Written Answers Nos. 423-443
423. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Health the position regarding orthodontic treatment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47740/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE has been asked to examine the specific query raised and to reply to you as soon as possible. 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.
424. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will receive an orthopaedic appointment, originally scheduled for October 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47744/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. 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 my officials will follow the matter up.
425. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time for attendance at every public pain clinic in the State from first referral; if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of persons waiting for more than three months, six months, nine months and one year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47752/14]
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 my officials will follow the matter up.
426. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive will provide transport to St James's Hospital, Dublin, in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if he will expedite the matter. [47767/14]
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 my officials will follow the matter up.
427. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Health if a medical card will be issued in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 4 on medical grounds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47770/14]
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.
428. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health the number of vacant wards in the children's hospitals in the State; and the steps he is taking to open any such wards. [47778/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra429. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health his views on the isolation facilities in the children's hospitals in the State for patients with immunity problems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47779/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 428 and 429 together.
As these are service matters, 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 my officials will follow the matter up.
430. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his views on concerns expressed by senior managers in the National Ambulance Service to Health Information and Quality Authority inspectors (details supplied). [47781/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HIQA review of pre-hospital emergency care services reported that some managers within the National Ambulance Service (NAS) had indicated that they did not have the competencies required for their roles and were not provided with job descriptions.
I am advised by the HSE that management posts in the HSE and NAS are advertised, with required experience, competencies and job requirements for that post specified. Successful candidates are appointed on this basis. The NAS has also stated that all management posts have job descriptions.
In 2015, the NAS will undertake a Management Structural Review which will ensure that governance and management arrangements will support the implementation of future strategic objectives.
431. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if he will reinstate funding to an organisation (details supplied) that provides essential care and support services across the community and is experiencing very severe financial difficulties as a result of funding cuts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47782/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is fully committed to ensuring the ongoing delivery of vital services and supports to people with disabilities within available resources.
The Health Service Executive's (HSE's) 2015 National Service Plan, including its disability services programme for children and adults with disabilities was approved by Minister Varadkar on 26th November, 2014. The detailed Operational Programmes are expected to be completed shortly.
In relation to the specific query raised by the Deputy on Cheshire Ireland, as this is a service issue, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with the HSE.
432. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health the reason the decision to return discretionary medical cards to those who had them withdrawn, as announced in June 2014, did not apply to a former medical card holder (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47817/14]
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.
433. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health if he will provide correspondence between the Health Service Executive and the parents of a child (details supplied) in County Mayo who has applied for a medical card; if the application is being processed; if he will confirm if a card will be issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47842/14]
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.
434. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Health if his Department held meetings separate to the management advisory committee meetings which were attended by either him or the Minister of State and the management advisory committee; if so, if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of such meetings that occurred in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47865/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra435. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of management advisory committee meetings which were held for each of the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of management advisory committee meetings that were attended by him, the Minister of State, the political adviser, the Secretary General and all other titles of attendees in the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47881/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 434 and 435 together.
The number of Management Advisory Committee (MAC) meetings in each of the years 2011, 2012, 2013, and to date in 2014, is set out in the table. Details of attendees for each of these meetings were set out in my answer of 26 November. The Minister for Health, and Ministers of State, would meet regularly with members of the Department's MAC as and when required.
|
Year |
MAC Meetings |
Minister MAC meetings |
|
2011 |
43 |
6 |
|
2012 |
43 |
9 |
|
2013 |
41 |
3 |
|
2014 (to date) |
35 |
3 |
436. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a timeframe for the 17 patients currently on the active waiting list for bariatric surgery at St Vincent's University Hospital. [47902/14]
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 my officials will follow the matter up.
437. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm a timeframe for the 202 patients currently awaiting clinical validation, in view of the fact that clinical validation is carried out within a six-month timeframe of a possible surgery date. [47903/14]
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 my officials will follow the matter up.
438. Deputy Liam Twomey asked the Minister for Health the way the funding received from the National Health Service is accounted for; and the way the Health Service Executive or his Department bills the NHS for looking after NHS patients here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47905/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraRegulation (EC) 883/2004, and Implementing Regulation 987/2009, provide for the co-ordination of social security systems, including healthcare, within the EU/EEA and Switzerland. Under its provisions, persons residing in Ireland who are attached to the social security system of another member state are entitled to receive health care services in Ireland at the cost of that member state, provided they are not subject to Irish social security legislation.
Since 1973 Ireland has operated a bilateral healthcare reimbursement agreement with the United Kingdom, in respect of health services provided under EU Regulations, covering such persons as temporary visitors between the two countries, pensioners of one country and their dependants residing in the other country, and the dependant families of persons employed in the other country. Under the terms of the agreement net liability between the two countries is calculated on a lump sum basis rather than an individual basis. The agreement does not provide for reimbursement to, or in respect of, a particular individual. The payment made in respect of any one year is based on an estimate of the number of persons falling within categories eligible for reimbursement and for whom each country is liable and an estimate of the average cost of providing healthcare treatment. The amount payable is agreed following compilation of the necessary data and discussions between the two administrations. Payments are made in advance and are subject to final settlement once all necessary statistical and financial information is complete.
The payments are received by the Health Service Executive as Appropriations-in-Aid and are offset against the gross funding requirements of the Executive at national level thus reducing the net liability to the Exchequer.
439. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health if a second consultant neurologist for the north-west region will be appointed at the beginning of 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47917/14]
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 my officials will follow the matter up.
440. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Health if he will establish whether the Health Service Executive is satisfied regarding the current level of cover being provided by senior consultants at the emergency department in Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47931/14]
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 my officials will follow the matter up.
441. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the details of qualifications required for employment of health care assistants, including FETAC levels; the bodies that have these requirements; if years of relevant experience can be taken into account; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47933/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraQuality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is responsible for the external quality assurance of further and higher education and training, and validates programmes and makes awards for certain providers in these sectors. FETAC awards are awarded by QQI.
Section 22 of the Health Act 2004 gives the HSE the authority to appoint persons to be its employees and may determine their duties. Under Section 22 of the Act, the HSE has responsibility for setting and approving eligibility criteria, including qualifications and relevant experience, for appointments to HSE posts. This includes recruitment to health care assistant posts. In this context, the Deputy's question has been referred to the HSE 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.
442. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a progress report on the refunds of prescription charges to persons on the long-term illness scheme who had to use their general medical services cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47934/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the primary care schemes, including the Long Term Illness Scheme, therefore the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
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.
443. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the Health Service Executive's new directions for day services in an organisation (details supplied), which are resulting in persons who use this service and need support being required to spend more time assessing local community facilities; the way this will impact on service users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47936/14]
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 (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
