Written Answers Nos. 392-409
392. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons treated for a full or partial limb amputation in each of the years 2014 to 2016, by county; the number of those persons who had diabetes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29829/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra397. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons treated for a full or partial limb amputation in each of the years 2014, 2015 and 2016, by county, in tabular form; the number of those persons that had diabetes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29989/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 392 and 397 together.
My Department does not collate data regarding amputations. Therefore, I have referred the questions asked by the Deputy to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply.
393. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied) in County Offaly. [29831/17]
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.
394. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the hours of opening of the new mental health day service in Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, County Meath; the staff working at this service; the staff that are necessary; the timeframe for the full complement of staff to be working at the service; the service that is being delivered; and the timeframe for the full service to become available. [29833/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
395. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the progress being made to make the drug eculizumab available to persons that have been diagnosed with systemic Degos disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29929/17]
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.
396. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the review being undertaken by his Department and the HSE following the decision of the NCPE in December 2016 to recommend against funding Respreeza; if the HSE or NCPE has met with a company (details supplied); if they reviewed the evidence presented in a second study published in a publication (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29930/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drug schemes, in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
399. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) can expect an appointment. [29994/17]
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.
400. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Health the number of applications that have been made for terminations under the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 each year since its introduction; the number of terminations which were refused; and the reason these terminations were refused. [29995/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSections 7, 8 and 9 of the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 provide for medical procedures that are permissible under the Act. The process requires medical assessment to determine if the test set out in the Supreme Court judgment in the X case is met.
Medical procedures carried out under the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 are subject to strict patient confidentiality, in line with guidance on confidentiality in medical practice as set out in the current Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics For Registered Medical Practitioners. While section 20 of the Act requires that the Minister for Health be notified of each termination of pregnancy no later than 28 days after it has taken place, reports under the Act are anonymised so as to protect women who have had terminations and their medical practitioners.
An annual report on notifications under the Act must be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas each year. Two such annual reports have been published to date and are available on the Department of Health website. The Annual Report for 2014 shows that twenty-six medical procedures were carried out under the Act, and the second Annual Report shows that twenty-six medical procedures were also carried out in 2015 under the Act. The third Annual Report, covering the period 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016, will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on or before 30 June this year. The data it covers will not be available before that time.
In addition, the HSE publishes an annual report on the formal review process provided for under the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013, which covers situations in which a woman has been refused a termination or where she has been unable to obtain an opinion. The formal review pathway is in addition to, and not in substitution for, the option of the woman seeking a second medical opinion as with normal medical practice.
The Annual Report for 2014 showed that one application for review was received, one review was carried out and the review committee found that the application did not meet the criteria for lawful termination of pregnancy under the Act. The Annual Report for 2015 showed that again one application was received by the HSE, one review was carried out and the review committee found that the application met the criteria for lawful termination of pregnancy. As set out previously, figures for 2016 will be available after they have been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on or before 30 June.
401. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Health if GMS payments to general practitioners which have previously been reduced under FEMPI are included under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29997/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 represents the outcome of discussions facilitated by the Workplace Relations Commission in respect of the extension of the Lansdowne Road Agreement and the previous Public Service Agreements. The proposals aim to assist the unwinding of FEMPI legislation as it has applied to public servants since 2009. General practitioners are private contractors and are not covered by the proposed Agreement.
The Government is committed to continuing to develop and strengthen primary care services, including general practitioner services. I recognise that it will, over time, be necessary to invest further in these services while at the same time ensuring best value for such additional spending. The Deputy will be aware of the engagement in relation to GP contracts which is under way at present. Issues of remuneration for general practitioners will, I expect, be the subject of engagement between the parties during these discussions.
404. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time for adult audiology assessments in County Kerry for medical card holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30021/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for reply to the Deputy.
405. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if he will revise the regulations regarding paramedics who work for the HSE and are supposed to get subsistence if they are out of base for over five hours (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30030/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
406. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) is still waiting for their registration with an organisation (details supplied) to be completed; the length of time the process takes; the reason the person has to wait until September 2017 for a further decision to be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30031/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to thank the Deputy for the matter raised.
Given that this is an operational matter, it is appropriate that it should be dealt with by the NMBI. I have referred the Deputy's question to the NMBI for attention and direct reply within 10 working days.
407. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 228 of 17 May 2017, if the HSE will respond to the issues raised which were not dealt with in the reply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30039/17]
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.
408. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE staff employed nationwide; the number of these who do not have an official HSE email address; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30040/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
409. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the number of full-time posts for occupational therapists in each county; the number of vacancies in each area; the number of such persons on leave; the cost of replacing such persons on a temporary basis, by county; if no such arrangement has been made, the reason therefor; the waiting list in each county by periods (details supplied); the waiting list for occupational therapy services for each area in 2015 and 2016 and to date in 2017 respectively, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30042/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
