Robert Troy
Ceist:199. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a hospital appointment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford. [20500/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraHospital Appointment Status
Ceisteanna (199)
Freagraí scríofa
In relation to the particular patient query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to him directly.
General Practitioner Co-operatives
Ceisteanna (200)
Michael McCarthy
Ceist:200. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health his plans for an out-of-hours facility (details supplied); the number of doctors currently on call; if any changes have recently been made to the normal operating hours of this facility; his plans to reduce this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20511/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Ceisteanna (201)
Tony McLoughlin
Ceist:201. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in County Sligo has had their surgery rescheduled on three occasions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20514/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
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, which has been adopted by the Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists. In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him on this matter.
Orthodontic Service Provision
Ceisteanna (202)
Marcella Corcoran Kennedy
Ceist:202. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that orthodontic treatment was refused to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; if he is aware that this treatment was subsequently provided; the reasons for the reversal of the decision to provide treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20517/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The 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 her as soon as possible.
National Treatment Purchase Fund
Ceisteanna (203)
Seán Fleming
Ceist:203. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will expand the remit of the National Treatment Purchase Fund to primary care and disability services for the purposes of external review of waiting list management, establishment of maximum waiting time guarantees for key therapies for those with diagnosed disability and to provide access to the innovation and development hub to properly inform performance improvement within primary care and disability services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20531/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) was established under the National Treatment Purchase Fund Board (Establishment) Order, 2004, S.I. No. 179 of 2004. Without prejudice to section 52 of the Health Act, 1970, the functions of the Board, as set out in section 4(1) of that S.I. are as follows:
a) to make arrangements with persons, whether resident in the State or elsewhere, for the provision of hospital treatment to such classes of persons as may be determined by the Minister, from time to time;
b) to collect, collate and validate information in relation to persons waiting for hospital treatment and to put in place information systems and procedures for that purpose;
c) to furnish whenever it is so required by the Minister or on its own initiative, advice to the Minister on issues relating to its functions under this Article;
d) to perform any other function in relation to the purchase of hospital treatment that the Minister may from time to time assign to it.
Over the past number of years, the NTPF has evolved from the procurement of treatment for patients to supporting the Special Delivery Unit in the management of issues relating to scheduled care and outpatient attendances. This work is intended to assist in enabling acute hospitals to provide services in a well-planned manner in order to deliver uniformly high standards of clinical care for patients. There are no current plans to extend the function of the NTPF beyond the remit of hospital treatment. Under (d) above, the Minister has assigned responsibility to the NTPF to:
- develop a national waiting list register;
- develop and implement schemes to enable gradual reduction in maximum outpatient first appointment times;
- support measures to facilitate improved patient experience times and performance in hospital emergency departments through targeted programmes of support.
This work is being done in close co-operation with the SDU, to support their focus on unblocking access to acute services by improving the flow of patients through the system, and by streamlining waiting lists, including referrals from GPs. The NTPF also carries out a function in relation to the pricing and inspection of the Nursing Home Subvention Scheme (‘Fair Deal’). As the Deputy is aware, the Government committed to reform the structures of the health system in ‘Future Health – A Strategic Framework for Reform of the Health Services 2012 – 2015’. My Department is currently working on legislation to put these new structures in place and the role and functions of the NTPF will be considered as part of this work.
Nursing Homes Support Scheme Applications
Ceisteanna (204)
Pat Deering
Ceist:204. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health when funding will be available to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow in a nursing home under the fair deal scheme. [20560/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.