Written Answers Nos. 401-416
401. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of patients in Mayo who are currently awaiting appointments for assessments of need, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy; the length of time they have been waiting, and their age bracket. [45997/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
402. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when an assessment of need will take place for a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46011/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
403. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when speech and language assessment/provision might be provided in the case of the child of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46013/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
404. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if and when a review of her circumstances might be undertaken to ensure all supports for child with special needs can be granted in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46036/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
405. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of children waiting on CAMHS waiting lists in Donegal, broken down by how many months they are waiting, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45754/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
406. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the measures that will be implemented to reduce unacceptable delays in children accessing services provided by CAMHS in Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45757/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
407. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Health the funding allocated to CAMHS in each of the years 2011 to 2025 inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45901/24]
View answer408. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Health the staffing allocation to CAMHS in each of the years 2011 to 2025 inclusive; the number recruited, and the number planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45902/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 407 and 408 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
409. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when a person in County Donegal (details supplied) can expect to receive a date for an operation in Galway University Hospital vascular clinic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45499/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
410. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the hugely negative impact that nitrogen oxides (NOx) has on citizens’ health, particularly children; the policies he intends to implement to improve air quality from NOx; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45504/24]
View answerIreland's National Clean Air Strategy, published in April 2023, identifies the most significant air pollutants in an Irish context, including Nitrogen Oxides, and sets out their impacts on human health. With an estimated 1,410 premature deaths in Ireland each year linked with air pollution, this Strategy will play a significant role both in reducing the health impact of air pollution in Ireland, and in achieving Ireland's domestic and EU air quality standards.
The health impacts of air pollution, including Nitrogen Oxides, relate to heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections in children. Nitrogen Oxides also affect liver, spleen and blood functions.
While policy responsibility in relation to air pollution rests with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, my Department supports the adoption and implementation of actions under the National Clean Air Strategy, and is a member of its Implementation Group. This underlines the importance of improving Ireland's air quality and enables the integration of health messaging in actions under the Strategy.
411. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if issues with patient follow-up will be expedited (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45511/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
412. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Health if he could outline the HSE’s recruitment plan to address the shortfall in occupational therapists in Sligo/Leitrim; when they expect to employ a full-time occupational therapists to work in the Sligo town area in particular; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45512/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
413. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of positions at Letterkenny University Hospital which are vacant, unfilled or filled on a temporary, agency and locum basis, at staff grade level, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45516/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
414. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will fast-track besremi reimbursement approval and call for an immediate reassessment of besremi by the NCPE given the current shortage of Pegasys; if he is aware that the NHS in England has approved besremi for interim use and that there is a clear precedent that could be followed to protect patient safety and continuity of care; his views on the case of a person (details supplied) who is desperate to secure besremi as an urgently needed treatment option; the measures they can take in the interim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45517/24]
View answerUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines. As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
415. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if an appointment will be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45525/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
416. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if a medical card holder has to pay for blood tests carried out in a GP practice following a request from a consultant endocrinologist after a private appointment with a patient; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45533/24]
View answerUnder 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.
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. There is no provision under the GMS GP contract for persons who hold a medical card or a GP visit card to be charged for clinically necessary blood tests.
In addition, blood tests undertaken in the context of the GP Chronic Disease Management programme are covered by the fees paid to GPs by the HSE for this care.
Where a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card believes he or she has been incorrectly charged for routine phlebotomy services (i.e. a blood test to either assist in the diagnosis of illness or the treatment of a condition) 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 a GMS patient, shall contact the GP concerned and carry out an investigation into the complaint and will, where appropriate, arrange for a refund of charges incorrectly applied by that 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.
