Thursday, 9 Jun 2016

Written Answers Nos. 146-56

Nursing Staff

Questions (146)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

146. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the full year cost of employing ten liaison nurses in emergency departments in hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15131/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Nursing Staff

Questions (147)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

147. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the full year cost of employing ten suicide crisis assessment nurses at entry level; and at the levels of five years’ experience; and at ten years’ experience; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15132/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Nursing Staff

Questions (148)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

148. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the full-year cost of employing ten liaison nurses in emergency departments in hospitals, at entry level, at the level of five years experience and at ten years experience; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15133/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Nursing Staff

Questions (149)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

149. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the full-year cost of employing ten midwives in emergency departments in hospitals at entry level, at the levels of five years experience and at ten years experience; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15134/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Medical Card Expenditure

Questions (150)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

150. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the full-year average cost of granting a person a medical card including the care, services and medications that it entails on average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15135/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The HSE published its PCRS Statistical Analysis of Claims and Payments Report in 2014. It reported in this analysis an overall spend of €425 million on GP services and €1.12 billion on pharmacy costs. It also reported that the average payments of a Medical Card in relation to GP services and pharmacy costs in 2014 was €912.

Dental Services Waiting Lists

Questions (151)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

151. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of children on the waiting list for dental assessment and screening between six and eight years and between nine and 11 years of age. [15137/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Dental Services Expenditure

Questions (152)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

152. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the annual expenditure on the public dental service in each of the years 2008 to 2016 to date. [15138/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The budget for the Public Dental Service, provided by the HSE, is approximately €60 million per year. I have asked the HSE to write directly to the Deputy with the specific information requested. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Orthodontic Services Data

Questions (153)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

153. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time for orthodontic treatment by HSE area in 2008 and at present. [15139/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Dental Services

Questions (154)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

154. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the status of the vocational training scheme in dentistry which was paused in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15140/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

A 12-month Vocational Training Scheme was available between 1999 and 2011 to dental graduates. There was limited interest in the Scheme, which aimed to provide a transitional year for newly qualified dental graduates to help them prepare for the running of a general dental practice or a HSE dental clinic service. In 2010 when 20 places were available 4 trainees out of 75 graduates accepted places. The Scheme ceased in 2011. Future education and training needs will be addressed in conjunction with the Department of Education and Skills and will be informed by the National Oral Health Policy, which the Department of Health is currently developing.

Dental Services

Questions (155, 156, 191)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

155. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the cost of restoring the extended gum cleaning entitlement under the dental treatment services scheme. [15147/16]

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

156. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the cost of removing the annual cap on fillings which was introduced in budget 2010 under the dental treatment service scheme. [15148/16]

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

191. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of restoring the bi-annual scale and polish entitlement, under the dental treatment services scheme. [15258/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 155, 156 and 191 together.

The Health Professionals (Reduction of Payments to Dentists) Regulations 2009 (S.I. No. 171 of 2009) set out payments in respect of services rendered by a registered dentist to or on behalf of the Health Service Executive under the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS), including restorations (fillings) and prophylaxis (scale and polish). The fee payable for an amalgam restoration is €50.06 and €51.88 for a composite restoration. The fee for prophylaxis is €31.00. Fees for other procedures, for which there had previously been regional variations, are set out in the Health Professionals (Reduction of Payments to Dentists) Regulations 2011. These Regulations provide for payments for Protracted Periodontal Treatment Services of €26.36 per visit.

The cost of restoring treatments which had been provided before 2010 to all medical card holders would depend on a number of factors, including the underlying oral health of the population and the likely level of take-up of such services. The HSE continues to monitor the operation of the DTSS to ensure the most beneficial, effective and efficient use of available resources.

The Primary Care Reimbursement Service of the HSE regularly publishes detailed reports on expenditure. These reports are available on the following website, www.hse.ie/eng/staff/PCRS/PCRS_Publications.