Written Answers Nos. 616-637
616. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) can expect a date for allocation to a full-time residential care facility as recommended at a multi-discipline team meeting held on 19 November 2021 which included representations from disability services, older persons and primary care services. [60423/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
617. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) can expect to return home with the necessary homecare support system in place until such a time when a place in a full-time residential care home is secured. [60424/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
618. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if he will consider reviewing the current reimbursement process in place for medical card holders seeking to claim back the costs of blood tests; if this has ever been reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60450/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra620. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if medical card holders are advised of the reimbursement process to recoup the costs of blood tests with their general practitioner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60452/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra621. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the engagement he has had with an organisation (details supplied) on the charging of medical card holders for blood tests by general practitioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60453/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 618, 620 and 621 together.
There is no provision under the GMS GP contract for persons who hold a medical card or GP visit card to be charged for routine phlebotomy services provided by their GP which are required to either assist in the diagnosis of illness or the treatment of a condition. This has been advised to GPs by the HSE.
The issue of GPs charging GMS patients for phlebotomy services is complex given the numerous reasons and circumstances under which blood tests are taken. My Department and the HSE discussed this issue previously with the relevant GP representative body. However, it did not prove possible to achieve agreement that no charges for blood tests would be applied in any circumstances. It is intended to raise this issue again at an appropriate time.
It should be noted that the GP chronic disease management programme which is being phased in, having commenced last year, will involve the ongoing monitoring of patients’ condition and any blood tests required in this context will be covered by the fees payable for this care.
The position remains that where a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card believes he or she has been incorrectly charged for routine phlebotomy services by his or her GP, then that patient should report the matter to their HSE Local Health Office. The local management, upon being notified of potential inappropriate charging of GMS patients, carry out an investigation into each complaint and will, where appropriate, arrange for a refund of charges incorrectly applied by the GP. The reimbursement process is necessary to ensure that refunds are processed correctly.
619. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the number of applications made for the reimbursement of costs for blood tests with a general practitioner in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; the number of applications approved and paid out and the number refused; the current average waiting time for reimbursement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60451/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
622. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health his views on the fire service being deployed as a first responder back-up service to the National Ambulance Service; if he will seek to advance the matter in cooperation with the National Ambulance Service and local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60458/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe role and functions of retained fire services is under the aegis of my colleague the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage at first instance. However, given that the Deputy's question relates to the potential provision of additional support to the National Ambulance Service (NAS), I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible, with information on this query.
623. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health when the external review of the disposal of perinatal organs at Cork University Maternity Hospital will be concluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60462/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
624. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health when the new protocol for the distribution and prescribing of Ajovy, fremanezumab, will be in place; the reason patients who are already registered on hospital medical databases are required to complete a manual re-registration process; the reason they the being denied the opportunity to privately avail of the drug as a direct result of actions by the HSE. [60463/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
625. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the reason doctors have been prohibited from prescribing Ajovy, fremanezumab, (details supplied) now that the HSE has taken over the control and distribution of the drug. [60464/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
626. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if vaccination centres and other settings in which the booster vaccines are being rolled out including primary care centres are running at full capacity; if sufficient vaccinators are in place across these settings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60501/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
627. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if he his attention has been drawn to the long delays at a primary care centre (details supplied) for Covid-19 booster vaccinations; the steps he will take to avoid such delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60502/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
629. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health when patients will be able to access medical cannabis from the Medical Access Programme. [60505/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
630. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1852 of 21 April 2021, if the HSE has developed the individual patient approval system to enable reimbursement for patients who meet the pre-defined criteria as per the HSE Medicines Managed Programme which in March 2021 was in the development stage (details supplied); the system that has been implemented to date; the number of patients enrolled and informed of their status; if this is not the case, the stage at which this development has been completed to date; the protocols that have been established as a result of this managed programme; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that as a direct result of the delay in developing a managed programme patients with a debilitating, chronic illness are being forced to do without a drug which was approved in March 2021; the immediate steps he plans to take to ensure this vital drug will be available to patients; and the date from which it will be available. [60507/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
632. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the structures that are being put in place to allow passengers to acquire an antigen or PCR test in order to travel over the Christmas period given that many pharmacies and health facilities will be closed during this time; if he has spoken with his European and international counterparts in relation to this matter given persons will be entering and egressing the State throughout this period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60519/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe requirements for travel are kept under regular review based on the evolving international epidemiological situation. At present, and as part of our response to the emergence of the Omicron variant, passengers travelling to Ireland require a valid test result (subject to limited exemptions). Full details on international travel policy and the types of tests accepted are published at www.gov.ie/travel.
Where testing is needed to meet the travel requirements of another country, it should be obtained from private providers in order to preserve HSE testing capacity for priority groups.
The current timeframes required for tests for travel to Ireland (72 hours before arrival to Ireland for a PCR test and 48 hours before arrival to Ireland for an antigen test) provides passengers an opportunity to obtain a test. However, it is the responsibility of the traveller to ensure they meet the travel requirements imposed by their country of destination.
633. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the position regarding patient visits at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60533/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
635. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the progress made in meeting the Neurorehabilitation Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60540/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra636. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the timeline for when community neurorehabilitation teams will be established and fully staffed in each community healthcare organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60541/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra637. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of specialist rehabilitation beds that are currently in place in each HSE region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60542/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 635 to 637, inclusive, together.
As the issues raised are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
