Denis Naughten
Ceist:328. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon will receive a hospital appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7543/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraHospital Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (328)
Freagraí 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 HSE, 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 Provision
Ceisteanna (329)
Colm Brophy
Ceist:329. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Health the status of an application for additional home help service for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 24; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7549/16]
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.
Home Help Service Data
Ceisteanna (330, 331, 337)
Billy Kelleher
Ceist:330. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the number of home help hours is being reduced in 2016; if media reports of a cut of 50,000 hours are accurate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7552/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraBilly Kelleher
Ceist:331. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide for each of the 34 local health areas the number of home help hours provided for the first three months in 2016 and for the first three months of 2015, in tabular form. [7553/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraBilly Kelleher
Ceist:337. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the projected 10.4 million home help hours for 2016 will still be delivered; if the Health Service Executive has reductions in the provision of these hours in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7582/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 330, 331 and 337 together.
As these are service matters they have 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 Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (332)
Mary Lou McDonald
Ceist:332. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 will receive a hospital appointment. [7566/16]
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 HSE, 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.
Hospital Transfers
Ceisteanna (333)
John Brassil
Ceist:333. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a hospital transfer for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7571/16]
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.
Nursing Staff
Ceisteanna (334)
Finian McGrath
Ceist:334. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the way he proposes to stop our exceptionally qualified nurses from leaving the profession due to low pay and inadequate working conditions, particularly newly qualified nurses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7576/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
There is an international nursing and medical manpower shortage, leading to difficulties in recruiting nurses, doctors and consultants. This difficulty is being experienced by other English speaking countries including the UK, Australia, and Canada. Notwithstanding this, recruitment of additional nurses to support service delivery has been a priority for the HSE in the past two years as it has been possible to increase health funding. Consequently, the total number of nurses employed in the public service has increased by over 1,200 from 34,617 in February 2014 to 35,846 in February 2016 (WTEs).
Following engagement between the relevant parties under the terms of a 'Chairman's Note' to the Lansdowne Road Agreement, a joint document was agreed by the HSE, the nursing unions and my Department that provided for consideration of an increase in the pay rates for fourth year student nurses undertaking the 36 week clinical placement. I am pleased that it has been possible with effect from 1 March 2016 to significantly improve the rate of pay for fourth year student nurses during their clinical placement to 70% of the first point of the staff nurse scale. Recognition for the duration of the placement as public service for incremental credit purposes has also been restored for future graduates.
Question No. 335 answered with Question No. 300.
Home Care Packages Provision
Ceisteanna (336)
Billy Kelleher
Ceist:336. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the projected 15,450 home care packages for 2016 will still be delivered; if the Health Service Executive has made any reduction in the provision of these packages to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7581/16]
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.
Question No. 337 answered with Question No. 330.
Services for People with Disabilities
Ceisteanna (338)
Billy Kelleher
Ceist:338. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when the €8 million allocated for therapy services for young people will be drawn down; if he expects the full €8 million to be spent in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7583/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The HSE has been notified that the approved level of net non-capital expenditure for 2016 is €12,931 million. In addition, the HSE has been advised that a further sum of €58.5 million is being held back by the Department for specific initiatives as outlined in the 2016 National Service Plan. This includes €8 million for initiatives in therapy services for young people. The two initiatives are the continued implementation of the Progressing Disabilities Services Programme, including development of early intervention services to facilitate the integration of children with disabilities in mainstream preschool settings (€4 million), and a primary care speech and language waiting-list initiative (€4million).
Detailed plans for both of these initiatives have been received by my Department and are under active consideration. Once these plans are agreed, it is expected that my Department will fund the costs as required. As noted in the HSE service plan, the HSE anticipates generating €20m in time related saving on a once off basis from the initiatives totalling €58.5m.
Mental Health Services Funding
Ceisteanna (339)
Billy Kelleher
Ceist:339. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when the €35 million allocated for mental health services will be drawn down; if he expects the full €35 million to be spent in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7584/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In line with the provisions of the Service Plan, additional funding for specific initiatives in mental health, and in the areas of primary care, therapy services for young people and the nursing task force pilot implementation, will be allocated as specific implementation plans are agreed. The Department of Health is currently examining proposals from the HSE relating to the development of mental health services, including early intervention and counselling, children's mental health services and the enhancement of a range of existing and new specialist mental health services. It is expected that a decision on these proposals will be made shortly. Some of these proposals for the €35m allocation for mental health involve the recruitment of extra staff for new service developments.
As staff recruitment takes time, the Service Plan provides that time related savings from these and other planned initiatives in the areas set out above, on a once-off basis, would be used to maintain services in home care and transitional care beds, and for vaccine procurement, but not for hospitals, acute services, or to address waiting lists. As the initiatives planned for mental health are approved, arrangements will be made for the release of funding, having regard to the overall Service Plan provisions outlined above.
Services for People with Disabilities
Ceisteanna (340)
Seán Kyne
Ceist:340. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health if funding to organisations providing services to persons with a disability are subject to ongoing review so as to facilitate the provision of services across seven days, including weekends; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7596/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In addition to the services provided directly by the HSE, the HSE’s Social Care Directorate also enters into arrangements with non-statutory agencies for the provision of social care services, including services to persons with a disability, on its behalf. The contractual mechanism for this funding is through a standardised national Service Arrangements framework. Service Arrangements contain a formal specification of services to be provided in return for funding and set out clearly defined service levels, outcomes and performance indicators, enabling effective monitoring of performance.
Service Arrangements are multi-annual while the Schedules to the Service Arrangement, which set out specific details such as the quantum of services and funding, must be reviewed and agreed annually between the HSE and the agency to reflect changes in levels of service, funding and so on, for the each calendar year. The HSE monitors the operation of the Service Arrangements at local level and holds performance review meetings with agencies on a regular basis.
Hospital Services
Ceisteanna (341)
Brendan Smith
Ceist:341. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if there are proposals to provide additional services or new facilities at Cavan General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7600/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The establishment of acute hospitals into a small number of groups, each with its own governance and management, will provide an optimum configuration for hospital services to deliver high quality, safe patient care in a cost effective manner. It will allow integration and improve patient flow across the continuum of care. The reconfiguration of services across acute hospitals will facilitate the safe management of the majority of patients, who require only a routine, straightforward level of urgent or planned care, locally and the minority of patients, who require major emergency or more complex planned care, to be treated safely in acute regional or national centres where all the relevant specialist clinical expertise is available.
Any future investment in respect of Cavan/Monaghan Hospital will be considered within the overall acute hospital infrastructure programme and establishment of hospital groups. Each hospital group, including the RCSI Hospital Group of which Cavan/Monaghan Hospital is a member, will be required to develop a strategic plan to describe how it will provide more efficient and effective patient services and reorganise its services to provide optimal care to the populations it serves.
Home Help Service Data
Ceisteanna (342)
Brendan Smith
Ceist:342. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the total number of home help and home support hours provided for counties Cavan and Monaghan in 2016; if this will be the minimum provision for 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7601/16]
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.
Disability Diagnoses
Ceisteanna (343)
Shane Cassells
Ceist:343. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Health to arrange a medical assessment for a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7616/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the issue raised by the Deputy relates to an individual case, this is a service matter for the Health Service Executive. I have asked the HSE to look into the particular matter raised and to reply directly 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 Staff Data
Ceisteanna (344)
John Halligan
Ceist:344. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health the number of radiographers who are supposed to be employed at University Hospital Waterford; the number currently employed; when the exodus from the hospital began; if he will make the exit interview transcripts relating to these vacant posts available; when the recruitment process to fill these positions commenced and its progress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7620/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In relation to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service matters, 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 Staff Data
Ceisteanna (345)
John Halligan
Ceist:345. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health the complement of staff by Department, and by the number of persons employed, and the number of patients waiting to be called for appointment in tabular form, by Department, in University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7621/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In relation to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service matters, 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.