Written Answers Nos. 757-771
757. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his views regarding qualified midwives leaving the country following qualification; the incentives in place to encourage midwives to remain here following completion of their training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41878/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that I have sought information on the issues raised and will reply in this regard in due course.
758. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if hepatitis C services will be funded in budget 2015 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41898/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Hepatitis C Strategy provides a framework for a coordinated and integrated response to Hepatitis C in Ireland. The National Hepatitis C Strategy Implementation Committee was established by the Health Service Executive to progress the recommendations of the Strategy. The recommended actions are being implemented on a phased, prioritised basis.
Many of the actions are budget neutral and are being progressed through existing governance structures and processes.
The Department has also established an advisory group to advise on an evidence-based multi-annual pharmaceutical treatment plan for patients with Hepatitis C. This group will furnish a report to the Minister for Health on this issue in the coming weeks.
In recent years, the Government decided that the numbers employed across the public service must be reduced in order to meet fiscal and budgetary targets. To that end, a moratorium on recruitment in the Public Service was introduced in March 2009.
The Deputy will be aware that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform announced in the recent Budget, that in 2015, Departments and Agencies will be given greater autonomy to manage their own staffing levels within their pay allocations. This measure will allow the HSE to hire more front line staff on fixed term contracts, thus reducing reliance on agency staff. It is anticipated that this will lead to pay savings due to the increased costs associated with hiring agency staff and will also enhance the quality of care available to patients and clients through improved continuity of care.
759. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41904/14]
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.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
760. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Health if a discretionary medical card will be reinstated in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; the reason this process that was supposed to be completed in three months is still ongoing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41916/14]
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.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
761. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will support a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41919/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
763. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health his views on the hugely supportive services provided by Little Way Cancer Support Service, Clane, County Kildare; if he will consider offering direct aid from the proceeds of the national lottery towards supporting the essential work carried out by the voluntary body concerned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41931/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has received an application for funding from the 2014 National Lottery allocation from the organisation in question. This is one of a large number of applications currently being assessed by my Department. The organisation will be informed of the outcome of the application as soon as a decision has been made.
764. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41938/14]
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.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
765. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if the operation of symphysiotomy was carried out at St Luke's Hospital, County Kilkenny, in 2013; if so, under what circumstances, including whether patient consent was obtained; and if his Department and-or the Health Service Executive and-or the Health Information and Quality Authority are investigating the matter. [41939/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy officials have checked with management in St Luke's Hospital Kilkenny, who confirmed that no surgical symphysiotomy took place in the Hospital in 2013. The Deputy may be referring to reports about a court case which took place last year, relating to a procedure which took place in the 80s.
766. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the reason an independent midwife had her State indemnity insurance removed after transferring a person from her home to hospital when she became dizzy and subsequently had a bleed after ten hours in hospital yet in similar or worse situations no Health Service Executive staff were ever suspended or had insurance suspended (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41945/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this matter is sub-judice, I am therefore restricted in the response I can give to your questions.
I understand from the HSE that Ms Cannings' indemnity has been suspended temporarily due to specific and serious concerns expressed by other clinical staff about patient safety. Indemnity is not removed from a professional without concern. Safe guidelines and practices are in place to protect mothers and babies.
The Government remains committed to the development of Primary Care services in the community; where people will have direct access to integrated multi-disciplinary teams. This will form part of the general review of maternity services being carried out over the course of the next twelve months. Every pregnancy does not need to be dealt with by an obstetrician and this is the sort of issue the maternity review will consider. Safe guidelines and practices are in place to protect mothers and babies.
I am aware that prior to this suspension, there were 18 Self employed Community Midwives contracted by the HSE to perform Home births. The maternity review will explore the choice of maternity services available and required by mothers in Ireland. The HSE have informed me that any mother wishing to access the home birthing service can apply to the designated midwifery officers for applications and an assessment of criteria will follow.
767. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of maternal deaths that have occurred to date here since the publication of the confidential maternal death inquiry report 2009-2011; and the number of the women who died in pregnancy during that period who were born outside Ireland. [41966/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with them.
768. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health in view of information contained within the confidential maternal death inquiry report 2009-2011 and further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 34 and 35 of 18 December 2013, the measures that have been put in place to ensure that pregnant women arriving from abroad, or women of minority ethnic status living here who do not speak English, have access to interpretive services if they so require it. [41967/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra769. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he has read the 2014 Pavee Point report Challenging Barriers and Misconceptions: Roma Maternal Health in Ireland; and, in view of the information contained within the report, and further to Parliamentary Question No. 34 of 14 May 2014, the actions, measures or strategies the Health Service Executive has put in place to ensure that pregnant women who arrive here from abroad fully engage with health care services as early as possible to avoid any risk to their pregnancies. [41968/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra770. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of women who annually present to maternity units or other hospitals in the late stages of pregnancy for the first time without having previously received any pre-natal care; if the authorities have recorded or noted that this is a worrying trend among Roma and other ethnic minorities; and the measures or supports that have been put in place to avoid risk to these women’s pregnancies. [41969/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 768 to 770, inclusive, together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
771. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health his views on the research done by Pavee Point that infant mortality rates for Travellers are 3.6 times higher than the national average for settled persons and 1.4 times higher for Roma children. [41970/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraHealthy Ireland, A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025 is the national framework for action to improve the health and wellbeing of the country over the coming generation. Healthy Ireland includes a high-level goal to reduce the health inequalities experienced by many people in Ireland, including Travellers.
The All Ireland Traveller Health Study 2010 found that the infant mortality rate for Travellers is 3.5 times the rate of the general population (4 infant deaths per 1,000 in the national population compared to 14 infant deaths per 1,000 in the Traveller population). The Birth Cohort Follow-Up Report of the All Ireland Traveller Health Study showed that Traveller mothers have a shorter birth gap between pregnancies, and higher parity and stillbirth rates, when compared to the general population.
These findings form part of a number of related figures confirming the poor health status of Travellers in comparison to that of the general population, acknowledging that Social Determinants are a major cause of the poor health status of Travellers, with aspects of accommodation, education, employment, poverty, discrimination, lifestyle and access and utilisation of services being cited as key sociodeterminants in this regard.
Traveller health continues to be a priority for the HSE and they continue to work in collaboration with the Traveller community with the common goal of improving the health outcomes of this group, including reduction of infant mortality. There are a number of targeted structures and interventions in place to address the disadvantaged status of Travellers and these include:
- From a health service perspective, the HSE National Traveller Health Advisory Forum - comprising HSE staff, Traveller Health Unit and Traveller representatives – is a key body coordinating and driving a series of health related actions aimed at improving the overall health status of Travellers.
- The HSE supports improvement in Traveller health through working in partnership with Travellers via Traveller Health Units (THUs) towards addressing priority areas.
- In terms of child health, Public Health Nurses and Public Health Specialists work with THUs in relation to any awareness of risk to the community and also provide support around immunisations and development needs of Traveller children.
- The development of Traveller Primary Healthcare Programmes whereby Traveller Community Health Workers are employed as liaison staff with their own community is a proven model of good practice.
- Peer-led health education and awareness raising programmes among Travellers are key elements of this approach. Examples of particular initiatives aimed at improving child health and reducing mortality include provision of leaflets on Post-Natal Depression and a Galactosaemia awareness leaflet
Promoting access to antenatal care is an important area of work for Traveller Community Health Workers, and associated HSE staff, and while there are still concerns that 2.1% of Traveller mothers had no ante-natal care (compared to 0.2% of the general population) the following figures illustrate that there is some of the progress in this area, with:
- 22.5% of Traveller mothers now present for the first booking visit to the hospital for antenatal services, this rates is almost the same as the general population (28% at 3 months) and
- 81.5% of Traveller mothers share ante-natal care between maternity hospitals and General Practitioners compared to 76.6% of the general population.
Continuing to support Traveller mothers to access obstetric services remains a priority action. An example of a Traveller specific intervention here is an antenatal programme through which Traveller Community Health Workers support key messages of antenatal care and link Travellers into local classes through focussed education and appropriate support.
Another key initiative in relation to Traveller children that has been successfully developed and delivered includes the Traveller specific Child Safety Awareness Programme - this is a structured programme covering many areas of risk and safety for Traveller parents with the aim of reducing and preventing ‘unintentional injury’ to children in the 0-5 age group within the home.
The goal in Healthy Ireland to reduce health inequalities requires not only interventions to target particular health risks but also a focus on addressing these wider social determinants of health. The Framework provides for new arrangements to ensure effective co-operation between the health sector and other areas of Government and public services that are concerned with these broad determinants of health, including those of importance and relevance to all of those persons who experience health inequalities, including Travellers. Empowerment of communities is a particularly relevant principle in respect of supporting members of the Traveller community to response to challenges around their health and health needs. In this context, the new structures established under Healthy Ireland to enable and support its implementation will provide a focus on addressing the health needs of all groups experiencing health inequalities, including Travellers, and provides an opportunity to take a new approach to tackling issues such as health inequalities and the social determinants of health more effectively.
