Tuesday, 20 Mar 2018

Written Answers Nos 503-519

Treatment Abroad Scheme

Ceisteanna (503)

James Browne

Ceist:

503. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the number of occasions on which persons under 18 years of age received mental health treatment abroad in each of the past four years; the amount the HSE has spent on persons under 18 years of age to receive mental health treatment abroad in each of the past four years; the countries that facilitated treatment; the number that were treated under the cross border directive, treatment abroad scheme and other schemes in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12176/18]

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.

Mental Health Services

Ceisteanna (504)

Eugene Murphy

Ceist:

504. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health if the circumstances in which a HSE hostel in Athleague, County Roscommon was closed without prior notice or consultation with the residents will be investigated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12177/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

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

Nursing Homes Support Scheme

Ceisteanna (505)

Fiona O'Loughlin

Ceist:

505. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health if the situation of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare in relation the fair deal scheme will be investigated. [12182/18]

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 (506)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

506. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if an appointment for a person (details supplied) will be scheduled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12193/18]

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.

Paediatric Services

Ceisteanna (507)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

507. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the reason there were cuts to a service (details supplied); if the possibility of reinstating will be investigated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12199/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

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

Hospital Beds Data

Ceisteanna (508)

Fiona O'Loughlin

Ceist:

508. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health the number of beds in the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dún Laoghaire; and the number available. [12208/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As the Deputy's question relates to a service matter I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Hospitals Data

Ceisteanna (509)

Fiona O'Loughlin

Ceist:

509. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health the average stay at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dún Laoghaire. [12209/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As the Deputy's question relates to a service matter I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.

Hospital Waiting Lists Data

Ceisteanna (510)

Fiona O'Loughlin

Ceist:

510. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the waiting list for the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dún Laoghaire. [12210/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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.

Hospital Beds Data

Ceisteanna (511)

Fiona O'Loughlin

Ceist:

511. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health the number of beds taken up in regional hospitals due to the fact a space is not available in the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dún Laoghaire. [12211/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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.

Hospital Appointments Status

Ceisteanna (512)

Niamh Smyth

Ceist:

512. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the timeframe for an appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12215/18]

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.

Health Promotion

Ceisteanna (513)

Louise O'Reilly

Ceist:

513. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health his views on support funding for the reintroduction of campaigns here in view of the comments of the HSE clinical lead for stroke on the need to reintroduce and intensify public awareness campaigns such as the ACT-FAST television campaign; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12218/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy. 

Health Promotion

Ceisteanna (514)

Louise O'Reilly

Ceist:

514. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the engagement he has had with an organisation (details supplied) on the reintroduction of the FAST campaign here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12219/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Late last year I met with the Irish Heart Foundation and representatives from Health Service Executive, Clinical Strategy and Programmes Division, to discuss a  range of issues concerning stroke prevention and the wider National Stroke Programme.  The Irish Heart Foundation raised the issue of a new TV FAST Campaign and a proposal was subsequently submitted to the HSE and is currently under consideration.

Hospital Accommodation Provision

Ceisteanna (515)

Catherine Martin

Ceist:

515. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Health when the urgent care satellite unit for children at Connolly Hospital will be open; if a staffing plan has been put in place to ensure it will work at capacity from opening; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12220/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The Paediatric Outpatients and Urgent Care Centres at Connolly Hospital and Tallaght Hospital are scheduled to open in 2019 and 2020 respectively, in advance of the opening in 2022 of the main hospital on the St James's Hospital campus.

A workforce planning and resource strategy is in place to support the staffing requirements for the new services as they come on stream, and is being worked through to ensure the services have the right number of staff in the right place at the right time.

Health Insurance Data

Ceisteanna (516)

Billy Kelleher

Ceist:

516. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of persons availing of private health insurance by age group (details supplied) [12228/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The table below provides for the most recent data available from the Health Insurance Authority and shows the number of insured persons by age group on 1 July 2017. This information is compiled in respect of the commercial health insurers and excludes people serving waiting periods and members of Restricted Membership Undertakings (which provide insurance to people who are members of a particular group, normally a vocational group or employees of a particular organisation):

Age Group	Actual
Aged 17 and under	474,552  (23.4%)
Aged 18 to age 29	218,205  (10.7%)
Aged 30 to age 39	288,813  (14.2%)
Aged 40 to age 49	325,905  (16.1%)
Aged 50 to age 54	147,250  (7.3%)
Aged 55 to age 59	136,467  (6.7%)
Aged 60 to age 64	125,121  (6.2%)
Aged 65 to age 69	108,276  (5.3%)
Aged 70 to age 74	87,031  (4.3%)
Aged 75 to age 79	57,479  (2.8%)
Aged 80 to age 84	36,723  (1.8%)
Aged 85 and over	24,381  (1.2%)
Total	2,030,203  (100.0%)

Health Services Staff Recruitment

Ceisteanna (517, 546, 548, 583, 584, 659)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

517. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the actions he will take to tackle the staffing deficits in neurology services nationally; his plans for long term investment to develop specialist services for specific neurological conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12234/18]

John Brassil

Ceist:

546. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health the steps he has taken to improve neurological services here (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12380/18]

John Brassil

Ceist:

548. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health the actions he will take to address staffing deficits in neurology services here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12382/18]

Ruth Coppinger

Ceist:

583. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase the number of consultant neurologists here in view of the fact that the State has the lowest number of same per head of population in the developed world; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12503/18]

Ruth Coppinger

Ceist:

584. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase the number of staff working in neurology to cater for the needs of those with a need for neurological care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12504/18]

Seán Haughey

Ceist:

659. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase investment in neurology services in order to tackle staffing deficits, deal with waiting lists and develop specialist services for specific neurological conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12840/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 517, 546, 548, 583, 584 and 659 together.

The Model of Care for Neurology was launched by the Director General of the HSE in late 2016. This was developed by the HSE’s National Clinical Programme for Neurology in collaboration with consultants, nurses, health and social care professionals and patient support groups. It aims to address the need for strategic development of neurology services in the provision of better care for these Irish patients. This year, funding has been allocated by the HSE to commence development of peri- and post-operative services to support patients receiving Deep Brain Stimulation.

In relation to the particular queries raised, as these are service matters, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.

Question No. 518 answered with Question No. 446.

National Treatment Purchase Fund

Ceisteanna (519)

Seán Fleming

Ceist:

519. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 142 of 28 February 2018, if the treatment purchase fund will be used to expedite surgery for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12238/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

In relation to the particular query raised, I have asked the NTPF to provide the information sought by the Deputy and I will forward this information to him as soon as it is available.