Written Answers Nos. 567-577
567. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health if all matters relating to the case of a person (details supplied) were dealt with in an appropriate manner; and if all HSE procedures in connection to this type of matter were complied with. [9843/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
568. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9853/17]
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.
569. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an appointment for a scan at Letterkenny University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9856/17]
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 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.
570. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Health when a home care package that has been granted by the HSE will be put in place for a person (details supplied). [9867/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
571. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has to wait 12 months for an appointment. [9869/17]
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.
572. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will have an assessment of need carried out; the position of this person on the waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9871/17]
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.
573. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a medical device for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9872/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
574. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a document that shows that there is a risk to ambulance cover in an area (details supplied) in County Cork; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact the National Ambulance Service intends to replace the only servicing ambulance in this area with a 24-7 rapid response car; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that ambulance services in this area are run on an overtime basis; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that the Health Service Executive's failure to recruit sufficient staff and authorise sufficient overtime has left hundreds of hours uncovered in this area; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is only one ambulance and one first responder paramedic car covering a certain area, the former spending a considerable amount of time on duty covering County Waterford. [9878/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am not aware of the document referred to by the Deputy. I have therefore asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly regarding the issues raised.
575. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the status of developments towards the regulation of counselling and psychotherapy professionals; the stakeholder groups he has met in the context of this reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9882/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraPsychotherapists and counsellors are not currently regulated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005. However, the Act provides that the Minister may, by regulation, designate a health and social care profession not already designated if he or she considers that it is appropriate and in the public interest to do so and if specified criteria have been met.
The regulation of a new profession under the Act involves a consultation process and the making of a number of statutory instruments by the Minister for Health and by the relevant registration board.
Over the past few years, a number of professional bodies have met with the Department of Health, at both official and ministerial levels, to convey their views on options to regulate counsellors and psychotherapists. In September of last year, the Department engaged in a formal consultation process in which interested persons and organisations were invited to formally submit their views on how the statutory regulation of the profession(s) should proceed. A total of 84 submissions were received by the closing date of 30th November 2016.
I am undertaking an examination of these submissions which will inform the approach to be adopted in progressing the statutory regulation of psychotherapists and counsellors.
I envisage that the next steps in the statutory regulation of the profession(s) under the Act will commence in the coming months with the submission of draft designation regulations to the Houses of the Oireachtas.
While the profession or professions of counsellor and psychotherapist are not currently designated under the 2005 Act, counsellors and psychotherapists are subject to legislation similar to other practitioners including consumer legislation, competition, contract and criminal law. There are also various regulatory controls on many counsellors and psychotherapists operating in Ireland.
The profession of psychologist, for example, is a designated profession under the 2005 Act which means that those psychologists who are counsellors and/or psychotherapists will begin to be regulated when the Psychologists Registration Board, which is due to be established during this year, opens its register.
Psychiatrists, some of whom practice psychotherapy, are regulated under the Medical Practitioners Act 2007. Also, counsellors/therapists working in the publicly funded health sector are required to have minimum qualifications set by the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004.
576. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health when a date for an operation will be provided to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9885/17]
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 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.
577. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the status of the payment of prescription charges for a person (details supplied); and when they can expect to be paid. [9886/17]
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.
