Written Answers Nos. 143-162
143. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health the steps he will take to roll out the award-winning Sligo cataract scheme across the country with optometrists and hospital eye departments working together, which would significantly reduce the waiting time of 18 months which many persons with cataracts have to endure between being referred and having the surgery to restore their sight; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22963/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
144. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of patients aged 75 years of age or over who experienced an emergency department wait time of more than 24 hours in April 2018; and the hospitals in which the wait occurred. [22983/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
145. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of home care packages being provided in each LHO area. [22984/18]
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.
146. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the waiting list for a home care package in each LHO area; and the number waiting zero to three, three to six, six to 12 and more than 12 months, respectively. [22985/18]
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.
147. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of persons covered by medical cards as of 1 May 2018. [22986/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra148. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of persons covered by general practitioner visit cards as of 1 May 2018. [22987/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 147 and 148 together.
Based on the HSE's figures for the 1st May 2018, 1,587,447 persons currently hold a medical card (of which 137,313 are cards awarded on a discretionary basis) and 496,583 persons currently hold a GP visit card (of which 174,448 are cards awarded on a discretionary basis).
It should be noted that the Primary Care Reimbursement Service in the HSE provides monthly statistical updates on its website, which can be accessed at:
https://www.sspcrs.ie/portal/annual-reporting/report/eligibilityhttps://www.sspcrs.ie/portal/annual-reporting/report/eligibility.
149. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of ambulance attendances at each emergency department nationwide in April 2018; the number of such ambulances that waited longer than 20 minutes to hand over patients, get their trolleys back and return to responding to calls; and the number that waited longer than 40, 60, 90, 120 and more than 180 minutes for same in tabular form. [22988/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
150. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of operations and procedures that were cancelled or postponed in each public hospital to date in 2018, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22989/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the number of operations and procedures that were cancelled or postponed in each public hospital to date in 2018, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
151. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of operations and procedures that were cancelled or postponed in each voluntary hospital to date in 2018, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22990/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the number of operations and procedures that were cancelled or postponed in each voluntary hospital to date in 2018, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
152. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of home help hours provided in each LHO area in each month from January to April 2018; and the way in which this compares against the target for each month. [22991/18]
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.
153. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of staff at national director level, assistant national director level, general manager level and grade VIII level in the HSE on 1 May 2018 or the latest date available. [22992/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
154. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of beds and wards in all public and voluntary acute hospitals that were closed on 18 May 2018 or the latest date on which data for validated bed closures at hospital and ward level are available. [22993/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
155. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 347 of 27 March 2018, the reply for which was subsequently provided by the HSE, the methodology used to calculate and determine the occupancy rates at each of the facilities referred to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22994/18]
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.
156. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if a medical product will be supplied to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23005/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMedicines play a vital role in improving the health of Irish patients. Securing access to existing and new and innovative medicines is a key health service objective. However, the challenge is to do this in a safe and sustainable manner. Treatment must be appropriate and proportionate and clinical decision-making, such as prescribing, should be based on both patient needs and sound medical evidence.
Lidocaine 5% medicated plasters are licensed for localised relief of post-shingles pain in adults. This is the patch's only licensed use in Ireland. It has been reimbursed in the community drugs schemes since 2010.
Clinical concern arose when, from 2012 on, usage increased significantly, to the point where more plasters were being used in Ireland than in the entire UK National Health Service. In such situations, it is important and appropriate for clinicians to review usage and, in 2016, the HSE Medicines Management Programme (MMP) reviewed the use of the plasters. The review estimated that only 5-10% of prescribing was for the licensed indication.
From September 2017, following the clinical review, the HSE introduced a new reimbursement approval system for the patches, to support appropriate use and patient care. Under these arrangements, the patient's GP or consultant applies to the MMP for reimbursement approval on behalf of the patient. If an application is refused, the clinician may submit an appeal, making a clear clinical case for the patient, to the MMP. Information for patients and practitioners is on the HSE MMP website at www.hse.ie/yourmedicines.
The decision to introduce a new reimbursement approval process is a matter for the HSE and you will appreciate that, as Minister for Health, I cannot intervene in individual cases. However, I fully support the objectives of the HSE Medicines Management Programme.
157. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) at a HSE facility is paying a higher rate of rent than other residents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23006/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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 an individual case, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
158. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if the national disability team has produced new standard operation procedures to assess needs; if they have been implemented by the HSE; and the consultation process that took place before the new procedures were implemented. [23007/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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.
159. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if he has received a request to meet with an organisation (details supplied) regarding access for MS sufferers to new medications; and if he will meet with the organisation. [23016/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Office has been in contact with MS Ireland regarding their request and have scheduled a meeting for early June.
160. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if a matter raised in correspondence regarding a crisis in staffing level in a location (details supplied) will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23024/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State’s general policy is to promote the sourcing of labour and skills needs from within the workforce of the State and other EEA states. Where specific skills prove difficult to source within the State and EEA, an employment permit may be sought from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation by an employer to hire a non-EEA national.
Ireland operates a managed employment permits system which maximises the benefits of economic migration while minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. It operates a list system for in-demand occupations (the highly skilled list) and those for whom a ready source of labour is available (the ineligible list).
Care workers are currently included on the ineligible list of employments. Changes to access to the Irish labour market for specific occupations via the employment permits system are made on the basis of evidence which involves research undertaken by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs and the National Skills Council in tandem with an extensive public consultation process with Government Departments, agencies, industry and social partners invited to provide observations.
Retention issues in the State’s labour market should not be addressed through the deployment of the employment permits system. There would need to be a clear demonstration that recruitment difficulties are solely due to shortages and not to other factors such as salary and/or working conditions. Organisations such as Nursing Home Ireland would need to provide the necessary data to substantiate their claims. A detailed business case for removal of care workers from the ineligible list would then need to be put forward by my Department to DBEI.
While I have had various meetings with Nursing Homes Ireland and this matter has been discussed, to date such detailed evidence has not been provided by the sector to my Department. It should be noted that the overall policy is that recruitment of workers from non-EEA countries should be a last resort and all other avenues should be first exhausted. However, I am very willing to work with the industry on this important issue to ensure continuity of service in the best interests of residents.
161. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to concerns expressed regarding a new assessment of needs process being used by the HSE by groups; the steps being taken to address the concerns; his views on whether the new process will not properly assess children for disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23025/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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.
162. 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. [23035/18]
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.
