Written Answers Nos. 1720-1739
1720. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 9 of 28 September 2017, the progress that has been made to acquire a site to house the community mental health team in west County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34481/18]
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.
1721. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 9 of 28 September 2017, when and the location to which the two teams covering Galway city and the Connemara region from the unsuitable adult acute mental health unit will be relocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34482/18]
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.
1722. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 76 of 28 September 2017, the status of the review of the accommodation of community mental health teams in Galway; when it commenced; when it will be completed; the person or body undertaking the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34483/18]
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.
1723. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 76 of 28 September 2017, the position on the building to replace the building that burned down in Merlin Park University Hospital and which housed the essential alcohol addiction counselling services; the value of the insurance moneys ring-fenced by the HSE for this purpose; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34484/18]
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.
1724. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the number and positions of all agency staff employed in the new 50-bed adult acute mental heath unit in Galway University Hospital; the agencies used; the cost to the HSE west of agency staff; the number and positions of all non-agency staff employed at the unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34485/18]
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.
1725. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if he will review and expedite an appointment for a person (details supplied) in Beaumont Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34526/18]
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, since 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.
1726. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if appropriate medical care will be provided to a person (details supplied). [34539/18]
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.
1727. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the person responsible for signing an agreement for a primary care centre in Mullingar which on opening has a chronic shortage of car spaces and is now seeking additional land to provide the spaces. [34545/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra1728. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the progress being made on achieving additional spaces at the primary care centre in Mullingar. [34546/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1727 and 1728 together.
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.
1729. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the mortality rate for each emergency department in each of the years 2011 to 2017 and to date in 2018, in tabular form. [34573/18]
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.
1730. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of respite hours provided in the first half of 2018; and the way in which this compares with the first half of 2017 by community health organisation, CHO, and local health office, LHO, in tabular form. [34574/18]
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.
1731. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase services (details supplied) in counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34578/18]
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.
1732. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase the level of services available in counties Cavan and Monaghan (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34579/18]
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.
The Programme for Partnership Government states that the Government wishes to provide more accessible respite care to facilitate full support for people with a disability.
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.
1733. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied that there is adequate provision in the Sláintecare report for the potential for cross-Border co-operation and the delivery of health services on an all-island basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34580/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Sláintecare report was produced by the all-party Oireachtas Committee on the Future of Healthcare, which was established to devise cross party agreement on a single long term vision for health care and direction of health policy in Ireland. In its report, the Committee recognises the need to “Brexit-proof” any measures that relate to cross-border initiatives or services.
The Committee recognised the potential of cross-Border co-operation, which has already seen important developments in recent years, such as in co-operation on cancer services. The Sláintecare programme of reform will take full account of the potential of further cross border co-operation. Within this context the implications of Brexit will be fully considered. My Department and its agencies have been conducting detailed analysis on the impacts of Brexit in the area of health. A number of issues are being examined and contingency planning for a range of eventualities is underway. A key issue will be to ensure that there is minimum disruption to health services, and that essential services are maintained on a cross-Border, all-island and Ireland-UK basis. My Department is working closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade which is co-ordinating the Government's overall response to Brexit.
A Sláintecare Implementation Strategy was approved by Government last week and I expect to publish it in the coming weeks. In addition, a Sláintecare Programme Office is being established to drive forward this programme of reform.
I would like to assure the Deputy that the implementation of this reform programme will take full cognisance of and will be supportive of the ongoing cross border cooperation between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and the delivery of services on an all-island basis as appropriate.
1734. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) can expect to have an operation to have cataracts removed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34584/18]
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, since 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.
1735. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the way in which persons are selected for review of their medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34614/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
1736. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the status of the development of projects (details supplied); if other similar projects are in the planning stages in counties Cavan, Monaghan or Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34622/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs 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.
1737. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the status of works planned for a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34623/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly as soon as possible.
1738. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health when the 2018 outpatient action plan will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34624/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is working with the HSE and the NTPF to finalise an Outpatient Action Plan for 2018.
This plan will support the HSE’s compliance with their National Service Plan targets, reduce the growth in the number of patients waiting for outpatient services, improve the accuracy of the waiting list, and trial a number of NTPF funded interventions, including weekend and out of hours clinics.
I hope to publish the Outpatient Action Plan shortly.
1739. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health his plans to introduce national standards and a register for home care workers. [34625/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn advancement of the Government’s commitment to promote community-care so that people can continue to live independently in their own homes for as long as possible, the Department of Health is currently engaged in the development of a new, stand-alone statutory scheme and system of regulation for home-care services.
The new home-care scheme will introduce clear rules in relation to the services for which individuals are eligible and in relation to service-allocation. It will therefore be an important step in ensuring that the system operates in a consistent and fair manner and will help to improve access to home-care services on an affordable and sustainable basis. The introduction of a system of regulation for home-care will help to ensure public confidence in the services provided.
The new scheme will also be designed to support family/unpaid carers and will complement and integrate effectively with other health and social-care services such as long-term residential care (including the Nursing Homes Support Scheme), primary and community services and hospital services.
As an initial step in the development of the new scheme, the Department of Health commissioned the Health Research Board to undertake a review of the home-care systems in place in four European countries. The review, which was published last April, will help to ensure that Ireland’s new home-care scheme and system of regulation is informed by international experience. In addition a public consultation on the financing and regulation of home-care was undertaken last year. The purpose of this consultation, to which approximately 2,600 submissions were received, was to enable the Department to find out about the views of service-users, their families and healthcare workers on current and future home-care provision. A report on the findings of the consultation was published on 26 June and will inform the development of the new scheme. Further consultation with service-users will take place later this year, in addition to which the Department is actively engaging with the key NGOs and representative groups.
The development of a statutory scheme and system of regulation for home-care services is a complex undertaking. While the publication of the HRB review and of the report on the findings of the public consultation represent important milestones in the process of developing the new scheme and system of regulation, a significant amount of additional work remains to be carried out before final decisions are taken on the form of the home-care scheme and system of regulation which will apply. This is required if the reforms are to be successful, affordable and sustainable. The Department will continue to prioritise its work in developing the new scheme and every effort will be made to progress this matter as quickly as possible. However a realistic timeframe for the establishment of the new scheme on a statutory basis is 2-3 years.
