Written Answers Nos 550-566
550. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health the amount of financial subvention the State paid to Shannondoc in County Clare between 1 January 2016 and 1 January 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9728/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
551. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health the number of ambulances and advanced paramedic cars that were based in County Clare in each of the years 2009 to 2016, from 1 January 2017 to 31 January 2017 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9729/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
552. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if a HSE-commissioned review of genetics services completed in 2014 was published and is publicly available; if this is the same document as the national genetics and genomics document; when this will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9745/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
553. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of persons waiting for genetic testing in respect of exome sequencing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9746/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
554. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the services that are available in County Mayo for young adults with mental health challenges that are deemed to be in need of 24-hour care; if there are full-time residential facilities available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9747/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
555. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the laundry department in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda; the short-to-medium-term plans for the department; the funding the laundry department received in each of the years 2014, 2015 and 2016; the funding which has been set aside for the running of the laundry department for 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9749/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
556. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the status of the case of a person (details supplied). [9751/17]
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.
557. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the date on which officials in his Department were first informed of the existence of a Tusla file regarding a person (details supplied); if his Department was informed of this file's existence by either Tusla or the Department of Children and Youth Affairs or by another entity; the action taken on foot of receipt of this information; the other Departments or State agencies that were informed regarding the existence of this file; and the date on which such information was provided to same. [9764/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe existence of a Tusla file in relation to this matter came to the attention of officials of my Department through media coverage. Subsequently, officials of my Department were made aware by the Health Service Executive on Friday evening 10 February 2017 that a HSE counselling service was involved in the referral referred to in the Tusla file. Both myself and the Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People were informed on Friday night by e-mail through our Private Secretaries. I was also contacted directly by the Director General of the HSE on Friday evening 10 February with the same information.
Prior to 10 February, the only contact between this family and my Department was when the individual's wife phoned my departmental office on the 17 January. This call was returned on the 18 January and once the official who took the call established that it concerned Tusla, he made arrangements for the office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to directly contact the caller.
My Department was not made aware of the existence of this file by either Tusla or the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, or by another entity, prior to that date. This has been confirmed with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
The HSE issued a statement on Saturday 11 February clarifying its involvement and offering a full apology to Sergeant McCabe and indicating their intention to make arrangements to formally deliver that apology to the McCabe family. Sergeant McCabe communicated to my Special Advisor on that Saturday night that he and his family rejected the HSE’s apology and statement. The HSE subsequently issued a more formal apology to Sergeant McCabe and his family. My Department and the HSE will be fully co-operating with the Tribunal in all relevant matters.
558. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the January 2016 estimate of €395 million of direct State investment in the replacement and upgrade of 90 public nursing homes (details supplied) still stands, as of February 2017; if any revision of estimates has taken place in view of construction cost inflation; and if so, the current estimate for the replacement or refurbishment of these facilities. [9768/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra559. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the current date for completion of each project and the current indicative cost of completion for each project for each of the 90 public nursing homes (details supplied) to be replaced, refurbished or upgraded, in tabular form. [9769/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 558 and 559 together.
As these are service matters they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
560. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the reason a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) has been closed, despite the person's particular circumstances and in view of the fact that the section was made aware of the particular circumstances through correspondence outlining the condition; if the application will be reopened; the further details required to fully complete same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9786/17]
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 Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information was issued to Oireachtas members.
561. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will have high priority orthodontic treatment; the person's position on the waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9809/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
562. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment in respect of a person (details supplied). [9816/17]
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.
563. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the current waiting times being experienced for orthodontic treatment in the HSE west region; the steps being taken to alleviate the waiting times being experienced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9817/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
564. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health if persons awaiting orthodontic treatments for more than 18 months are entitled to have their treatments carried out under the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF; the criteria for eligibility of the NTPF; the steps a person should take if applying for the NTPF; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9818/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraPatients up to their 16th birthday are referred for secondary care orthodontic treatment under the modified Index of Treatment Need. Those with the greatest clinical need i.e. Grade 5 or Grade 4 are provided with treatment by the HSE. It should be noted that the nature of orthodontic care means that immediate treatment is not always desirable. It is estimated that in up to 5% of cases it is necessary to wait for further growth to take place before treatment commences.
In line with a commitment in the Programme for Partnership Government to provide timely access to orthodontic care, the HSE has undertaken a procurement of orthodontic services with a number of private service providers. Those patients who have been waiting over four years have been contacted first, followed by those waiting three years or more. This initiative commenced in April 2016. By the end of 2016, 1,889 patients had been contacted and 1,238 accepted transfer from HSE to a private orthodontic provider. By virtue of this outsourcing initiative, it is not envisaged that the Waiting List initiatives due to be implemented by the NTPF and the HSE under its Waiting List Action Plans will include orthodontic care.
The HSE is also considering changes in skills mix to assist in providing timely access for patients. This involves using orthodontic therapists working under the supervision of specialist orthodontists. Two orthodontic therapists are in place and a further two are in training and the HSE plan to extend this initiative.
Orthodontic treatment is included in the list of treatments available under the Cross Border Directive. Patients may access orthodontic treatment outside the state, and can be reimbursed by the HSE. Further information on this is available on the HSE website.
566. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an application for equipment from the HSE by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9841/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
