Written Answers Nos. 266-277
266. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the proposals he has to provide a much better level of orthopaedic services for persons in counties Cavan and Monaghan due to unacceptable waiting lists at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12038/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs of 28 April 2016, there were approximately 300 patients waiting for orthopaedic outpatient appointments for hospitals in the RCSI Hospital Group which includes Cavan General Hospital and Monaghan Hospital. However, 135 (45%) of these patients have been waiting <6 months. 62 patients (20.9%) on the waiting list have been waiting over 15 months. There are 345 patients waiting for orthopaedic outpatient appointments for Our Lady's Hospital Navan. 300 (87%) of these patients are waiting <6 months and no patients are waiting more than 15 months.
The Department of Health and the HSE recognise that there are resource availability and structural challenges which impact on individual specialties and hospital sites.
The 2016 HSE Service Plan undertakes to maintaining 2015 levels of service in respect of scheduled care and continues to address waiting times with Hospital Groups as part of the regular performance and accountability process. The HSE has established a Scheduled Care Governance Group to coordinate key initiatives to reduce waiting list numbers. In 2016, the HSE is focussing on key activities including:
- ensuring that chronological scheduling is adhered to;
- putting in place administrative and clinical validation procedures to ensure that patients are available for treatment;
- relocating high-volume low complexity surgeries to smaller hospitals; and
- designating an improvement lead for each hospital group, to provide support in meeting national targets for appointment and treatment.
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.
267. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the proposals he has to provide additional ear nose and throat services in counties Cavan and Monaghan due to delays in patients accessing treatment at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12039/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs of 28 April 2016, there were approximately 1,345 patients waiting for ENT outpatient appointments for hospitals in the RCSI Hospital Group which includes Cavan General Hospital and Monaghan Hospital. However, 656 (48.7%) of these patients have been waiting <6 months. 228 patients (16.9%) on the waiting list have been waiting over 15 months.
The Department of Health and the HSE recognise that there are resource availability and structural challenges which impact on individual specialties and hospital sites. In order to address recognised deficits in capacity to meet demand for ENT services in the Cavan-Monaghan area, and in the wider North-Eastern area, a Cross Border Service Level Agreement is in place with hospitals in Newry and Craigavon.
The 2016 HSE Service Plan undertakes to maintaining 2015 levels of service in respect of scheduled care and continues to address waiting times with Hospital Groups as part of the regular performance and accountability process. The HSE has established a Scheduled Care Governance Group to coordinate key initiatives to reduce waiting list numbers. In 2016, the HSE is focussing on key activities including:
- ensuring that chronological scheduling is adhered to;
- putting in place administrative and clinical validation procedures to ensure that patients are available for treatment;
- relocating high-volume low complexity surgeries to smaller hospitals; and
- designating an improvement lead for each hospital group, to provide support in meeting national targets for appointment and treatment.
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.
268. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the amount of Exchequer funding spent on mental health in 2015; and if he will provide an estimate of the expected total spend for 2016. [12073/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraFunding for mental health in 2016 will increase from the 2015 outturn of €785m, to a projected budget of €826m in the 2016 National Service Plan, an increase of €41m or 5.2% which includes the €35m ring-fenced for mental health.
Staff recruitment is a key element of both existing and new developments. As staff recruitment takes time, however, the 2016 Service Plan provided that time-related savings of approximately €12m from the €35m would be used, on a once-off basis, to maintain services in home care and transitional care beds and for vaccine procurement. Subject to progress on new developments, this will result in an expected spend for 2016 of €814m.
In 2016, it is proposed to advance the following development priorities from the additional funding: continued development of counselling services across both primary and secondary care including the provision of three new Jigsaw mental health services in Cork, Dublin city centre and Limerick; the continued development of Community Mental Health teams; improved 24/7 response and Liaison Services; Psychiatry of Later Life; Perinatal Mental Health, and two new mental health clinical programmes, specifically ADHD in Adults and Children, and Dual Diagnosis of those with Mental Illness and Substance Misuse.
In addition to new developments, the HSE is committed to the ongoing development of adult and child & adolescent services. Up to 1,150 posts have already been filled up to end 2015 from the developmental funding provided since 2012, with 270 posts approved for the Child & Adolescent Services.
The Department of Health is currently examining proposals from the HSE relating to the development of these priority services, as well as proposals for the ongoing development of a range of existing and new specialist mental health services. Clarifications are being sought from the HSE on certain details and it is expected that a decision on the release of the funding will be made shortly.
269. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of SCAN roles required; the cost of creating these positions; and the timeline for this work. [12074/16]
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.
270. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of creating a position for a mental health nurse who liaises specifically with homeless services. [12075/16]
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.
271. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the estimated for the cost of providing 80 additional child and adolescent psychiatric inpatient beds. [12077/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraA Vision for Change' recommends the provision of 80 additional child and adolescent psychiatric in-patient beds nationally. Currently, there are 66 operational Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service ( CAMHS ) beds in the HSE, i.e. beds available to take a child/adolescent as an in-patient if the need arises. These beds are located as follows - 34 in Dublin, 20 in Galway and 12 in Cork.
In the context of expanding CAMHS bed capacity, the HSE is endeavouring at present to address staff recruitment or retention difficulties in certain facilities, such as the Eist Linn unit in Cork. As these staffing issues are resolved, the potential exists for an overall national capacity of 76 operational CAMHS beds in the system.
On the broader front, funding is included in the HSE Capital Programme for planned infrastructural developments for the National Forensic Mental Health Service. This involves a new 120 bed hospital at Portrane, to replace the existing Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum, along with a new 10-bed CAMHS Forensic Unit, and a 10 bed facility for children with Mental Health and Intellectual Disability issues. These facilities are scheduled to be delivered in 2018.
The question of providing additional CAMHS bed provision, in line with A Vision for Change and overall resources availability annually, will be kept under review by the Department of Health and the HSE. As the cost issue raised by the Deputy is service specific, this 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.
272. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of the provision of child and adolescent inpatient services in 2016. [12078/16]
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.
273. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the cost of providing an additional child and adolescent mental health services team annually. [12079/16]
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.
274. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the amount spent on child and adolescent mental health services teams in 2015; the estimated costs in 2016; and the respective number of teams in operation for these years. [12080/16]
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.
275. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the estimated full year cost of recruiting a full complement of mental health intellectual disability nurses as recommended under A Vision for Change. [12081/16]
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.
276. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the amount spent on counselling in primary care in 2015; the estimated amount to be spent in 2016; and the number of positions, counselling hours and clients this will provide. [12082/16]
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.
277. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of mental health nurses currently employed in the health service; the number of positions unoccupied or being recruited; the cost to the Exchequer in 2015; and the estimated cost in 2016. [12083/16]
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.
