Wednesday, 15 Apr 2015

Written Answers Nos. 576-586

Home Help Service

Ceisteanna (576)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

576. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on seven-hour contracts for home help staff (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14513/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the 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.

In September 2013 the Labour Court issued a binding recommendation to the HSE, SIPTU and IMPACT stipulating that Home Helps receive a guaranteed minimum number of working hours per week. The recommendation provided for Home Helps being guaranteed 80% of the hours they worked in the period between 1 October 2011 and 31 March 2012 per week in new contracts. Following this engagement a new contract was agreed and implemented.

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Review

Ceisteanna (577, 581)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

577. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on proposals to increase nursing home charges (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14514/15]

Robert Troy

Ceist:

581. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the proposed changes in respect of eligibility under the nursing home fair deal scheme. [14546/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 577 and 581 together.

When the Nursing Homes Support Scheme commenced, a commitment was made that it would be reviewed after three years. This review is being carried out by my Department in collaboration with the HSE, with analysis and recommendations provided by Deloitte & Touche Consultants on specific issues which required specialised expertise.

The review is considering the long term sustainability of the Scheme including funding arrangements. No decisions have been taken nor plans in place regarding changes to the contributions required of residents.

The Review of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, as well as considering how the Scheme has operated to date, is expected to identify some of the broader issues that will need to be considered and tested more fully into the future, including the future financing of the full range of supports for older people, how community and residential supports and services should be balanced, and whether new care approaches can contribute positively. A continuum of more efficient care might serve to reduce the number of people requiring nursing home care and limit the projected increase in the cost of the Scheme.

The draft Review requires further analysis and this is ongoing at present.

Home Help Service

Ceisteanna (578)

Brendan Griffin

Ceist:

578. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the issue of cover replacements for home helpers taking holidays; if the Health Service Executive will be provided with a budget to cover this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14529/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the 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.

Under the HSE's National Service Plan for 2015 it committed to the provision of 10.3 million home help hours. The HSE manages the service within these parameters.

Hospital Staff

Ceisteanna (579)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

579. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) resigned from a post in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin 9; and the steps he has taken to operate the unit in view of the fact that it has only 50% of the numbers of surgeons it should have. [14531/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

At the end of 2014, two consultant transplant surgeons left the programme, one on retirement and the second on leave of absence for professional development purposes. Given the limited number of surgeons who specialise in renal transplantation, any vacancies pose a challenge. While every effort is being made to fill the vacancies, adequate surgeons are available to provide transplant services. All available kidneys suitable for transplantation have been utilised and no kidneys have been exported.

Beaumont Hospital is collaborating with other transplant services in relation to the development of an intra-abdominal organ retrieval service as well as a combined approach to kidney/pancreas transplants.

Additional funding of almost €3m has been provided to the HSE's Organ Donation and Transplant Ireland to facilitate the development of the most appropriate infrastructure to support organ donation and transplantation. The extra investment includes provision for the appointment of 19 whole-time-equivalent staff dedicated to organ donation and transplantation across the country. These staff will work to foster a strong culture of organ donation and optimise conversion rates.

Medical Card Applications

Ceisteanna (580)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

580. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when a medical card will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14539/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The 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.

Question No. 581 answered with Question No. 577.

Hospital Facilities

Ceisteanna (582)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

582. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the new acute psychiatric unit at Cork University Hospital; when it will open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14548/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As 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.

Disability Services Provision

Ceisteanna (583, 584, 585)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Ceist:

583. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of existing clinicians, the number of therapy posts and the number and grade identified as being required during the mapping-of-need exercise conducted as part of the progressing disability services reform project, broken down by region and discipline, for example, speech and language therapist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, psychologist and social worker; the number of those posts that have been allocated and the number filled; if he will provide this in context of the child population, the number of children currently receiving a service and the number anticipated to require a service also included; and his views on the shortfall and consequent dilution of services for children. [14559/15]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Ceist:

584. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the formula employed to estimate the number of clinicians of various disciplines, that is, the appropriate mix and also the number of therapy posts required, under the mapping-of-need exercise conducted as part of the progressing disability services reform project; and the recommended ratio of therapists to children. [14560/15]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Ceist:

585. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the formula employed to estimate the additional number of children that are anticipated to need a service, as part of the progressing disability services reform project (details supplied). [14561/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 583 to 585, inclusive, together.

The Health Service Executive has recognised the need to increase the level of consistency and standardisation in the way both early intervention services and services for school-aged children with disabilities, including autism, are delivered.

The Executive is currently engaged in a major reconfiguration of its existing therapy resources for children with disabilities into multi-disciplinary geographically based teams, as part of its National Programme on Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18 years). The key objective of this Programme is to bring about equity of access to disability services and consistency of service delivery, with a clear pathway for children with disabilities and their families to services, regardless of where they live, what school they go to or the nature of the individual child's difficulties.

The Programme is a key priority for the HSE's Social Care Directorate. An additional €4m was allocated in 2014 to assist in implementing the Programme, equating to approximately 80 additional therapy posts. Further investment of €4 million will also be made to support the development of therapy services in 2015 (equating to €6 million in a full year). The transition to this new service model is taking place on a phased basis and includes consultation and engagement with stakeholders, including service users and their families.

My Department has asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in respect of the detailed operational issues that he has raised. 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.

Hospital Facilities

Ceisteanna (586)

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

586. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the funding that will be allocated to the cystic fibrosis unit in University Hospital Limerick; when these funds will be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14570/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

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.