Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:1234. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a cataract operation in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1353/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraHospital Waiting Lists
Ceisteanna (1234)
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, 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 you directly.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Ceisteanna (1235)
Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:1235. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the waiting list for cataract operations in counties Kerry and Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1361/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In relation to this particular query, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
Mental Health Services
Ceisteanna (1236)
Robert Troy
Ceist:1236. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the steps that must be undertaken in a psychiatric hospital to admit a person long-term in cases in which the person expresses a desire to leave and the hospital cannot force them to stay but the family has concerns that the person may be a danger to themselves or to others. [1365/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Mental Health Act 2001 and regulations made thereunder contains the legislative provisions governing admission to and treatment for mental illness in approved centres.
For a person to be admitted as an involuntary patient, there is a three stage process involving an initial application, a recommendation from a General Practitioner and an assessment by a Consultant Psychiatrist that the person under examination suffers from a mental disorder and meets the conditions for involuntary admission as set out in the Act. Such admissions are subject to review by a Mental Health Tribunal. Persons admitted on this basis do not have the right to leave the approved centre while subject to an admission or renewal order without the express permission of the Consultant Psychiatrist.
Most people, however, who go to an approved centre for treatment do so by choice and admit themselves as a voluntary patient. Where a voluntary patient indicates at any time that he or she wishes to leave the approved centre, then under section 23 of the Act, if a consultant psychiatrist, registered medical practitioner or registered nurse on the staff of the approved centre is of opinion that the person is, at that time, suffering from a mental disorder, he or she may detain the person for a period not exceeding 24 hours. The Consultant Psychiatrist responsible for the care and treatment of the person prior to his or her detention must then arrange for the person to be examined by another Consultant Psychiatrist. If the person is deemed to be suffering from a mental disorder, the person may then be detained as an involuntary patient.
It is important to point out that any assessment of whether a person should be admitted as an involuntary patient because he/she is deemed to be suffering from a mental disorder, will take into account the question of whether there is a serious likelihood of the person concerned causing immediate and serious harm to himself or herself or to other persons.
Health Services
Ceisteanna (1237)
Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:1237. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on the case of a person (details supplied) who is on the waiting list for a prosthetic leg; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1376/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland
Ceisteanna (1238)
Niamh Smyth
Ceist:1238. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has not received registration to start working as a midwife in Cavan General Hospital. [1377/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I wish to thank the Deputy for the matter raised. I have made inquires with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) who have advised that the individual applied to be registered in the Midwives Division of the Register on 6 October 2016. The applicant was required to arrange for a verification of their registration and good standing to issue to the NMBI from the Nursing and Midwifery Council in the United Kingdom in order to further progress their application. This document was duly received in NMBI in December and a registration review was undertaken.
Following the full review the application was approved for registration 5 January 2016 and an email issued to the applicant advising of this decision. In order to now complete the final registration stage the individual must send the registration fee of €145 to NMBI. On receipt of this fee the application will be registered with immediate effect.
Departmental Reviews
Ceisteanna (1239)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:1239. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the status of the bed capacity review; the terms of reference; the membership of those undertaking the review; the timeline for the review; when and the number of times the group has met; when the review will complete and report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1385/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy is aware, I have confirmed that my Department will undertake a capacity review this year in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government.
Systematic analysis of the capacity requirements of the health service is an obvious requirement of proper planning and management. Such reviews should ideally be undertaken on a periodic basis and have a medium to long term focus. Given the changes in population, epidemiological trends and fiscal environment since the last report in 2007, a review at this stage is appropriate.
Assessing capacity requirements, however, is a complex task and cannot be divorced from considerations on the underlying model of care we want to develop for the Irish health service. It is widely acknowledged that primary care can provide more appropriate and effective management and treatment of some illnesses and conditions, especially chronic diseases. Similarly, the availability of non-acute beds and services in the community can mitigate the need for acute hospital admission, or facilitate earlier discharge. These factors directly contribute to the demands on the acute hospital system.
For this reason, I am anxious that the review will have a wider scope than previous reviews and will examine key elements of primary and community care infrastructure in addition to hospital beds. Initial work on the 2017 Capacity Review has focused on expanding the concept of a preferred model of care and how it can inform the assessment of future capacity requirements. Arrangements for the review are now being put in place. It will be undertaken by my Department and will be overseen by a steering group and an international expert advisory group. External expert inputs will be commissioned to provide independent and impartial analysis of capacity needs. Finalised details of the review process will be made public shortly.
Given the current pressures being experienced within our hospital services, the process must also have a short-term focus and determine how capital investment over the coming years can be best targeted. I can confirm that the review will be advanced sufficiently to enable it to inform considerations around the mid-term review of the capital programme. It will be finalised for publication later in the year.
Departmental Meetings
Ceisteanna (1240)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:1240. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of times he or his Department has met the health unions in the past three months; the unions that were met and the number of times each was met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1386/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
A significant number of meetings took place between my Department and unions representing public health sector employees in the three month period from 10 October 2016 to 10 January 2017. The table lists the unions met, as well as the number of occasions they were met. This table includes meetings which were held under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission.
|
Unions |
Number of Meetings |
|
ICTU (IMPACT, PSEU, SIPTU, INMO, INTO) |
3 |
|
Irish Hospital Consultants Association |
3 |
|
Psychiatric Nurses Association |
3 |
|
Irish Dental Association |
4 |
|
Irish Medical Organisation |
18 |
|
Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation |
19 |
|
Services Industrial Professional and Technical Union |
13 |
|
Irish Municipal Public and Civil Trade Union |
4 |
|
UNITE |
2 |
|
Craft Unions |
1 |
|
Medical Laboratory Scientists Association |
1 |
|
National Association of General Practitioners |
1 |
|
Services Industrial Professional and Technical Union (Retired Members Section) |
1 |
I trust this information will be of use to the Deputy.
Emergency Departments
Ceisteanna (1241)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:1241. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of times the emergency department task force has met in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1387/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Emergency Department Taskforce (EDTF) was convened in December 2014 to provide focus and momentum in dealing with the challenges presented by ED overcrowding. The EDTF Implementation Oversight Group has met seven times over the course of 2016 and into 2017; most recently on the 6th January 2017.
On 9 September 2016, the HSE launched the 'Winter Initiative Plan 2016 - 2017' which has provided €40 million of additional funding for winter preparedness. The initiative has been developed to manage the expected winter surge in demand for hospital care in an integrated way across Primary, Acute and Social Care.
As part of this Initiative the Minister for Health and his Department meet with the senior management of the HSE on a weekly basis to oversee implementation of the Winter Initiative and monitor performance in EDs. Since the start of 2017, this group has met 4 times to deal with the current pressure on EDs.
At a meeting on 5 January 2017, the HSE announced a series of enhanced measures as part of the existing Winter Initiative Plan. These measures focus particularly on augmenting the supports for primary and community care and targeting of acute capacity, and are designed to alleviate the current significant demands on EDs as a result of the increased numbers of patients attending at this time of year, compounded by the current spike in flu-like illnesses and the winter vomiting bug.
The enhanced measures under the Winter Initiative include:
- the opening of 63 additional acute hospital beds in addition to the 35 beds already opened this winter; of these the HSE have advised around 40 have opened;
- access to 60 additional transitional care beds for targeted hospitals (Galway, Clonmel, Wexford, St. Vincent’s, St. James, Tallaght, Drogheda, Beaumont, Mater, and Connolly) immediately (for the next four weeks) for patients who would otherwise have to remain in an acute hospital bed while their nursing home application is being completed;
- the utilisation of additional capacity in certain private hospitals to support the public hospital system;
- additional access to diagnostic services for GPs, supporting nursing homes in the management of flu;
- enhanced discharge processes between hospitals and CHOs and continued dissemination to the public of information on the Flu Vaccination and the “Under the Weather”.
The work of the EDTF and Implementation of the Winter Initiative is supported by the work of the Special Delivery Unit (SDU) of the HSE on the ground supporting process improvement and the delivery of key targets at sites throughout the country.
National Lottery Funding Applications
Ceisteanna (1242)
Charlie McConalogue
Ceist:1242. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the status of a national lottery funding application (details supplied); when a decision can be expected on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1391/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I have approved a grant of €50,000 from Lottery funding in 2016 for the organisation concerned. The organisation has been notified of the grant.
A list of all the organisations that received lottery funding in 2016 is available on my Department's website at http://health.gov.ie/about-us/list-of-organisations-who-received-lottery-funding-2009-2016/.
Hospital Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (1243)
Barry Cowen
Ceist:1243. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) can expect an appointment. [1399/17]
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 scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
Hospital Services
Ceisteanna (1244)
Pearse Doherty
Ceist:1244. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health further to his letter received and dated 11 July 2016 concerning gynaecology and antenatal services at Dungloe Community Hospital, when it is expected that clinics will reopen for patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1403/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this particular query relates to a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
Hospital Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (1245)
Pearse Doherty
Ceist:1245. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an appointment from Beaumont Hospital for an operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1406/17]
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, 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 you directly.
Hospice Services Provision
Ceisteanna (1246, 1318)
Robert Troy
Ceist:1246. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health his plans to provide a level three hospice unit in the midlands region as outlined in his Department's Statement of Strategy 2016-2019 document; and the timescale for the implementation of this unit. [1422/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Peter Burke
Ceist:1318. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health his plans for the development of the promised hospice unit in the midlands stated in his Department's recent statement of strategy; the proposed timeline for the development of the unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1753/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1246 and 1318 together.
In our Programme for a Partnership Government, the Government has committed to bring into operation further hospices, the construction of which local communities have funded. We will encourage the development of a hospice in the Midlands and North-East, and home care in regions where there are no hospices. This commitment is in line with Government policy on palliative care as set out in the 2001 Report of the National Advisory Committee on Palliative Care.
As the development of individual hospices is a matter for the HSE in the first instance, in co-operation with the local hospice groups, I have referred the matter to the HSE for investigation and direct reply to the Deputies.
National Lottery Funding Disbursement
Ceisteanna (1247)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:1247. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the national lottery allocations made in 2014, 2015, and 2016 with details of the amounts, the name and address of the beneficiary and the purpose of the allocation; and the criteria which applied to these allocation decisions. [1423/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
My Department administered a National Lottery Discretionary Fund in the years referred to by the Deputy from which once off grants were made to community and voluntary organisations providing a range of health related services. Lottery funding provided in each of the years amounted to €3.286 million.
A list of all the organisations that received lottery funding in 2014, 2015 and 2016 is available on my Department's website at
http://health.gov.ie/about-us/list-of-organisations-who-received-lottery-funding-2009-2016/.
Question No. 1248 answered with Question No. 798.
Hospital Appointments Administration
Ceisteanna (1249)
James Lawless
Ceist:1249. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health if he will examine the case whereby a person (details supplied) waiting on an outpatient appointment, who has moved from children's services to adult services, will have an appointment expedited in view of the time spent waiting on an appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1428/17]
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 scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
Hospital Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (1250)
Barry Cowen
Ceist:1250. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) can expect an appointment. [1429/17]
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 scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland
Ceisteanna (1251)
Catherine Connolly
Ceist:1251. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the current average waiting time in weeks for processing overseas registration applications by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland from the date initial correspondence was received; the measures in place to reduce any delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1430/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I wish to thank the Deputy for the matter raised.
Given that this is an operational matter, it is appropriate that it should be dealt with by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). I have referred the Deputy's question to the NMBI for attention and direct reply within 10 working days.
Medical Card Applications
Ceisteanna (1252)
Bernard Durkan
Ceist:1252. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health when a medical card can issue in the case of persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1434/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information was issued to Oireachtas members.