Written Answers Nos. 439-456
439. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if a reply will issue to matters raised by persons (details supplied) in correspondence; if the open disclosure policy will be applied in the case; and if he will request the HSE to meet with the persons [23680/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can advise the Deputy that the person's correspondence, transferred from the Office of the Taoiseach to my Department, was replied to by me on 17 May 2018, addressing the issues raised.
440. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment for an operation. [23681/18]
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.
441. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the initial financial allocation in 2017 for home support, home help and home care packages in counties Cavan and Monaghan; the expenditure incurred to year end in the programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23683/18]
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.
442. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the level of expenditure allocated for home support, home help and home care packages in counties Cavan and Monaghan in 2018; the number of hours of support such expenditure will provide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23684/18]
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.
443. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health when an operation will be scheduled for a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay in issuing a date for the procedure in view of the fact that it was expected to proceed in April 2018; if the procedure can be provided on the National Treatment Purchase Fund scheme or in another way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23687/18]
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.
Under the Inpatient Daycase Action Plan 2018, which was published last month, the HSE will deliver 1.14 million hospital procedures. The NTPF will deliver 20,000 Inpatient Day Case treatments through both outsourcing and HSE insourcing.
In terms of treatment offers, the NTPF authorises public hospitals to offer outsourced treatment to clinically suitable long waiting patients who are on an inpatient/day case waiting list for surgery, having been referred on to such a list following clinical assessment by a consultant/specialist at an outpatient clinic. NTPF authorisations are made in respect of the longest waiting patients first.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
444. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if funding streams are available for a counselling service for persons in County Louth with drug and alcohol addictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23690/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
445. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be assisted in ascertaining the proposed medical treatment for their son. [23692/18]
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.
446. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if an appointment for a person (details supplied) will be expedited; the status of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23695/18]
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.
447. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Health the position regarding payment for venesection and phlebotomy therapy treatment for haemochromatosis patients who do not qualify for a medical card; when phlebotomy will be provided free of charge to persons referred to hospitals; if the issue of therapeutic venesection services for persons with haemochromatosis has been discussed as part of the ongoing review of general medical services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23700/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides that all people ordinarily resident in the country are entitled, subject to certain charges, to public inpatient hospital services including consultant services and to public outpatient hospital services. Under s52 of the Health Act 1970, as amended by s12 of the Health (Amendment) Act 2013, a person who has been referred to a hospital for an in-patient service, including that provided on a day case basis, will have to pay the statutory daily charge, currently €80 per day, up to a maximum of €800 per year. On this basis, where venesection is classed as a day case procedure and is not carried out in an outpatient setting, the public in-patient charge applies.
The provision of therapeutic venesection services for medical and GP visit card holders is being considered as part of the consultations with GP representatives on the GMS Contract. Officials from my Department and the HSE met with the Irish Medical Organisation during May in order to progress this agenda. In line with the long established approach to such processes, and by agreement with the parties concerned, I am not in position to provide further details while these discussions are under way.
My Department and the HSE are currently considering the issue of the application of the public in-patient charge of €80 for venesection in Acute Hospitals as well as broader issues in relation to the treatment of patients with Hereditary Haemochromatosis. In this context, a meeting involving representatives from the Department of Health and the HSE will be held shortly.
448. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the status of an application by a person (details supplied) for a home care package; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23701/18]
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.
449. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health his plans to reduce the waiting lists for children waiting for an outpatient appointment in the three Dublin children's hospitals especially the 10,000 children who are waiting 18 months and longer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23706/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraImproving waiting times for hospital procedures and outpatient appointments is a key commitment in the programme for Government. It is acknowledged that outpatient waiting lists are a challenge which need to be addressed.
The development of a sustainable and safe paediatric orthopaedic service, including scoliosis services for children and young people has been prioritised in the 2018. An additional €9 million has been provided to the HSE in 2018 specifically to develop paediatric orthopaedic services, including increasing access to scoliosis services.
The HSE and Children’s Hospital Group (CHG) developed a Paediatric Scoliosis Waiting List Action Plan for 2018 and this includes actions targeted at patients waiting longest for an outpatient appointment.
The HSE National Service Plan sets out a target that 80% of patients waiting for a first outpatient appointment will be seen within a 52 week wait timeframe. HSE figures for March 2018 show that the three hospitals of the CHG are seeing 62-64% outpatients within 52 weeks.
In 2017, almost 150,000 (148,948) patients attended outpatients across the three hospitals of the CHG. It is worth noting that in the same year, across the three hospitals, over 21,000 (14%) of patients did not attend their hospital appointments.
The most recent NTPF figures for April 2018 show that there was a total of 43,316 patients on the outpatient waiting list across the three hospitals of the CHG. 77% of these patients are waiting 18 months or less.
The CHG advise that capacity challenges are managed daily, with each of the three children’s hospitals supporting each other in terms of bed utilisation and availability.
A key component of the management of waiting lists by hospitals is the categorisation of patients by clinical priority to ensure that all patients receive care in a timely and clinically appropriate matter.
The HSE is working with the NTPF and my Department to finalise a joint plan focused on improving overall use of resources to tackle long patient waiting times and ensure timely access to treatment and care for our patients. I hope to publish this Plan shortly. As part of this process the NTPF and the HSE are currently reviewing proposals from hospitals, including the hospitals across the CHG, for outpatient initiatives.
450. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the clinical research which has been conducted by his Department and or the HSE into claims of links between the swine flu vaccine and conditions such as narcolepsy; the number of claims which have to date been formally lodged against the State and which are being dealt with by the State Claims Agency concerning same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23718/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra“Investigation of an increase in the incidence of narcolepsy in children and adolescents in 2009 and 2010”, the Final Report of National Narcolepsy Study Steering Committee was published on 19 April 2012. The report is on the Department of Health website under the heading publications and statistics. The study, which was commissioned by the Department of Health, found there was a significant 13 fold higher risk of narcolepsy in vaccinated compared to unvaccinated individuals and the absolute increased risk associated with the vaccine was five narcolepsy cases per 100,000 vaccinated children and adolescents.
I cannot comment on individual cases or matters that are the subject of litigation but I can provide background information on this litigation and clarify matters that are already in the public domain.
As of 21 May 2018, letters of claim and/or legal proceedings against the Minister, the Health Services Executive and GlaxoSmithKline Biological SA have been initiated by seventy individuals. The plaintiffs allege personal injury in which they claim the development of narcolepsy resulted from the administration of the H1N1 pandemic vaccine. The management of the cases transferred to the State Claims Agency (SCA) on 15 October 2013 when the Taoiseach signed the National Treasury Management Agency (Delegation of Claims Management Functions) (Amendment) Order 2013. I have been informed by the Agency that cases before the courts in relation to the management of the discovery is the lead case. It would not be appropriate for a Minister to interfere in the court's case management of these claims which are delegated to the SCA for management.
I am continuing to engage with the Minister for Justice and the Minister for Finance on what further improvements can be made to the legal framework governing the management of product liability cases.
451. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health if the possibility of reducing the household charge for family carers in advance of budget 2019 will be examined; if the possibility of extending the provision of general practitioner visit cards to those in receipt of the respite care grant in advance of budget 2019 will be examined; his views on the provision of State-funded panic buttons or personal alarms to those aged under 65 who require 24-hour a day care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23720/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI believe the Deputy is referring to the Local Property Tax in the first part of the question. The Department of Health has no responsibility for taxation and accordingly I am referring this matter to my colleague Minister Donohoe's Department for reply directly to the Deputy.
In December 2017, the Government announced that additional funding would be provided to enable all carers in receipt of Carer's Allowance to qualify for a GP visit card. Government approval was given on the 11 April to provide GP services without fees to persons in receipt of either full or half rate Carer's Allowance or Carer's Benefit and to draft the Heads of Bill to legislate for this provision. These Heads have been prepared and will be submitted to Government next week for approval. It is intended that this measure will be implemented this year, subject to the drafting and enactment of the necessary legislation.
There are currently no plans to extend GP visit Cards to persons specifically in receipt of a Carer's Support Grant (formerly known as the Respite Care Grant), however it is noted that many persons in receipt of this Grant will qualify for a GP visit card as the Carer's Support Grant is paid automatically to persons in receipt of Carer's Allowance or Carer's Benefit.
The HSE provides products, supports, supplies, aids and appliances through Community Funded Schemes. Personal alarms are not provided by these schemes. Pobal, funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development, provides personal alarms for people aged 65 years and older through the Seniors Alert Scheme. No such scheme is in operation for the under 65's.
However in its fifth annual progress report of the National Carer's Strategy, the HSE notes that "Primary Care Physiotherapists/Occupational Therapists and Nursing personnel are involved in the assessment and provision of equipment and assistive technologies" and that "a limited number of areas provide telecare support within available resources".
452. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 416 of 22 May 2018, the reason the case of the woman concerned (details supplied) was not referred to in the reply; and if a woman can request that her smear test is sent to an Irish laboratory and that there is no cost associated with such a request for the test to be sent to an Irish laboratory. [23726/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs advised in Parliamentary Question No. 416 of 22 May 2018, any woman who has previously had a CervicalCheck smear test, and who following consultation with her GP determines that she wishes to have a further test, may do so without charge. This includes the woman concerned in this instance, whose details have been supplied by the Deputy. An agreement was reached between the HSE and GPs on the reimbursement arrangements that will apply in such cases. This arrangement applies.
Each clinic in which smear tests are taken for the CervicalCheck programme is assigned to a particular laboratory. Approximately 50% of smear tests are allocated to laboratories in Ireland for analysis. Given the volume of tests involved, it is not possible to redirect smear tests taken as part of the CervicalCheck programme to alternate labs.
I would like to emphasise again that there is no evidence that the clinical and technical aspects of the programme have performed outside or below international standards or the quality guidelines set for the programme. All laboratories currently contracted by CervicalCheck meet the programme’s standards and have ISO accreditation, certified by the relevant national authorities.
453. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the number of health care assistants in each location in a region (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23734/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
454. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health if the 2017 United Nations Committee against Torture made a recommendation to the State on mental health provision to hire additional medical personnel and psychologists and enable the referral of prisoners requiring specialised medical care to medical facilities without delay; if this has occurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23742/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraResponsibility for the provision of healthcare in prisons rests with my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality.
455. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health when the last audit was carried out on all prison services specifically examining prisoners mental health, addiction and health needs for each prison; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23747/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraResponsibility for the health needs of prisoners rests with my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality.
456. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health the criteria that determine an inmate getting access to mental health supports while in prison; the make-up of each mental health team by prison in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23749/18]
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.
