Written Answers Nos. 542-559
542. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if an application for a medical card review will be approved immediately in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if the card number will be kept in service while they await approval [44463/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
543. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if a medical card will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [44464/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
544. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if 22 hours of home support will be approved urgently in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [44466/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs 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.
545. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in approving a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if a full medical card will be approved for them and their spouse. [44467/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
546. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if a medical card will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and the reason for the delay with this appeal. [44468/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
547. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the reason a primary medical certificate was refused in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if their appeal will be re-considered based on the medical evidence supporting their application from both the Health Service Executive hospital and consultants. [44477/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs 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.
548. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the national immunisation advisory committee will be making a decision during its November meeting regarding immunisation against meningitis B; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44519/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe inclusion of items on meeting agendas is a matter for the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) itself. The Department will, however be informed of any recommendations arising from those meetings.
Should the NIAC advice recommend the inclusion of Meningococcal group B (Meningitis B) vaccine into the primary childhood immunisation programme in Ireland, my Department, in association with the Health Service Executive National Immunisation Office will examine the issue.
549. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a hospital appointment in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44521/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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, which has 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.
550. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Health if he will reinvestigate a medical card application in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44522/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
551. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will reconsider the proposal to close the 22 acute bed inpatient unit at St. Brigid's Hospital, Ballinasloe, County Galway. [44525/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
552. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the support and assistance available in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5. [44526/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy.
553. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health the details of any service level agreement or other such arrangement between SouthDoc and the Health Service Executive; the policy position of his Department in relation to any such arrangement; the amount paid to SouthDoc in 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013 under such arrangement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44548/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy.
554. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [44567/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
556. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health in view of the statement by the national clinical programme director of the Health Service Executive, if the next round of clinical programmes will include evidence-based approaches such as dialectical behaviour therapy for patients with borderline personality disorder, if this will be implemented and all the necessary disciplines will be in place in local communities to provide this therapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44569/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
557. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Cork may expect to be treated at South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44577/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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.
558. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if funding will be allocated this year for bilateral cochlear implants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44583/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra565. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Health the allocation of funding for 2014 for bilateral cochlear implants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44609/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra570. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the position regarding funding for bilateral cochlear implants (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44637/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra578. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the policy of his Department on the potential benefits and value of a policy to support the fitting of bilateral both-ear implants for babies who have been discovered to be deaf; if he recognises that the bilateral both-ear implants could have a positive impact on speech perception, integration into mainstream education and general quality of life; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44702/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra585. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if cochlear implants will be funded in budget 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44730/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 558, 565, 570, 578 and 585 together.
Beaumont Hospital is the centre for delivering Ireland’s national cochlear implant programme, with surgical provision for patients under six years being carried out in the Children’s University Hospital Temple Street. Since the programme commenced in 1995, over 700 patients have received cochlear implants. Beaumont Hospital carried out ninety cochlear implants in 2012 (42 children and 48 adults). The routine practice in Ireland, so far, has been to implant one side only.
It is now considered best practice worldwide that children should have the option of bilateral implants, and this is reflected in the recommendation of the report of the National Review of Audiology Services which was carried out by the HSE in 2009. The aim of that Review was to examine the services provided to children and adults nationwide, and to formulate a national plan for the services. Its report was published by the HSE in 2011 and provides the blueprint for the planning, development and delivery of HSE audiology services. The Report recommended continued ring-fenced support for the cochlear implant programme but at levels which allow for simultaneous bilateral implantation for children.
The HSE has developed a proposal, in liaison with Beaumont Hospital, to introduce a bilateral cochlear implant programme in Ireland. In doing so, the HSE has engaged with many stakeholders. Introduction of bilateral cochlear implantation is expected to involve additional staff, equipment and capital works. The resources required will be considered in the context of the Health Estimate for 2014, announced on 15 October last, and the development of the HSE's National Service Plan 2014.
559. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the number, according to the latest data available to him, of children aged five or under who are currently holders of a medical card or of a general practitioner-only medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44586/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. However, I have asked the Health Service Executive to supply this information to me and I will forward it to the Deputy as soon as possible.
