Martin Kenny
Ceist:435. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a list of vacant HSE properties in counties Sligo and Leitrim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42123/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraHSE Properties
Ceisteanna (435)
Freagraí scríofa
As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the management of the health care property estate, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to you in relation to this matter.
Ambulance Service Response Times
Ceisteanna (436)
Niamh Smyth
Ceist:436. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the way in which response times have improved in counties Cavan and Monaghan with regard to the programme for partnership Government commitment to increase ambulances, EMTs and paramedics every year to improve response times; the increase in each achieved. [42136/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
Medical Aids and Appliances Provision
Ceisteanna (437)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:437. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the prosthetic services provided to the health service by a contractor (details supplied); the value of the contract paid to this contractor for each year for the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42140/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
Hospital Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (438)
Barry Cowen
Ceist:438. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) can expect an appointment. [42147/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
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, 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.
Hospital Beds Data
Ceisteanna (439)
Pearse Doherty
Ceist:439. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of new hospital beds that will be introduced in 2019 and 2020, respectively, as per the measures announced as part of the health budget for 2019 in which additional hospital bed capacity is pledged; the individual hospitals to which these beds will be allocated; the number of beds each facility will receive; the timeline for their proposed introduction at each facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42149/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Improving access to health services is a key priority in 2019. In the first quarter of 2019, in the region of 80 additional beds will be brought on stream, including an additional 30-bed ward in Our Lady of Lourdes Drogheda, a 40-bed modular ward block in South Tipperary General Hospital, and four high dependency beds in the Mater and Cork University Hospital respectively. In addition, the new ED planned for Our Lady of Lourdes Drogheda is due to open early in 2019.
A further €10 million in capital funding is being made available in 2019 to enable additional acute beds to be opened for Winter 2019/2020. This is the first step in the process of implementing the Capacity Plan which identifies over 600 acute beds to be phased in by the end of 2020. My Department is currently engaging with the HSE to finalise the details of this investment.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Ceisteanna (440)
Maurice Quinlivan
Ceist:440. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has not received a date for a knee replacement operation despite replying to a letter from the HSE in July 2018 confirming the person still wanted an operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42159/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
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, 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.
Question No. 441 answered with Question No. 423.
Health Services Expenditure
Ceisteanna (442)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:442. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the way in which he plans to spend the extra capital funding allocated to the health area in 2019. [42165/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The new Capital Envelope announced in the context of Budget 2019 is being used by the HSE to revise the Capital Plan and also in preparing the National Service Plan for 2019. On completion of the Capital Plan it will be submitted to my Department for consideration. It requires my approval together with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. When approved the HSE will publish the schedule of projects on its website.
The HSE is concentrating on applying the funding available for infrastructure development in the most effective way possible to meet current and future needs.
Question No. 443 answered with Question No. 423.
Budget 2019
Ceisteanna (444, 445)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:444. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the year one measures set out in table 8 of the Sláintecare report that were funded as part of budget 2019; and the extent to which they were funded in each case. [42167/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraRóisín Shortall
Ceist:445. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the measures set out in table 3 of the Sláintecare report that were funded as part of budget 2019; and the extent to which they were funded in each case. [42168/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 444 and 445 together.
The Sláintecare Report was published in May 2017 and recommended the production of a detailed implementation plan for the reform programme. I published a three year Sláintecare Implementation Strategy in August 2018, based on the eight principle in the Sláintecare Report.
I have been clear since the report was published that I am fully committed to the vision and policy direction which it sets out. I have also been clear however, that I believe that some of the timelines outlined in the report were ambitious given the inter-dependencies involved in a large scale reform programme of this nature. For this reason the Implementation Strategy has re-prioritised or proposed to phase some recommendations over a different time frame than that envisaged in the report.
It is noted that the original Sláintecare Report envisaged that €350 - €400 million would be needed annually in the initial years of the reform programme. I understand that the team of academics that supported the Committee’s work recently presented revised timelines and annual costings to the Oireachtas Committee on Health and now estimate an annual funding requirement of €200m - €250 million. I am pleased that the revised costings support my own view that the initial timelines and costings in the report were ambitious.
It should also be noted that many of the items in Table 3 are funded under the National Development Plan announced earlier this year which commits €10.4bn to health infrastructure including a number of priority Sláintecare actions. This includes capital funding for:
- 2,600 acute hospital beds;
- 4,500 additional long and short-term beds;
- Elective only hospitals in Cork, Dublin and Galway;
- A modern ehealth and ICT infrastructure;
- Additional Primary Care facilities with greater access to diagnostics; and
- Additional facilities for mental health services and for people with disabilities.
I am delighted that the recent Budget provided an increase of €1.05 billion in Health funding. This brings the health budget for 2019 to €17 billion. This is the highest level of Health investment in the history of the State. This will allow the health service to meet additional demands due to the demographic pressure of a growing and aging population.
The Budget features over €200m additional funding which will directly support a range of additional services including initiatives proposed in the Sláintecare Report and committed to in the Sláintecare Implementation Strategy. The Deputy will appreciate that as some of these are subject to negotiation, I am not in a position to provide a detailed breakdown. However it includes:
- Ringfenced funding for the Sláintecare Programme Office;
- €20m for the establishment of a new ring-fenced Sláintecare Integration Fund to drive improvements in the way we deliver care across the system;
- Funding for a new GP contract;
- Expansion of free GP care, by increase in the weekly income threshold for GP Visit card by €25 which could benefit up to 100,000 people;
- Additional funding for 100 new therapy posts to address assessment of need waiting lists for children with disabilities and funding to ensure that the needs of all those leaving school in 2019 will be addressed;
- €55m in new development funding aimed at further enhancing community mental health teams for adults and children;
- Reducing user charges and out of pocket payments by further reductions in prescription charges - 50 cent reduction in prescription charges from €2.00 to €1.50 for all medical card holders over the age of 70 and by a €10 reduction in the monthly Drugs Payment Scheme threshold from €134 to €124;
- Increased investment of €20m in the National Treatment Purchase Fund. This funding will be used to treat 70,000 patients on waiting lists in 2019; and
- Additional funding for care redesign and the National Children's Hospital.
The Executive Director is currently preparing a detailed action plan, as mandated by Government, for 2019 which will be published before the end of the year.
I believe that this budget provided an excellent basis for progressing the Sláintecare implementation Strategy in 2019 and I look forward to being able to report positive progress throughout 2019.
HSE Staff Training
Ceisteanna (446)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:446. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the respective number of extra training places for general practitioners, consultants and primary care staff that will be funded in 2019. [42169/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly on this matter.
Medical Card Delays
Ceisteanna (447)
Charlie McConalogue
Ceist:447. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in a medical card application by a person (details supplied) being finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42180/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Home Care Packages Provision
Ceisteanna (448)
Thomas Byrne
Ceist:448. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Health when a home support package will be put in place for a person (details supplied). [42184/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Departmental Correspondence
Ceisteanna (449)
Patrick O'Donovan
Ceist:449. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Health when a reply will issue to correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42232/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I would like to apologise that no response ever issued to this request. This was an oversight and I will arrange for a response to issue shortly.
Hospital Services
Ceisteanna (450)
Gerry Adams
Ceist:450. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the administration of pain relieving injections for persons with arthritis is no longer available at Louth County Hospital, Dundalk; the location of this service; and the reason for its cessation in Dundalk. [42233/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
Medical Aids and Appliances Provision
Ceisteanna (451)
Tom Neville
Ceist:451. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Health if equipment will be provided to a person (details supplied) without further delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42235/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
Medical Aids and Appliances Provision
Ceisteanna (452)
Tom Neville
Ceist:452. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Health if equipment will be provided for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42237/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.