Written Answers Nos. 242-253
242. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health to set down the number of doctors appointed for the first time in the public hospital system and voluntary hospitals under category C consultants contracts since 1 January 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11943/16]
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 on the matter with them.
243. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health to outline the waiting times for child and adolescent mental health service in County Mayo; the future plans for the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11909/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
244. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health to set out in tabular form the names and contact details of all officials who give approval for home care companies in each local health office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11910/16]
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.
245. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health to outline his views on the fact that patients in need of specialist psychiatric care for anorexia are regularly treated in paediatric hospitals that do not have the resources, staff or facilities necessary for such treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11956/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
246. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) can expect an appointment with the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, Dublin 2. [11959/16]
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.
247. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health to set out the funding that is being allocated for the reorganisation of national maternity services as per the €3 billion allocation in the capital investment plan 2016-21; the funding that is being provided for the relocation of services at the National Maternity Hospital to the St. Vincent's University Hospital campus; the funding that is being provided for the relocation of services at the Rotunda Hospital to Connolly Hospital; the funding that is being provided for the relocation of services at the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital to St. James's Hospital; the funding that is being provided for the relocation of services at the University Maternity Hospital Limerick to the University Hospital Limerick; and the timeframe for the funding for each of these; and the details of what is covered in these plans within the 2016-2021 timeframe. [11965/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe relocation of the National Maternity Hospital (NMH) to the St Vincent's University Hospital campus is one of the six priority projects for which funding has been indented over the multi-annual period. These six priority projects - the new Children's Hospital, the National Plan for Radiation Oncology at Cork and Galway, the National Forensic Mental Health Services (NFMHS) Facilities Project at Portrane, the Primary Care Infrastructure Programme and the long-stay residential accommodation programme for Older People and Persons with a disability and the NMH relocation - will require the bulk of the capital allocation over the period.
The relocation of the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital to Saint James's Hospital was announced last year. Construction of the new Children's Hospital on the St James's Hospital campus must be completed before the enabling works and construction of replacement maternity hospital can begin. The relocation of the Rotunda Hospital to Connolly Hospital which was also announced last year, is at a very early stage of development. Sufficient funding has been indented to complete a Cost Benefit Analysis for the relocation of the Limerick Maternity Hospital. While estimated costs have been identified these are preliminary and provisional at this stage. The potential use of the PPP mechanism for one location is being investigated by the HSE.
248. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health to set out the funding that is being allocated for the completion of the new cancer departments at Cork University Hospital and University Hospital Galway as per the €3 billion allocation in the capital investment plan 2016-21; the funding that is being provided for the further investment in existing facilities at Beaumont Hospital; the timeframe for the funding for each of these; the details of what is covered in these plans within the 2016-21 timeframe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11967/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Plan for Radiation Oncology which will deliver facilities at Cork University Hospital (CUH) and University Hospital Galway (UHG) is one of the six priority projects for which funding has been indented over the multi-annual period 2016-2021. For reasons of commercial sensitivity and in advance of contracts being awarded it is not appropriate to state the funding indented for these projects.
Design teams have been appointed and planning permission has be awarded at the two locations. The Cork project will deliver four replacement and one additional linear accelerators (linacs). The Galway project will deliver three replacement and one additional linear accelerators together with additional bunkers on both sites to cater for future expansion. The radiation oncology facility, on each campus, is a complex build as in both locations the new radiation oncology facilities will be built on the footprints of the old acute mental health departments.
The new acute mental health department at CUH has been completed and the health care services transferred. Currently it is projected that construction of the CUH facility could be completed by mid 2018 following which the clinical commissioning of the linacs would begin. On this basis this commissioning could be completed by mid 2019.
It is projected that the new acute mental health facility at UHG will be completed and commissioned by mid/late 2017. Following this construction of the radiation oncology facility can begin. It is projected that it will be completed by mid / late 2019. On this basis the indicative date for completion of the clinical commissioning of the linacs is mid/late 2020.
Phase 1 of the NPRO in Dublin was completed at the end of 2011 with the provision of new facilities at St James’s and Beaumont Hospitals. Additional capacity in Dublin is required under Phase 2 of the NPRO. Some funding will be indented to progress the development and planing for additional radiation oncology facilities at Beamount Hospital over the period.
249. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health to outline the funding that is being allocated for the provision of over 80 new primary care facilities as per the €3 billion allocation in the capital investment plan 2016-21; the timeframe for the funding; the details of what is covered in these plans within the 2016-21 timeframe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11969/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraGovernment’s “Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Plan 2016-2021” was published on 30 September 2015. This Capital Plan presents a €42 billion framework for infrastructure investment in Ireland over the period 2016 to 2021. The Capital Plan includes just over €3 billion for investment in health infrastructure, and the Department of Health has identified five main priority areas to begin a long term programme of transformation of healthcare facilities across the country, including primary care.
The development of primary care is central to the Government's objective of delivering a high quality, integrated and cost effective health care system. Supporting infrastructure, procured through a combination of public and private investment, will facilitate the delivery of multi-disciplinary primary health care.
Three mechanisms are used by the HSE to deliver primary care centres – HSE direct/own-build; public-private partnership (PPP); and operational lease. The direct/own-build and the PPP projects are funded from the HSE’s capital allocation. In all cases, delivery of primary care infrastructure remains a dynamic process, constantly evolving to take account of changing circumstances including the feasibility of implementation. The timescale for delivery of primary care infrastructure is dependent on a number of factors some which are outside the control of the HSE.
Funding has been indented to progress direct/own-build facilities at up to 14 locations over the period. The PPP delivery mechanism, which allows the spread of the cost of financing infrastructure and facilities management over 25 years in the case of the Health Primary Care Centre PPP project, will also deliver Primary Care Centres at a further 14 locations within a two year period. The financial close for this project was completed today. The construction costs for these 14 PPP facilities will be in the region of €140 million, and the annual unitary charge, which will not be finally determined until the financial close is completed, has been provided for in the multi-annual Capital Plan.
In the context of implementation of the Programme for Government, the HSE will be asked to consider the most appropriate locations for further primary care centre developments, taking into account service needs and all other relevant factors.
250. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health to increase the provision of psychology services at the child and adolescent mental health services in Blanchardstown; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11977/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
251. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health to provide an insulin pump for a person (details supplied) under the long-term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11980/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the particular issue raised relates to an individual case, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for direct reply to you. 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.
252. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health to provide an earlier appointment to a person (details supplied). [11981/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy's question relates to service delivery matters and accordingly I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him.
If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow up the matter with them.
253. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health to outline the status of a case for a person (details supplied) in respect of a residential plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11983/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to providing services and supports for people and 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, she can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
