Wednesday, 4 Nov 2015

Written Answers Nos. 155-164

Medical Card Data

Ceisteanna (155)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

155. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who were in receipt of discretionary medical cards in counties Longford and Westmeath, in each of the years, 2008 to 2014. [38491/15]

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.

HSE Expenditure

Ceisteanna (156, 157)

Billy Kelleher

Ceist:

156. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the exact components of the €600 million Supplementary Estimate to be introduced for the health service for 2015 in tabular form. [38495/15]

Billy Kelleher

Ceist:

157. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the latest projections submitted by the Health Service Executive to his Department on the expected overrun in the health budget for 2015. [38496/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 156 and 157 together.

The Department of Health is currently working to finalise its Supplementary Estimate. This was estimated at €600m for the purpose of the budgetary arithmetic in determining the 2016 budget, but the final figure will need to reflect the latest view of HSE year-end performance.

In its August Performance Report, the latest published data, the HSE is reporting year to date net expenditure of €8.380 billion against profiled net expenditure of €8.059 billion, leading to a variance of €322 million. The Report confirms that the key financial risks are in demand-led areas, as well as in the Acute and Social Care areas.

Under the HSE’s Accountability Framework, escalation procedures have been initiated in respect of financial under performance in both the Acute Hospitals and Social Care areas.

It is too early, at this stage, to accurately assess the projected overall deficit in 2015. The HSE is pro-actively engaged in internal efforts to maximise savings and to ensure that additional measures are identified and safely implemented to mitigate any projected deficits which are within HSE direct control. Furthermore, the 2015 funding arrangements assumed receipt of an additional €131m of patient income from the Private Health Insurers. This is dependent on a successful conclusion of negotiations to achieve faster payment, on which talks are continuing this week.

Health Services Provision

Ceisteanna (158)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

158. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the treatment plan the Health Service Executive had in place to deal with the side effects of Lariam-Mefloquine in 2001; and if these arrangements changed over the years, given the warnings issued by the manufacturer. [38500/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The question has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to you. 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.

Departmental Funding

Ceisteanna (159)

Niall Collins

Ceist:

159. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health if urgent consideration will be given to the need for increased funding to support the important work of the Tallaght Drugs and Alcohol Task Force in Dublin 24; his views on the major challenges faced by the task force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38503/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin)

The Government is committed to continuing support for initiatives to tackle the drug problem. Accordingly, every effort has been made to protect the budgets of Drug and Alcohol Task Forces in recent years. In 2015, the overall allocation of Tallaght Local Drug and Alcohol Task Force was €1,234,952 of which €341,438 was provided from the Drugs Initiative of the Department of Health and €893,514 from the Health Service Executive. This was the same overall level of funding allocated in 2014.

Individual Task Forces will be advised shortly of their allocations for 2016. It is a matter for each Task Force to ensure that the annual budget is effectively deployed to address current priorities and locally identified needs.

Ambulance Service Response Times

Ceisteanna (160)

Billy Timmins

Ceist:

160. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow where the ambulance originated from; the reason it took so long to arrive, putting the person's life at risk; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38514/15]

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.

Nursing Staff Remuneration

Ceisteanna (161)

Olivia Mitchell

Ceist:

161. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if the review undertaken by the Health Service Executive to ensure compliance with legislation governing the minimum hourly rate for trainee nurses has been completed; if it is envisaged that this might result in a change in their hourly pay rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38520/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Pursuant to the Lansdowne Road Agreement, the Department of Health and the HSE are to consider the issues of pay for student nurses during the fourth year 36 week placement with the nursing unions. This process has commenced.

Student nurses participate in the 4th year rostered clinical placement as part of their degree programme and are paid in accordance with the trainee rates specified in the National Minimum Wage Acts for the duration of the placement. At present they are paid €6.49 per hour for the first 12 weeks of the placement, €6.92 for the second 12 weeks and €7.79 for the third 12 weeks, excluding premium payments. This equates to approximately 53% of the 1st point of the staff nurse scale. Mental health student nurses are paid 2.3% more, reflecting existing relativities between general and psychiatric staff nurse pay scales. When undertaking the placement, the students are not qualified nurses and require supervision. This is reflected in the 2:1 replacement ratio for student nurses replacing staff nurses.

The current rates of pay will be increased from the 1st January 2016, in line with the increase in the minimum wage to €9.15 per hour announced in Budget 2016 and provided for in the National Minimum Wage Order 2015 (S.I. No. 442 of 2015).

Departmental Strategies

Ceisteanna (162)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

162. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health when the dementia strategy will be published. [38523/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The Irish National Dementia Strategy was published in December 2014 and is available on the website of the Department of Health (www.doh.ie).

General Practitioner Services Provision

Ceisteanna (163, 164)

Mattie McGrath

Ceist:

163. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health his views on the claims advanced by the National Association of General Practitioners that the average waiting time for a patient to see a general practitioner has more than tripled in just five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38530/15]

Mattie McGrath

Ceist:

164. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if any impact analysis on the waiting times for general practitioners has been carried out on the introduction of the free general practitioner care for under sixes plan; if any such analysis is planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38531/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Kathleen Lynch)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 164 together.

I am aware that the National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP) published a press statement on 27 October with results from a survey of GPs concerning waiting times. It is difficult to comment on this survey in the absence of further information on the survey methodology and the basis on which comparisons were made as between wait-times in 2010 and in 2015.

The Government is committed to the continued development of primary care and to modernising the scope and content of GP contracts. In this context, the HSE, the Department of Health and the Irish Medical Organisation are currently engaged in a comprehensive review of the General Medical Services (GMS) and other publicly funded health sector contracts involving GPs. This review is taking place within the context of the Framework Agreement which was signed by the above named parties in June 2014. The impact of the introduction of universal GP care for children under 6 years on visitation rates will be considered as part of this review.