Written Answers Nos. 390-408
390. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE nursing positions in place at University Hospital Waterford for each of the years 2006 to 2015 and to date in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33730/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
391. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the difficulties encountered in recruiting nurses into the public system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33731/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraNursing and midwifery recruitment and retention is a priority for the health service. Recruitment is challenging given nursing shortages globally, intense competition at home and abroad and the standing of Irish trained nurses and midwives.
There are many initiatives currently underway to improve staffing levels throughout the country. The HSE is offering permanent posts to 2016 degree programme graduates, and full time permanent contracts to those in temporary posts. The HSE is also focused on converting agency staffing to permanent posts. The HSE's National Recruitment Service is actively operating rolling nursing recruitment campaigns. The campaigns encompass General, Mental Health, Intellectual Disability and Registered Children's Nurses, and also Midwives. In addition, a relocation package of up to €1,500 is available to nurses who return from overseas.
A number of specific measures have also been taken in relation to pay that will support the recruitment and retention of Irish nursing and midwifery graduates. Measures to date include the first stage of pay restoration under the Lansdowne Road Agreement, additional pay in return for taking on some duties from doctors and an increase in the rate of pay for the student nursing placement to 70% of the first point of the staff nurse pay scale. Last month the Government approved restoration of incremental credit for all nurses in respect of the 36 week clinical placement undertaken by 4th year student nurses in the context of the 2017 Estimates. This decision means that all nurses and midwives will receive incremental credit for the 36 week placement restored from 1 January 2017, restoration of the credit to 2016 and future graduates having been approved earlier this year. It is estimated that the inclusion of 2011 to 2015 graduates will benefit around 4,000 nurses who are currently working within the public health service and potentially another 3,000 who may wish to return to the public system in the future.
There has been an increase of almost 1,200 nurses employed in the public health service (34,336 to 35,534) from September 2014 to September 2016, numbers having fallen by almost 4,600 from 2007 to 2014. The total budget for the health service in 2017 is €14.6 billion, the highest budget ever allocated to the health service and this will allow for the recruitment of additional frontline staff to meet service needs. It is intended that this will support the recruitment of up to 1,000 additional nurses. Given recognised difficulties in filling psychiatric nursing vacancies, an additional 60 undergraduate places have been put in place this autumn with a further 70 additional places to be provided next year.
392. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the period for which non-emergency X-rays are not taking place at University Hospital Waterford, UHW; the number of radiologist posts which are vacant at the hospital; if there is a difficulty in recruiting radiologists; the steps he is taking to address the problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33732/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
393. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of inpatient beds in operation at University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33733/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
394. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of inpatient beds in operation at University Hospital Waterford, UHW, for each of the years 2006 to 2015 and to date in 2016, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33734/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
395. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a full list of all drugs removed from the GMS medical card scheme and a list of those drugs whose availability has been restricted under the scheme since 1 January 2015; if the drug Macushield has been removed or restricted; the estimated number of persons here suffering from age related macular degeneration, AMD; the number of persons, accurate or estimated, here over 65 years of age who suffer from AMD; if a value figure is available for a year's supply of Macushield for the average AMD sufferer; if there is funding available to medical card holders for Macushield; if Macushield has been removed or restricted, the reason it was removed or restricted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33739/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE has advised that Macushield products have never been made available to all persons with medical card eligibility; however, Macushield and similar products were historically available to medical card holders in many areas under Discretionary Hardship Arrangements.
In developing a national framework for the administration of Discretionary Hardship Arrangements, the HSE's Medicines Management Programme (MMP) was asked to review the available therapeutic evidence for supporting reimbursement of Macushield and similar products. The MMP report supported the view of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics that the evidence for dietary carotenoids for the prevention of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is inconclusive, and the MMP therefore does not recommend that products containing these preparations be reimbursed under any community drug scheme.
In light of the MMP's published report, the HSE decided to cease reimbursement support for these dietary supplement products. The MMP report is available at:
www.hse.ie/eng/about/Who/clinical/natclinprog/medicinemanagementprogramme/yourmedicines/Evaluation_Reports/.
As the other issues raised by the Deputy are operational and service matters, they have been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
396. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if he will meet with a group (details supplied) as soon as possible to discuss the HSE proposed reduction of surgery services in Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, County Meath. [33743/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra398. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm or deny information (details supplied); if he will commit to preventing it happening; and if he will commit to safeguarding the emergency department and surgery for the lifetime of the Thirty-second Dáil. [33767/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 396 and 398 together.
Our Lady’s Hospital Navan is part of the Ireland East Hospital Group. Hospital Groups must increasingly focus on networks of service provision with smaller hospitals managing routine, urgent or planned care locally, more complex care managed in the larger hospitals and better linkages with primary, continuing and social care.
A number of developments at the hospital have been funded in recent years including the refurbishment of the Emergency Department and upgrade of general theatres and Central Sterile Services. There has also been an increase in day surgical activity, with surgeons from the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital carrying out day surgery in Navan. Further developments in relation to surgery and other clinical services are being considered by the Group. There is significant potential for enhancing the hospital’s role as a constituent hospital within the Hospital Group. As a smaller hospital, the challenge is to make sure that Navan provides more of the right type of services, which can safely be delivered, so that we maximise the benefit to patients.
Any proposed change to services provided at Navan Hospital, will need to take account of existing patient flows, demands in other hospitals and the need to develop particular services in the context of overall service reorganisation in the Hospital Group.
As previously stated I would be happy to consider a request to meet with the group referred to by the Deputy.
397. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has been waiting for an operation for a period of time well outside the expected timeline for same; the reason these delays occurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33765/16]
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.
399. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding provided in budget 2017 for the further planning and construction of the long-promised new accident and emergency centre at Beaumont Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33773/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for a Partnership Government contains a commitment to commence the design phase of a new ED at Beaumont Hospital later this year. Since the publication of the Programme for Partnership Government, Beaumont Hospital has completed its initial overview including preliminary budget costs estimates for this project.
All healthcare infrastructure developments, including this development, must comply with HSE Estates Protocol, DPER guidelines and EU directives. A lead-in time will be required to complete the various stages. These stages include project appraisal, project brief, design feasibility, cost review, sketch design stage, detailed design/pre-tender cost review and planning permission. As the project is at a very early preliminary stage, and has yet to be reviewed by HSE Estates, the estimate of funding to enable progression requires only a nominal amount of funding in 2017. Thereafter the stages listed above will inform and determine funding and future project decisions.
Funding for the construction of this project will be provided as part of the review of the Capital Plan to be undertaken in 2017. The HSE is currently working on its multi-annual Capital Plan 2017-2021 prior to its submission to my Department. The Capital Plan requires my approval with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
400. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if there is a new treatment available for persons, most of whom are women, who were victims of the hepatitis C infection in the early 1980s; if so, the cost of such treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33774/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraNew innovative direct acting anti-viral medicines for the treatment of Hepatitis C have been developed which are significantly altering the prognosis for people infected with Hepatitis C.
A National Hepatitis C Treatment Programme was established by the HSE in 2015 to oversee the roll-out of a multi-annual treatment programme. The Treatment Programme was allocated funding of €30m in 2015 and 2016.
Establishing a Treatment Programme was a key recommendation of the report A Public Health Plan for the Pharmaceutical Treatment of Hepatitis C, which was produced by an Expert Advisory Group established by the Department of Health in 2014. That Report also recommended that access to these new medicines should be based on internationally accepted clinical prioritisation criteria. The Treatment Programme is responsible for implementing the clinical prioritisation criteria and any further extensions as the Programme is rolled-out.
At the time of establishment of the Programme, the Government provided a commitment that, at the very latest, by the end of 2017, all persons who contracted Hepatitis C through the administration of blood and blood products in the State will have access to these new medicines, if prescribed for them by their treating Clinician. This process is currently being managed through the Treatment Programme. Data from the HSE shows that as of September this year a total of 358 Health Amendment Act cardholder patients have been approved for treatment and the HSE have indicated that all cardholder patients will be offered treatment by the end of next year.
Further details on the Treatment Programme can be found at: www.hse.ie/eng/about/Who/primarycare/hepcprogramme%20.html.
401. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the supports being offered to persons, most of whom are women, who were victims of the hepatitis C infection in the early 1980s; if there are advocacy groups campaigning on their behalf and liaising closely with his department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33775/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraA wide range of supports are available to people who contracted Hepatitis C from the administration within the State of contaminated blood or blood products:
The Hepatitis C and HIV Compensation Tribunal compensates those who were infected with Hepatitis C and/or HIV;
Under the Health (Amendment) Act 1996, a range of services including GP services, all prescribed drugs, medicines and appliances, dental and ophthalmic services, home support, home nursing, and counselling services are provided without charge;
The Hepatitis C Insurance Scheme provides life assurance, mortgage protection and travel insurance subject to certain limits.
The Consultative Council on Hepatitis C includes some advocacy groups who represent those who contracted Hepatitis C from the administration within the State of contaminated blood or blood products.
402. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if the new primary care centre in Coolock, Dublin 5 will offer scans; if so, the precise type of scanning that will be made available, for example MRI and so on; if maternity care will be offered; the services which will be provided for at the centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33777/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the HSE has responsibility for the provision, along with the maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres and other Primary Care facilities, the Executive has been asked to reply directly to the Deputy in relation to the progress of planned Primary Care Centres.
403. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position in relation to the provision of intervention services, in particular speech and language and occupational therapy, for a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [33780/16]
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 an individual case, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
404. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the current status of the Autism Bill 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33788/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn March 2013, a Private Members Bill entitled the Autism Bill 2012 was debated and passed, unopposed by Government, to Second Stage in the Dáil. As the Deputy will be aware, all Bills on the Order Paper fall on dissolution of the Dáil.
Notwithstanding this, it is important to note that the new Disability Inclusion Strategy 2016-2020, which is due to be published before the end of the year, contains a commitment to implementing the Action Plan on Autism and also includes several autism-specific actions relating to health and education services and supports. In addition, work is currently underway in the National Disability Authority (NDA) on updating the Code of Practice on Accessibility of Public Services and Information provided by Public Bodies to ensure greater clarity for the needs of people with autism.
405. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of children on the general waiting list for orthodontic diagnostics at Merlin Park, University Hospital Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33789/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
406. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of children on the general waiting list for orthodontic diagnostics at University Hospital Galway due to the lack of a suitable dental X-ray machine in the radiography department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33790/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
407. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health the position regarding home help for a person (details supplied). [33791/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Home Help Services is provided on the bases of assessed need. The individual concerned should contact the Public Health Nurse at Fermoy Health Centre, Rathealy Road, Fermoy, phone (025)49779.
408. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in reopening beds at a hospital (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the fact that these beds are urgently needed; and if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that the deadline to reopen these beds has now passed. [33792/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
