Written Answers Nos. 340-362
340. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Health if Alzheimer’s will be included on the long-term illness scheme; the reason it is not currently included; if he will give this proposal due consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17530/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act, 1970 (as amended). Regulations were made in 1971, 1973 and 1975 specifying the conditions covered by the LTI Scheme, which are as follows: Acute Leukaemia; Mental handicap; Cerebral Palsy; Mental Illness (in a person under 16); Cystic Fibrosis; Multiple Sclerosis; Diabetes Insipidus; Muscular Dystrophies; Diabetes Mellitus; Parkinsonism; Epilepsy; Phenylketonuria; Haemophilia; Spina Bifida; Hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide. There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the LTI Scheme.
Under the Drug Payment Scheme, no individual or family pays more than €144 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The scheme significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals incurring ongoing expenditure on medicines.
Under the provisions of the Health Acts, medical cards are provided to persons who are, in the opinion of the HSE, unable without undue hardship to arrange GP services for themselves and their dependants. In the assessment process, the HSE can take into account medical costs incurred by an individual or a family.
341. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive has completed its review of services at St. Hilda's Services in Athlone, County Westmeath and at St. Christopher's Services in County Longford; if not, when the review will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17531/15]
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, she can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
342. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the regulations and qualifications a person must hold in order to practice as a psychologist in private practice [17532/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraPsychologists working in the public health sector must have minimum qualifications set by the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. There are currently no such statutory restrictions on psychologists working in the private sector.
The profession of psychologist is one of the 14 professions that have been designated for regulation under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005. The Act is being implemented on a phased basis as registration boards and their registers are being established.
The Psychologists Registration Board will be established by way of statutory instrument this year to regulate all psychologists practising in Ireland in the public and private sectors. Expressions of interest in being appointed to the 13-member board will be sought through the Public Appointments service in the near future.
CORU, which is the umbrella name for the Health and Social Care Professionals Council, its disciplinary committees and the professions' registration boards, is responsible, under the Act, for protecting the public by promoting high standards of professional conduct and professional education, training and competence amongst the designated professions.
The structure of the system of statutory regulation comprises registration boards for the professions, a committee structure to deal with disciplinary matters, and a Health and Social Care Professionals Council with overall responsibility for the regulatory system. Regulation is primarily by way of registration and protection of title. Only registrants can use the protected title(s) of the profession and must comply with the professions code of professional conduct and ethics.
343. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of concerns held by parents regarding persons, who may not hold appropriate qualifications, providing diagnoses of autism and other disorders in children and adults; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17533/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraPsychologists working in the public health sector must have minimum qualifications set by the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. While there are currently no such statutory restrictions on psychologists working in the private sector all psychologists and other professionals operating in Ireland are subject to consumer and criminal legislation.
The Psychologists Registration Board will be established by way of statutory instrument this year to regulate all psychologists practising in Ireland in the public and private sectors. Expressions of interest in being appointed to the 13-member board will be sought through the Public Appointments service in the near future.
CORU, which is the umbrella name for the Health and Social Care Professionals Council, its disciplinary committees and the professions' registration boards, is responsible, under the Act, for protecting the public by promoting high standards of professional conduct and professional education, training and competence amongst the designated professions.
The structure of the system of statutory regulation comprises registration boards for the professions, a committee structure to deal with disciplinary matters, and a Health and Social Care Professionals Council with overall responsibility for the regulatory system. Regulation is primarily by way of registration and protection of title. Only registrants can use the protected title(s) of the profession and must comply with the professions code of professional conduct and ethics.
As the particular issue raised by the Deputy is an operational service matter, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for 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.
344. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health when the sixth Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Annual Report 2013-2014, due in early spring 2015, will be published [17537/15]
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 response within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
345. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the numbers of patients requiring provision of primary percutaneous coronary intervention centre in St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin 4 and in the two other centres; the evidence upon which this decision and the placement of centres was based; the numbers that are recommended to keep units open; the issue with numbers of adequate staff; if the decision was based on cost or best practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17548/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs noted in my reply to the Deputy on 28 April 2015, in November 2014, the Acute Hospitals Division of the HSE requested the National Clinical Programme for Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS Programme) to review the current configuration of PPCI services in Dublin, having regard to the requirement to deliver safe, sustainable services on the designated sites. The model of care produced by the ACS Programme was informed by advice from the principals involved in centres in the UK and other European countries. The Programme was also informed by models of care from the US and Australia. Experience at national and international level highlights the importance of having sustainable rotas of clinical staff to support the 24/7 requirements of this service.
The review looked at the number of centres that should be delivering PPCI in Dublin, where these centres should be located and the feasibility of maintaining 9 to 5 PPCI services on any cardiology intervention site. Following consultation with the National Ambulance Service and with all relevant hospitals, the ACS Programme recommended that there should be two 24/7 PPCI centres for Dublin, located in the Mater and St. James’s Hospitals, which would accept all ambulance transfers of patients with STEMI.
The designation of PPCI centres outside Dublin is based on the recommendations of the ACS Programme report of 2012 as follows - Cork University hospital (24/7), University Hospital Waterford (9-5) and Galway University hospital (24/7).
Therefore the decision was based on best practice. Best practice that has patient safety and outcome at its centre.
In relation to the Deputy's specific queries on the numbers of patients requiring PPCI services and staffing levels, 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.
346. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Health the total amount currently owed by the Health Service Executive or National Ambulance Service to fire service authorities, in respect of ambulance assist calls, with a breakdown of this figure according to the locality of the fire service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17582/15]
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.
347. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure a twilight payment (details supplied) from Abilitywest-Health Service Executive and Brothers of Charity to social care workers is made without further delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17594/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE has advised that following a national engagement with staff representatives, agreement was made by the HSE to pay unsocial hours to designated staff.
This payment commenced on 1 January 2015 and no agreement was made in relation to arrears.
Currently the issue of a backdated claim for arrears is being reviewed by the State’s industrial relations processes and the claim is currently before the Labour Relations Commission.
348. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the lifetime community rating and medical insurance policies in other jurisdictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17597/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe new Lifetime Community Rating system, which came into operation on 1 May 2015, is designed to encourage people to join the private health insurance market at an earlier age and thus support the community rated market. Encouraging more people to join the market at younger ages helps spread the costs of older and less healthy people across the market, helping to support affordable premiums for all. Since 1 May, ‘late entry loadings’ will apply for those aged 35 and over who did not purchase health insurance prior to that date. The loadings are set at 2% per year starting at age 35, up to a maximum loading of 70% at age 69 and over. Where an individual is resident in the State, there was a grace period until 30 April 2015 to allow as many people as possible to take out health insurance without incurring loadings.
The Irish public health system provides for two categories of eligibility for persons ordinarily resident in the country, i.e. full eligibility (medical cardholders) and limited eligibility (all others). Persons with full eligibility are entitled to a range of services including all in-patient public hospital services in public wards including consultants services, all out-patient public hospital services including consultants services. Persons with limited eligibility are eligible for in-patient and outpatient public hospital services including consultant services, subject to certain charges. Private health insurance in this country is optional. The eligibility of a resident in the Republic, working elsewhere as a cross-border worker and entitled to treatment by the health service where they work, does not impact upon their capacity to purchase voluntary health insurance in this State. All residents in this State during the current grace period, who choose to wait until after 30 April 2015 to purchase private health insurance, will be subject to the provisions of the LCR regulations.
349. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the reason the Lightfoot Report into the ambulance service has not been published, in view of the fact that the Health Service Executive was in possession of an executive summary of the report in December 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17609/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the specific query raised, 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.
350. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding extra home help hours in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17617/15]
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.
351. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health when the remaining 25 child and adolescent psychiatric beds, of a total of 80 committed to in A Vision for Change, will be made available to prevent further inappropriate admissions of children and young persons, in view of the fact that 89 young persons were admitted to adult psychiatric inpatient units in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17620/15]
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 response within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
352. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Health in view of the fact that persons with disabilities lost basic and critical income and service supports during the course of the recession, if he will immediately implement the national disability strategy; if he will confirm that persons with disabilities will now be prioritised for funding and services, into the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17621/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn line with the commitment in the Programme for Government, the National Disability Strategy Implementation Plan was published in July 2013 by the Department of Justice and Equality, following significant consultation and consideration between relevant Government Departments, representatives of a broad range of disability organisations and persons with a lived experience of disability. The Plan sets out practical measures to advance the National Disability Strategy over the period 2013 to 2015 and to ensure that available resources are used to best effect to meet the needs of people with disabilities.
Progress on the Implementation Plan is reviewed by the National Disability Strategy Implementation Group, which is chaired by the Minister of State with special responsibility for Equality. The Implementation Group brings together representatives of the relevant Government Departments and representative organisations, including the Disability Federation of Ireland, and also a number of people with disabilities.
The Minister for Social Protection has responsibility for the payment of income supports to people who have a disability. I am informed that all primary welfare payments have been fully maintained for 2015. Future social welfare spending will be considered in the context of next year's Budget.
The Government is committed to protecting frontline health and personal social services needs for people with disabilities and is providing approximately €1.5 billion to the Disability Services Programme in 2015.
As set out in its National Service Plan for 2015, the HSE is seeking to maximise the provision of services within available resources and to maintaining a consistent level to that provided in 2014, by providing the following specialist services to people with a disability:
- residential services to around 9,000 people;
- day services to over 22,000 people;
- respite residential support totalling 190,000 overnights;
- 3.9 million Personal Assistant/Home Support hours.
Additional funding of €6 million has been allocated this year (with a full year cost of €12m) to provide day places for an estimated 1,500 young people finishing school and rehabilitative or life-skills training. €4m in additional funding (with a full year cost of €6m) has also been allocated in the Plan to deliver an increase in the services for children with disabilities and reduce waiting lists under the Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18s) Programme.
It is not possible to comment on HSE funding for disability services in 2016 in advance of the completion of the Estimates cycle for 2016.
353. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will support a matter (details supplied) regarding a long-term care plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17625/15]
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 response within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
354. Deputy Finian McGrath 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. [17626/15]
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.
355. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the way elderly persons will be catered for in their homes, if he allows the Health Service Executive to continue cutting home help hours; if he will provide an assurance that the Government will not proceed with its cuts to home help hours, in view of the hardship this causes to the elderly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17639/15]
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.
356. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an appeal against the decision to refuse an application for a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17640/15]
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.
357. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Health his plans to provide clarification in relation to the role of fire services in ambulance assist calls, by publishing national guidelines in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17646/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraKeeping Communities Safe is the outcome of a fire services review process undertaken in 2011/12, which considered the roles to be performed by fire authorities. It concluded that there are both ‘core’ and ‘discretionary’ fire service roles. The provision of specific assistance by fire service crews at the request of the National Ambulance Service (NAS) is regarded as a discretionary role, in so far as it is not a statutory function of fire authorities.
As I recently indicated, I am very supportive of the development of emergency first responder (EFR) capability across all our emergency services, including our fire services. Fire services are well placed geographically and this would be an excellent enhancement of existing emergency medical response capacity and resources in communities across Ireland. In addition, it would very neatly complement the voluntary network of community first response teams which is already in place.
The Deputy will be aware that fire services collaborate closely with other emergency services in the interests of the communities they serve. In a number of areas, there are already local arrangements between the NAS and fire services to provide EFR assistance for 112/999 calls, in particular for cardiac incidents. Given the potential value of such arrangements to get help to people as quickly as possible and the obvious patient benefit, I would very much like to see consideration at national level, between the NAS and fire services, as to how best to approach this issue, particularly in terms of operational interaction and clinical governance. This is being done for community first response and that may be a good model for fire services emergency response.
358. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when the Health Information and Quality Authority report into Portlaoise Hospital maternity services will be published; and the length of time the executive has to respond to its findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17658/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe publication date of the HIQA Report into maternity services at Portlaoise Hospital is a matter for the Board of the Authority. When the Report is published I expect the HSE to agree to fully implement all relevant recommendations contained in the Report.
359. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will investigate the rat problem at the children's playground in St. Anne's Park, Dublin 3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17666/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have no remit in this matter as responsibility for keeping land or property rodent free under the Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act 1919 lies with the owner or the occupier of the land, who in this case is Dublin City Council.
360. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17675/15]
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.
361. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17679/15]
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.
