Written Answers Nos. 207-17
207. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase service provision so that children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder will be provided with the full range of necessary services; if the money provided to service providers is provided for specific purposes; or if the service providers have discretion as to the way the allocated resources are expended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24246/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive is currently engaged in a major reconfiguration of existing therapy resources for children with disabilities, including those with autism, into multi-disciplinary geographically based teams. The key objective of the Progressing Disabilities Programme is to bring about equity of access to disability services and consistency of service delivery across the country. This involves the creation of a clear pathway to services for children with disabilities, 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). A number of HSE Community Healthcare Organisations across the country are successfully implementing the Programme. It requires significant preparatory work in engaging with families, schools, voluntary providers and local communities and the development of new procedures and protocols in respect of multi-disciplinary and multi-agency working. Once this preparatory work has been completed additional posts are being provided to support the implementation of the new model of service.
I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in respect of the specific operational matters 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.
208. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the considerations being provided by his Department and the Health Service Executive to addressing the incidence of pulmonary hypertension; the resources, policies, and strategies in place to support patients with the condition; the extent to which support services are in place, including counselling, for persons diagnosed with the condition; the extent to which the executive draws public attention to the condition, via posters, social media, and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24291/15]
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.
209. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if the future of home help provision is in jeopardy; if the Health Service Executive recognises the value of this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24309/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraGovernment policy will continue to prioritise facilitating older people to remain in their own homes and communities for as long as possible, and ensuring that appropriate residential care is available when it is needed. The HSE provides a range of community-based services aimed at ensuring older people receive safe, timely and appropriate care and treatment at the lowest level of complexity, and as close to home as possible. Services are provided on a prioritised basis based on a care needs assessment and availability of resources.
In its National Service Plan (NSP) for 2015 the HSE stated that it will continue to progress the strategic realignment of services to provide home care and community support services in order to maximise the potential of older people in their own homes and communities. The levels of home supports planned for in the NSP are:
- 10.3 million hours of home help service supporting 50,000 people.
- 13,800 people in receipt of a home care packages at any one time.
- 190 people in receipt of an intensive home care package at any one time.
210. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 480 of 21 April 2015, the position regarding the review of the nursing adaption programme by Nursing Homes Ireland, the Health Service Executive and the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, in view of the fact that he previously indicated that this would commence in February 2015 and the executive is now advising that there was no scheduled review (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24312/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to thank the Deputy for the matter raised.
Given that this is an operational matter, it is appropriate that it should be dealt with by the HSE. Therefore, I have referred the Deputy's question to the HSE for attention and 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.
211. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will receive an appointment for a surgical procedure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24317/15]
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 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.
212. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an application for a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24318/15]
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.
213. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Health if he will reverse any proposed change to the current configuration of a surgical ward in a hospital (details supplied) in Dublin 9 to a geriatric ward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24336/15]
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.
214. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the financial difficulties being faced by charitable bodies that are service providers to persons with intellectual disabilities, and that are exasperated by their efforts to negotiate their deficits with the Health Service Executive; if he has had any direct involvement with the executive to resolve this situation; his plans to take measures to address this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24345/15]
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, including disability services. The HSE either directly provides or contracts disability service providers to provide a range of disability services through a service level arrangement (SLA).
The Government is committed to protecting frontline health and personal social services needs for people with disabilities. The Government currently provides funding of approximately €1.5 billion to the Disability Services Programme through the Health Service Executive's National Service Plan for 2015.
The HSE works with voluntary disability service providers to ensure that available resources are used in order to be responsive to the health and personal social services needs of people with a disability.
In 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 disability services:
- residential services to around 9,000 people with a disability;
- day services to over 22,000 people with intellectual and physical disabilities;
- respite residential support of 190,000 overnights for people with intellectual and physical disabilities;
- 3.9 million hours of Personal Assistant / Home Support Hours.
Additional funding of €6 million has been allocated in the HSE National Service Plan in 2015 to provide day places for an estimated 1,400 young people finishing school and rehabilitative (life-skills) training. €4m in additional funding 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.
Pending completion of the national estimates, budgetary and service planning process, it is not possible to predict the service levels to be provided in 2016 for the disability sector.
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.
215. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the action he will take following a recent inspector's report into a centre for persons with disabilities (details supplied) in County Louth, where the findings of the inspection identified major non-compliances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24348/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is always disturbing when incidents of mistreatment are reported.
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) commenced regulation of residential services for people with disabilities on 1 November 2013, pursuant to S.I. No. 366 of 2013 and S.I. No. 367 of 2013, which assign responsibility to HIQA for registering and inspecting residential services for children and adults with disabilities, including respite services.
The safeguarding of vulnerable people in the care of the health service is a priority for this Government.
I welcome the fact that a plan has been drawn up by the management in St John of Gods to implement all the issues highlighted by HIQA on inspection, to ensure the safeguarding of residents, with targeted deadlines to address them.
These plans include new management structures to ensure effective governance and safeguarding of residents. However much work remains to be carried out on an ongoing basis to ensure this and all facilities comply with Disability Residential Standards.
St Mary’s, Drumcar and the HSE have agreed to establish a Joint Task Group to support St Mary’s, in addressing its immediate challenges, and planning for medium and long term developments of the service.
I have been assured that St John of Gods North East Services and the HSE remain fully committed to working collaboratively towards continued residential service provision in the Louth region. HIQA’s findings serve as evidence that the regulatory process works effectively and in the interests of protecting vulnerable people in the care of the State.
The Department of Health will monitor progress on the initiatives and processes agreed by the HSE in relation to HIQA Reports to ensure that the learning from them is promulgated throughout our health system.
Compliance with HIQA standards is a requirement under the Service Level Arrangements between the HSE and voluntary service providers under Section 38 and 39 of the Health Acts.
The HSE is implementing a comprehensive change programme of measures to improve the quality and safety of residential services for people with disabilities. Much work remains to be carried out to ensure all facilities comply with Disability Residential Standards. While this is challenging, we must remember that the objective is to safeguard vulnerable people.
216. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the amount the Health Service Executive spent on agency staff in April 2015; the proportion of the executive’s anticipated agency staff expenditure for 2015 that was incurred in April 2015; the way the April 2015 expenditure on agency staff compares to April 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24357/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra217. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the amount the Health Service Executive spent on agency staff in May 2015; the proportion of the executive’s anticipated agency staff expenditure for 2015 that was incurred in May 2015; the way the May 2015 expenditure on agency staff compares to May 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24358/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 216 and 217 together.
I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on these matters. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up these matters with them.
