Written Answers Nos. 531-544
531. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health if funding of €1 million for staff costs required to be met in order to open the new cystic fibrosis unit in University Hospital Limerick, which was built with funds raised by TLC4CF and other charities in the mid-west, will be provided in the 2016 Health Service Executive service plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14292/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraPending completion of the national estimates, budgetary and service planning process for 2016, which will commence later in the year, it is not possible to predict the service levels to be provided next year.
532. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a hospital appointment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14296/15]
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 2014, 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, 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.
533. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the reason a matter (details supplied) regarding residential accommodation has not been addressed. [14304/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra614. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will open the residential unit on the Navan Road in Dublin 7, which was due to be operated by the Daughters of Charity, without further delay in view of the enormous impact on the children who are awaiting to enter that home and those children who cannot access the respite unit that they are currently occupying; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14727/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 533 and 614 together.
As the Deputy's questions relate to service matters, I have arranged for the questions to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) and requested that the HSE outline the position with regard the residential facility on the Navan Road, Dublin 7 directly to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, she can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
534. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health the plans the Health Service Executive has for upgrading the paediatric unit at Cork University Hospital; the plans to improve the facilities at the hospital for children with cystic fibrosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14311/15]
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.
535. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health his plans to provide resources through the Health Service Executive to provide front-line cystic fibrosis clinical staff at Cork University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14312/15]
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.
536. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the proposed soft opt-out system for organ donation; when this will come before Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14313/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra570. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update regarding the human tissue Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14449/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra571. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update regarding opt-out organ donation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14450/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 536, 570 and 571 together.
My Department is currently developing the Heads of a Human Tissue Bill. The Bill will meet the key recommendation of the Madden Report on Post Mortem Practice and Procedures that no hospital post-mortem may be carried out, and no tissue retained, without consent/authorisation. The legislation will also provide for an opt-out system of consent for organ donation as well as the regulation of anatomical examination, public display and research involving human tissue. It is hoped to finalise the Heads of a Bill this year.
537. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if his Department or the Health Service Executive has considered, or would consider in the future, providing respite services for persons with intellectual disabilities directly, rather than subcontracting the service out to private companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14317/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra538. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the measures that are in place to ensure fairness in the system of allocating respite services contracts to external service providers, and that contracts are allocated on the basis of quality of service rather than longevity of the relationships with the service providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14318/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra539. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the number of respite hours sanctioned in County Wexford in the years 2012 to 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14319/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 537 to 539, inclusive, together.
Respite care for children and adults with disabilities is provided by the HSE directly in some instances, or by agencies funded by the HSE to provide services on its behalf. In many instances respite services are part of the overall suite of services provided by voluntary service providers to people with disabilities under their service level agreements with the HSE. The HSE remains committed to working with all voluntary disability service providers to ensure that all of the resources available for specialist disability services, including respite services, are used in the most efficient and effective manner possible.
The HSE’s Social Care Operational Plan for 2015 aims to provide 190,000 overnight stays in centre-based respite services to almost 5,300 people. The HSE is also committed to continuing to explore methods of community respite care as an alternative to centre-based respite care, including advancing the Host Family Support Model.
Agencies which provide centre-based respite care are subject to inspection by HIQA under the Health Act 2007 (Care and Support of Residents in Designated Centres for Persons (Children And Adults) With Disabilities) Regulations 2013, Health Act 2007 (Registration of Designated Centres for Persons (Children and Adults) with Disabilities) Regulations 2013 and the National Standards for Residential Services for Children and Adults with Disabilities.
Compliance with HIQA standards is a requirement under the Service Level Arrangements (SLA) between the HSE and voluntary service providers in the disability sector, including providers of respite services. The introduction of registration and inspection represents a significant advance in terms of delivering consistent and high quality services for people with disabilities in centre-based respite services.
In relation to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service issues, they have 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.
540. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the Health Service Executive's planned report on lymphoedema services; when it will be completed; if it will feed into the development of a plan for services for persons with lymphoedema; the recommendations that are not included the report; if he will direct the executive to publish the report and to use the report as the basis for the development of a long-term plan for services for persons with lymphoedema; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14320/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised that a report on lymphoedema is being developed by the HSE and accordingly I have asked the organisation to respond directly to you on this matter.
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.
541. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the number of citizens on the fair deal scheme waiting list in each county since the scheme commenced. [14321/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra542. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the length of time that citizens on the fair deal scheme have to wait before being placed by county and for each year since the scheme commenced. [14322/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 541 and 542 together.
As these are service matters they have 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.
543. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Health regarding the commitment of the Health Service Executive, if he will review the recruitment process for psychologists; if he will ensure that this process is done in a transparent and fair manner involving all the relevant stakeholders; when the review will take place; the person who will be involved in this process; if it will be subject to independent oversight; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14326/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE is committed to establishing a review of the eligibility criteria applied in the case of the recruitment of Psychologists. The terms of reference for this review have been finalised and the HSE is in the process of establishing the review group which will be independently chaired and will be tasked with ensuring full consideration of the views of all appropriate stakeholder representative bodies. It is hoped the review will be initiated in the coming weeks.
544. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the staffing levels in each child and adolescent mental health services team, with details of all vacancies; and his plans for filling these vacancies. [14338/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
