Catherine Murphy
Question:657. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of patients who have applied for treatment to date in 2024 under the publicly funded fertility treatment scheme. [18902/24]
View answerHealth Services
Questions (657)
Written answers
As the Deputy’s question relates to an operational matter, I have referred to the HSE for direct reply.
Hospital Charges
Questions (658)
Catherine Murphy
Question:658. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the amount collected in public car parking charges at Tallaght University Hospital in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [18903/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (659)
Catherine Murphy
Question:659. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the current number of teams for each of the national clinical programmes in early intervention in psychosis, perinatal mental health and eating disorders; and the current staffing levels for each of those teams, in tabular form. [18904/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible
Hospital Staff
Questions (660)
Catherine Murphy
Question:660. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultants in intensive care medicine at St. Vincent's University Hospital in 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [18905/24]
View answerWritten answers
“As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible
Health Services
Questions (661)
Matt Carthy
Question:661. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the current newborn screening process; if he has given any consideration to expanding the diseases which are screened for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18928/24]
View answerWritten answers
Currently, all newborn babies (between 3 and 5 days old) are offered newborn bloodspot screening (generally known as the ‘heel prick’) for rare but serious conditions that are treatable if detected early in life.
The expansion of the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening (NBS) Programme continues to remain a priority of mine as Minister for Health, and I am pleased to note that the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) has been actively progressing work in this regard.
NSAC is an independent expert group that considers and assesses evidence in a robust and transparent manner, and against internationally accepted criteria. It is important that we have rigorous processes in place to ensure our screening programmes are effective, quality assured, validated and operating to safe standards, and that the benefits of screening outweigh the harms.
Significant progress continues to be made on the expansion of the NBS Programme under this Government. As the Deputy will be aware, in November 2023, I endorsed the recommendation from NSAC on the addition and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) to the NBS programme. This will bring the number of conditions screened for in Ireland to 11, once the implemented, representing a 37% increase over the lifetime of this Government.
I was pleased to allocate €1.4m of new development funding in 2024 to support the expansion of the NBS programme. This funding will allow for the rollout of testing for both SCID and SMA and represents a significant funding increase in a single year. The announcement further demonstrates my ongoing commitment to reducing the impact of these rare but serious diseases in children and infants. This investment will be crucial to providing additional funds for new equipment, staff recruitment, validation, quality assurance and training to facilitate addition of new conditions to NBS programme.
I can confirm that work commenced at the start of this year, with ongoing collaboration between officials in my Department and the HSE National Children’s Screening Programme on implementing an ambitious timeline for the introduction of screening for SMA and SCID.
In terms of further expansion of our newborn screening programmes, Ireland has always evaluated the case for commencing a national screening programme against international accepted criteria – collectively known as the Wilson Jungner criteria. The evidence bar for commencing a screening programme should and must remain high. This ensures that we can be confident that the programme is effective, quality assured and operating to safe standards. There is no doubt that newborn screening programmes have the potential to be rapidly transformed by new technologies and new therapies but this highlights the need to continue with a robust, methodologically sound and detailed analysis of the evidence in each and every case against internationally accepted screening criteria.
The expansion of newborn bloodspot screening is being continually reviewed across Europe where the number of conditions screened for varies significantly. For example, the UK currently screens for a similar number of conditions as Ireland. However, as noted by HIQA in their 2021 ‘Review of processes in use to inform the expansion of newborn bloodspot Screening programmes’, international comparisons of the range of conditions screened is likely to reflect complex decision-making processes and local inputs. These may include differing opinions with respect to assessment of conditions against criteria, differences in practice with respect to organisational structure and laboratory implementation, differing levels of tolerance for false positives and false negatives and differing local epidemiology with respect to condition prevalence and the genetic composition of the local population.
Nevertheless, I am acutely aware of how difficult it is for parents, families and children who have received a diagnosis of a rare disease, and how challenging daily life can be for them. This is why I remain committed to the further expansion of screening in Ireland in accordance with internationally accepted criteria and best practice.
Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
Questions (662)
Róisín Shortall
Question:662. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his plans for the special scheme of paid leave for eligible public health sector employees suffering from long-Covid, following the three-month extension announced on 16 April 2024; if he will replace the temporary scheme with a long-term occupation illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18929/24]
View answerWritten answers
A temporary 12-month Special Scheme of Paid Leave was introduced in July 2022 for certain eligible public health sector employees suffering from long-COVID.
At my request, this Special Scheme was extended a number of times, most recently in October 2023 when it was extended to run until the end of March 2024. The Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform it clear that this was a final extension, meaning the Special Scheme would end on 31 March 2024.
The conclusion of the Special Scheme has been the subject of an industrial relations claim from health sector staff representative bodies and has been referred back to the Workplace Relations Commission.
I sought a reinstatement of the Special Scheme to allow for further conciliation to take place on the matter, and I can confirm that the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform have approved a 3 month reinstatement to facilitate this. Talks are ongoing in this regard.
The reinstatement is retrospective to 1 April 2024, and will apply only to those individuals who were previously on the Special Scheme.
My colleague, the Minister for Social Protection has reviewed the EU recommendation to recognise Covid as an occupational illness, in the context of the Department of Social Protection Benefits Schemes, and the list of prescribed diseases/illnesses set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, however Minister Humphrey's has determined that the necessary criteria are not met for the recommendation to be adopted.
Healthcare Policy
Questions (663)
Róisín Shortall
Question:663. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his response to the Law Reform Commission's report entitled 'A Regulatory Framework for Adult Safeguarding'; his plans in respect of implementing the recommendations; if he will commit to establishing a new and fully independent national safeguarding authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18930/24]
View answerWritten answers
Safeguarding at-risk adults against abuse is of paramount importance and is taken very seriously by the Government.
I welcome the independent Law Reform Commission’s Report on ‘A Regulatory Framework for Adult Safeguarding’, which the Commission launched on 17 April. The Commission’s recommendations are comprehensive and wide-ranging and have relevance across a range of Government Departments, Including the Department of Health.
The Department of Health will carefully consider the recommendations the Commission have made that are relevant to the Department's functions and its recommendations in relation to inter-departmental cooperation and I anticipate that the other key Departments with relevant functions will do the same. The Department looks forward to working in partnership with all relevant Departments in analysing and considering in detail the comprehensive and wide-ranging recommendations and draft legislation that the Commission has published in its Report.
The Deputy may also wish to note that, separately, the Department of Health, in liaison with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, is at an advanced stage of developing a national policy on adult safeguarding specifically in respect of the health and care sector, in order to further strengthen existing protections in this sector. A public consultation closed on 2 April and the consultation feedback report will now be prepared by the Institute of Public Health. It is expected that costed sectoral policy proposals will be brought before Government around the end of this year, which will be informed by the consultation process and also the Law Reform Commission’s report.
Health Services
Questions (664)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor
Question:664. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health for a status update on the provision of a health service building and the occupants of same in Carlow (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18934/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Medical Cards
Questions (665)
John McGuinness
Question:665. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if a medical card will be issued based on medical circumstances to persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18938/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Health Service Executive
Questions (666)
Ged Nash
Question:666. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if the HSE's CHO8 intends to provide any financial support to an organisation (details supplied) to deliver important supports in the community in the administrative area for those who have experienced heart events or stroke; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18943/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Health Services
Questions (667)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:667. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health are there functioning stroke units in Cavan, Letterkenny and Naas as of April 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18945/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Health Services
Questions (668)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:668. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of stroke units that meet the minimum requirements under the stroke guidelines to be a stroke unit since the publication of the National Stroke Audit and as of April 2024; where are these located; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18946/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Healthcare Policy
Questions (669)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:669. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health what budget has been set aside to work with key stakeholders to improve public knowledge on stroke and risk factors for stroke; is this recurrent funding; what stakeholders are being worked with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18947/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Departmental Funding
Questions (670)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:670. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health what problems and issues have arisen from the lack of a structured programme of recurrent funding for the National Stroke Strategy; what recommendations of both the National Stroke Strategy and the Irish National Audit for Stroke are not able to be implemented as a result of the lack of a structured programme of recurrent funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18948/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Departmental Funding
Questions (671)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:671. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health what structured programme of recurrent funding is needed for the National Stroke Strategy to be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18949/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Health Services Staff
Questions (672)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:672. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of posts that have been approved for the National Stroke Strategy to date; the number of these that have been filled; the number of these that have been withdrawn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18950/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Healthcare Infrastructure Provision
Questions (673)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:673. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the reason patient access to acute stroke unit beds has remained at an unacceptable level for several years; what action is being taken to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18951/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Mental Health Services
Questions (674)
Mattie McGrath
Question:674. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of patients that have been seen weekly, by each discipline (details supplied), by each team within the two CAMHS teams in south Tipperary, Clonmel team 1 and team 2 since January 2024 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18968/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (675)
Mattie McGrath
Question:675. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of patients referred to CAMHS (Clonmel teams) who have not been accepted but seen by a CAMHS consultant by way of an ECA in hospital since January 2023 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18969/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Health Services Staff
Questions (676)
Brian Stanley
Question:676. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health his Department’s position on the embargo on recruitment to the health service, specifically the situation where positions for nursing staff are vacant and persons are on panels at various hospitals. [18972/24]
View answerWritten answers
There has been an unprecedented level of investment by this Government in the health service workforce in recent years which has seen consistent growth each year since 2020. The growth in the number of staff recruited in 2023 was the highest since the foundation of the HSE.
As of the end of February 2024, there were 147,968 staff working in our health service. There are 28,155 more staff than there were at the beginning of 2020 representing a 23% increase.
This 28,155 increase includes 9,340 nurses and midwives; 4,194 health and social care professionals; and 2,935 doctors and dentists.
However, by November 2023 the HSE had exceeded its allocated funded workforce targets and, it was in response to this, that Bernard Gloster announced the recruitment pause in November 2023. The pause excluded Consultants, Graduate Nurses and Doctors in formal training programmes. This exemption was later extended to include Critical Flow and Emergency Department under specific cases, Radiation therapists and Graduate HSCPs.
In 2023, the HSE was funded to recruit just over an additional 6,000 staff, but in fact hired 8,239, an excess of more than 2,000 staff than they were funded for. A situation whereby the HSE continuously exceeds funded workforce targets could not be prolonged and it is for this reason that I fully support the decision of the HSE CEO. It is crucial that the HSE operates within budgeted levels and that prudent controls are in place to ensure the workforce growth is managed in an affordable and sustainable manner.
I can confirm that I have secured funding for an additional 2,268 staff for 2024 as well as funding for approximately an additional 707 in the disability area.
At present the HSE is finalising its Pay and Numbers Strategy for 2024. Finalisation of the Strategy will enable the HSE to set out its recruitment targets in each area for 2024 and will inform decisions at local level on the filling of available posts across all grades and specialties.