Written Answers Nos. 358-373
358. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health his views on the creation of a separate Minister of State portfolio with responsibility for drugs and alcohol addiction for the remainder of the Government’s term of office, in view of the seriousness of this problem and the number of lives lost due to addiction. [40073/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Health, I have overall responsibility for the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016. The overall objective of the Strategy is to tackle the harm caused to individuals and society by the misuse of drugs through a concerted focus on the five pillars of supply, reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research. In line with the Programme for Government, I am committed to delivering on the objectives in the Strategy and the Oversight Forum on Drugs which I chair. This is the key mechanism through which the implementation of the Strategy is coordinated at local, regional and national levels.
In addition, I am responsible for implementing the recommendations of the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy, 2012 in accordance with last October's Government decision.
My Department is commencing work on developing the National Drugs Strategy in order to meet future challenges in relation to the problem of substance misuse.
359. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health if resources for support services for young persons who are LGBT will be enhanced in the run-up to the referendum on marriage equality arising from the negative commentary and misinformation that could form part of the campaign and which could have serious negative impacts on the mental health of young persons who are LGBT; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40322/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhile it is not proposed to put specific service enhancements for young persons who are LGBT in place in the context of the proposed referendum on marriage equality, the Government is prioritising the development of mental health and suicide prevention services overall, including those relating to young people. Dedicated funding of around €125m has been provided since 2012 to enhance all aspects of services, to realise implementation of A Vision for Change. Our commitment is reinforced by the €35m announced in the recent Budget to progress various new initiatives next year.
The HSE Service Plan 2014 provides in the region of €766m for mental health services, including progressing the phased implementation of over 1,100 new posts allocated to enhance services at local and regional levels. Services overall have been expanded this year, to strengthen Community Mental Health Teams for both adults and children and to enhance specialist community mental health services for older people with a mental illness, those with an intellectual disability and mental illness, and forensic mental health services. Services will be developed further in light of new initiatives to be agreed in the context of the HSE Service Plan for 2015.
To-date, upwards of 230 new posts has been allocated to the Child and Adolescent Services (CAMHS), in respect of those under 18 years of age requiring services or supports. The HSE recently commenced an initiative to improve various operational aspects of the CAMHS service, including access to and use of CAMHS. This involves, for example, looking in greater detail at trends in performance and underlying contributing factors, consultant capacity and availability, and correlation with other related services in regard to the nature or complexity of those waiting for service.
There are a range of supports available to young people with mental health difficulties, either through services provided directly by the HSE, or through various non-statutory agencies funded by the Executive. In particular, this includes support by the National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP) for LGBT advocacy groups, such as GLEN, Belong To or other groups that also cover, to some degree as part of their overall mental health services, LGBT issues relating to young persons.
A wide ambit of supports are available to young people ranging from, for example, initial counselling at Primary Care level through to community or in-patient care under the Mental Health programme. Therefore, bearing in mind all the circumstances raised by the Deputy, I am satisfied that it is open to any young person who may face serious negative mental health impacts arising from the proposed referendum, or for whatever other reason, to access relevant existing services delivered by the HSE or the many agencies funded by it, operating in this area.
360. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding funding for an infrastructural project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40406/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs with all capital projects the acute sector infrastructure programme must be considered within the overall capital envelope available to the health service. There will always be more projects than can be funded by the Exchequer. There is limited funding available for new projects over the next multi-annual period 2015-2019 given the level of commitments and the costs to completion already in place. The HSE is concentrating on applying the limited funding available for capital works in the most effective way possible to meet needs now and in the future.
361. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding occupational therapy in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40344/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the particular issues raised by the Deputy relates to individual cases, these are service matters for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
362. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the number of children on the waiting list for dental procedures at the children’s dental clinic at St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8; the average length of time child patients are waiting for various procedures provided by the clinic. [39754/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to investigate this matter and respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
363. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if his Department or the Health Service Executive have plans to close on a permanent or temporary basis the children’s dental clinic at St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8; and if so, the alternative arrangements his Department or the HSE will put in place to ensure that no child is left waiting for essential dental treatment. [39755/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to investigate this matter and respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
364. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in Dublin 22, will be provided with another appointment for urgent dental treatment following the cancellation by the Health Service Executive of an appointment that was scheduled for 14 August 2014 at the children’s dental clinic, St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8. [39756/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to investigate this matter and respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
365. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the substantial negative impact that budget cuts in the past four years have had on the services provided by a company (details supplied); if he will ensure that more funding is made available in budget 2015 so that the company may continue to provide this invaluable service to service users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39762/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra473. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will support an organisation (details supplied) in County Dublin with adequate funding in 2014-2015 in view of the fact that it has taken on seven new clients without any extra funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40474/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 365 and 473 together.
The Government is fully committed to ensuring the on-going delivery of vital services and supports to people with disabilities within available resources.
In budget 2015, additional funding has been provided to the HSE to address identified priority needs within disability services, including: €12m for the emerging needs of young people with a disability leaving school and those leaving Rehabilitation Training (RT) who will require a day place; and €6m to deliver the required increase in services for children with disabilities, including autism, and to reduce waiting lists under the Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18s) Programme.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) is currently in the process of preparing its 2015 National Service Plan including its disability services programme for children and adults with disabilities. It is not expected that the HSE will be in a position to comment on the funding of individual disability organisations until this process has been completed.
In relation to the specific queries raised by the Deputies in relation to Prosper Fingal, as these are service issues, they have been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
366. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in County Donegal has to use a social hours allocation to attend hospital appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39768/14]
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.
367. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will legislate to allow the Health Products Regulatory Authority to fully control the use sale and promotion of MMS and CD. [39772/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Medicinal Products (Control of Placing on the Market) Regulations 2007, as amended, a medicinal product cannot be placed on the market in Ireland unless it has a marketing authorisation from the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) or a community marketing authorisation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Any product which makes a medicinal claim requires an authorisation under this legislation. Master Mineral Solution (MMS) or CD is not authorised as a medicine for sale or supply in Ireland and it is therefore an offence to place this product on the market in Ireland without a marketing authorisation.
The HPRA has confirmed that it is actively following up on this issue as a matter of urgency. The HPRA is satisfied that it has sufficient powers to investigate attempts to supply this product in Ireland.
368. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a counselling service (details supplied) in Dublin 8 may have to close before Christmas due to a 48% cut in funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39775/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
369. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the role of An Bord Altranais in the case of the removal of indemnity cover from a person (details supplied); the role they have played to date in this process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39791/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland has no role in the awarding or removing of indemnification to nurses or midwives in private practice. This is an employer’s issue and is subject to agreement between the employer and the professional concerned. The NMBI has had no involvement in the recent case.
The NMBI is a regulatory body for the nursing and midwifery regulatory profession.
370. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will review the opinions expressed in replies to matters raised by way of parliamentary question on the hepatitis C compensation tribunal; his views on the financial and administrative matters disclosed or if he will prefer order an independent value for money audit of the tribunal's conduct during the period in question 2007-2010 [39855/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe issues raised by the Deputy relating to financial and administrative matters in regard to the Hepatitis C and HIV Compensation Tribunal have been responded to in replies to Parliamentary Questions:
706 [Ref. 3768/14], 707 [Ref. 3769/14] and 708 [Ref. 3770/14] on 28 January 2014,
238 [Ref.6043/14] on 6 February 2014,
689 [Ref. 7550/14] on 18 February 2014,
632 [Ref. 9714/14] on 25 February 2014,
519 [Ref. 11658/14] on 11 March 2014,
163 [Ref. 28592/14] on 2 July 2014.
I support the views set out in these replies.
The accounts of the Department of Health are audited on an annual basis by the Comptroller & Auditor General. I do not propose to have a separate value for money audit conducted.
371. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a nurse (details supplied) in County Mayo has not been replaced since the retirement of the previous nurse; the reason for the delay in replacing the nurse; the timeframe for the appointment of a replacement nurse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39858/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
372. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive a hospital appointment; if this person is on the urgent or routine list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39876/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she would be in the best position to take the matter up with the consultant and hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
373. Deputy Eamonn Maloney asked the Minister for Health if he has received the report of the expert panel established to examine the way medical needs should be taken into account in the context of medical card eligibility; when it will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39879/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Report was received by the Department of Health earlier this month. This is a detailed report and the Minister for Health is now considering its findings. When he has considered these, discussed them with the HSE and consulted as necessary with the Minister for Public Expenditure and the Attorney General, the Minister will be reporting to Government on the matter.
374. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in Dublin 6 will be moved from a private hospital to the public system for long-term intensive care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39882/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Nursing Homes Support Scheme is a system of financial support for individuals who require long-term nursing home care. It aims to ensure that long-term nursing home care is accessible and affordable for everyone and that people are cared for in the most appropriate settings.
Anyone who is ordinarily resident in the State and is assessed as requiring long-term nursing home care can avail of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, regardless of age. However, nursing home care must be appropriate to meet the individual’s care needs.
A fundamental principle enshrined in the legislation underpinning the Scheme is that of patient choice. Once a person receives approval for financial support, they can choose to enter any nursing home that is participating in the Scheme in any part of the country, subject to the nursing home having an available bed and being able to cater for the person’s particular needs. This applies to public, private and voluntary nursing homes alike.
In general terms, eligibility for health services is based primarily on residency and means. Under the Health Act 1970, the public health system provides for two categories of eligibility for persons ordinarily resident in the state, i.e. full eligibility (medical card holders) and limited eligibility (all others). Full eligibility is determined mainly by reference to income limits. Determination of an individual's eligibility status is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive.
The level of private health insurance cover for inpatient hospital treatment is set out in the terms and conditions of the insured person's private health insurance policy.
375. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the reason a full medical card has yet to be issued to persons (details supplied) in County Sligo who had lost their full medical cards under the review process last year; his views that the persons should both have had their full card returned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39883/14]
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.
