Written Answers Nos. 613-30
613. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the waiting list for home help hours in Longford and Westmeath for year end August 2016; the number of home help hours in place for Longford and Westmeath for this period and for year end August 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26685/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
614. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an appointment for a person (details supplied) currently on the waiting list for two years and six months for an operation. [26703/16]
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.
615. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if an ENT consultant has been appointed to Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26704/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the specific case raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
616. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if there is discretion on the five-year rule, such as compassionate grounds in respect of the nursing homes support scheme; if so, the discretionary grounds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26709/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Nursing Homes Support Scheme was established by the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act, 2009. It is a scheme of financial support for people who need long term residential care services.
In line with the legislation there are three main steps to the process.
- Step 1 is an application for a Care Needs Assessment. The Care Needs Assessment identifies whether or not the person needs long-term nursing home care.
- Step 2 is an application for State Support. This is used to complete the Financial Assessment by the HSE which assesses the person’s contribution to care and his/her corresponding level of financial assistance (“State Support”). The Financial Assessment takes account of a person’s income and assets in order to determine the person’s contribution to their care.
- Step 3 is the decision to approve financial support for the applicant under the scheme.
As part of the Financial Assessment process, the HSE identifies any income or assets that the applicant and his/her partner may have deprived themselves of in the 5 years leading up to their application or at any time on or subsequent to the date on which application for financial support under the scheme is first made. These are defined in the legislation as 'transferred assets and 'transferred income' and are considered by the HSE when making a determination on the person's contribution towards their care.
Under the legislation there is no provision for discretion on the five year rule.
617. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a hospital appointment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26717/16]
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.
618. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a hospital appointment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26722/16]
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.
619. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an operation in Cork University Hospital for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26729/16]
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.
620. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment in Cork University Hospital for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26731/16]
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.
621. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment in Tralee for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26732/16]
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.
622. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the cost in 2017 of providing a medical card for all children in receipt of the domiciliary care allowance. [26734/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government states "We will extend the entitlement to a medical card for all children in receipt of the Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) in Budget 2017. Approximately 10,000 children will benefit from this initiative". In early June, I met with representatives of Our Children's Health. At that meeting, and in the debate on the Private Members Motion on the 19 July 2016, I reaffirmed the Government's commitment in its Programme to providing medical cards to all children that qualify for the DCA.
I also confirmed that this commitment was a priority for me in the upcoming budget discussions. Detailed financial analysis is currently being conducted in order to establish as accurately as possible the expected costs to the Exchequer in each case. Subject to the required resources being secured in the upcoming budget negotiations, primary legislation will be required to give effect to this measure and it is my objective to have this prepared and brought to the Oireachtas as quickly as possible after the Budget.
623. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment in the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, Cork for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26736/16]
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.
624. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the detail of the car park charging scheme operated at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda; if the HSE operates any reimbursement policy; and his plans to reduce this charge. [26737/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
625. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) being in a distressed state and now missing, was refused entry to University Hospital Kerry after being presented there by gardaí. [26748/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraWith regard to the specific query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
626. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the number of psychologists currently working with Offaly early intervention team, EIT, and school age team, SAT, and also in Laois EIT and SAT. [26755/16]
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.
627. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the number of children on the waiting list for occupational therapy in counties Cavan and Monaghan; the length of time they have been waiting; if measures are being introduced to ease the waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26757/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this 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.
628. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the full year cost of restoring distance coding and increasing the allowance to €25,000 under the rural practice allowance. [26759/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraRegulations were signed on 5th May 2016 which provide for the introduction of the new Rural Practice Support Framework, which includes improved qualifying criteria for rural support and an increase in the financial allowance from €16,216.07 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 (GMS) scheme.
Under the new Framework, if two practice units are providing general practitioner services in the same qualifying area, both practices may qualify for a modified allowance of €10,000. GPs holding a permanent GMS contract who received the Rural Practice Allowance of €16,216.07 immediately prior to the introduction of the new Regulations who do not meet the new qualifying criteria continue to receive the payment on a personal basis, provided they retain their contractual commitment to the remote rural area.
As at 8th September 2016, there are 253 practice units in receipt of rural supports under the RPSF. 175 practices receive the financial allowance of €20,000 and 20 practices receive the modified allowance of €10,000. The full year cost of increasing the existing allowance to €25,000 and the corresponding modified allowance to €12,500 for these practices would amount to nearly €1 million. Any increase in the financial allowance under the new RPSF would only apply to those practices that qualify under the new criteria, therefore these calculations have excluded the 58 GPs who currently receive the old financial allowance of €16,216.07.
Since 2009, a number of reductions have been applied under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 (FEMPI) to the fees and allowances paid to healthcare professionals, including GPs who provide services under the GMS scheme. The “distance code” was removed as a factor in calculating GP fees and allowances in 2010 under FEMPI. Certain fees payable to GPs such as capitation and out of hours fees varied according to a patient's age, gender and distance of their residence from the GP's surgery.
To accurately cost a reinstatement of the previous "distance code" arrangement would require a detailed exercise by the HSE, which would involve establishing a database for the current population of GMS patients containing their age, gender and distance of their residence from their GP's surgery. The Primary Care Reimbursement Service, which is responsible for the remuneration of GPs for the range of services they provide under the GMS scheme, does not currently maintain such a database. Therefore, it is not possible to provide a cost estimate in respect of this element of the Deputy's question.
629. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the waiting times for psychology services with Offaly early intervention team, EIT, and school age team, SAT, and also Laois EIT and SAT. [26766/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
630. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the number of additional psychology posts approved under the progressing disability services scheme that have been filled and the number still vacant. [26768/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
