Written Answers Nos. 206-225
206. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the community services being provided to a person (details supplied) by the HSE to assist with medical issues as outlined by the person's general practitioner; and if the matter will be fully investigated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40261/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
207. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if an urgent appointment at University Hospital Waterford urology department for a person (details supplied) will be provided. [40262/18]
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.
208. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the HSE's plans for a site (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40278/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the management of the healthcare property estate, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to you in relation to this matter.
209. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an operation for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40279/18]
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.
210. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the position regarding new rules that will affect a group of health workers (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40284/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Pharmacy Act 2007 established the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) and the functions of the Society are set out in the Act. The functions of the PSI are carried out on its behalf by the Council of the Society.
Section 30 of the Act provides for an exception to the general provision in the Act which requires the sale and supply of medicines at a pharmacy to be conducted under the personal supervision of a registered pharmacist, and specifies that no offence is committed where a registered pharmaceutical assistant “acts on behalf of a registered pharmacist during the temporary absence of the registered pharmacist”.
Section 30 also permits the Council to make rules as to:
1. What may or may not be done by a registered pharmaceutical assistant when acting on behalf of a registered pharmacist; and
2. What constitutes the temporary absence of a registered pharmacist.
On June 21, the Council of the Society approved for issuance for public consultation the proposed draft Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (Temporary Absence of Pharmacist from Pharmacy) Rules 2018. This public consultation commenced on 17 July and ran until 14 August and afforded any interested party the opportunity to make representations on the matter directly to the PSI.
Following completion of the public consultation phase, the Council of the PSI considered the proposed draft Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (Temporary Absence of Pharmacist from Pharmacy) Rules 2018 at its meeting on the 20th September 2018 where Council approved the draft rules without amendment.
My role in relation to this process is limited to the consideration of any such Rules once submitted for my approval. I must consider any Rules presented to me from a fair and impartial perspective, without prejudice or prejudgement.
I await the receipt of the Rules for my consideration from the PSI and until that time, I am unfortunately not in a position to comment any further on the matter raised.
211. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the publication of the medical guidelines for the termination of pregnancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40288/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra212. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the person or persons responsible for the publication of the medical guidelines for the termination of pregnancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40289/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 211 and 212 together.
Yesterday I met with key stakeholders, including the Medical Colleges, to discuss the Bill and the operation of the service for termination of pregnancy.
The development of clinical guidelines on termination of pregnancy is the responsibility of the professional groups concerned.
I acknowledge the importance of the ongoing work in preparation for the implementation of the service and look forward to the time when women who face a crisis pregnancy will be able to access a termination close to home and supported by those who care about them.
213. 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 28 September 2018 or the latest date on which data for validated bed closures at hospital and ward level are available, in tabular form. [40331/18]
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.
214. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of bed days lost through delayed discharges in each public and voluntary hospital to date in 2018, in tabular form. [40332/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, Minister Daly has established a Working Group to undertake an independent expert review of delayed discharges, which can impact on patient flow and Emergency Department performance, with the objective of reducing delayed discharges and ensuring that patients are cared for in the most appropriate setting. This Group is due to report back to him shortly.
In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
215. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the percentage of clinical status 1 ECHO incidents responded to by a first responder in seven minutes and 59 seconds or less; and the percentage of clinical status 1 DELTA incidents responded to by a patient-carrying vehicle in seven minutes and 59 seconds or less by ambulance station in each month in 2018 to August or latest date available. [40333/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
216. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health if he will provide statistical information (details supplied) regarding vehicles associated with the national ambulance service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40334/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
217. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of emergency ambulances in service by the year they entered service; the number between pods and vehicles in terms of the date they entered service and the HSE region in which they are based; the number of intermediate care ambulances currently in service by the year they entered service; the number by pods and vehicles in terms of the date they entered service; the HSE region in which they are based, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40335/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
218. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the distances that have been travelled by emergency ambulances, intermediate care ambulances and rapid response vehicles in service in such a capacity, respectively, by HSE region and subdivided by every 50,000 miles or 80,000 kilometres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40336/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
219. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of persons aged 75 years of age or over who experienced an emergency department wait time more than 24 hours to date in 2018; and the hospitals in which the wait occurred [40337/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the query raised by the Deputy is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
220. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of home care packages being provided in each local health office, LHO, area. [40338/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra221. 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 12 months plus, respectively. [40339/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 220 and 221 together.
As these are a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
222. 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, 40, 60, 90, 120 and 180 minutes to hand over patients, get their trolleys back and return to responding to calls, respectively, in tabular form. [40340/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
223. 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. [40341/18]
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.
224. 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; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40342/18]
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.
225. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps that will be taken to ensure that the process of a person (details supplied) leasing entitlements to another party, which appears to be in order in respect of both the lessor and lessee, will be processed without delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40123/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis transfer of entitlements by lease has been processed. Both parties were notified in writing of the successful transfer of the entitlements on 27 September 2018.
