Written Answers Nos. 300-326
300. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the number of adults who are being treated for stage 1 and stage 2 hypertension within the primary care system; the cost of management of hypertension on an annual basis for 2022,2023 and to date in 2024 to the GMS scheme; and the public health programmes underway to highlight the need to raise awareness of hypertension. [19740/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
301. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health when a hospital appointment will be offered to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19745/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
302. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of adults who presented to the HSE looking for treatment for eating disorders that were referred to non-eating disorder inpatient public acute mental health facilities from 2018 to date, by year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19757/24]
View answer303. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of adults that presented to the HSE looking for treatment for eating disorders that received specialist inpatient treatment in a dedicated eating disorder service from 2018 to date, by year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19758/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 302 and 303 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
304. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the reason nursing staff, sponsored by the HSE, did not receive a subsistence payment. [19759/24]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the travel and subsistence scheme is applicable only to student nurses and midwives on supernumerary placements. Mandatory supernumerary practice placements occur for 45 weeks from year 1 of the programme right through to the first semester of year 4. These students are not employees and are additional to the workforce in a learning capacity and are therefore not paid.
The enhanced travel and subsistence scheme for student nurses and midwives undertaking supernumerary clinical placement arose following recommendation from the McHugh Report, which was an examination of the existing arrangements regarding additional travel, subsistence and accommodation requirements of student nurses and midwives on clinical placement specifically. It is governed by the Department of Health Circular 4/2023: Payment of Clinical Placement Allowances to Undergraduate Supernumerary Nursing and Midwifery Students.
Student nurses and midwives’ final year internship placement consists of a continual 36-week rostered clinical placement, including annual leave. The internship placement is a paid placement and individual student nurses and midwives are considered as 0.5 WTE of the workforce. As these intern students receive a paid salary, they are not eligible for the travel and subsistence scheme which is designed specifically to support student nurses and midwives undertaking supernumerary clinical placements.
A sponsorship scheme is available from the HSE for public health service employees to train as a nurse or midwife, governed by HR Circular 40/2020: Sponsorship for Public Health Service Employees wishing to train as Nurses/Midwives. This sponsorship scheme is open to support staff in the Irish public health service who want to become nurses or midwives. To be eligible for this scheme, employees must be directly involved in delivering care to patients or clients in a nursing/midwifery context. For example, healthcare assistants and multi-task attendants are eligible for this scheme. Successful applicants under this scheme remain paid employees for the duration of their nursing or midwifery degree programme, and as such continue to receive their basic salary, in addition to receiving sponsorship of fees for their chosen programme of study. As with nursing and midwifery interns, students on the sponsorship scheme are paid employees and therefore are not eligible to receive supernumerary clinical placement allowances. There are no plans to change this.
305. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if his Department should be looking at highlighting and promoting proper dental hygiene to the public (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19762/24]
View answerThe Government is committed to reforming oral healthcare services through the implementation of the National Oral Health Policy, Smile agus Sláinte. The Policy supports a comprehensive reform of oral healthcare service design and delivery, in which oral health promotion and protection programmes are one of the Policy's three strategic strands.
The Policy embraces the key principles of the Healthy Ireland framework, which is an inclusive, multidisciplinary model which aims to enhance the health of the community. The oral health promotion framework includes specific oral health protection programmes such as water fluoridation, compliance with the recommended use of fluoride toothpaste, and targeted programmes to reduce inequalities.
In line with the preventative ethos of the Policy, a range of measures were put in place on 1 May 2022 within the Dental Treatment Services Scheme for adult medical card holders to introduce and reintroduce elements of preventative care, including an enhanced oral examination, which includes health promotion advice, and a scale and polish (cleaning). The HSE's Strategic Reform Lead is driving implementation of the National Oral Health Policy across the organisation. Priorities for 2024, as captured in the HSE's National Service Plan, include progression of oral healthcare packages for children aged from birth to seven years of age supported by additional funding of €4.75m from Budget 2023. These packages will ensure that families can bring their children to attend a dental practice from birth, to learn how to care for their child's oral health.
The design of clinical elements for reformed preventative care for adult medical cardholders as referenced in the policy is also a priority for the HSE this year. These oral healthcare packages for both children and for adult medical card holders will include oral health promotion as a cornerstone of prevention-focused care.
306. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of children who presented to the HSE looking for treatment for eating disorders who were referred to non-eating disorder inpatient public acute mental health facilities from 2018 to date, by year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19763/24]
View answer307. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of children that presented to the HSE looking for treatment for eating disorders that received specialist inpatient treatment in a dedicated eating disorder service from 2018 to date, by year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19764/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 306 and 307 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
308. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the number of children waiting to see a consultant paediatric neurosurgeon at Cork University Hospital. [19799/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
309. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the number of chiropody cards for persons aged over 65 that were issued by the HSE in CHO3 and CHO5 in the years of 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [19800/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
310. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the number of surgical hubs that have been established; the cost; the staffing requirements; and the capacity of surgical hubs that have already been established. [19801/24]
View answerI have asked the HSE, as Sponsoring Agency with day-to-day responsibility for the delivery of Surgical Hubs to respond to you directly in relation to the matters raised.
311. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE senior house officers in vascular surgery based at University Hospital Limerick in the years of 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [19802/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
312. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the number of lung and heart transplant procedures carried out in the years of 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [19803/24]
View answerOrgan Donation Transplant Ireland, the organisation within the HSE responsible for organising national transplant services, have provided the following statistics.
Heart and lung transplants are performed by the Heart and Lung Transplant Department in the Mater Hospital. From January 2023 to the end of March 2024, 8 heart and 24 lung transplants have been performed. The yearly breakdown of transplant figures is as follows:
|
Number of Transplants |
2023 |
2024*(to end March) |
Total |
|
Heart |
5 |
3 |
8 |
|
Lung |
19 |
5 |
24 |
*Figures for 2024 are preliminary.
313. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health The status of an appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19827/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
314. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if any assistance can be provided to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19831/24]
View answer315. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health to confirm whether an action plan to implement the recommendations arising from a report (details supplied) was developed; and if it was, if he will provide the family with a copy of the plan. [19832/24]
View answerMy officials in the Department of Health have engaged with the HSE on behalf of the family to confirm whether an action plan to implement the recommendations arising from this report was developed. The HSE has advised that an action plan was developed and this is being provided to the family through the Department of Health.
316. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if he will provide confirmation, together with evidence, that the relevant recommendations in a report (details supplied) were communicated nationally. [19833/24]
View answerMy officials in the Department of Health have engaged with the HSE on behalf of the family to determine how the recommendations in this report were communicated nationally. The HSE has advised that the report, findings and recommendations were discussed at a National Performance Meeting with the National Acute Directorate that had a specific focus on quality and patient safety in early 2019.
317. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm if all clinical staff in the emergency department of UHL have received training in the National Clinical Guidelines No 6 Sepsis Management; and if not, the reason therefor. [19834/24]
View answerAs the Deputies question relates to a service issue, I have referred the question to the Health Service Executive for consideration and direct reply to the Deputy.
318. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the total number of staff at assistant national director level in the HSE and various Section 38 organisations in the health service on 1 March 2020, 1 March 2021, 1 March 2022, 1 March 2023 and 1 March 2024. [19835/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible
319. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the total number of staff at National Director level in the HSE on 1 March 2024 and at same month over the previous five years. [19836/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible
320. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health to provide, in tabular form, the current waiting times for home support in County Kildare; and the numbers of people waiting. [19847/24]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
321. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the number of shoulder surgeries carried out in St. James's Hospital in 2023. [19848/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
322. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the number of people currently waiting on gastric surgery in CHO7, in tabular form. [19849/24]
View answerIt is acknowledged that many patients are still waiting too long for hospital appointments and treatments.
As part of the multi-annual approach to reducing waiting lists, and just as importantly the length of time that patients are waiting, I published the 2024 Waiting List Action Plan on 27th March. Total funding of €360 million has been provided for the plan this year which sets out 19 Actions across three themes: Delivering Capacity, Reforming Scheduled Care and Enabling Scheduled Care Reform.
The Waiting List Action Plan, multi-annual approach, initiated in 2021, encompasses a two-pronged approach of short-term actions to increase capacity and activity in the short to immediate term, and longer-term reform measures to sustainably reduce and reform hospital waiting lists and waiting times.
The 2024 Plan builds on the work of previous plans which have achieved significant progress in overall waiting list reduction and in addressing long waiting times, against a backdrop of significantly increased demand for scheduled care services. This year’s plan aims to achieve a reduction in the overall number of patients on waiting lists while three of the four overarching targets in the Plan are specifically focused on improving waiting times.
With regard to the information requested by the Deputy, the waiting lists for acute hospitals are not collated by Community Health Area. However, the National Treatment Purchase Fund has provided my Department with the attached information which sets out the number of people on Inpatient/Daycase waiting lists for bariatric surgery by area of residence for counties Dublin and Kildare, and by the HSE Regions, Dublin and Midlands, Dublin and North East, and Dublin and South East.
323. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the reasons there are only three adult beds for people with eating disorders in Ireland at the present; and the reason there was no funding provided for any of the past six years. [19850/24]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, eating disorders can be potentially some of the most complex, most individual and one of the most serious mental health illnesses presenting to our care services.
Historically, there has been a lack of publicly funded services for people with eating disorders in Ireland. This has been changing, with the Model of Care for the National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders launched in 2018. Since I came to Office in July 2020, I have prioritised the roll out of the National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders.
90% of eating disorder services are now delivered within the community which research shows is the most effective treatment. It is recognised that a small number of people, mainly with restrictive eating disorders such as anorexia, will require inpatient care for short periods for stabilisation and refeeding.
The National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders is being implemented across the country by multidisciplinary teams on a phased basis. There are now 11 teams in place: 6 Adult and 5 CAMHS teams. It takes 12-18 months to set up a multi-disciplinary team, led by a Consultant Psychiatrist. While funding to roll out teams has been in place for several years, recruitment during the COVID-19 pandemic was very challenging. Six new teams started in 2023. There are now 100 people working across eating disorder teams, including 80 eating disorder Clinicians, with 10 Consultant Psychiatrists. It is my stated intention to continue to deliver expanded services for people with eating disorders, through reaching the planned 16 specialist teams. One additional team of specialist eating disorder Clinicians has been funded under Budget 2024.
Earlier this week, I announced increased funding for community eating disorder services in Ireland, with funding for a new Adult eating disorder team, based in CH07 which covers Kildare/West Wicklow, Dublin West, Dublin South City, Dublin South West. This announcement brings the number of eating disorder teams across the country to 12..
In 2023, 385 people had an eating disorder diagnosis. It is important to note that in the same year, 343 people with an eating disorder diagnosis were discharged from specialist services back to their GP.
The HSE works hard to meet the needs of people with eating disorders in the setting most appropriate to their needs, whether that be community eating disorder teams, beds in the public system, specialist beds from private providers (funded by the HSE) or under the Treatment Abroad Scheme. Since 2020, 14 people have availed of the Treatment Abroad Scheme.
Adults who have an eating disorder diagnosis and require inpatient care can be referred to any of the HSE 66 acute in-patient mental health approved centres nationally. I accept that not all approved centres may have the specialist expertise available, as required for all cases. New pathways have been developed between the 6 specialist adult eating disorder teams and the relevant approved centres in their particular area to provide liaison supports.
Eating disorders affect a relatively young section of the population, with over two-thirds of referrals to the National Clinical Programme last year involving young people under 18. There are 20 dedicated eating disorder beds across the four 4 CAMHS in-patient units. As of today, 25% of these beds were unoccupied.
Following increased demand for services and the recent preliminary Census 2022 data showing an overall increase in population, a review of the Model of Care for Eating Disorders is planned. The outcome of this review will inform the eating disorder teams’ staffing requirements moving forward. In addition, a review of bed capacity across all mental health facilities – including adult eating disorder beds – has taken place and is under consideration by the HSE. I am of the opinion that there has to be a geographical focus on adult eating disorder beds.
A dedicated investment in eating disorders continues, and last year the HSE spent €8.1m on eating disorder services, with a further €4.5m spent on specialist treatment through the Treatment Abroad Scheme. In addition, €750,000 has been allocated since 2021 by the Department of Health Women’s Health Fund to provide for consultant medical/paediatric and hospital dietitian sessions. This core funding is in place for each year.
I want to reassure you that I remain firmly committed to enhancing specialist services for eating disorders, including improved access and shorter waiting lists.
324. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health to provide details on the current waiting time to receive mental health treatment in Lakeview Facility in Naas, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19851/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
325. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to address the severe staff shortages in all hospitals in the South/South West hospital group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19925/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
326. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of reduction of out-of-hours and rural GP services in mid Cork, with patients having to travel long distances with local facilities closing (details supplied);; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19926/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
