Written Answers Nos. 804-23
804. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if changing the product information leaflet affects the profits of a pharmaceutical company (details supplied); the involvement the company, the Health Products Regulatory Authority and he have in each instance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30733/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraNo information is available to me or the Health Products Regulatory Authority relating to the profits of the pharmaceutical company referred to by the Deputy.
I refer the Deputy to my composite reply 18761/15 of 13 May which provides information on the communications process between a medicines regulator and the pharmaceutical company.
I would like to add that the Health Products Regulatory Authority is the competent authority for the regulation of medicines and I have no function in the matter.
805. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the provision of a buggy and home seating system for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30740/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive (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.
806. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding community care. [30743/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe overarching policy of the Government is to support older people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. Where this is not possible, the Health Service Executive supports access to quality long-term residential care where this is appropriate. It is my objective to ensure that available resources are deployed to achieve the best possible outcomes for older people.
The HSE’s National Service Plan for 2015 projects the expected provision of 10.3m hours help hours this year and that 13,800 people will be in receipt of a home care package.
The recently completed Review of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS) considers the way that residential care is currently balanced with care in the community, and endorses the Government's view that effective community supports can reduce the reliance of older people on residential nursing home care.
The NHSS could not be extended to cover home care in its existing form, as under the NHSS, participants contribute towards the costs of their care in accordance with their means, with a large proportion paying 80% of their income for this purpose. This would not work in the community as service users would still have to meet their day to day living expenses. It must also be recognised that while differences arise in the dependency levels of residents, the NHSS generally provides a fairly standard level of service and thus lends itself to a standardised support system, whereas home services can vary much more widely.
A Single Assessment Tool is already being developed which will allow for much more consistent and objective assessment of the needs of older people and as a result a better targeting of available resources to where they are most needed, and will deliver the best outcomes.
807. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will support Muscular Dystrophy Ireland in order to provide core services in 2015 to 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30750/15]
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, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
808. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify the situation in relation to all aspects of agency carers as used by the Health Service Executive, to include recruitment, qualifications, supervision at work; if the Health Information and Quality Authority has any specific role in relation to carers; if he will consider giving it a responsibility in this area and generally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30752/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE uses private and voluntary providers mainly for the delivery of enhanced home support services where direct HSE services are not available. In 2012, the HSE introduced a procurement framework for external providers. This included quality standards in terms of governance & accountability, person centred care, complaints management, training and qualifications. Providers are monitored through Service Level Agreements and are required to provide a range of information in relation to the services provided. They are supervised through regular operational meetings and care plan reviews.
As of now the Health Information and Quality Authority's remit does not include home care services. My Department is currently considering how the quality of these services can be best assured so that service users can have full confidence in home care services, whether these be provided by the HSE or privately procured. I have instructed that this be progressed as a matter of priority.
809. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify the situation in relation to services provided to persons affected by, and general research into KCNQ2 encephalopathy; his views on the matter; the contact he has with support groups such as Jack’s Army; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30754/15]
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.
810. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will rectify the situation whereby those over-70s with a non-general medical services scheme general practitioner cannot access a free GP visiting card without changing their GP, particularly as a number of these non-GMS GPs have signed up to the under-sixes scheme, and an arrangement for payment of the visit could be put in place by a refund on claim to the individual person or to the GP. [30755/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra1028. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the level of general practitioner and-or medical care available to persons over 70 years of age under the GP visit programme; if only those doctors already with a full general medical services contract will be able to take on patients over 70 years of age with a card; the way this equates with their continuity of care if they have had the same GP for a long number of years; if only those doctors already with a full GMS contract are allowed to take on under sixes and patients over 70 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31533/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 810 and 1028 together.
A GP visit card, as issued by the Health Service Executive (HSE), confirms that the holder is entitled, free of charge, to a range of Health Services, which include a choice of General Practitioner (GP) from those doctors who have a contract with the HSE and the same range of GP services available to a medical card holder, as set out in the 1989 GMS Capitation Contract.
If an individual's GP does not hold a current GMS contract, they will need to register with another GP who is participating in the GMS Scheme to avail of GP care without fees for persons aged 70 years or over.
While it is preferable that a patient has continuity of care, it is recognised that this is not always possible in cases where a GP is not eligible or does not wish to obtain a GMS or under-6 contract. In such cases where a patient has to change their GP, the introduction in late 2014 of Healthmail, a secure electronic e-mail system, facilitates the transfer of patient records in a secure and safe environment.
The GMS and under-6 schemes do not make provision for the HSE to reimburse non-contract holding doctors when eligible patients receive services from them and there are no plans to introduce such a reimbursement mechanism.
The HSE has made arrangements for under-6 and GMS contract applications to be processed where a doctor has been accepted by the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) onto the alternative route of entry for membership of the College, which in turn would allow such doctors apply to the Medical Council for inclusion on the Specialist Division of the register of medical practitioners established under section 43(2)(b) of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007.
811. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm the opening date of the high observation psychiatric unit in Kerry General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30756/15]
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.
812. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an application for a medical card by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30765/15]
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.
813. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if he will consider treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as a chronic illness; and the supports that are in place for persons in County Dublin and Dublin 22 who suffer from COPD. [30781/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been 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.
814. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his plans to include Alzheimer's disease on the long-term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30782/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra895. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health his plans to include Crohn's disease on the long-term Illness list; if his Department has given due consideration to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31012/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra972. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health his plans to include in the long-term illness scheme the condition of sleep apnoea which requires the use of a continuous positive airway pressure machine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31322/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 814, 895 and 972 together.
The 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 Health Service Executive (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.
816. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when the necessary nursing staff will be allocated to the paediatric high dependency unit in Cork University Hospital, to allow the already agreed admission of a young child (details supplied) from Crumlin children's hospital for the treatment they require that would alleviate the hardship from their family in having to be away from their home in Cork while they receive treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30788/15]
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.
817. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30796/15]
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.
818. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will review the decision to refuse Health Service Executive treatment abroad scheme cover for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9 with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, or if he will provide alternative supports to enable them to access the treatment for which they were referred abroad. [30803/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE operates the Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS) for persons entitled to treatment in another EU/EEA member state or Switzerland under EU Regulation (EC) No. 883/2004, as per the procedures set out in EU Regulations (EC) No. 987/2009, and in accordance with Department of Health Guidelines. Under 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 Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. 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.
819. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be provided with an appointment for a heart procedure at University Hospital Galway; and the reason for the delay. [30805/15]
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.
822. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding death certificates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30824/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Civil Registration Service is operated by the Health Service Executive on behalf of the General Register Office under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection. The cost of this service is met from within the HSE's budget, with some income generated through the issuing of certificates for life events.
823. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the number of step-down beds in each public hospital for the years 2011 to 2014 and the latest figure for 2015. [30827/15]
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.
