Written Answers Nos. 145-164
Physiotherapy Provision
145. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin   asked the Minister for Health the number of children waiting for the first assessment for qualification for children's physiotherapy services in County Kildare and west County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42086/17]
Minister for Health (Deputy Simon Harris): As this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
Speech and Language Therapy Provision
146. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health the number of children waiting for their first assessment for possible qualification with the speech and language therapy department in County Kildare and west County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42087/17]
Minister for Health (Deputy Simon Harris): As this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
Home Care Packages Provision
147. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health if he has approved a measure (details supplied) used for assessing persons for home care supports and packages at university college hospital Galway; the scoring system with regard to community supports; and the way in which low, medium and high carer vulnerability is decided. [42094/17]
148. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health if he approved a measure (details supplied) used for assessing persons for home care supports and packages at university college hospital Galway at the time it was approved; the person that approved it; and if it operates in other counties. [42095/17]
149. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health the way in which the routine, significant, critical and multiple care needs are being defined by the home care forum group of university college hospital Galway and the HSE. [42096/17]
Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Jim Daly): I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 to 149, inclusive, together.
As these are service matters I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Health Services Provision
150. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health the additional clinics in place to deal with the waiting list in south County Galway in view of the difficulty in recruiting a community ophthalmologist to ensure that children are seen in a timely manner, taking cognisance of clinical need and clinical urgency, in each of the years 2014 to 2016 and to date in 2017; and the number on the waiting list for three, six, nine, 12, 18 and 24 months, respectively. [42098/17]
Minister for Health (Deputy Simon Harris): As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
Health Promotion
151. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the World Health Organisation protocol on monitoring food and beverage marketing to children via television and the Internet; the estimated extent and nature of children's exposure to marketing for high fat, salt and sugar, HFSS, foods via television and the Internet as per the protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42105/17]
Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Catherine Byrne): I am aware of the World Health Organisation protocol on monitoring food and beverage marketing to children via television and the internet and this has influenced our own Code of Practice for food and drink promotion, marketing, product placement and sponsorship that has been developed by a working group and will be published shortly.
This Code, which specifically targets High Fat, Sugar and Salt foods (HFSS) and drinks has been developed as an early action in the ‘Healthy Weight for Ireland’ Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP) launched last September under the Healthy Ireland agenda. The OPAP covers a ten year period up to 2025 and aims to reverse obesity trends, prevent health complications and reduce the overall burden for individuals, families, the health system, and the wider society and economy.
The OPAP prescribes 'Ten Steps Forward' and under each step there are a number of actions, some of which have been identified for early implementation. Step 3 is to Secure appropriate support from the commercial sector to play its part in obesity prevention. I wish to emphasise that every sector of our society has a role in reducing the burden of obesity and the OPAP clearly acknowledges this.
The World Health Organisation protocol on monitoring food and beverage marketing to children will also influence the revision of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland Children’s Communication Code which already targets advertising of High Fat, Sugar and Salt foods (HFSS) and drinks on broadcast media.
School Meals Programme
152. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health his plans to extend the new nutrition standards under the school meals local projects scheme to other non-funded schools; the steps he will take to seek compliance with these standards by other schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42106/17]
Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Catherine Byrne): The new Nutrition Standards for School Meals are available on the Department of Health and Healthy Ireland websites. They are also available as a link on the Department of Education and Skills and Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection websites.
My Department will be liaising with the Department of Education and Skills in relation to opportunities to extend the use of the Standards in schools outside the School Meals Local Projects Scheme.
The Nutrition Standards are available for use as guidelines for schools healthy eating policies in both primary and post primary schools and are being brought to the attention of schools by the Healthy Eating and Active Living programme in the Health Service Executive, through their schools teams.
Compliance with the Standards only applies to schools funded under the school meals local projects scheme and this monitoring is being carried out by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. A Service Level Agreement which included reference to compliance with the new Standards was sent to relevant schools participating in the Scheme last week by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
School Meals Programme
153. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the foodstuffs and beverages covered and reimbursable under the new nutrition standards under the school meals local projects scheme; if there is documentation and guidance being provided to schools additional to the standards themselves to provide clarity on the foodstuffs and beverages that will be reimbursed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42107/17]
Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Catherine Byrne): The foodstuffs and beverages covered and reimbursable under the new Nutrition Standards for the School Meals Local Projects Scheme is provided in detail in the Standards Report. These are nutritious foods and drinks from the four bottom shelves of the Food Pyramid and are influenced by the funding allocation available depending on the meals- breakfast, snack, lunch or mid afternoon snack or dinner allocation.
Standards for that apply to all meals and snacks are also given for foods and drinks high in fat, sugar and salt; for fats, spreads and oils and for drinks. These provide clarity on the foodstuffs and beverages that will be reimbursed under the Scheme. These Standards are comprehensive, therefore additional documentation and guidance is not being provided.
Physiotherapy Provision
154. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is no physiotherapy service in the Erris peninsula; the reason this is the case; and the steps he is taking to alleviate the problem. [42110/17]
Minister for Health (Deputy Simon Harris): As this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
Hospital Appointments Administration
155. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Health the reason a person's (details supplied) echocardiogram appointments are being rearranged on a regular basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42111/17]
Minister for Health (Deputy Simon Harris): 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 response to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly.
Pharmacy Services
156. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the situation whereby pharmacists' prescriptions in some cases request the person to come back on a weekly basis even though they have a monthly prescription; if there are additional payments available to the pharmacists for filling the prescriptions on a phased basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42115/17]
Minister for Health (Deputy Simon Harris): In general, monthly prescriptions are dispensed by pharmacies on a monthly or 28-day basis depending on the type of medicine and the form in which it is packaged by the manufacturer. A prescriber may, on occasion, request that patients are only supplied with one week's supply of medicine at a time, due to the nature of the medicines involved and/or any ongoing safety concerns for the patient. In such circumstances, the prescription would be required to be dispensed by the pharmacy on a weekly basis, and this would be governed by the particular patient's care needs. This is known as phased dispensing and a fee is paid to a pharmacist for this service.
Claims by pharmacists for phased dispensing fees are only valid in certain narrow circumstances, where the dispensing on multiple supply occasions is:
- at the request of a patient's physician;
- due to the inherent nature of the medicine in terms of product stability and shelf life;
- where a patient is commencing new drug therapy with a view to establishing patient tolerance and acceptability before continuing on a full treatment regimen;
- in exceptional circumstances where the patient is incapable of safely and effectively managing the medication regimen.
Hospital Appointments Status
157. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42116/17]
Minister for Health (Deputy Simon Harris): 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 Staff Contracts
158. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health if contracts of employment will be offered to all 11 2017 mental health nurse graduates who wish to remain in County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42121/17]
Minister for Health (Deputy Simon Harris): I can confirm that all 2017 nursing and midwifery graduates will be offered permanent contracts by the HSE. These offers will be subject to the usual recruitment requirements. Nursing and midwifery recruitment and retention is a priority for the Government and officials in my Department are liaising with the HSE on a weekly basis to review progress on the appointment of nursing graduates.
These contracts are being offered as part of the 2017 Nursing and Midwifery Agreement, reached with the INMO and SIPTU. This Agreement has a particular focus on addressing recruitment and retention of nursing and midwifery posts. It has committed to put in place an additional 1,224 nursing and midwifery posts across the public health service by the end of December 2017. Very extensive and detailed work has been sustained throughout 2017 to implement the Agreement.
Each Hospital or Community Healthcare Organisation is making offers to the 2017 nursing and midwifery graduates who undertake their clinical placement in their location. Every effort is being made to accommodate the graduate nurses and midwives in their preferred locations. Where a Hospital or CHO area is unable to offer places to all graduates, then the remaining graduates are offered places in the respective Hospital Group or an alternative CHO location, as appropriate.
I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly with the specific data sought in the question.
HSE Staff Remuneration
159. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 156 of 27 September 2017, if the 2015 circular on sleepover pay rates and its funding in the 2015 service plan applies to all HSE funded section 39 organisations in the sector; and if section 39 organisations are in his view the private sector providers as indicated in his response to Parliamentary Question No. 466 of 20 September 2017. [42128/17]
160. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 156 of 27 September 2017, if the 2015 circular on sleepover pay rates and its funding in the 2015 service plan applies to all HSE funded section 39 organisations in the sector; and if section 39 organisations are in his view the private sector providers. [42129/17]
Minister for Health (Deputy Simon Harris): I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 and 160 together.
In a Parliamentary Question answered on 27 September 2017, I advised that HSE HR Circular 027 / 2014 applies to HSE staff and staff employed by agencies that are funded by the HSE under section 38 of the Health Act 2004 who undertake sleepover duties as set out in the circular.
Under section 39 of the Health Act 2004, the HSE has in place Service Level Agreements with voluntary providers which set out the level of service to be provided for the grant to the individual organisation. Any individuals employed by these section 39 organisations are employed in a private capacity and therefore neither the HSE nor the Minister have a role in determining the salaries or other terms and conditions applying to these staff.
It is a matter for private employers to negotiate salaries with their staff as part of the terms and conditions of their employment.
Flood Relief Schemes
161. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to amend the flood relief scheme for farmers in County Donegal administered by his Department. [41993/17]
162. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to amend the flood relief scheme for farmers in County Donegal in response to the concerns of farmer representative organisations; and if he will ensure that all categories of farmers are fully compensated for their losses. [41994/17]
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Deputy Michael Creed): I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 162 together.
As you may know, I visited the Inishowen Peninsula with my colleague Minster Joe McHugh following the exceptional rainfall of August 22nd last to see at first-hand some of the very significant problems that a number of farmers faced as a result. I committed during my visit to supporting these farmers, and my Department in conjunction with other State Agencies moved swiftly to offer practical solutions to those affected.
In the immediate aftermath of the flood I prioritised the availability of support by means of the Animal Welfare Helpline which gives guidance on protecting animal welfare and safety in addition to responding to urgent requirements for emergency feed provision. Staff from both my own Department as well as Teagasc were in the area; Teagasc provided advice to affected farmers in dealing with the immediate challenges that arose.
From my own experience of visiting Inishowen, together with the findings of my officials and Teagasc, it was clear that the principal and most widespread impacts of the floods on farms in the Inishowen Peninsula centred on damage to land, fencing, fodder and livestock. To address these pressing issues in the most effective manner I introduced a targeted measure of assistance.
Support under this measure applies to losses of livestock, conserved fodder (Hay or Silage) and as a contribution towards the clean-up cost of agricultural lands, including repair to fences, damaged by debris washed up by the floods. The measure is subject to the provisions of EU de minimis state aid rules in the agriculture sector and only losses not covered by insurance are eligible for consideration.
While it is not possible to address all of the problems the unprecedented rainfall caused on farms in Inishowen, this measure is in my view, a most comprehensive, timely and appropriate response to the main difficulties farmers there had to deal with.
The measure closed for applications last Friday 29th September and these will now be processed as quickly as possible.
Agriculture Scheme Payments
163. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he will take to ensure that a payment in relation to areas of natural constraint, ANC, due to a person (details supplied) is issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41997/17]
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Deputy Michael Creed): The person named submitted a 2017 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme's application on 10 May 2017. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases remote sensing (i.e. satellite) inspections, be completed before any payments issue.
The application of the person named was selected for a Remote Sensing eligibility inspection. This inspection is currently being processed with the intention of issuing any payments due as soon as possible. In the event that any queries arise officials in my Department will be in contact with the person named.
GLAS Applications
164. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the commonage implementation committee will make a recommendation in respect of persons (details supplied) applying for GLAS payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42010/17]
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Deputy Michael Creed): A key driver of EU schemes is the sustainable environmental management of farmed land. In the case of commonage, account must be taken of the environmental effects of the actions of all active shareholders. Either a Commonage Management Plan or a Commonage Farm Plan must be prepared for each individual commonage as a baseline requirement for GLAS.
While agreement between the appointed Commonage Advisor and the active shareholders on the management of commonages is achievable in the majority of cases, it is also recognised that in a relatively small number of commonages such an agreement may not be forthcoming. The Commonage Implementation Committee was established to assist in the resolution of issues arising.
The Committee meet as required including meeting this week. Once their recommendations are received and actioned by the Department, the individuals involved are notified. |
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