John McGuinness
Ceist:104. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health his plans to improve services for persons with Lyme disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4690/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraDisease Management
Ceisteanna (104)
Freagraí scríofa
As this is a clinical service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Question No. 105 answered with Question No. 84.
Question No. 106 answered with Question No. 53.
Hospital Beds Data
Ceisteanna (107)
Thomas Pringle
Ceist:107. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the total number of acute hospital beds in each of the acute hospitals in the years 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4508/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
Autism Support Services
Ceisteanna (108)
Thomas P. Broughan
Ceist:108. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the number of school leaver day service places that are available for young adults over 18 years of age on the autism spectrum in September 2017; if all young adults on the autism spectrum requiring localised day services currently are in appropriate placements; if any 18 year olds will not be offered day service placements in September 2017 and the reasons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4251/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities that 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. The 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. With regard to the provision of day services for school-leavers with disabilities, the Programme for Partnership Government contains a commitment to ensuring that all 18 year old school leavers with intellectual and physical disabilities have continued education or training opportunities. Many of these young people will progress to mainstream education, training or employment but others will require continuing HSE-funded support services.
The process of meeting the needs of around 1,500 school leavers and Rehabilitative (Life-skills) Training graduates who require a HSE-funded day service in 2017 has commenced and has been further refined building on the learning from the 2016 planning process. To ensure that needs are met, additional funding of €10 million is being allocated by the HSE to provide appropriate services and supports. A standardised process for the identification of support needs has been put in place and a profiling exercise has commenced with each individual in order to ascertain their needs and preferences. It is intended that families and service users will be notified by the end of May of the placements which will be made available to them.
As the remainder of 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.
Home Help Service Provision
Ceisteanna (109)
Mary Butler
Ceist:109. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the reason there is no planned increase in the number of home help hours to be provided in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4660/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
It is Government policy that long-term nursing home care should be a last resort and we want to develop home care services to provide a more viable alternative to nursing home care for a greater number of people.
The overall funding for Services for Older People is €765 million in 2017. This includes additional funding for home care services which is aimed at allowing people to continue to live in their own homes and at facilitating discharge of older people from acute hospitals.
The HSE’s National Service Plan for 2017 provides for a target of:
- 10.57 million Home Help Hours to support about 49,000 people;
- 16,750 Home Care Packages and
- 190 Intensive Home Care Packages for clients with complex needs including 60 clients with dementia supported with co-funding from Atlantic Philanthropies under the Irish National Dementia Strategy.
This represents an increase on home care in comparison to last year’s Service Plan, which had a target of 10.4 million hours home help and 15,450 Home Care Packages.
Despite this significant level of service provision, the demand for Home Care continues to grow. It is important to note that the allocation of funding for home care across the system, though significant, is finite and services must therefore be delivered within the funding available. The level of activity and associated costs must be managed in each of the nine Community Healthcare Organisations in a way that ensures that those with the greatest needs are supported and that the overall expenditure on home care services by the HSE does not exceed the available funding.
The development of a new home care scheme is a priority for me, as Minister. The Department has commenced an examination of options to bring greater national consistency to the regulation and financing of home care. This work began in 2016 with a review by the Health Research Board of how home care is regulated and funded in comparable jurisdictions, commissioned by the Department. The review will be finalised and published shortly and will be used to inform the development of policy proposals for the regulation and funding of these services. In addition, a public consultation process will be launched in the coming months to allow stakeholders, including older people, their families and healthcare workers to express their views regarding a new home care scheme.
Rare Diseases
Ceisteanna (110)
Imelda Munster
Ceist:110. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health the status of the development of the terms of reference, required membership and reporting relationship for the working group to bring forward appropriate decision criteria for the reimbursement of orphan medicines and technologies; the timeline for these actions or when they can be expected; when these will be published; if expert pharmacologic support to advise the chairperson has been provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4555/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The HSE has advised my Department that the terms of reference for the proposed Rare Diseases Technology Review Group are being finalised. They will be discussed at an upcoming meeting of the HSE Optimising Pharmaceutical Value Group prior to being submitted to the National Drugs Management Programme Sponsorship Group for consideration.
The timeline for establishment of this group is subject to, among other things, approval of the National Drugs Management Programme Sponsorship. The Rare Disease drugs for consideration by the Rare Diseases Technology Review Group will be determined at a later stage in this process.
Assisted Human Reproduction
Ceisteanna (111)
Kathleen Funchion
Ceist:111. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 400 of 24 January 2017, the status of the review of international public funding models for fertility treatment, in view of the fact that it was to be furnished to him by the end of 2016; the reason for the delay in finalising the review; the timeframe to receive the review, analyse it and publish it; the knock-on effects this has for the general scheme of legislative provisions dealing with assisted human reproduction, AHR; the timeframe for the legislation dealing with AHR; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4571/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As outlined in the response to question 400 of 24 January, the evidence review of international public funding models for assisted human reproduction (AHR), which is being conducted by the Health Research Board (HRB), is due to be finalised in the near future. The HRB report will be published on the websites of both the Department of Health and the HRB at the earliest opportunity. The HRB report will be analysed by officials in my Department in the context of considering policy options for a potential public funding model for AHR treatment. The drafting of the General Scheme is a separate process to the evidence review, which is being conducted by the HRB.
The General Scheme of legislative provisions on AHR and associated research is being drafted by officials in my Department and it is envisaged it will be completed by the end of June 2017. When the Scheme has been approved by Government, it will be submitted to the Office of the Attorney General requesting Parliamentary Counsel to draft a Bill based on the approved legislative provisions.
Suicide Prevention
Ceisteanna (112)
Pat Buckley
Ceist:112. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the status of the work of the multidisciplinary group set up in 2016 to combat the recent spate of suicides in Cork; and his plans for a statewide framework for tackling such crises in the future. [4630/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In response to concerns about a number of deaths in Cork in 2016, a co-ordinated approach led by the Health Service Executive Head of Mental Health services for Cork and Kerry involving HSE Suicide Prevention Officers, Community Workers, and HSE Psychologists linking with voluntary partners was initiated. As of the 23rd of December there were four confirmed suicides in this region over the previous two months. The HSE has confirmed that the following has taken place since late November and is planned for the coming weeks:
- A multiagency meeting took place in Cork City Hall on the 5th of December. The HSE Head of Mental Health CHO Cork/Kerry presented on behalf of the HSE outlining the co-ordinated multi-organisation response to suicides put in place in Cork city since October 2016 in response to the rise in suicides;
- The group involved in the co-ordinated response to date continue to provide tailored support to communities and individuals affected by these suicides, responding to the needs identified by the community/individual themselves. This has included talks in GAA clubs, provision of SafeTalk training in community centres, meeting with school principals, a Resource Officer for Suicide Prevention meeting with individual families and with childcare services, and the fast tracking of adolescents identified as being at risk to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services;
- Led by the Communications Manager in CHO Cork /Kerry there has been continued monitoring of media reporting of suicide and issuing statements to address any inaccurate reporting. Media reporting is now much more aligned with the responsible reporting guidelines on suicide and is including details of helpline numbers and access to crisis services;
- The HSE Head of Service for Mental Health CHO Cork/Kerry has arranged a "lessons learned" session for all those involved in the multi-organisation co-ordinated response to date to review what has been done since October, which is due to take place on the 7 of March.
This response is reflective of how the current state-wide framework in place across the country operates. The National Office for Suicide Prevention is responsible for the coordination of suicide prevention initiatives around the country, as well as the implementation of the national suicide prevention strategy. This national suicide prevention strategy, ‘Connecting for Life’, sets out a vision where fewer lives are lost through suicide, and where communities and individuals are empowered to improve their mental health and well-being. This includes a greater focus on the important area of support for families and communities in suicide prevention, and providing community-based organisations with guidelines, protocols and training on effective suicide prevention.
Hospital Services
Ceisteanna (113)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:113. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the date for the opening of a new operating theatre in Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin to deal with children waiting for operations (details supplied); if he will order an independent review of scoliosis services here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4620/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Long waiting times for scoliosis surgery are not acceptable, and my Department has been working closely with the HSE to address this service pressure.
Additional funding of €1.042m was allocated under the 2015 Service Plan to increase capacity at Crumlin, and further resources of €0.987m were allocated under the 2016 Service Plan for Orthopaedics and Trauma to address service needs in Crumlin which will have a positive effect on access for scoliosis patients. In order to improve access in the short term the HSE Winter Initiative 2016/2017 includes €2m provided specifically for surgery for scoliosis patients. To date under this initiative 78 patients have been reviewed, 54 have been treated, and 4 have received appointments for treatment in February.
The construction of a new orthopaedic theatre in Crumlin is complete and will provide capacity for additional scoliosis activity in 2017. However the use of this theatre is dependent on the recruitment of additional theatre nurses. The Children's Hospital Group is exhausting every recruitment and retention avenue available to them, including international recruitment, to support the opening of the new theatre.
I have met with a number of scoliosis advocacy groups to discuss their concerns and the Children’s Hospital Group has begun a process of engagement with advocacy groups on developing a partnership approach to the design and planning of services for children with scoliosis. Therefore, an independent clinical review of scoliosis services is not required at this time.
The HSE is currently developing a 2017 Waiting List Action Plan for inpatient/daycase procedures to ensure that no patient is waiting more than 15 months by the end of October. My Department will continue to work with the HSE and the relevant hospitals in this context to ensure improvements in access to spinal surgery.
Autism Support Services
Ceisteanna (114)
Clare Daly
Ceist:114. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if his Department will review and upgrade the current model of service delivery for children with autism, in view of the fact that numbers of children are currently being blocked from receiving vital developmental services such as speech therapy. [4261/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The 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.
The particular issue raised by the Deputy is a service matter for the HSE. Accordingly I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.