nos. 207-213
207. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health when orthodontic treatment will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28142/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE provides orthodontic treatment to patients based on their level of clinical need. An individual's access to orthodontic treatment is determined against a set of clinical guidelines and priority is given to patients with greatest needs. The HSE has been asked to examine the specific query raised by the Deputy and to reply to him as soon as possible.
208. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the mini-bus ambulance from west Wicklow bringing people daily to various hospital appointments in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28166/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraPatient transport is the responsibility of the HSE. However, people attending outpatient and hospital appointments are, in general, expected to make their own travel arrangements, using private or scheduled public transport. The exceptions are for dialysis, cancer (radiotherapy and chemotherapy) and post-operative transplant patients, where transport may be provided. In these cases, the patient's appointment or treatment should be directly related to the treatment.
Transport may also be provided where, in the clinician's view, the patient would be unable to make the journey without clinical assistance or where the patient must be transported on a stretcher.
Following implementation of the HSE's non-ambulance patient transport policy, responsibility for the arrangement and provision of non-ambulance transport has moved from the HSE National Ambulance Service to local health offices in each region. If a patient or his or her clinician considers that transport is required, the local health office should be contacted.
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.
209. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will set out the value for money reports and the focused policy assessments carried out within his Department since March 2011; the actions that have been taken to implement such reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28176/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy will be collated and forwarded to him as soon as it is available.
210. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health in view of the soon to be published new tender for home care services and with regard to a recently published report quantifying savings of €48 million for 2014 available through more open and transparent commissioning of home care, if he will confirm if he is planning to instruct the Health Service Executive to expand the extent of the tender to include all home care packages and the part of home help hours not done internally by the HSE in order to achieve these savings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28182/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra211. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if instead of trying to cut the number of home support hours available as was announced and reversed in the Budget, if he is implementing reforms and efficiencies in tendering and outsourcing that could reduce the cost of the service by 30% as outlined in a recently published report quantifying savings of €48 million for 2014 available through more open and transparent commissioning of home care, thereby increasing the hours that could be delivered under existing budgets; if he will use the current review of the tender process for home care services to realise these savings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28183/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra212. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the actions he has taken in realising cost savings and expenditure reduction in the home help and home care package budgets through reform of tender process as outlined in a recently published report quantifying savings of €48 million for 2014 available through more open and transparent commissioning of home care in order to provide services to as many persons as possible; if he will use the current review of the tender process for home care services to realise these savings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28184/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 210 to 212, inclusive, together.
Recent years have been very challenging for the health services. Facing difficult choices, the Government has set as its priority the aim of maintaining services to the greatest extent possible within the resources available. In line with the Programmme for Government, the Department is working closely with the Health Services Executive on reforming the way health services are funded and delivered to achieve greater productivity and more cost-effective services.
In relation to Home Support Services, I would like to reassure the Deputy that the HSE has committed in its National Service Plan 2013 to maintaining the home help and home care package services at levels planned for in 2012.
The Procurement Process for the Home Care Package Scheme referred to by the Deputy and introduced in 2012 established minimum standard levels with which successful tenderers must comply. The HSE is currently considering its approach to the next home care procurement process and the timing for same. In this regard, it has established a forum to consult with representatives of service providers.
Future tenders for home care will focus on improving standards across the home care sector, providing quality care for vulnerable clients, taking account of existing contracts, and obtaining value for the resources available for the service.
213. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his plans to tackle the number of delayed discharges in hospitals here, which in April stood at 658 nationwide and at 98 in Cork; if he will consider making more home care packages available to help reduce the number of persons waiting in hospital beds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28185/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service issue, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.
