Written Answers Nos. 162 - 171
162. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath; in view of the urgency of the person's situation; when this person will receive a hospital appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24049/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case 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.
163. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Health when a full-time asthma nurse will be appointed for Wexford General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24052/15]
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.
164. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health the reason funding has not been made available in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow, who suffers from Prader-Willi syndrome, to enter residential care; if he will provide the necessary funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24065/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 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.
165. Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health the reason the combined therapy cancer treatment, that has been recommended in respect of a person (details supplied) at Tallaght Hospital, Dublin 24, is only available on a private basis, at a cost of €70,000 to the person; if it will be made available through the public system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24066/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy's questions relate to service delivery matters and accordingly I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him.
If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow up the matter with them.
166. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide figures for expenditure on mental health services in County Kerry for each year of the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24077/15]
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.
167. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide figures for expenditure on disability services in County Kerry for each of the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24078/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 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.
168. Deputy Derek Keating asked the Minister for Health in view of the fact that the Health Service Executive has now opened the National Rare Disease Office, the scope of the conditions that will be dealt with there; if a person (details supplied) in County Dublin who has the condition Alkaptonuria, which is extremely rare and of which this person is one of only two sufferers here, will have her condition managed here rather than having to travel to Liverpool in England for treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24087/15]
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 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.
169. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 506 of 31 March 2015, if he will direct the Health Service Executive to answer the question posed, which was to explain the reason the executive took speedy action against a person (details supplied) in relation to a complaint, where no mother and baby suffered harm, but delayed in dealing with complaints where babies died. [24088/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraWith regard to the issue raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. I have noted the point raised in the question relating to the correspondence previously received by the Deputy, and have asked the HSE to clarify this matter in its further response. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my private office and they will follow up the matter.
170. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the details of the general medical services scheme, covering medications prescribed that are only supplied in 28-pill packages; if patients are to be out-of-pocket for the additional month at the end of the year; if he will consider ensuring that all patients have access to their medications throughout the year, and are not asked to contribute to an extra month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24091/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is no legislation or agreement that deals with the quantity of prescription tablets to be included in a monthly pack. This is at the discretion of the marketing authorisation holders. The standard industry practice across Europe is for prescription tablets to be packaged in sizes of 28, as this number has been found to be convenient for patients.
Where the quantity of a preparation prescribed does not correspond with an original pack size and it is not feasible to supply the exact amount prescribed, the pharmacist may, in the exercise of his or her professional judgement and bearing in mind the nature of the product and his or her statutory obligations, supply the nearest pack size to the quantity prescribed.
171. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his views that a medically-supervised injection centre should be opened in Dublin in a bid to address the problem of persons taking drugs on the streets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24136/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is a problem with street injecting in Dublin and elsewhere. This creates a public nuisance, and is unhygienic and unsafe for drug users. Supervised Injecting facilities exist in a number of other countries and it is a policy I am very interested in. I recently received a draft legislative proposal from Ana Liffey and the Bar Council's Voluntary Assistance Scheme which would allow for the provision of such services. I welcome this initiative and I have asked my officials to examine the practical and legal issues surrounding this proposal.
