Tuesday, 6 Mar 2018

Written Answers Nos. 128-147

Grant Payments

Ceisteanna (128)

Niamh Smyth

Ceist:

128. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health his plans to abolish a grant (details supplied) in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10437/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.

Hospital Appointments Status

Ceisteanna (129)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

129. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae 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. [10438/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

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 the Deputy directly.

Hospitals Data

Ceisteanna (130)

Louise O'Reilly

Ceist:

130. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of cataract surgeries cancelled nationally by hospital in 2017 and to date in 2018, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10439/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.

Hospital Waiting Lists Data

Ceisteanna (131)

Louise O'Reilly

Ceist:

131. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the length of times each person has been on the waiting list for cataract surgery nationally by hospital; the length of time they have been waiting, by month, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10440/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.

Hospital Services

Ceisteanna (132)

Louise O'Reilly

Ceist:

132. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the hospitals that are no longer taking referrals for cataract surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10441/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.

Psychological Services

Ceisteanna (133, 134)

James Browne

Ceist:

133. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the number of children awaiting a primary care psychology appointment in County Wexford for 3, 6, 12, 18, 24 and 36 months, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10442/18]

James Browne

Ceist:

134. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the steps he will take to provide primary care psychology appointments to children in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10443/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 134 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.

Eating Disorders

Ceisteanna (135)

James Browne

Ceist:

135. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the advice available to general practitioners who have detected early signs of suffering from eating disorders in persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10444/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

All doctors on the Medical Council's register, including GPs, are required to maintain professional competence by enrolling in professional competence schemes and engaging in maintenance of professional competence activities in relation to their practice. In this context, the Council has established a range of professional competence schemes through formal arrangements with the recognised postgraduate training bodies. Schemes are operated by the postgraduate training bodies and have been developed to drive good professional practice, which is centred on patient safety and quality of patient care.

The Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) is the recognised professional body for general practice and is responsible for post graduate specialist medical education, training and research in the specialty of general practice. The ICGP curriculum for GP training covers competencies relating to the care management of eating disorders under both adolescent health and mental health. GPs in practice have access to ICGP educational resources, publications and seminars in this area of healthcare management.

In addition, Bodywhys, the Eating Disorders Association of Ireland, has published a guide to assist GPs in the identification, assessment and management of patients with eating disorders.

Eating Disorders

Ceisteanna (136)

James Browne

Ceist:

136. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the status of a national centre for eating disorders within a children’s hospital here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10445/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Hospital Appointments Status

Ceisteanna (137)

Tom Neville

Ceist:

137. Deputy Tom Neville 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. [10446/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

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 the Deputy directly.

Outreach Clinics

Ceisteanna (138)

Imelda Munster

Ceist:

138. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE outreach workers or outreach workers funded by the HSE in County Louth; and the areas that are covered by these persons. [10462/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.

Ambulance Service Data

Ceisteanna (139, 140, 141, 143)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

139. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of ambulance vehicles by vehicle type and county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10474/18]

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

140. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of ambulance vehicles available per shift nationally by 24-hour period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10475/18]

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

141. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of ambulance vehicles by vehicle type, shift and hospital catchment area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10476/18]

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

143. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of ambulance vehicles in the HSE ambulance service providing emergency services in respect of 911 calls in the eastern region by vehicle type by country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10478/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 to 141, inclusive, and 143 together.

As the queries raised by the Deputy relate to service issues, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly. 

Ambulance Service Data

Ceisteanna (142)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

142. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent staff by emergency ambulance advanced paramedic by vehicle type and county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10477/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

As this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.

Question No. 143 answered with Question No. 139.

Ambulance Service Data

Ceisteanna (144)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

144. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of ambulance vehicles involved in accidents and incidents involving National Ambulance Service vehicles that were on duty at the time by region in each of the years 2010 to 2017 and to date in 2018, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10479/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

As this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.

Ambulance Service Response Times

Ceisteanna (145, 147)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

145. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the average response time of a HSE ambulance and emergency ambulance to a residential property in response to a call via the 911 emergency services by vehicle type and county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10480/18]

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

147. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the response times of a HSE ambulance and emergency ambulance to a residential property in response to a call via the 911 emergency services, by vehicle type and county in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10482/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 145 and 147 together.

As the queries raised by the Deputy relate to service issues, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly. 

Ambulance Service Response Times

Ceisteanna (146)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

146. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the longest response times of a HSE ambulance and emergency ambulance to a residential property in response to a call via the 911 emergency services, by vehicle type and county in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10481/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.

Question No. 147 answered with Question No. 145.