Written Answers Nos. 914-935
914. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Health the number of inpatient hospital cancellations at University Hospital Kerry for each of the years 2013 to 2016 and to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41292/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to this particular query, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
915. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Health the number of inpatient and outpatient did-not-attends at University Hospital Kerry for each of the years 2013 to 2016 and to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41293/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to this particular query, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
916. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Health the number of theatres operational at University Hospital Kerry for each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41294/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to this particular query, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
919. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Health the number of times the full capacity protocol was initiated at University Hospital Kerry for each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41297/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to this particular query, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
920. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Health the number of paediatrics consultants contracted to be in place at University Hospital Kerry as of January 2017. [41298/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to this particular query, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
923. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health if he will include the process of blood removal for haemochromatosis patients, venesection, by general practitioners for medical card holders to be covered by the scheme and for general practitioners to be reimbursed accordingly in order to reduce the necessity of attendance at hospitals and in turn reduce pressures on hospital resources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41306/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the terms of the current GMS contract, GPs are required to provide eligible patients with "all proper and necessary treatment of a kind usually undertaken by a general practitioner and not requiring special skill or experience of a degree or kind which general practitioners cannot reasonably be expected to possess." Venesection for the treatment of haemochromatosis is not considered a routine service under the GMS contract.
There is a range of initiatives and services provided in a primary care setting and which I hope to see further developed, which are intended to facilitate care being delivered in the setting of lowest complexity appropriate to the patient's condition. One such initiative is the GP Minor Surgery Pilot Initiative, which includes venesection therapy. This pilot research project involves 23 GPs in 20 practices who are delivering a range of minor surgery procedures in general practice and has been established by the HSE and the Irish College of General Practitioners.
Preparations for the next phase of discussions on a new GP contract are underway. I am keen to ensure that future contractual terms for GPs would enjoy the support of the broad community of GPs and in this regard officials from my Department and the HSE will be engaging with the relevant GP representative bodies in relation to the wide range of matters which will need to be encompassed by the contract development process. It is not possible at this stage to provide a list of the individual issues that will be for discussion. The aim is to develop a new modern GP services contract which will incorporate a range of standard and enhanced services to be delivered. I would expect that the issue of therapeutic venesection services for patients with haemochromatosis will be considered in the context of the overall GP contract review process.
924. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment at Beaumont Hospital. [41309/16]
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.
925. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the reason persons with a medical card are charged an individual charge for differing strengths of warfarin (details supplied). [41311/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the community drug schemes; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
926. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the number of home help hours that will be allocated to the Dublin 13 and Dublin 5 areas under the 2017 HSE work programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41312/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
927. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health when replacement staff will be put in place to deal with staff losses in the dental clinic in Roscommon county clinic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41318/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
928. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) who was to be seen in a clinic cannot be seen in another clinic when they are in urgent need of treatment. [41319/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
929. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied). [41320/16]
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.
930. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) had been recommended for psychology assistance in a completed Health Service Executive assessment report in August 2015 in view of the importance of early diagnosis in childhood development; the action that has been taken to implement this recommendation; when the proposed assessment action will be implemented; the current projected delay and the waiting list in receiving this action for children in this catchment area; if the person is on the waiting list; and the place that the person currently is on that waiting list. [41328/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
931. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) has received an autism spectrum disorder assessment in view of the importance of early diagnosis in childhood development; the length of time it took to receive the assessment; and the reason for the delay. [41329/16]
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.
However, 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.
932. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health if an assessment of need was carried out on 17 August 2016 in respect of a person (details supplied) in view of the importance of early diagnosis in childhood development; and if this has taken place. [41330/16]
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.
However, 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.
933. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health the number of persons outsourced at Tallaght hospital in Dublin for each of the years 2013 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41333/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra934. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health the number of emergency department attendances at Tallaght hospital in Dublin for each of the years 2013 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41334/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra935. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health the outpatient waiting times at Tallaght hospital in Dublin broken down by year and by specialty and in the wait time bands of up to three months, up to six months, up to 12 months, up to 15 months, up to 18 months, up to two years and more than two years, for each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41335/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 933 to 935, inclusive, together.
In relation to the queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service issues, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
