Written Answers Nos. 128-132
128. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the additional services that will be provided at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin 9 in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45571/15]
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.
129. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the number of management grades within the Health Service Executive earning over €120,000 in each of the years 2013 to date [45572/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. 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.
130. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the services he provides for children with autism in County Monaghan; the specific supports in place; the assistance and back-up available to children and to their parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45578/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe particular issues raised by the Deputy are service matters 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.
131. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when he will meet the family of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45587/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI was very sorry to learn that the late individual referred to by the Deputy was left exposed for a period of time on the Whitworth ward in Beaumont Hospital and that his dignity was compromised. It is not the standard of care that anyone aspires to.
You will appreciate that I receive a large volume of requests to meet individual patients or their families to discuss their cases. It is not practical for me to do so in all cases and as you know, I do not have the authority to intervene in individual patient cases anyway. I am concerned about creating the impression or expectation that I can. That is not my role and in some cases it is even unlawful to do so.
You will know from the recent Patient Safety Conference about my plans to extend the remit of the Ombudsman to examine clinical matters where the complainant is not satisfied with the response or the hospital or provider. This will require a change in legislation but I am committed to this proposal. The Ombudsman can already examine non-clinical issues.
In this particular case, I think the most appropriate course of action would be a meeting with the hospital CEO or Chairman to discuss the report in the first instance as any changes will have to be made by the hospital which has its own management and board.
If on foot of that meeting there are still issues that fall into my remit and could be resolved by my personal attention, I shall be happy to reconsider the request on that basis.
I have asked the hospital to provide me with a copy of the report so that I can read it. They may need to ask permission from the next of kin to this.
As the Deputy will be aware, I cannot comment in detail on individual cases. I have no access to individual patient information which is confidential.
132. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 445 of 8 December 2015, if the wage increases to €9.15 on 1 January 2016, in line with the national minimum wage, will apply to fourth-year student nurses participating in the fourth-year rostered clinical placement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45591/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraPursuant to a "Chairmans Note" 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 matter is the subject of direct engagement between my Department, the HSE and the nursing unions at present.
Separately, the current rates of pay for the placement, will be increased from the 1st January 2016, pro rata to the increase in the minimum wage for trainees announced in Budget 2016 and provided for in the National Minimum Wage Order 2015 (S.I. No. 442 of 2015).
