Brian Stanley
Ceist:185. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the average cost per hour to the Health Service Executive for home help provided by private agencies. [41009/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraHome Help Service Expenditure
Ceisteanna (185)
Freagraí scríofa
As 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.
Orthodontic Services Waiting Lists
Ceisteanna (186)
Robert Troy
Ceist:186. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will address concerns and queries (details supplied) regarding orthodontic treatment. [41013/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The number of patients on the orthodontic treatment waiting list in the Midlands area at the end of Q2 of 2015 was 1,879.
Under EU Directive 201/24/EU, now commonly referred to as the Cross Border Directive (CBH), it is open to persons entitled to public patient health care in Ireland to choose to avail of that health care in another EU or EEA country or Switzerland. Assistance is provided by the Cross-Border Healthcare Directive Department of the HSE and further information is available on the HSE's website. Access to treatment under the CBD is based on the referral of the treating clinician, therefore the HSE has concentrated on increasing awareness on this initiative amongst those clinicians. 18 public patients have received reimbursement for provision of their orthodontic care under the CBD in Northern Ireland.
The pilot scheme in the Dublin North East area involves the up-skilling of one member of the dental hygienist staff and one member of the dental nursing staff to work as orthodontic therapists. Orthodontic therapists are dental healthcare professionals who carry out certain parts of orthodontic treatment work under the supervision of an orthodontist. It is intended that some of the work currently carried out by orthodontists would be carried out by orthodontic therapists, thereby enabling the orthodontic team to treat more patients.
Value for money is a key factor in the procurement process for the provision of certain orthodontic treatments by a panel of independent practitioners under contract to the HSE. Tenders are currently being evaluated and it is expected that contracts will be awarded by the end of 2015. The costs will be available after the process has been completed.
Health Services Provision
Ceisteanna (187)
Michael McGrath
Ceist:187. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive occupational therapy and physiotherapy appointments, in accordance with a referral from the early intervention team; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41019/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the particular issue raised by the Deputy relates to an individual case, this is a service matter for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly, 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.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Ceisteanna (188)
Michael McGrath
Ceist:188. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm how long each person of a family (details supplied) in County Cork has been on an ophthalmology waiting list; when each person will be seen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41020/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
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 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.
Health Services
Ceisteanna (189)
Finian McGrath
Ceist:189. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41032/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
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.
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.
Medical Card Applications
Ceisteanna (190)
Finian McGrath
Ceist:190. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41034/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
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.
Health Services Data
Ceisteanna (191)
Denis Naughten
Ceist:191. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 608 of 6 October 2015, if each machine is now operational in each of the hospitals concerned; the names of the hospitals where this machine is not operational; the reason why; if, in each hospital, the machine is operational for diagnosing suitable patients for stroke thrombolysis treatment, and if this is available on a 24/7 basis, a 12/7 basis or a sessional basis; the other specialties which are utilising the machines in each hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41055/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
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.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Ceisteanna (192)
Bernard Durkan
Ceist:192. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when a hospital procedure will be provided for a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41077/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
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 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.
Data Protection
Ceisteanna (193, 199)
Catherine Murphy
Ceist:193. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the Bara judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union delivered last month (details supplied); if the information in any of the databases assembled and processed by his Department for the administration of the health identifiers scheme was gathered using personal data previously collected and held by the State for a different purpose; if persons whose personal data was gathered in such manner have been notified of the transfer of their data to the administration of the health identifiers scheme; if not, is it his opinion that all such databases are now illegal in view of the Bara judgment; what measures he proposes to address this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41112/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraCatherine Murphy
Ceist:199. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health for details of all instances from 1 January 2000 to 2015 to date where legislation introduced by him or on his behalf, which is enacted and still in force, contains a provision amending the Data Protection Acts to allow for the transfer of personal or other data collected, retained and processed by the State for a particular purpose towards another specific purpose, in tabular form; the financial cost of creating and administering such databases, by case; the projected financial cost for databases not yet complete; the specific legislative provision which enabled such data transfers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41139/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 199 together.
I am aware of the Bara Judgment referred to by the Deputy.
The implementation of a system of health identifiers is primarily a patient safety initiative which was recommended by the Commission on Patient Safety and Quality Assurance in 2008 and by HIQA in their Recommendations for a Unique Health Identifier for Individuals in Ireland in 2009 and also Recommendations for Health Identifiers for Healthcare Practitioners and Organisations in 2011. Health Identifiers are also essential to underpin the modernisation and eHealth agendas for the operation of a high quality health service. The Health Identifiers Act 2014 provides the legislative basis for the introduction of a system of identifiers for recipients of a health service as well as healthcare providers, both professionals and organisations.
Section 7 of the Act provides that the Minister may use particulars obtained by him or her or by the HSE before or after the coming into operation of the Section for the purposes of assigning individual health identifiers and for establishing and maintaining the National Register of Individual Health Identifiers. Section 8 of the Act provides that a Minister of the Government may provide information to the Minister for Health for the purposes of establishing or maintaining the accuracy of the National Register of Individual Health Identifiers. Therefore, the Act provides that the Register can be populated from various data sources on an ongoing basis to ensure data quality, accuracy and completeness and it is intended to exploit and reuse the significant investment in data collection and verification being made by the Minister for Social Protection in the Public Service Card initiative. The Data Protection Commissioner was consulted while the Health Identifiers Act was being drafted and will be consulted at appropriate stages of the implementation.
The Health Identifiers Act 2014 (Delegation of Relevant Functions) Order 2015 delegates the day-to-day operation of the system of health identifiers to the HSE.
The operation of the health identifier registers will be underpinned by a robust governance framework which will be informed by the Privacy Impact Assessment on the identifiers currently being carried out by HSE in addition to the Information Governance and Management Standards for the Health Identifier Operator in Ireland that HIQA has recently submitted to me for approval.
No legislation amending the Data Protection Acts on the transfer of personal or other data was introduced in the Oireachtas by me or my predecessors during the period in question.
Home Help Service Provision
Ceisteanna (194)
Pearse Doherty
Ceist:194. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 392 of 10 November 2015, why a person (details supplied) in County Cavan is only receiving an exercise programme as part of home help hours; the issues that will be taken into account in the re-assessment; and if consideration will be given to the person's needs, considering the family circumstances. [41114/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I note that the Health Service Executive (HSE) replied to the Deputy's previous question on 13 November. As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have again 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.
Home Help Service Provision
Ceisteanna (195)
Pearse Doherty
Ceist:195. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health why a person (details supplied) in County Cavan is not in receipt of home help hours; his plans to make provision for this service; the issues that will be taken into account ; if consideration will be given to the person's needs, considering the family circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41115/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As 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.
Speech and Language Therapy
Ceisteanna (196)
Peadar Tóibín
Ceist:196. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the additional resources, whole-time-equivalent staff, and positions provided for in budget 2016's new measures that commit to an additional €8 million spend on therapeutic services for children, including speech and language therapy, in tabular form. [41117/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Government is committed to the provision and development of services for children with special needs, including early intervention services, and to improving access by these children to therapy services insofar as possible within available resources. Health related therapy supports and interventions for children, such as speech and language therapy, can be accessed through both the HSE's primary care services and its disability services, depending on the level of need. Significant additional resources have been invested in recent years in the State’s primary care and disability services with a view to enhancing therapy service provision.
Additional funding of €20m was allocated in 2013 to strengthen primary care services and to support the recruitment of prioritised front-line posts, including over 260 additional posts for Primary Care Teams. In addition, the HSE has introduced a number of initiatives specifically in relation to speech and language therapy services that are aimed at improving access to these services, such as therapists increasing clinic based work and providing family centred interventions in a group, as opposed to a one-to-one setting, whenever possible.
The HSE is also currently engaged in a major reconfiguration of its existing therapy resources for children with disabilities into multidisciplinary geographically based teams, as part of its National Programme on Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18 years). The key objective of this Programme is to bring about equity of access to disability services and consistency of service delivery, with a clear pathway for children with disabilities and their families to services, regardless of where they live, what school they go to or the nature of the individual child’s difficulties. An additional €4m was allocated in 2014 to assist in implementing the Progressing Disability Services Programme, equating to approximately 80 additional therapy posts. Further investment of €4 million (equating to €6 million in a full year) has been provided this year to support its ongoing implementation.
Improving access to therapy services for children in primary care and in disability services is a particular priority for the Government. Within this context, additional funding of €8 million is being provided in 2016 to expand the provision of speech and language therapy through primary care services and to support the reorganisation and expansion of speech and language and other therapies under the Progressing Disability Services Programme. Full implementation of the Progressing Disability Services Programme is expected before the end of 2016. The HSE has been asked to prepare detailed proposals on the employment of this additional resource.
Services for People with Disabilities
Ceisteanna (197)
Finian McGrath
Ceist:197. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the crisis experienced by Camphill Communities of Ireland where significant and vital services could be closed within the foreseeable future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41122/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Government is committed to protecting front-line 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.
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.
I have been informed that the HSE is acutely aware of the resource shortfall presented by Camphill and is currently engaging with them to develop an agreed set of proposals to resolve the challenges over an agreed period of time. This includes a commitment to supporting the organisation to re-configure the current model of service and funding arrangements to a more sustainable model while still maintaining the particular ethos of the service.
I understand that as part of this process of engagement, the HSE requested Camphill to consider how its model of service provision may change over the coming years as Disability Services are reformed. The HSE will work closely with Camphill to shape a five year plan to secure the additional resources required to ensure the future of the organisation in a sustainable way.
I have been assured by the HSE that it will continue to work with Camphill and be as supportive as possible within current financial constraints.