Written Answers Nos. 1017 - 1035
1017. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding allocated to each hospital within the South-South West hospital group since February 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20109/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1018. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding the HSE allocated to hospitals (details supplied) from February 2016 to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20120/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1017 and 1018 together.
In relation to the queries raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
1019. Deputy Niamh Smyth 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. [20122/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to express my deepest appreciation of the challenges facing the family of this child in providing for his care. 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. I am also having my officials examine this case in order to provide a response to the correspondence.
1020. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the number of persons awaiting cataract operations under the South-South West hospital group as of 24 April 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20138/17]
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.
1021. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health the timeline for publication of the primary eye care services review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20165/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for reply to the Deputy.
1022. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on waiting lists for services (details supplied) at University Hospital Galway, in respect of both outpatient and inpatient appointments, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20168/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe NTPF publishes waiting list data by speciality, hospital and hospital group each month. These data can be viewed in tabular format on the NTPF website at http://www.ntpf.ie.
Data with regard to waiting lists at University Hospital Galway are broken down by specialty. A total of 289 patients are awaiting Inpatient/Day case procedures in the specialty of gynaecology, of whom 153 have been waiting for 6 months or less, 67 have been waiting 6-12 months, 37 have been waiting 12-18 months and 32 have been waiting for more than 18 months.
A total of 1736 patients are awaiting an outpatient appointment for gynaecology. Of these, 1054 have been waiting for 6 months or less, 275 have been waiting 6-12 months, 193 have been waiting 12-18 months and 214 have been waiting for more than 18 months.
The NTPF does not publish a breakdown for waiting times in excess of 18 months, therefore, in relation to patient numbers waiting for 24 months and in excess of 24 months, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
1023. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the work being undertaken by his Department in respect of food product improvement; the expected date for publishing the national plan for food product improvement; the consultations his Department has had with relevant stakeholders in respect of the plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20169/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has been working on food product improvement for over a decade. We have met regularly with Food Industry Ireland (FDI) as part of the work of the Special Group on Obesity. While we welcome the positive work of the industry in achieving reductions in fat, salt and sugar, the FDI to date have been providing retrospective data and we would like to see up to date information on the scope of product reformulation broaden and deepen in a more timely manner.
The FSAI programme on salt reduction, which started in 2004 and is ongoing, is an example of an excellent food reformulation success. This work had been guided by the EU Framework on salt reduction and the targets they established. My Department held workshops to facilitate food industry awareness of the targets ad their achievement.
A Healthy Weight for Ireland – Obesity Policy and Action Plan, 2016 – 2025 was launched in September 2016. The Policy sets out a 10 Steps Forward, 20 priorities and 60 actions to be undertaken during its life time.
One of these actions, 3.1, is to agree food industry reformulation targets and review progress. My Department is in the process of establishing a national food product improvement Working Group and is working with the EU Commission on their food improvement bench marks Working Group. These bench marks will be used as a guide for Member States.
1024. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the progress being made on the development of a code of practice for the marketing, retail promotion and sponsorship of high fat and sugar foods; when this will be finalised; the consultation which has taken place in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20170/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraNon-Broadcast Advertising and Marketing of Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, including Sponsorship and Retail Product Placement: Voluntary Codes of Practice, is one of the 60 actions of 'A Healthy Weight for Ireland - Obesity Policy and Action Plan 2016 - 2025. In developing the Code the Department has involved all relevant sectors including, but not limited to, IBEC, FSAI, DFAM, ASAI, FDI, Safefood, BAI etc. The development also included presentations from the academic sector and retailers. The Codes are in the final stage of preparation.
1025. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health the position of a person (details supplied) on a waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20173/17]
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.
1026. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of funding for a chair for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20175/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
1027. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20176/17]
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.
1028. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the way in which the process of compassionate exemption for access to medicinal cannabis operates; when the process is relevant, the persons eligible to apply; the criteria for access; and the number of successful applicants there are under the scheme. [20177/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 10 February I published the HPRA’s Report ‘Cannabis for Medicinal Use – A Scientific Review’ and announced the establishment of an access programme for cannabis-based treatments to be provided for patients under the care of a medical consultant for the following conditions:
- spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis resistant to all standard therapies and interventions;
- intractable nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, despite the use of standard anti-emetic regimes;
- severe, refractory (treatment-resistant) epilepsy that has failed to respond to standard anticonvulsant medications.
A critical focus of the Department’s work in setting-up the Cannabis Access Programme has been engagement with clinicians, patients and pharmacists who will be central to the drawing up of guidelines on the safe use of cannabis for those patients who will be prescribed cannabis-based treatments through the Cannabis Access Programme.
This is being facilitated through an Expert Reference Group comprising representation from the areas of Oncology, Palliative care, Anaesthesiology, General Practice, Adult Neurology, Paediatric Neurology, Multiple Sclerosis, Psychiatry, Pharmacy, Patients, Ethics, Health Technology Assessment, and Health Products Regulator. The Reference Group has already commenced work on drafting guidelines, in line with National Standards for Clinical Practice Guidance Development, to facilitate the prescription and supply of medicinal cannabis to qualifying patients.
Officials in the Department are also working on secondary legislation to underpin the access programme. This work will take a number of months. In the meantime it remains open to me, as Minister, under the Misuse of Drugs Act, to consider granting a licence for access to medical cannabis for named patients, where this course of action has been endorsed by the patient’s consultant.
The main elements of an application for a licence for the Schedule 1 drug, cannabis must include:
- An outline of the treatment the patient has received to date and justification from the doctor as to why it is appropriate in their patient’s specific circumstances to prescribe a Schedule 1 drug;
- Details of the cannabis-based product which it is proposed to prescribe and administer to the patient;
- The source of the cannabis-based product;
- The arrangements for the ongoing monitoring and care of the patient once the cannabis-based treatment has commenced.
Ultimately the decision on the appropriate course of treatment for any patient is a matter for the clinician treating the patient. To date one license has been granted.
1029. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the inadequate ambulance service in north-west Connemara; and if so, his plans to address this issue. [20179/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
1030. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health his plans to include Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in the long-term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20182/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe LTI Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act 1970 (as amended). The conditions covered by the LTI are: acute leukaemia; mental handicap; cerebral palsy; mental illness (in a person under 16); cystic fibrosis; multiple sclerosis; diabetes insipidus; muscular dystrophies; diabetes mellitus; parkinsonism; epilepsy; phenylketonuria; haemophilia; spina bifida; hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide. Under the LTI Scheme, patients receive drugs, medicines, and medical and surgical appliances directly related to the treatment of their illness, free of charge.
There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the Scheme.
1031. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he has given consideration to updating the long-term illness scheme in view of the fact that the scheme has not been reviewed in the past 45 years; if there are stipulated timelines for review; if there is a plan and-or strategy in place for keeping the system up to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20183/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe LTI Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act 1970 (as amended). The conditions covered by the LTI are: acute leukaemia; mental handicap; cerebral palsy; mental illness (in a person under 16); cystic fibrosis; multiple sclerosis; diabetes insipidus; muscular dystrophies; diabetes mellitus; parkinsonism; epilepsy; phenylketonuria; haemophilia; spina bifida; hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide. Under the LTI Scheme, patients receive drugs, medicines, and medical and surgical appliances directly related to the treatment of their illness, free of charge.
There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the Scheme.
1032. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if an appointment can be expedited for a person (details supplied). [20184/17]
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 the Deputy directly.
1033. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if an appointment can be expedited for a person (details supplied). [20185/17]
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 the Deputy directly.
1034. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to ensure that an ambulance service is in place to meet the needs of an area (details supplied) in County Galway; if he will request the national ambulance service to consider a group's suggestion that an ambulance be deployed in an empty Garda barracks. [20187/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
1035. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason a drug is not being covered by a medical card for a person (details supplied); his plans to review these changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20223/17]
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.
