Tuesday, 8 Dec 2015

Written Answers Nos. 371-393

Home Care Packages Provision

Ceisteanna (371)

Michael McGrath

Ceist:

371. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the average cost of home care packages in 2014 and in 2015 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43751/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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.

Hospital Facilities

Ceisteanna (372)

Terence Flanagan

Ceist:

372. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his plans to address a matter (details supplied) regarding a helipad in Dublin 9; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43765/15]

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.

Hospitals Data

Ceisteanna (373)

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

373. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the waiting times for outpatient cataract surgery at St. Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin 4 following initial assessment; the number of procedures carried out in each of the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43779/15]

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.

Hospitals Data

Ceisteanna (374)

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

374. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the waiting times for outpatient cataract surgery at Sligo Regional Hospital, following initial assessment; the number of procedures carried out in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43780/15]

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.

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Ceisteanna (375)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

375. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the status of funding for a special needs assistant for a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43786/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme, is the responsibility of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. While certain flexibilities had been built in to the Programme to facilitate the inclusion of children with a disability the Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures children and young people's policy framework contained a commitment to develop a plan to facilitate the full participation of such children in the ECCE Programme. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has lead responsibility for the implementation of this commitment and has concluded an intensive process of deliberation and consultation on the matter in conjunction with the Departments of Health and Education and Skills and has brought forward a new model of supports to facilitate the full participation of children with a disability in the ECCE Programme.

As part of Budget 2016, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs announced the necessary funding to implement the new model of ECCE supports for children with a disability. The new model will provide supports including enhanced continuing professional development for early years practitioners; grants for equipment, appliances and minor alterations; and access to therapeutic intervention. Funding of €15m has been provided to phase these supports in during 2016. Full year costs for these supports are estimated to be €33m from 2017 onwards. This model of supports was launched on 18th November last by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs with my full support and the support of my Government colleague Jan O'Sullivan T.D., Minister for Education and Skills.

Improving access to therapy services for children in primary care and in disability services is a particular priority for the Government. Building on additional investment in recent years, funding of €8m is being provided to the HSE in 2016 to expand, inter alia, the provision of Speech and Language Therapy in primary care and the further development of early intervention therapy services under the Progressing Disabilities Programme to facilitate the inclusion of children with a disability in mainstream pre-school settings as part of the rollout of the new inclusive preschools model.

It should be noted that while the Health Service Executive has no statutory obligation to provide assistant supports for children with special needs wishing to avail of the ECCE scheme, it has, to date, worked at local level and in partnership with the relevant disability service providers to address individual needs as they arise. This has been done, for example, by funding special pre-schools that cater specifically for children with disabilities. In some limited cases at local level, disability services have also facilitated children with a disability to attend mainstream pre-schools by providing assistant supports where possible and where resources are available. The provision of such pre-school assistant supports should not be confused with Special Needs Assistants who are funded by the Department of Education and Skills to support children with special educational needs in primary and post-primary school settings.

Within this context, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in relation to the individual case she 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.

Registration of Nurses

Ceisteanna (376)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

376. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will address the lengthy time it is taking for nurse registration (details supplied). [43793/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I 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 NMBI. I have referred the Deputy's question to the NMBI for attention and direct reply.

If you have not received a reply from the NMBI within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Hospital Appointments Status

Ceisteanna (377)

Arthur Spring

Ceist:

377. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health when an operation will be facilitated for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry, the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43795/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

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.

Home Help Service Eligibility

Ceisteanna (378)

Tom Fleming

Ceist:

378. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will examine existing home help hours provided to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry, given the urgency of the case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43798/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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.

Question No. 379 answered with Question No. 349.

Services for People with Disabilities

Ceisteanna (380)

Billy Kelleher

Ceist:

380. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide funding to transport a special needs adult (details supplied) by taxi to and from the Cope Foundation on the Duntahane Road in Fermoy, in County Cork. [43808/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

Each Local Health Office area in the Health Service Executive (HSE) has a dedicated Disability Manager to coordinate the delivery of services to people with disabilities. It is open to the individual and their family to pursue this matter with the Disability Manager for their area who can be contacted at Mallow Primary Healthcare Centre, Gouldshill, Mallow, Co. Cork, telephone [phone].

As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the 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.

HSE Funding

Ceisteanna (381)

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

381. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will request the Health Service Executive to meet with the Target project in Donaghmede in Dublin 13 to discuss the restoration of funding for their special needs programme and for a clinical director of counselling services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43809/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As 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.

Respite Care Services Availability

Ceisteanna (382)

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

382. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will assist a person (details supplied) in County Dublin who needs respite care from St. Michael's House and the Health Service Executive. [43810/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the 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.

Services for People with Disabilities

Ceisteanna (383)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

383. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will address the specific issue of the car purchase scheme referred to in Parliamentary Question No. 167 of 12 November 2015. [43820/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I understand that the Deputy has requested clarification on 3 transport schemes. My reply to the Deputy's recent question on this matter outlined the latest position on the Motorised Transport Grant and the Mobility Allowance scheme. The Government decided to close both schemes on 26 February, 2013. Work is ongoing on the policy proposals to be brought to Government for the drafting of primary legislation for a new transport support scheme. The Health (Transport Support) Bill is included in the Government Legislation Programme.

The Revenue Commissioners' Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) scheme is still in operation and provides a range of tax reliefs in connection with the purchase and use of motor vehicles by people with disabilities. Details are available on the Revenue Commissioners website at www.revenue.ie Questions relating to this particular scheme are more appropriate to my colleague, the Minister for Finance.

Health Care Professionals

Ceisteanna (384, 391)

Michael McNamara

Ceist:

384. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the provisions he will make for existing physical therapists who are members of the Irish Association of Physical Therapists and who are mainly educated up to level 7 degrees as regulated by Quality and Qualifications Ireland under section 95 (3) of the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43821/15]

Eric J. Byrne

Ceist:

391. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify a situation regarding a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 who is a practising physical therapist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43840/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 384 and 391 together.

The Physiotherapists Registration Board will soon make the necessary bye-laws under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 to allow it to establish its register early next year. The title of physiotherapist will, as a consequence, be protected for the exclusive use of the board's registrants when the register's 2 year transitional period ends in 2018.

I am currently examining the issue of also protecting the title of physical therapist under the Act. In the rest of the English speaking world the titles of physical therapist and physiotherapist are interchangeable and their users are qualified physiotherapists. In Ireland, however, the title is used by a number of practitioners who are not physiotherapists but who are competing with physiotherapists in the private sector in the provision of musculoskeletal therapies.

Earlier this year, having consulted with the Health and Social Care Professionals Council, I wrote to a number of relevant organisations, including the Irish Association of Physical Therapists, regarding my proposal to protect the title of physical therapist as a variant of the title of physiotherapist and invited them to submit their views. The submissions are now being examined and I expect that I will make a decision on the matter before the end of the year that ensures public protection and appropriately addresses the legitimate concerns of all parties.

Question No. 385 answered with Question No. 349.

Medical Card Eligibility

Ceisteanna (386)

Tony McLoughlin

Ceist:

386. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Health if he will raise the gross income limits from the current €500 per week for applications for medical cards from persons of 70 years of age upwards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43830/15]

Freagraí scríofa

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

There are no proposals to change the gross income limits for medical cards for persons aged 70 years and older.

I can advise the Deputy that persons aged 70 years and over can be assessed both under the over-70s gross income arrangements and under the standard medical card means test which is open to persons irrespective of their age. Furthermore persons, including those aged 70 years and over, may be eligible for a medical card where discretion is exercised where they face undue hardship in arranging medical services as a result of medical or social circumstances.

Question No. 387 answered with Question No. 349.

Cross-Border Health Initiatives

Ceisteanna (388)

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

388. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 76 of 25 November 2015, the assistance available to patients who wish to receive care under the Cross Border Healthcare Directive 2011/24/EU, including advice on their rights and on the varying policies in European Union countries participating in the directive, if he will establish such an advice service, if any, and how many persons have availed of this option for treatment to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43836/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The Health Service Executive operates the EU Directive on Patients’ Rights in Cross Border Healthcare in Ireland. In line with practice in other EU Member States, the HSE, through the National Contact Point (NCP) office, provides information for patients on the Cross-Border Directive (CBD) on its website - http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/schemes/cbd/ - and also by phone. The principal function of the NCP (which is the mechanism specified for the dissemination of information on the CBD by Member States) is to facilitate exchange of information for patients concerning their rights and entitlements relating to receiving healthcare in another Member State, in particular the terms and conditions for reimbursement of cost and the procedures for accessing and determining those entitlements. The NCP also has a responsibility to ensure that all enquirers are informed of the right to healthcare, if any, that they may have through the European legislation on the coordination of social security schemes (EU Regulation 883/04) and which may be more beneficial to them. The NCP is able to inform patients what the cost of their treatments would be in Ireland to allow them make a comparison with the costs they are being quoted for comparable treatment in another Member State.

The healthcare being sought under the CBD can only be healthcare that a person would be entitled to within the public health system in Ireland, which is not contrary to Irish legislation. It will be a matter for the patient and his/her referring doctor to identify the clinician abroad and satisfy him/herself in relation to the qualifications, quality and safety of the services being availed of in the other jurisdiction. In general, healthcare is not routinely advertised and the best options for treatment are most appropriately discussed within the professional setting and advice received as to where services might be sought, including availing of the provisions of the CBD for treatment.

It is also noteworthy that access to healthcare abroad under the Directive is based on patients following public patient pathways; that is, a referral is required in order to be eligible for reimbursement. Referral for care under the CBD can be made by a GP, a hospital consultant and certain other HSE clinicians. This referral is not limited to Irish health professionals but nevertheless the great majority of patients are likely to have consulted an Irish health professional who then referred them for treatment here or, if they wished, within the EU\EEA. As a consequence, a general information campaign regarding the CBD has not been undertaken. It is also noteworthy that Recital 4 of the Directive states “the transposition of this Directive into national legislation and its application should not result in patients being encouraged to receive treatment outside their Member State of affiliation”. The HSE has tried to balance its dissemination of information regarding the CBD with this Recital in mind and has concentrated on informing the clinicians who make the referrals about the Directive. To this end it has met with the ICGP and various consultants at hospital level to inform them of the provisions of the Directive.

The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine the matter of the data requested 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.

Health Services Access

Ceisteanna (389)

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

389. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43838/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As 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.

Medical Card Applications

Ceisteanna (390)

Tom Fleming

Ceist:

390. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an application for a medical card by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43839/15]

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.

Question No. 391 answered with Question No. 384.

Long-Term Illness Scheme Coverage

Ceisteanna (392)

Derek Nolan

Ceist:

392. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will introduce a scheme to allow all phenylketonuria patients receive their specialised foods for free, or at a discounted rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43843/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is one of 16 conditions covered by the Long Term Illness Scheme, a statutory scheme administered by the HSE. Under this scheme, PKU patients are entitled to free approved drugs, medicines and medical and surgical appliances directly related to the treatment of the condition.

There are no plans to introduce a separate scheme providing specialised foods for PKU patients.

Question No. 393 answered with Question No. 349.