Ruth Coppinger
Ceist:534. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health if he will expand the availability of organ transplant services for children here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16347/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraOrgan Transplant Services
Ceisteanna (534)
Freagraí scríofa
At present kidney transplants for children in Ireland are carried out in the Children's University Hospital, Temple Street. Irish paediatric patients travel to the UK for liver, heart and lung transplants.
Organ Donation
Ceisteanna (535)
Ruth Coppinger
Ceist:535. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health the steps he will take to increase the level of organ donation here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16348/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
My Department has provided increased funding to HSE Organ Donation Transplantation Ireland (ODTI) to support initiatives aimed at increasing the levels of organ donation and transplantation. Additional staff have been recruited to foster a strong culture of organ donation, to optimise conversion rates and to ultimately increase the number of transplants that are carried out. These staff include Organ Procurement Coordinators, Organ Donation Nurse Managers and Intensive Care Consultants.
The emphasis is on endeavouring to ensure that we avail of all opportunities for organ donation. The Living Kidney Donor Programme reached a milestone of 50 living donor transplants for the first time last year. The number of deceased donations will always fluctuate somewhat depending on the opportunities that arise.
Work on scoping the parameters of legislation for a Human Tissue Bill, is currently being undertaken in my Department. It is envisaged that this Bill will provide for an opt-out system of consent for organ donation. Under this proposed system, consent will be deemed unless the person has, while alive, registered his/her wish not to become an organ donor after death. However, it is proposed that, even though consent is deemed, the next of kin will in practice always be consulted prior to removing any organ (“soft” opt-out system). The aim is to make organ donation the norm in situations where the opportunity arises.
Organ Donation
Ceisteanna (536)
Ruth Coppinger
Ceist:536. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health his views on opt-out basis as opposed to opt-in basis for organ donation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16349/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Work on scoping the parameters of legislation for a Human Tissue Bill, is currently being undertaken in my Department. It is envisaged that this Bill will provide for an opt-out system of consent for organ donation. Under this proposed system, consent will be deemed unless the person has, while alive, registered his/her wish not to become an organ donor after death. However, it is proposed that, even though consent is deemed, the next of kin will in practice always be consulted prior to removing any organ (“soft” opt-out system). The aim is to make organ donation the norm in situations where the opportunity arises.
Translation Services Provision
Ceisteanna (537)
Colm Brophy
Ceist:537. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Health the number of requests his Department received for material to be made available in braille format in each of the years 2014 to 2016; the number of these requests which were accommodated by his Department; the cost implication and the person or body which provided the translation service. [16376/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Department's Customer Service Unit has advised that no requests were made to it for material to be made available in braille format for the years in question.
Vaccination Programme
Ceisteanna (538)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:538. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the way he has ensured the availability of the meningitis B vaccine from the HSE in order to prevent the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in the UK and Ireland (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16533/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The HSE Service Plan included additional funding of €2.5 million for the expansion of the Primary Childhood Immunisation Schedule in 2016. Two changes were made to the Primary Childhood Immunisation Schedule with the introduction of Men B and Rotavirus for all babies born on or after 1 October, 2016. As the first doses of these vaccines are administered to children when they reach two months, the changes to the immunisation schedule took effect from 1 December, 2016. All vaccines administered through the Primary Childhood Immunisation Schedule are provided free of charge. Ireland is the second country in Europe to make the vaccine available free of charge as part of its national immunisation programme.
In December 2013, NIAC issued guidance relating to the use of Bexsero in the control of clusters or outbreaks of Meningococcal B disease. The vaccine has been used in accordance with this guidance, along with other measures, to control outbreaks of the disease.
In June 2014, NIAC recommended immunisation with Meningitis B vaccine for all previously unimmunised close contacts of meningococcal disease. Currently people who are contacts of cases that are not part of clusters are prescribed antibiotics as a prophylactic measure.
The introduction of the vaccine to the childhood immunisation programmes means that all children born on or after 1 October 2016, including those in "at risk groups", will automatically receive the vaccine. There are no plans at this stage to introduce a catch-up programme for older children. Those who have a medical card are eligible to have the vaccine administered by their GP free of charge. However the purchase of the vaccine is not covered by the medical card scheme.
Hospital Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (539)
Tom Neville
Ceist:539. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Health the status of a cataract operation for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16536/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under 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.
Hospital Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (540)
John Brassil
Ceist:540. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16571/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under 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.
Registration of Nurses
Ceisteanna (541)
Shane Cassells
Ceist:541. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Health the status of and the reason for the delay in processing a nursing registration application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16578/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I would like to thank the Deputy for the matter raised.
The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland have provided a report on the matter. The NMBI have advised that the applicant applied for registration in October 2014. However, the file was closed in October 2015 as a number of documents were still outstanding from the applicant. A new application was received in March 2016 and the final requested document was received in the NMBI in June 2016. I understand from the NMBI that further information/clarification was requested and a decision to refuse registration was made in August 2016. The NMBI notified the applicant of this decision to her address in the USA. The NMBI have recently e-mailed a scanned copy of this decision letter to the applicant. The applicant has 56 days from receipt of the decision letter in which to lodge an appeal.
Hospital Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (542)
Robert Troy
Ceist:542. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will schedule an appointment for a person (details supplied). [16579/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under 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.
Health Services
Ceisteanna (543)
Fiona O'Loughlin
Ceist:543. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health if he will review the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16587/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under 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.
Hospital Services
Ceisteanna (544)
Anne Rabbitte
Ceist:544. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health the process and services that are available to persons living with intestinal failure transitioning from the national paediatric unit at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16604/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I am aware that a business case for the establishment of a dedicated centre for Intestinal Failure is currently being finalised by St James’s Hospital. St James’s Hospital is part of the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group. Any proposals for the funding for the centre for Intestinal failure in St. James's will have to be considered as part of the Hospital Group’s overall priorities for services across the Group. The business case will need to be submitted to the HSE for consideration as part of the overall 2018 estimates process and with regard to competing priorities for resources available in 2018.
In relation to the specific query raised in relation to transitional arrangements, as this is a service matter I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
Home Help Service
Ceisteanna (545)
Brendan Griffin
Ceist:545. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health the way home help care workers' pensions are assessed; when these pensions were introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16608/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Eligible HSE employees including Home Helps and Health Care Assistants are members of the Health Service Executive Employee Superannuation Scheme. Members' pensions are calculated in accordance with pension scheme rules.
Hospital Staff Data
Ceisteanna (546)
Eugene Murphy
Ceist:546. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of orthopaedic surgeons currently based at University College Hospital Galway; if there are current vacancies, when the orthopaedic surgery posts became vacant; when these positions will be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16610/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In response to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
Hospital Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (547)
Eugene Murphy
Ceist:547. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) can expect to receive an appointment for pain management injections at University Hospital Galway's orthopaedic department. [16611/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under 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.