Tuesday, 8 May 2018

Written Answers Nos. 306-320

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Administration

Ceisteanna (306)

Peter Burke

Ceist:

306. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health the turnaround time for persons applying for the fair deal scheme in counties Longford and Westmeath; if this is an average time; if there are backlogs in the system; the measures being taken to address this backlog; if the extra cost to families when they must wait for months for the application to be processed, with fees of over €1,000 per week mounting in the interim, has been considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19825/18]

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 Waiting Lists

Ceisteanna (307)

Seamus Healy

Ceist:

307. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a urology inpatient procedure at Limerick University Hospital for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19826/18]

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.

Hospital Car Parks

Ceisteanna (308)

Peter Burke

Ceist:

308. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if the dearth of parking at a primary care centre (details supplied) will be reviewed and remedied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19829/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

As this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.

Home Help Service Provision

Ceisteanna (309)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

309. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) will be granted one additional home help hour in the evenings. [19874/18]

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.

Medical Products

Ceisteanna (310)

Pearse Doherty

Ceist:

310. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the patient entitlement including product types and product costs of post-surgery products such as prosthesis swimwear, bras and so on; the application procedure a person wishing to receive such products must follow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19877/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

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

Drugs Payment Scheme Administration

Ceisteanna (311)

Pearse Doherty

Ceist:

311. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the reason a partial refund was awarded to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19879/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Under 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.

Hospital Facilities

Ceisteanna (312)

Brendan Howlin

Ceist:

312. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in approving the retention of the mobile temporary diagnostic cath lab at Waterford University Hospital; the date when approval issued to the hospital to renew the contract for the mobile lab; if appointments for diagnosis were cancelled which could have been dealt with by the mobile lab; if contract staff operating the lab were redeployed during this period; if a full complement of staff is now available to operate the mobile lab; if the mobile lab was out of operation for periods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19886/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The mobile cath lab was initially deployed in October 2017 and it was agreed on 23 April that it should stay in place for a further number of weeks while recruitment efforts continue to support extension of the existing cath lab operating hours to 12 sessions per week, or by 20%, as recommended in the Herity Report. In regard to the detail of the service issues raised, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.

HSE Governance

Ceisteanna (313)

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

313. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health when he or the CEO of the HSE first learnt of the CervicalCheck scandal; the reason he and the CEO did not know of the scandal earlier; and the systems in place in the HSE to communicate information of this importance to him and the CEO [19889/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I received a briefing note in relation to a legal case which had been taken against MedLab/Clinical Pathology Laboratories Ltd, a company providing cytopathology for CervicalCheck, and the HSE on 16 April 2018.

I received further information on issues related to the communication of the outcome of the CervicalCheck clinical audit process to women in the period after the legal case became public.

I have published that briefing note and set out the information available to me on the record of the Dáil on Tuesday, 1 May 2018, including during questions from the opposition.

Questions relating to the CEO of the HSE are more appropriate for answer by the HSE.

Medical Aids and Appliances Provision

Ceisteanna (314)

Brian Stanley

Ceist:

314. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the international comparison studies his Department has conducted to determine the exclusion of persons over 21 years of age from the FreeStyle Libre device; if studies have been undertaken by his Department to extend the device to those over 21 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19893/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Under 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.

Medical Aids and Appliances Provision

Ceisteanna (315)

Brian Stanley

Ceist:

315. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time for an insulin pump at the Midlands Regional Hospital, Portlaoise for persons with type 1 diabetes; the average waiting time across the health service for same; the number of persons on the list for a pump at the hospital; and the number under 18 years of age waiting on the pump at the hospital in tabular form [19894/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Under 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.

Disability Support Services Funding

Ceisteanna (316)

Fergus O'Dowd

Ceist:

316. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health his views on a newspaper article in relation to an organisation (details supplied); the reason for the decrease in funding for 2018 for the organisation; if the service will be assisted in bridging the financial shortfall; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19906/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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 accessing 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, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. 

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.

Home Help Service Provision

Ceisteanna (317)

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

317. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health if an application by a person (details supplied) for home help hours can be expedited in view of the difficult circumstances for the person and their family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19909/18]

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.

Hospitals Building Programme

Ceisteanna (318)

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

318. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health when a new primary health centre will be constructed in Cobh (details supplied) [19921/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

As the HSE has responsibility for the provision, along with the maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres and other Primary Care facilities, the Executive has been asked to reply directly to the Deputy.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Funding

Ceisteanna (319)

Peter Burke

Ceist:

319. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health the way in which CAMHS is funded in counties Longford and Westmeath; the way in which the budget was spent in 2017; if there was an overrun or deficit in relation to the budget; the way in which the budget compared to previous years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19926/18]

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 Data

Ceisteanna (320)

Fergus O'Dowd

Ceist:

320. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the location of services for each category of patient needing mental health services in County Louth; the waiting list for such services; the number of staff vacancies; the length of time they have been outstanding; his plans to expand mental health services in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19928/18]

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.