Written Answers Nos. 671-692
671. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health the estimated effect the UK’s exit from the European Union will have on the operation of the Cross Border directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54341/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe European Commission Taskforce, led by Chief Negotiator, Michel Barnier, represents the EU27 in the Article 50 negotiations with the UK. These negotiations are proceeding on the basis of the phased approach set out in the European Council Guidelines of 29 April 2017, which foresaw that discussions on the future EU-UK relationship would get underway as soon as sufficient progress was made on the EU’s key priorities under the withdrawal process – notably citizens’ rights, the UK’s financial settlement and the Irish specific issues.
The Government welcomes the decision of the European Council on 15 December 2018 that sufficient progress has been made in phase one of the Article 50 negotiations. This was a very important step in the negotiations, not least because it allows for discussions on the framework for the future relationship to begin.
There is no question that Brexit poses very significant and serious challenges to Ireland’s economy and trade, as well as across a range of other sectors, including healthcare. As a committed member of the EU, Ireland has engaged fully in the negotiations, as part of the EU27 team and will continue to do so in phase two, where our approach will be to work towards ensuring that the future EU-UK relationship will be as close to the current arrangements as possible.
In this regard, Ireland’s approach to phase two of the negotiations will continue to be informed by the detailed sectoral work being done by individual Departments, including the Department of Health. To that end, my Department is actively engaging through the cross-Departmental coordination structures chaired by the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade with a view to informing the Government’s overall response to Brexit, including its priorities for the next phase of the Article 50 negotiations.
The Department of Health and its agencies have been conducting detailed analysis on the impacts of Brexit in the area of Health, including the Cross Border Directive. A number of issues are being examined and contingency planning for a range of eventualities is being conducted. A key issue will be to ensure that there is minimum disruption to health services and that essential services are maintained on a Cross-Border, all-island and Ireland-UK basis.
672. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health the discussions that have taken place between the Government, the EU and the UK Government regarding the future operation of the Cross Border directive after Brexit; the outcome of such discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54342/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe European Commission Taskforce, led by Chief Negotiator, Michel Barnier, represents the EU27 in the Article 50 negotiations with the UK. These negotiations are proceeding on the basis of the phased approach set out in the European Council Guidelines of 29 April 2017, which foresaw that discussions on the future EU-UK relationship would get underway as soon as sufficient progress was made on the EU’s key priorities under the withdrawal process – notably citizens’ rights, the UK’s financial settlement and the Irish specific issues.
The Government welcomes the decision of the European Council on 15 December 2018 that sufficient progress has been made in phase one of the Article 50 negotiations. This was a very important step in the negotiations, not least because it allows for discussions on the framework for the future relationship to begin.
There is no question that Brexit poses very significant and serious challenges to Ireland’s economy and trade, as well as across a range of other sectors, including healthcare. As a committed member of the EU, Ireland has engaged fully in the negotiations, as part of the EU27 team and will continue to do so in phase two, where our approach will be to work towards ensuring that the future EU-UK relationship will be as close to the current arrangements as possible.
In this regard, Ireland’s approach to phase two of the negotiations will continue to be informed by the detailed sectoral work being done by individual Departments, including the Department of Health. In this regard, my Department is actively engaging through the cross-Departmental coordination structures chaired by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with a view to informing the Government’s overall response to Brexit, including its priorities for the next phase of the Article 50 negotiations.
673. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who have received treatment under the Cross Border directive in Northern Ireland, the rest of the UK and other countries each year since its introduction, by procedure or treatment carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54343/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the HSE has responsibility for the administration of the Cross Border Directive, I have asked the HSE to examine the issue raised and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
674. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health if he will request the HSE to provide physiotherapy services to a person (details supplied) following their discharge from hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54349/17]
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.
675. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will have a medical card application processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54350/17]
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.
676. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the number of elective surgeries that have been cancelled or rescheduled from December 2016 to date in each Community Healthcare Organisation, CHO, in tabular form. [54361/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraHaving sought clarification from the Deputy's office, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
677. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the number of elective procedures and surgeries cancelled at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda from December 2016 to date. [54362/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI fully acknowledge the distress and inconvenience for patients and their families when elective procedures are cancelled.
Maintaining scheduled care access for all patients is a key priority for hospitals, and balancing this with emergency demand at times is challenging. However, all efforts are made by hospitals to limit cancellations particularly for clinically urgent procedures.
Cancellation of elective procedures can occur for a variety of exceptional reasons including cancellations because a bed or the clinical team are not available, cancellations by the patient or because the patient may not be fit for surgery at the time.
Based on data provided by the NTPF, collated from reports by hospitals, approximately 3,400 elective procedures, on average, are cancelled per month. However, this must be seen in context. The most recent data available shows that for 2016, typically in a month, there were approximately 53,000 admissions to acute hospitals on a daycase and an inpatient basis.
It is essential that hospitals continue to improve how they manage, and balance, the demand for emergency care with the planning of elective procedures, to minimise the impact on patients. In addition, the HSE continues to improve its processes to minimise the number of sessions lost when patients cancel or do not attend for their procedures.
In response to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
678. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the inpatient and outpatient waiting times across all specialities at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda from December 2016 to date. [54363/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe NTPF publishes the Inpatient/Daycase and Outpatient waiting list figures by specialty for each hospital on its website each month. This information is available at www.NTPF.ie. The most recent figures published by the NTPF for the end of December 2017 indicate that there is a total of 829 people on the Inpatient/Day case waiting list for Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda and a total of 12,737 people on the Outpatient waiting list for Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital.
679. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if the State will own the ground on which the new national maternity hospital is to be built; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54375/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra680. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of negotiations regarding the construction of the new national maternity hospital; the parties involved in these negotiations; and if the new hospital building will remain in State ownership as stated in August 2017 (details supplied). [54376/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 679 and 680 together.
Following the grant of planning permission for the new National Maternity Hospital (NMH) on the St. Vincent's University Hospital campus, the Design Team is continuing to work on the detailed design of the hospital and the preparation of tender documents. However, before final tender documents issue, and construction of the new hospital commences, it will be necessary to secure agreement between the State, the NMH and St. Vincent's Healthcare Group (SVHG) in relation to the future operation of the new hospital. To this end a draft legal framework is currently being finalised which will inter alia ensure that the State's significant investment in the new hospital will be protected.
681. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a company (details supplied) that receives public contracts from his Department does not recognise trade unions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54383/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Health has not contracted any services from the company referred to by the Deputy.
I have therefore referred the matter to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to him.
682. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the range of health services and professional services that have been agreed for the new primary health care facility in Kilcock, County Kildare; the number of general practitioners that will operate in the facility; the out-of-hours general practitioner services that have been agreed; the commencement date for services in the facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54397/17]
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.
683. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if a resuscitation area has been developed in Cavan hospital emergency department in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54398/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs 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.
684. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the status of the reimbursement of the drug otezla; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54399/17]
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.
685. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if a reimbursement will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54400/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI acknowledge that waiting times are often unacceptably long and I am conscious of the impact of this on people's lives. Reducing waiting times for the longest waiting patients is one this Government's key priorities.
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.
686. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if a follow-up assessment and treatment through Child and Adolescent mental Health Services, CAMHS, will be scheduled for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54403/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
687. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if an appointment will be scheduled for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54404/17]
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.
688. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if a hospital appointment will be scheduled for a person (details supplied). [54405/17]
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.
689. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if an appointment for a hip operation for a person (detail supplied) will be expedited. [54408/17]
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.
690. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the additional cost of allocating a medical card for all persons with disabilities who do not have a medical card. [54410/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with the provision of the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is determined by the HSE. The Act obliges the HSE to assess whether a person is unable, without due hardship, to arrange general practitioner services for himself or herself and his or her family, having regard to his or her overall financial position and reasonable expenditure and every application must be assessed on that basis.
Under the legislation having a particular illness or disability in itself, does not establish eligibility for a medical card and therefore, the medical conditions of applicants for this scheme are not monitored on that basis. Where the applicant's income is within the income guidelines, a medical card or GP visit card will be awarded. If a person's only income is a means tested Social Welfare Allowance, for example, a Disability Allowance, he/she will qualify for a Medical Card.
In certain circumstances the HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card even though an application exceeds his or her income threshold where he or she faces difficult circumstances, such as extra costs arising from an illness or disability.
The Deputy may be aware of the Report of the Expert Panel on Medical Need for Medical Card Eligibility, which was published in 2014. It made a recommendation that a person’s means should remain the main qualifier for a medical card and also recommended that it is neither feasible nor desirable to list conditions in priority order for medical card eligibility.
As stated in previous PQ responses, with regard to the cost of awarding a medical cards to all adults with disabilities, detailed financial analysis would need to be conducted in order to establish as accurately as possible the expected costs to the Exchequer and this information is not readily available to the HSE.
691. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Health the number of community occupational therapists operating in the County Kildare and west County Wicklow areas; the towns they cover; if there are vacancies; if so, the length of time the vacancies have existed; the steps being taken to secure therapists for the positions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54424/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra692. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Health the number of community physiotherapists operating in the County Kildare and west County Wicklow areas; the towns they cover; if there are vacancies; if so, the length of time the vacancies have existed; the steps being taken to secure therapists for the positions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54425/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 691 and 692 together.
As these questions relate to service matters, I have arranged for them to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
