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Tuesday, 11 Jun 2019

Written Answers Nos. 400-415

HSE Investigations

Ceisteanna (400)

Fergus O'Dowd

Ceist:

400. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if employees in the HSE following the launch of a human resources investigation have a veto over the person who carries out that investigation; if proposals have been received from the HSE to end such a veto; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23195/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I have asked that the office of the HSE's National Director of HR respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Public Procurement Contracts

Ceisteanna (401)

Michael Fitzmaurice

Ceist:

401. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 306 of 5 March 2019, the number of deliveries of one carton of disposable incontinence products the contractor was paid for by the HSE; the number of deliveries of one carton of disposable incontinence products the contractor invoiced the HSE for; the rationale for the rates of these deliveries (details supplied), especially when they exceed the value of goods being delivered and the fact that the average rate for such a delivery in the marketplace is between €5 and €6. [23204/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.

Medicinal Products Prices

Ceisteanna (402)

John Brassil

Ceist:

402. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health if a body (details supplied) will be included in negotiations for the next national medicine pricing agreement to take effect in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23205/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The Framework Agreement on the Supply and Pricing of Medicines between the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association and the Department of Health, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Health Service Executive commenced on 01 August 2016 and shall continue until 31 July 2020.

I am advised that preparatory work for negotiations on the next Framework Agreement will commence in the coming months in my Department and in that regard relevant stakeholders will be consulted.

Services for People with Disabilities

Ceisteanna (403)

Michael McGrath

Ceist:

403. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) in County Cork will receive the recommended intervention services of speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and psychology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23208/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The 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.

Hospital Appointments Status

Ceisteanna (404)

Peter Fitzpatrick

Ceist:

404. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive a hospital appointment. [23212/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí 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.

Services for People with Disabilities

Ceisteanna (405)

Billy Kelleher

Ceist:

405. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will be instructed to acknowledge the fact that ME can lead to disability from mild to profound and that the condition should be added to its list of disabilities to reflect recognition by an organisation (details supplied) of ME as a disability code E014; and his views on whether access to assessment for home support and personal assistance services should be through disability services not older persons services. [23215/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The 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 Department of Health has committed to the enactment of legislation to underpin a stand-alone, statutory scheme for the financing and regulation of home-care by 2021. The statutory scheme will introduce clear rules in relation to what services individuals are eligible for and how decisions are made on allocating services. The new scheme will help to improve access to the home care services that people need. The system of regulation for home care will help to ensure that the public can be confident that the services provided are of a high standard.

Although much work has been done, a significant amount of work still remains to be undertaken before decisions are reached on the form of the home care scheme and the system of regulation. This is necessary to ensure that the reforms are successful, affordable and sustainable. The matter is however being progressed as quickly as possible.

HSE Disability Services provide personal and social supports based on the needs of the individual, rather than the provision of services based on a specific diagnosis or condition.

As the question relates to services provided by the HSE, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.

Disease Classification

Ceisteanna (406, 454)

Billy Kelleher

Ceist:

406. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the criteria used here to diagnose the neurological disease ME as described under G.93.3 WHO international classification of disease, tenth revision (ICD-10). [23216/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Eugene Murphy

Ceist:

454. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health the criteria used here to diagnose ME as described under G.93.3 WHO international classification of diseases, tenth revision (ICD-10); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23394/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 406 and 454 together.

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy.

Disease Management

Ceisteanna (407)

Billy Kelleher

Ceist:

407. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will be directed to develop guidelines for ME relevant to Ireland which reference contemporary research rather than rely on those from the UK. [23217/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy.

Disease Management

Ceisteanna (408)

Billy Kelleher

Ceist:

408. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will commence implementing the international consensus criteria for ME in order that persons with ME can receive a clear diagnosis as quickly as possible. [23218/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy.

Disease Management

Ceisteanna (409)

Billy Kelleher

Ceist:

409. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will be instructed to develop a clear pathway of care for persons with ME with prompt access to specialists and treatments. [23219/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Health Service Executive (HSE) Disability Services provide personal and social supports based on the needs of the individual, rather than the provision of services based on a specific diagnosis or condition. However, people with M.E. may also benefit from Specialist Disability Services such as assisted living services. The HSE provides a range of assisted living services including Personal Assistant and Home Support Services to support individuals to maximise their capacity to live full and independent lives.

I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Disease Management

Ceisteanna (410, 452)

Billy Kelleher

Ceist:

410. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the lack of specialist consultants for persons with ME; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that ME is a multi-system disease involving many areas with multiple debilitating symptoms which require patients to see many consultants. [23220/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Eugene Murphy

Ceist:

452. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the lack of specialist consultants for ME patients; his views on whether ME is a multi-system disease with many debilitating symptoms which require patients to attend numerous consultants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23391/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 410 and 452 together.

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.

Disease Classification

Ceisteanna (411)

Billy Kelleher

Ceist:

411. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will designate ME as a reportable health condition in order to obtain robust official collection of data on the number of children, young persons and adults with the condition and the degrees of severity of the condition. [23221/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy.

Disease Management

Ceisteanna (412, 451)

Billy Kelleher

Ceist:

412. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will be instructed to upgrade its diagnostic and treatment procedures for persons with ME to reflect best international practice; if he will address the lack of specialist support within the health service for those suffering with the condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23222/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Eugene Murphy

Ceist:

451. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will be instructed to update its diagnostic and treatment procedures for persons suffering with ME to reflect best international practice; if he will address the lack of specialist support within the health service for those with ME; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23390/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 412 and 451 together.

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy.

Home Help Service

Ceisteanna (413)

Niamh Smyth

Ceist:

413. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if he will address concerns (details supplied) relating to the provision of home help and carers; if the matter is due to the overspend on the national children's hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23223/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

There has been no cut in funding for home support. In 2018, the total budget for home support services was €416.8 million, which provided 17.5 million home support hours, including hours provided as part of an Intensive Home Care Package.

This year, in accordance with its National Service Plan, the HSE intends to provide 17.9 million home support hours to 53,000 people and a further 360,000 hours through intensive home care packages to 235 people. This means that in 2019 a further almost €30 million has been included in the home support budget and approximately 800,000 more hours of support will be provided throughout 2019. Despite this significant level of service provision, the demand for home support continues to grow. It is important to note that capital budgets relating to projects such as infrastructure projects are separate to current budgets relating to service delivery.

At the end of March there were 52,360 people in receipt of home support. During the first quarter of the year 4.2 million hours were delivered nationally, 4,411 new clients commenced the service and 6,238 people have been assessed and are waiting for either new or additional home support services. This is about 220 less than for the same period in 2018.

Home Support services are delivered by either HSE directly employed staff, or by staff employed by approved providers who have met the HSE requirements, and specifications, through a tender process for the delivery of Home Support Services. As services have developed the HSE has undertaken a comprehensive modernisation and improvement of home support services to better meet the needs of service users. The HSE and unions have been engaged over the past number of years in a comprehensive negotiation process, under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission and in line with the public service agreement with a view to implementing an overall package of measures to improve the service for service users and for the staff delivering those services.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Ceisteanna (414)

Eugene Murphy

Ceist:

414. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) can expect to have a hip replacement procedure carried out at Merlin Park Hospital, Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23226/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí 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 Appointments Status

Ceisteanna (415)

Eugene Murphy

Ceist:

415. Deputy Eugene Murphy 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. [23227/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí 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.

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