Written Answers Nos. 261-275
261. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health if the post of diabetes clinical nurse specialist has been filled in Letterkenny University Hospital following a recent retirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19674/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
262. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health if additional resources (details supplied) to support a second adult consultant endocrinologist-led diabetes team for adult services has been confirmed for Letterkenny University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19675/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
263. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health if he will request the HSE to make additional resources available to County Kerry for civil registration appointments, including the appointment of additional civil registrars; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19678/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to you directly on this matter.
264. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health the status of a medical card application by a person (details supplied). [19680/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy.
265. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health if transplant patients who must take immunosuppressant medication for the rest of their lives following transplantations will be covered under the long-term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19688/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme was established under section 59(3) of the Health Act 1970 (as amended). The conditions covered by the LTI are: acute leukaemia; mental handicap; cerebral palsy; mental illness (in a person under 16); cystic fibrosis; multiple sclerosis; diabetes insipidus; muscular dystrophies; diabetes mellitus; parkinsonism; epilepsy; phenylketonuria; haemophilia; spina bifida; hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide. Under the LTI Scheme, patients receive drugs, medicines, and medical and surgical appliances directly related to the treatment of their illness, free of charge.
There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the Scheme.
However, for people who are not eligible for the LTI scheme, there are other arrangements which protect them from excessive medicine costs.
Under the Drug Payment Scheme, no individual or family pays more than €134 a month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The scheme significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals with ongoing expenditure on medicines.
People who cannot, without undue hardship, arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be entitled to a medical card. In the assessment process, the HSE can take into account medical costs incurred by an individual or a family.
People who are not eligible for a medical card may still be able to avail of a GP visit card, which covers the cost of GP consultations.
266. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the access persons with type 1 diabetes attending Letterkenny University Hospital have to psychology services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19689/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
267. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made to ensure that each child in County Donegal diagnosed with type 1 diabetes under five years of age will have access to start pump therapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19690/18]
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.
268. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) can expect to receive a place in a suitable mental health facility for further supportive interventions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19691/18]
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.
269. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the status of a diabetes centre of excellence for the north west; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19693/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
270. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the number of staff manning the CervicalCheck helpline; his views on whether this is the necessary number of staff to deal with the level of calls to the helpline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19694/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraA helpline has been in operation since Friday and has dealt with over 10,000 calls. After some initial problems, calls are now being answered speedily.
I have also arranged for an additional 40 public health staff to provide timely health information and reassurance to women arising from their calls.
271. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the number of nights persons under 18 years of age spent in adult psychiatric wards here in each of the years 2015 to 2017 and to date in 2018, by month, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19708/18]
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.
272. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health the reason the position of hospital medical officer at St. Patrick's Hospital, Cashel, County Tipperary, remains unfilled despite the fact that it has been advertised on three occasions; his views on whether the terms and conditions being offered are not attractive enough to make it financially viable for a general practitioner to take on the weekly 16-hour contract; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the vacancy is causing unease for parts of the service at the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19711/18]
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.
273. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Health if there is access to general practitioner services midweek after 6 p.m. in Castlebar, County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19712/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra274. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Health if there is access to general practitioner services at the weekends after 6 p.m. in Castlebar, County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19713/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra276. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who attend at Westdoc; the locality from which they come (details supplied); and the number of persons in attendance midweek and weekends by the area in which they reside in tabular form. [19715/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra277. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Health the times, days and areas in which Westdoc operates by each location in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19716/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra278. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Health the locations and times Westdoc provides a service to remote rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19717/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 273, 274 and 276 to 278, inclusive, together.
As these questions relate to service matters, I have arranged for them to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
275. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Health if general practitioners work out of hours in the primary care centre in Castlebar, County Mayo; if not, the reason therefor; if arrangements for general practitioners to work out of hours in the centre will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19714/18]
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.
