Written Answers Nos. 207-226
207. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the extent of North-South co-operation for treatment of persons who have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14354/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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 patients.
This year, funding has been allocated by the HSE to commence development of peri- and post-operative services to support patients with Parkinson's Disease receiving Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). The HSE advises that it intends to utilise all potential for Irish patients to be referred for the surgical element of the service to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.
As the query raised is a service matter, I have also asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly with any further information.
208. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the correspondence received by Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas from an association (details supplied) which sets out three key requirements for persons with a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14355/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have been unable to confirm the correspondence noted by the Deputy, but understand it relates to matters raised by the Parkinson's Association in March of this year.
The Model of Care for Neurology was launched by the Director General of the HSE in late 2016. The Model of Care 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 patients. This year, funding has been allocated by the HSE to commence development of peri- and post-operative services to support patients with Parkinson's Disease receiving Deep Brain Stimulation.
The Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in assessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government and is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.
209. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the appeals process for a person denied a reimbursement by a HSE local office for the refund of the cost of a blood test wrongly charged to a medical card or general practitioner card holder by their general practitioner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14358/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question relates to a service matter, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
210. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if dental treatment for a person (details supplied) will be carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14371/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
211. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health the status of a person (details supplied) on the waiting list for a MRI in the Midland Regional Hospital. [14377/18]
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.
212. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if electrode patches for TENS machines are covered under the medical card in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14381/18]
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.
213. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if full-time general practitioner cover has been restored to a hospital (details supplied). [14387/18]
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.
214. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if home help for the purpose of help with household chores can be facilitated for a person (details supplied). [14391/18]
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.
215. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the status of the general practitioner contract discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14395/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to delivering more non-acute care within the primary care sector, so that better care close to home can be provided for communities around the country.
General Practitioners play an important role in the primary care system. It is generally accepted that there is a need to modernise the current GMS contract and ensure that general practice is a viable and rewarding career for medical graduates. My aim is to develop a contract which has a population health focus, providing in particular for health promotion and disease prevention and for the structured ongoing care of chronic conditions. A new contract must be flexible and be able to respond to the changing nature of the GP workforce. It must also include provisions in relation to service quality and standards, performance, accountability and transparency.
It is essential that engagement on GP contractual issues is aimed squarely at meeting the substantial challenges, current and future, the health service and general practice face. The latest phase of engagement with GP representatives commenced in January 2017, and discussions were progressed on a wide range of items throughout 2017. Discussions are currently paused, and, at my request, officials of my Department are working with their counterparts in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and in the HSE to ensure that the overall approach is focused fully on the strategic challenges and on the Government’s health services reform agenda. It is important to ensure that any new contract will result in service improvements across general practice benefitting both patients and GPs.
I expect that engagement with GP representative bodies will commence shortly. I look forward to progress being made in the coming months on the GP contract.
216. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the aspects of the basic safety standards directive and the transposition of the health elements which Ireland has discretion in applying; and his views on whether those discretionary aspects of the directive will facilitate the continuance of chiropractors as referees for X-ray. [14399/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhile most of the provisions in the Basic Safety Standards Directive (BSSD) are binding, there are some articles where discretion is afforded to Member States (MSs) as to how they are transposed into national law.
The main health provisions in this regard were outlined in a consultation process undertaken by my Department in June 2017. Copies of the consultation document, associated information note, and EU Directive are attached.
The Directive defines referrer and practitioner with certain roles and responsibilities attaching to same. MSs are required to designate health professionals as referrers and practitioners.
The statutory instrument transposing the BSSD will designate those who may refer for radiological tests, those who may carry them out and other functions and in this regard I propose to designate nurses, doctors, dentists and radiographers as appropriate. Chiropractors are not designated as referrers or practitioners in the current regulations (S.I. 478/2002) and it is not proposed to designate them in the new regulations.
Further information is contained in the following links.
217. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 669 of 20 March 2018, the type of information being sought on Kuvan; the reason for seeking that information; the timeline for the completion of discussions on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14404/18]
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.
218. 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. [14408/18]
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.
219. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14412/18]
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.
220. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment for a person (details supplied) for an operation; if this appointment will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14424/18]
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.
221. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 406 of 20 February 2018, if the facility referred to (details supplied) has adequate staffing and resources in place in order that the 20 beds are fully operational and available at present; the number of those beds that are occupied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14425/18]
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.
222. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the percentage of persons employed in his Department who have a disability expressed in whole-time equivalent terms and in head count terms; and the way in which the number of persons with disabilities employed compares with national targets. [14441/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraPart 5 of the Disability Act 2005 sets out the legal obligations of public service bodies to:
Promote and support the employment of people with disabilities;
Comply with any statutory Code of Practice;
Meet a target of 3% of employees with disabilities;
Report every year on achievement of these obligations.
In line with the provisions of the Act, the Department of Health reports on an annual basis to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform the percentage of Department employees who have voluntarily declared a disability.
Percentages are calculated in head count terms and, as of 31 December 2017, this figure stood at 4.6%. Records relating to disability status are maintained separately from personnel records and the Department’s Disability Liaison Officer does not retain WTE figures in respect of Department staff voluntarily declaring a disability.
223. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Health his views on whether heated tobacco products should not be given a reduced and more favourable excise treatment than cigarettes in view of the World Health Organization’s position that all forms of tobacco use are harmful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14462/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra224. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Health his plans to engage with the Department of Finance on the excise duties of heated tobacco products in advance of their potential launch here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14463/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 223 and 224 together.
The rate of duty to be applied to any tobacco product is a matter for the Department of Finance.
In the consideration of the excise treatment to apply to new tobacco products, the Department of Finance consults with my Department in relation to the compliance of those tobacco products with public health tobacco legislation. My Department continues to monitor emerging research and evidence in relation to tobacco products, including heated tobacco products.
225. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital bed days lost to date in 2018 in Mallow hospital owing to bed closures; the number by beds being closed due to staff shortages, refurbishment and cost containment in tabular form. [14468/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly as soon as possible.
226. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Health if women in the north-west region, in particular in counties Sligo and Leitrim, will have the continued access to a follow-up mammography at Sligo University Hospital beyond 2019; the process involved in supplying this contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14472/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised that the contract for a mobile mammography service at Sligo University Hospital, providing follow-up mammography for breast cancer patients post treatment, has been extended recently for a further 12 months.
The contract for this service was awarded following a tendering process run by the HSE.
