Written Answers Nos. 461-478
461. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health if he has had any discussions with the Minister for Finance in respect of allowing citizens to claim tax back under a scheme such as the MED 1 scheme or otherwise operated by the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners, for counselling, psychiatric treatment, or any other such forms of therapy. [14712/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Minister for Health has not held any discussions with the Minister for Finance concerning the issue raised by the Deputy. I understand that this question has also been raised with the Minister for Finance.
The criteria in relation to tax relief for medical expenses is primarily a matter for decision by the Minister for Finance, and the Revenue Commissioners. It is open to any individual who experiences financial hardship in respect of certain health or personal social care to apply, in certain circumstances, for medical card assistance.
462. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the huge waiting list for psychiatric and other mental health services in Dublin West and at national level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14723/16]
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.
463. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the reason home help hours have been reduced for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14724/16]
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.
464. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health to provide home help hours for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14725/16]
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.
465. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Health to address the concerns in the recently published national stroke audit carried out by the Irish Heart Foundation and the HSE's national stroke programme at Kerry University Hospital. [14737/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Clinical Programme for Stroke (NCPS) commenced in 2010. The vision is to design standardised models of integrated care pathways for the delivery of clinical care to embed sustained quality clinical operational management. Overall, the NCPS aims to improve quality, access and cost-effectiveness of stroke services.
The findings of the National Stroke Audit 2015 provide a snapshot of the acute stroke service. The audit’s purpose was to assess current practice against both national and international guidelines. Twenty-seven sites participated in both the organisational and clinical audit, with each of the participating sites managing at least 20 new patients with stroke per annum.
In relation to the Deputy's query regarding University Hospital Kerry, 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.
466. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the status of the drug Translarna (details supplied); if it will be made available to patients through HSE funding in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14741/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the community drugs schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. Prior to deciding whether to reimburse a medicine, the HSE considers a range of statutory criteria, including clinical need, cost-effectiveness and the resources available to the HSE.
Decisions on whether to reimburse medicines by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds by the HSE, on the advice of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE). The NCPE conducts the health technology assessment of pharmaceutical products for the HSE, and can make recommendations on reimbursement to assist the HSE in its decision-making process.
The NCPE completed a health technology assessment of ataluren (brand name Translarna) in April and did not recommend reimbursement. The HSE is currently considering the NCPE report.
467. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of an issue with children under six years of age and over awaiting sequential and bilateral cochlear implants at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9; if funding allocated to the cochlear implant programme has been reduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14750/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE has confirmed that funding for the cochlear implant programme has not been reduced. Beaumont Hospital is the national centre for the delivery of the programme, with surgical provision also provided for children at Temple Street. €3.22m was provided in the 2014 National Service Plan to undertake a service to provide bilateral implants, and in 2015 and 2016 National Service Plans provided for the continuation of development of the service. Theatre capacity issues are being experienced currently and I am advised that Beaumont Hospital and the HSE are working actively to address these.
468. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on priority waiting lists for home help hours in the north Leitrim area; the number of hours which would be necessary to provide home help to these persons; the number of home helps employed by the HSE in the area; and the number of hours of home help they are providing now. [14756/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra469. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Health if the allocation of home help hours in the north Leitrim area is based on need and not on budgetary constraints. [14757/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 468 and 469 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.
470. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health his views on prescription charges; and if there could be a provision for pensioners not to pay the charges on all of their individual items as opposed to a flat fee or no fee for this age group. [14758/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe prescription charge is a matter which I intend to consider in the context of the implementation of the health commitments in the Programme for Partnership Government and having regard to the funding available to facilitate such measures.
Detailed financial analysis will be required in order to establish as accurately as possible the expected costs to the Exchequer.
471. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the estimated annual cost of employing an additional 250 speech and language therapists, 100 physiotherapists, 100 occupational therapists and 150 clinical psychologists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14768/16]
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 the matter with them.
472. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health to engage in consultations with the HSE regarding the possibility of treatment for illnesses such as fibromyalgia in the National Hyperbaric Treatment Centre in Dublin being provided through the public health system. [14777/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, 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.
473. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health the status of a rescheduled hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14782/16]
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.
474. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Health his views on the use of hyperbaric chambers as a treatment for fibromyalgia; if the treatment is used in public hospitals to treat fibromyalgia; if this treatment is offered by private insurance providers in the Irish market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14783/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraHyperbaric oxygen therapy may be used to treat a range of conditions including soft tissue burns, amputations, neurological diseases and other conditions.
I do not have a role in the day to day operations of any private health insurance company. Insurance providers are commercial companies operating in a competitive market and make decisions as to the benefits members are entitled to, in accordance with the terms and conditions of each individual member's policy.
The availability of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on private health insurance products is a function of the private health insurance market. It is advisable therefore that any health insurance plan under consideration be checked with the health insurance provider concerned for coverage of specific therapies.
As the question about whether hyperbaric oxygen therapy is used in public hospitals is a service matter, 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.
475. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the case of a person (details supplied) who is currently undergoing dialysis in the North of Ireland; if this person will be included on the transplant waiting list in the North of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14784/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person referred to by the Deputy is on Beaumont Hospital's waiting list for a kidney transplant. In accordance with international practice, an individual cannot be on two transplant waiting lists simultaneously.
476. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health his plans to create an all-Ireland transplant waiting list; if he has discussed this with the Minister for Health in the North of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14785/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraNorth-South co-operation on health matters takes place through the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) as well as through joint departmental projects. While cooperation on organ transplantation is among the issues that are expected to be explored, there are no plans at present to create an all-Ireland transplant waiting list.
477. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the number of persons currently on the waiting list for kidney transplant. [14786/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra478. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the number of kidney transplants which have been performed each year since 2011. [14787/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 477 and 478 together.
The number of people on the active waiting list for a kidney transplant as of 3 May 2016 (latest figures available) was 476.
The number of kidney transplants performed each year since 2011 was as follows:
|
Year |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
Deceased Kidney Transplants |
165 |
131 |
147 |
112 |
120 |
|
Living Kidney Donor Transplants |
27 |
32 |
38 |
40 |
33 |
|
Total Kidney Transplants |
192 |
163 |
185 |
152 |
153 |
