Written Answers Nos. 482-500
482. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Kildare will be considered for a medical card on discretionary grounds in view of medical history; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28016/14]
View answerIn the context of the Government's decision to develop a policy framework for providing eligibility for health services on the basis of medical conditions, the Government recently announced that a medical card or GP visit card is to be issued to a person, with a serious illness, whose discretionary card was refused renewal since the centralisation of medical card assessments.
If the medical card or GP visit card to which the Deputy refers was awarded by way of discretion and was refused renewal in the period from 1 July 2011 to 31 May 2014 following the completion of an eligibility review, a card will issue by the HSE.
The HSE has commenced the process of identifying and contacting persons to advise them that their medical cards and GP visit cards will issue. The HSE has commenced issuing letters to the persons concerned and this process should be concluded by the first two weeks of July. No action is required on the part of those affected as the HSE will be in contact. If people do not hear from the HSE by mid July, they should contact the HSE on its Lo-Call contact number: 1890 25 29 19. These individuals will be able to access medical card and GP visit card services in the normal manner when they have been advised by the HSE that their medical card or GP visit card is active.
The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine the specific query raised 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 has issued to Oireachtas members.
483. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be given a date for a hernia operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28017/14]
View answerThe 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 Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him on this matter.
484. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Carlow will receive an appointment with the consultant urologist in Waterford University Hospital. [28026/14]
View answerThe 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 would be in the best position to take the matter up with the consultant and hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
485. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if he will review the recent refusal of a medical card in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28029/14]
View answerIn the context of the Government's decision to develop a policy framework for providing eligibility for health services on the basis of medical conditions, the Government recently announced that a medical card or GP visit card is to be issued to a person, with a serious illness, whose discretionary card was refused renewal since the centralisation of medical card assessments.
If the medical card or GP visit card to which the Deputy refers was awarded by way of discretion and was refused renewal in the period from 1 July 2011 to 31 May 2014 following the completion of an eligibility review, a card will issue by the HSE.
The HSE has commenced the process of identifying and contacting persons to advise them that their medical cards and GP visit cards will issue. The HSE has commenced issuing letters to the persons concerned and this process should be concluded by the first two weeks of July. No action is required on the part of those affected as the HSE will be in contact. If people do not hear from the HSE by mid July, they should contact the HSE on its Lo-Call contact number: 1890 25 29 19. These individuals will be able to access medical card and GP visit card services in the normal manner when they have been advised by the HSE that their medical card or GP visit card is active.
The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine the specific query raised 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 has issued to Oireachtas members.
486. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the documentation outstanding in respect of a medical card review in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28033/14]
View answerThe 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 has issued to Oireachtas members.
487. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Meath will receive a hospital appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28044/14]
View answerThe 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 Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists. In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
488. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Health if he will investigate the circumstances regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 6; if he will ensure that the medical card that was due to expire in December 2015, yet revoked in 2013, will be reinstated and or renewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28045/14]
View answerThe 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 has issued to Oireachtas members.
489. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health under the current criteria for medical card eligibility, the steps that are taken upon reissuing medical cards to check whether such persons remain eligible; the cross-departmental checks that are made in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28053/14]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
490. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an application for a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28054/14]
View answerThe 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 has issued to Oireachtas members.
491. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the funds available to support voluntarily run food kitchens; if there is a grant system in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28077/14]
View answerMy Department administers a National Lottery Discretionary Fund from which once-off grants are paid to community and voluntary organisations, providing a range of health related services. If an organisation wishes to make an application for National Lottery Funding they should send in a formal application. Detailed procedures along with the application form are set out on the Department's website at www.doh.ie
492. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite the scheduling of an operation in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [28078/14]
View answerThe 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 Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists. In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him on this matter.
493. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if funding under the fair deal scheme will be approved in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [28080/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
494. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in processing a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry. [28082/14]
View answerThe 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 has issued to Oireachtas members.
495. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health when a decision will be made on an appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway regarding the nursing home support scheme; the reason for the delay. [28084/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
496. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare in view of the decision of 17 June 2014 regarding discretionary medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28085/14]
View answerIn the context of the Government's decision to develop a policy framework for providing eligibility for health services on the basis of medical conditions, the Government recently announced that a medical card or GP visit card is to be issued to a person, with a serious illness, whose discretionary card was refused renewal since the centralisation of medical card assessments.
If the medical card or GP visit card to which the Deputy refers was awarded by way of discretion and was refused renewal in the period from 1 July 2011 to 31 May 2014 following the completion of an eligibility review, a card will issue by the HSE.
The HSE has commenced issuing letters to the persons concerned and this process should be concluded by the first two weeks of July. No action is required on the part of those affected as the HSE will be in contact. If people do not hear from the HSE by mid July, they should contact the HSE on its Lo-Call contact number: 1890 25 29 19. These individuals will be able to access medical card and GP visit card services in the normal manner when they have been advised by the HSE that their medical card or GP visit card is active.
The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine the specific query raised 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 has issued to Oireachtas members.
497. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a case (details supplied) in County Kildare where there is currently inadequate care being provided to two extremely ill children with a rare, serious condition; if he will provide an update on efforts to provide the children with the precise and expertise care they need in their home; if he will ensure continuity of care will be achieved for these children by speedily arranging for a permanent nursing team to take over care at home as opposed to agency nurses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28086/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
498. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form a list of all nursing agency services that have been contracted by the Health Service Executive to provide medical care by each location in each of the past five years to date; if he will further indicate the number of agency staff who are engaged to provide palliative care and complex care of patients with serious chronic and incurable conditions in that time period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28087/14]
View answerAs this question relates to an operational matter, I have referred it to the HSE for direct reply.
499. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the factors that are taken into account by the Health Service Executive when determining the best provider of agency staff; the way contracts are selected; if contracts are put to tender; the oversight that exists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28089/14]
View answerAs this question relates to an operational matter, I have referred it to the HSE for direct reply.
500. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will list all occasions in each of the past five years to date where the Health Service Executive found an external nursing or medical staff agency with which it had a contract to be in breach of the contract and basic standards of care; the steps that were taken in respect of each; if any serious consequences for patients arose in each case; if an agency found to be in breach was re-engaged at a later date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28090/14]
View answerAs this question relates to an operational matter, I have referred it to the HSE for direct reply.
