Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 133: To ask the Minister for Health the number of new fittings of hearing aids carried out by the Health Service Executive in 2009 and 2010. [25119/11]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 134: To ask the Minister for Health the number of reviews of hearing impaired persons carried out in 2009 and 2010. [25120/11]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 135: To ask the Minister for Health the number of audiologists currently employed by the Health Service Executive; the cost to the State of same; and if he will provide a breakdown by HSE area. [25121/11]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 136: To ask the Minister for Health the number of adults waiting for a hearing test; the length of time they have been waiting; and if he will provide a breakdown by Health Service Executive area. [25122/11]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 137: To ask the Minister for Health the number of children waiting for a hearing test; the length of time they have been waiting; and if he will provide a breakdown by Health Service Executive area. [25123/11]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 138: To ask the Minister for Health the number of adults waiting to be fitted with a hearing aid; the length of time they have been waiting; and if he will provide a breakdown by Health Service Executive area. [25124/11]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 139: To ask the Minister for Health the number of children waiting to be fitted with a hearing aid; the length of time they have been waiting; and if he will provide a breakdown by Health Service Executive area. [25125/11]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 140: To ask the Minister for Health the cost of a hearing aid device to the Health Service Executive. [25126/11]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 141: To ask the Minister for Health the frequency with which patient reviews take place once a hearing aid is fitted. [25127/11]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 142: To ask the Minister for Health the number of patient visits made to Health Service Executive audiologists in the years 2009 and 2010; and the number of these that were new patients. [25128/11]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 143: To ask the Minister for Health the supply cost that is the service element and the hardware cost of hearing aids to the Health Service Executive in the years 2009 and 2010. [25129/11]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 to 143, inclusive, together.

The information sought by the Deputy, in relation to the number of new fittings of hearing aids carried out by the Health Service Executive in 2009 and 2010; the number of reviews of hearing impaired persons carried out in 2009 and 2010; the number of patient visits made to Health Service Executive audiologists in the years 2009 and 2010 and the number of these that were new patients, is not readily available. I have asked the HSE to supply this information to me and I will forward it to the Deputy as soon as possible. In the meantime, Table 1 provides indicative figures for audiology service activity for the month of October 2009.

Table 1

Table 2 provides details of the numbers of audiologists by HSE area. The Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) data is being checked at present. A report is due to be completed by the end of October 2011. The WTE data and staffing costs will be forwarded to the Deputy once the data is available.

Table 2

Table 3 provides details of the numbers of adults and children waiting for hearing tests and waiting to be fitted with hearing aids in June 2011.

Table 3

The majority of adults are waiting more than 10 months for assessment while children are waiting from 3 months to over 10 months. Data on waiting times to be fitted with a hearing aid has not been validated and will be provided to the Deputy when available.

Once a hearing aid is fitted a patient typically gets a routine appointment to ensure that the hearing aid is suitable. Further appointments are arranged as required.

The current cost to the HSE of a hearing aid device ranges from €88 to €399.

The total budget for hearing aids, ear moulds and accessories provided by the HSE in 2009 was approximately €1.9m and for 2010 it was €1.5m. I will provide the cost of the service element to the Deputy when it is provided by the HSE.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 144: To ask the Minister for Health his views on assessment of Aviva and VHI that there are adequate facilities already available for persons with eating disorders beyond those offered by the Lois Bridges Eating Disorder Treatment Centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25133/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Each private health insurance provider in the Irish market has the right to determine which private health care providers and facilities they will cover. It is a matter for each insurer to determine how much capacity in any particular area is purchased by them to deliver the services required by their customers. It is not the role of the Minister for Health to determine or direct which private facilities are covered by any private health insurer.

The national policy document for mental health 'A Vision for Change' sets out the framework for the development of mental health services generally. HSE services for people with eating disorders are embedded in the Community Mental Health Teams and with Primary Care.

The HSE has developed a Mental Health in Primary Care accredited training programme for primary care practitioners with Dublin City University. The skills included in this programme are designed to enhance the capacity of primary care to recognise, assess and treat a range of mental illnesses within the primary care setting. As individuals with Eating Disorders frequently present to the primary care practitioner with complications of their condition, early intervention at this level greatly improves outcomes.

Community based Adult Mental Health Services receive referrals from Primary Care and provide assessment and treatment to individuals with eating disorders. Child and Adolescent Mental Health Teams provide a similar role for their cohort of referrals.

Where the individual's psychiatric or medical needs are more acute, in-patient admission is offered within the local psychiatric services or acute medical care where necessary.

Following the recommendation of the Consultant Psychiatrist, the HSE can and has worked with service providers in the independent sector to provide specialised care, on an in-patient and/or an out-patient basis. In a limited number of cases, referrals to specialised eating disorder services in Dublin or the UK can be clinically recommended and supported in appropriate circumstances subject of course to the necessary resources being available.