Written Answers Nos. 488-508
488. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Health the number of general practice surgeries; the towns and villages where they are located in County Meath currently participating under the rural practice allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11695/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra489. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Health when he will make promised changes under the rural practice allowance scheme, and the towns and villages in County Meath that will benefit. [11696/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra490. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Health why his Department discontinued the participation of a town (details supplied) under the rural practice allowance scheme. [11697/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 488 to 490, inclusive, together.
The Regulations governing changes to the Rural Practice Allowance Scheme were signed on the 5 May, 2016. These Regulations provide for the introduction of the new Rural Practice Support Framework, including a change in the qualifying criteria for rural support and an increase in the financial allowance, from €16,216 to €20,000 per annum. The Regulations also revise the list of Special Items of Service, which are made available to patients under the General Medical Services scheme.
The HSE is currently carrying out a due diligence exercise to identify those practice units which will qualify for supports under the Rural Practice Support Framework and this will be the subject of further correspondence with relevant GPs in the coming weeks.
With regard to the Deputy's questions in relation to specific areas, I am referring these to the HSE for direct reply as these are matters for the HSE. If you have not received a response within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
491. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health why he is providing different levels of packages under the home care scheme in counties Kerry and Cork; to urgently review this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11705/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs 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.
492. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11718/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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.
493. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the status of a case (details supplied) including when the person will receive a decision. [11719/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.
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.
494. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health to recruit extra staff and provide extra resources for the national ambulance service; his views on the recommendations made in the national ambulance service capacity review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11726/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Ambulance Service Capacity Review makes it clear that we need a very significant programme of investment in our ambulance services. In that context, a phased investment in a multi-annual programme involving manpower, vehicles and technology is required. The Deputy may wish to note that additional funding of €7.2m has been provided for the National Ambulance Service in 2016 which includes €2m for new developments. The Deputy will also be aware that the Programme for Government commits to additional annual investment in terms of ambulance personnel and vehicles.
The National Ambulance Service has now published an action plan, which incorporates the recommendations of both the HIQA and the Capacity Review. It should be noted that many of the key recommendations of both reviews are already being addressed as part of a significant programme of reform and modernisation of the NAS which has been underway in recent years.
495. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the action he will take to act on the recommendations of the published National Ambulance Service emergency service baseline and capacity review; when he will meet relevant stakeholders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11729/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Ambulance Service Capacity Review makes it clear that we need a very significant programme of investment in our ambulance services. In that context, a phased investment in a multi-annual programme involving manpower, vehicles and technology is required. The Deputy may wish to note that additional funding of €7.2m has been provided for the National Ambulance Service in 2016 which includes €2m for new developments. The Deputy will also be aware that the Programme for Government commits to additional annual investment in terms of ambulance personnel and vehicles.
The National Ambulance Service has now published an action plan, which incorporates the recommendations of both the HIQA and the Capacity Review. My Department engages on an ongoing basis with the National Ambulance Service in relation to service requirements and performance and will continue to do so to ensure that the action plan is implemented.
It should be noted that many of the key recommendations of both reviews are already being addressed as part of a significant programme of reform and modernisation of the NAS which has been under way in recent years.
496. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the cost of providing the additional 752 staff for the national ambulance service, including the Dublin Fire Brigade, and the cost of providing the 461 posts that have not been budgeted for, further to the findings of the published National Ambulance Service of Ireland's emergency service baseline and capacity review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11730/16]
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.
497. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the cost of providing the additional 72 vehicles for the national ambulance service, including the Dublin Fire Brigade, further to the findings of the National Ambulance Service emergency service baseline and capacity review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11731/16]
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.
498. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the cost of providing the additional 52 vehicles for the national ambulance service, excluding the Dublin Fire Brigade, further to the findings of the published National Ambulance Service emergency service baseline and capacity review. [11732/16]
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.
499. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the cost of providing the additional 548 staff for the national ambulance service, excluding the Dublin Fire Brigade, and the cost of providing the 400 posts that have not been budgeted for, further to the findings of the published National Ambulance Service of Ireland emergency service baseline and capacity review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11733/16]
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.
500. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health where additional staff and vehicles are needed, and those areas he will support for additional staffing and vehicles, in tabular form, further to the findings of the published National Ambulance Service of Ireland emergency service baseline and capacity review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11734/16]
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.
501. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health to provide an audiology appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11738/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs 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.
502. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the status of a case (details supplied) including when the person will receive an appointment. [11743/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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.
505. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health to immediately publish the up-to-date fees paid to the Health Service Executive's nursing homes for nursing home care; the reason private and voluntary nursing homes have their fees published on an ongoing and continuous basis but the agency's homes do not; if he is aware that it is over five years since the updated fees for the agency's nursing homes have been published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11746/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe legislation underpinning the Nursing Homes Support Scheme requires each private nursing home to negotiate and agree a price for long-term residential care services with the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) should they wish to be an approved nursing home for the purposes of the Scheme. Section 41 of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009 provides that the NTPF shall notify the HSE of cost of care arrangements. The HSE may then publish such information relating to those arrangements as it considers appropriate.
In negotiating with nursing homes the NTPF has regard to:
- Costs reasonably and prudently incurred by the nursing home and evidence of value for money;
- Price(s) previously charged;
- Local market price; and
- Budgetary constraints and the obligation on the State to use available resources in the most beneficial, effective and efficient manner to improve, promote and protect the health and welfare of the public.
The Nursing Homes Support Scheme covers the cost of the standard components of residential care which are:
- Nursing and personal care appropriate to the level of care needs of the person;
- Bed and board;
- Basic aids and appliances necessary to assist a person with the activities of everyday living; and
- Laundry service.
In relation to the cost of care in public residential facilities, Section 33(2) of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009 provides for the HSE to charge for the cost of care in long-term residential care settings. The components that make up the cost of care are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.
It should be noted that more complex and highly dependent residents are catered for by the public system whereby private nursing homes may not have the available skillset and multidisciplinary personnel to cater for such complex needs. In addition, conditions of employment and tenure differ between private and public residential care facilities.
It is important that public facilities operate as efficiently and economically as possible, and towards that end the HSE is already engaged in a comprehensive exercise to review and streamline the operation and cost structures of public facilities. The Department of Health will conduct a Value for Money Review of public nursing home costs to identify more fully the factors that may be increasing costs and any areas that require correction.
506. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Health to hire two clinical nurses for the Finglas addiction support team which has had two applications pending since 2014, despite funding being agreed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11750/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraWith effect from 1 January 2014, operational and financial responsibility for the Finglas Addiction Support Team was transferred to the HSE. In the circumstances, I have referred this matter to the HSE for direct reply. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days he should contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
507. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the amount spent on legal fees connected to medical negligence since the introduction of the open disclosure programme, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11777/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe management of clinical negligence claims arising from the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients in public health care enterprises is delegated to the State Claims Agency which has a statutory mandate to investigate and manage these cases to completion. The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available. Accordingly I have asked the State Claims Agency to collate the information and it will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available. The State Claims Agency has indicated that it will have this information available shortly.
508. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health why a person (details supplied) has not received a reimbursement payment due since March 2016 under the cross-border health care directive scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11788/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe particular issue raised by the Deputy is a service matter for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly I have arranged for the question to be 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.
