Written Answers Nos. 655-674
655. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of cases that are to be reviewed in the comprehensive lookback review into CAMHS in north Kerry; the reason for the delay in the calling of this review; if there was an overlap between the cases with risk in the Mental Health Commission’s interim report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4149/23]
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.
656. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time for assistive communication devices to be supplied to non-verbal children diagnosed with autism; the reason the parents of such a child (details supplied) were informed that it would be at least nine months due to red tape; his views on whether such communication devices should be provided as soon after diagnosis as possible and that nine months is an unacceptably long time to wait. [4150/23]
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.
657. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health the circumstances under which an individual may reapply for a primary medical certificate following a past refusal; if a certain time period must lapse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4166/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the matter raised by the Deputy relates to a service matter, I have referred the matter to the Health Service Executive, for a direct reply to the Deputy.
658. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health what the policy of Letterkenny University Hospital was regarding the determination of next-of-kin and capacity prior to the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 which came into effect in the same year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4169/23]
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.
659. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the number of children aged zero to 18 years of age in each CHO by individual area, awaiting first-time intervention in all areas of early intervention; the number on the public list; the number on the CDNT list in each CHO in tabular form; and the length of time they are awaiting intervention by age. [4170/23]
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.
660. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health if there are future plans to roll out dialectical behavioural therapy in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4171/23]
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.
661. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health how a person in County Clare can avail of dialectical behavioural therapy given there is no provision for that service in the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4172/23]
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.
662. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health if he will address the issue of general practitioners charging patients with medical cards for individual blood tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4173/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra730. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if a person in receipt of a full medical card should be charged by their GP for a standard blood test; if there is a limit on the amount that a GP can charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4666/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 662 and 730 together.
Under the terms of the current GMS contract, GPs are required to provide eligible patients with ''all proper and necessary treatment of a kind usually undertaken by a general practitioner and not requiring special skill or experience of a degree or kind which general practitioners cannot reasonably be expected to possess". Persons who hold a medical card or a GP visit card are not subject to any co-payments or other charges in respect of such services including GP consultations.
The issue of GPs charging GMS patients for phlebotomy services (blood tests) is complex given the numerous reasons and circumstances under which blood tests are taken. Clinical determinations as to whether a blood test should taken to either assist in the diagnosis of illness or the treatment of a condition are made by the GP concerned. There is no provision under the GMS GP contract for persons who hold a medical card or GP visit card to be charged for such blood tests. In addition, blood tests undertaken in the context of services provided under the GP Chronic Disease Management programme are covered by the fees paid to GPs by the HSE for this care.
The issue has been raised 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.
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, or has been charged for a blood test provided under the Chronic Disease Management programme, 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.
Fees charged by GPs outside the terms of the GMS contracts are a matter of private contract between the clinicians and their patients. The HSE does not have any role in relation to such fees.
663. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health if there is a retrospective reimbursement for GP visits for children under six years in situations in which they did not have a GP visit card at the time of the consultation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4174/23]
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.
664. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health if there is an agreed and prescribed schedule of fees to which general practitioners must adhere; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4175/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraGPs are private practitioners, most of whom hold a GMS (General Medical Services) contract with the HSE to provide services without charge to patients who hold a medical card or a GP visit card.
Under the terms of the current GMS contract, GPs are required to provide eligible patients with ''all proper and necessary treatment of a kind usually undertaken by a general practitioner and not requiring special skill or experience of a degree or kind which general practitioners cannot reasonably be expected to possess". Persons who hold a medical card or a GP visit card are not subject to any co-payments or other charges in respect of such services including GP consultations.
Any fees charged by GPs for services provided outside the terms of the GMS contract, or other publicly funded GP held contracts, are a matter of private contract between the GP and their patient.
665. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the number of additional non-consultant hospital doctors that have been recruited in CH03 in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4176/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly with the information sought.
666. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health his plans for a new consultant-led multidisciplinary CAMHS hub in Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4177/23]
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.
667. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health his views on concerns and proposals for a coordinated response from an organisation (details supplied) in respect of the CAMHS report released this week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4190/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am familiar with the correspondence in question referred to by the Deputy, as I separately received this in the context of the recent publication by the Mental Health Commission of its Interim Report on the HSE CAMHS service.
As I have indicated on several occasions over recent times, the priority for me, and the Government, is to continue to improve all aspects of Mental Health in line with our Programme for Government commitments. This includes the update of our mental health legislation, implementation of the policies of Sharing the Vision and Connecting for Life, and progressing the mental health elements of the forthcoming HSE Service Plan 2023, arising from the record funding provision of over €1.2 billion arising from the last Budget.
In particular, I and my Department have taken full and proper consideration of all issues of concern raised in the Mental Health Commission's (MHC) Interim Report, and the subsequent responses of organisations, to bring about improvement in CAMHS. We await the completion by the MHC of its Final Report, along with other reviews and audits of CAMHS now underway stemming from the Maskey Report. In the meantime a proactive approach is being taken by the HSE and my Department to enhance CAMHS care, particularly from a Safety and Quality point of view.
The Deputy, and the organisation involved in this instance, can rest assured that I will fully bear in mind the matters raised in this correspondence and that I will continue to liaise as appropriate with them.
668. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of patients that visited the neurofibromatosis clinic at CHI Tallaght in the years 2021, 2022, and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [4199/23]
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.
669. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE dietitians working in each primary care centre in CHO9 as of 24 January 2023, in tabular form. [4200/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Health Service Executive (HSE) holds responsibility for service delivery, I asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
670. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of warnings issued by hospitals advising patients with non-emergency conditions to seek assistance from other areas of the health services and to not attend their emergency department in 2022. [4201/23]
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.
671. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the amount of revenue generated through parking charges in public car park areas within St. James's Hospital in 2022, and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [4202/23]
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.
672. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant plastic surgeons attached to St Vincent's University Hospital in the years 2021, 2022, and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [4203/23]
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.
673. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with diabetes who were funded for the Medtronic continuous glucose monitoring CGM sensors by the HSE; and the number who were over 21 years of age, for the years 2021 and 2022, in tabular form. [4210/23]
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.
674. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with diabetes who were funded for Freestyle Libre Flash Glucose sensors by the HSE; and the number who were over 21 years of age, for the years 2021 and 2022, in tabular form. [4211/23]
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.
