Written Answers Nos. 565-589
565. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of primary total hip and primary total knee replacement surgeries performed at Sligo University Hospital during each of the calendar years 2018 to 2022, in tabular form. [45043/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
569. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health to publish the latest report from the HSE Working Group on Residential Treatment and Rehabilitation (Substance Users). [45053/23]
View answerI am pleased to inform the deputy that the report of the HSE Working Group on Residential Treatment and Rehabilitation was published in 2007 and can be accessed online.
www.drugsandalcohol.ie/6382/1/3966-42381118.pdf.
570. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the average wait time, by facility, from referral to admission for addiction rehabilitation and detox. [45054/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
571. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health given that an estimated up to 5% of children and young people in Ireland are impacted by foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, the dedicated supports that are currently available to children and families, and the plans by child and family services to address the needs of children on the foetal alcohol spectrum (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45055/23]
View answerAwaiting reply from the Department.
572. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health whether Tusla has any estimates for the number of children involved with social work services who may be on the foetal alcohol spectrum, given that foetal alcohol spectrum disorder is the leading known cause of preventable intellectual disability in the world; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45056/23]
View answerAwaiting reply from the Department.
573. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health when a payment to a person will occur (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45077/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
575. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the full details of the audit on the €150 million temporary assistance payments scheme for voluntary and private nursing homes; the date on which the audit was completed; if any of the findings of the audit has led to any nursing homes returning monies; if so, the nursing home involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45081/23]
View answerAs these are operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible
576. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if his Department will engage with the unions and workers involved in the Section 39 community and voluntary sector organisations who are engaging in strike action from 17 October 2023; if he will recognise the vital work carried out by these organisations and the need to remove the pay disparity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45085/23]
View answerOfficials from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth with support from the Department of Health, the HSE and Tusla attended a number of engagements with trade unions under the auspices of the WRC over recent months.
That process culminated in an offer being made to unions. The offer was in line with those accepted by community and voluntary staff in other sectors. The offer to workers in this sector amounted to a 5% increase in funding for pay effective from November 2023, with 3% backdated to April 2023. A commitment to re-engage with trade union representatives following any further public sector pay agreement was also offered.
This combined offer was not accepted by trade union representatives, and it is disappointing that their members were not afforded the opportunity to vote on whether they wished to accept the 5% increase in pay funding.
The Unions have balloted for industrial action and have advised they intend to strike from the 17th of October (2023).
Any industrial action will impact negatively on service users and the Departments urge all parties to work on resolving any disputes through the appropriate forums, in the interests of users of these services.
Government remains committed to working with the unions to resolve these matters.
While Government has engaged in this process, it is worth noting that Section 39 and Section 56 organisations are privately owned and operated, and the terms and conditions of employment for staff in those organisations are ultimately between the employer and their employee. The Government is not the employer for any of these staff.
The Government recognises the important role that section 39 and section 56 organisations and their staff play in our health and social care sectors. They continue to have a key role in providing services to people with disabilities, vulnerable children and older people. Government have a clear interest to ensure the stability and sustainability of services for the benefit of those who rely on these essential services and the workers who are committed to providing quality services. As this is an ongoing Industrial Relations matter, it would be inappropriate to comment any further at this point.
577. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) will receive an urgent appointment in CHI, given the appointment set for 18 October 2023 has been postponed to 15 November 2023 and the child is on their eleventh antibiotic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45105/23]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
578. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of approved nursing posts in the paediatric emergency department in the Regional Hospital, Mullingar. [45123/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
579. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the recommended number of paediatric nursing posts in an accident and emergency department seeing more than 12,000 children a year. [45124/23]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, I launched the Framework for Safe Nurse Staffing and Skill Mix in Adult Emergency Care settings in 2022. This uses a systematic approach, namely the Nursing Hours per Patient Presentation (NHpPP), to determine safe nurse staffing requirements; the adjustment of skill mix to ensure that care is delivered by 85% Registered Nurses and 15% Health Care Assistants. This policy document only focuses on Adult Emergency Care settings and not paediatric emergency care settings.
There is currently no standardised systematic approach to determining the nurse staffing requirements in paediatric emergency care settings. There is however a number of different workforce tools encompassing a variety of methods to predict staffing levels across paediatric hospitals. International evidence concurs with this and does not identify a preferred or agreed approach.
Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) are currently reviewing this with an aim to providing a standardised approach to staffing in both inpatient and emergency care areas. Evidence from the Safe Staffing Framework approach identifies a standardised, evidence based method including important predictors of acuity and patient need such a triage category, numbers and presentations has led to improved outcomes for patients, staff and organisations. My Department are engaging with CHI to ensure the approach applied within paediatric settings remains consistent with national policy.
580. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of posts currently filled on a permanent basis by paediatric-qualified staff. [45125/23]
View answerAs this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently not in a position to answer PQs due to industrial action. It is hoped that normal services will resume soon. In the meantime, this Department will continue to refer PQs to HSE for their direct reply as soon as possible
581. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of clinical nurse manager posts for the paediatric emergency department in the Regional Hospital, Mullingar. [45126/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
582. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of emergency department staff in the Regional Hospital, Mullingar currently trained in the Irish childhood triage system. [45127/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
583. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health given the level of actual, compared to recommended staffing in the Regional Hospital, Mullingar if he feels that his Department is staffed to a safe level [45128/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
584. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an urgent medical appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45143/23]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
585. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health to expedite surgery for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45145/23]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
586. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to provide access to the long-term illness scheme for persons affected by hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45146/23]
View answerThe Long-Term Illness (LTI) Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act 1970 (as amended). Regulations were made in 1971, 1973 and 1975, prescribing 16 conditions covered by the Scheme. These are: acute leukaemia; mental handicap; cerebral palsy; mental illness (in a person under 16); cystic fibrosis; multiple sclerosis; diabetes insipidus; muscular dystrophies; diabetes mellitus; parkinsonism; epilepsy; phenylketonuria; haemophilia; spina bifida; hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide.
Under the LTI Scheme, patients receive drugs, medicines, and medical and surgical appliances directly related to the treatment of their illness, free of charge. While there are currently no plans to extend the list of conditions covered, it is important to remember that the LTI Scheme exists within a wider eligibility framework.
This Government has put a significant focus on improving access to and the affordability of healthcare services, advancing substantial policy, legislation and investment to deliver expanded eligibility.
In 2022, a range of measures were delivered including the abolition of public inpatient charges for children, reductions in the Drug Payment Scheme threshold to €80 per month, and the introduction of free contraception for women aged 17-25.
In 2023, a further range of measures facilitated better access to affordable, high-quality healthcare. These include an expansion of GP care without charges to children aged 6 and 7, and to people earning no more than the median household income, the abolition of all public in-patient hospital charges for adults, and the extension of the free contraception scheme to include women aged 26-30.
These measures continue to create a health and social care service that offers affordable access to quality healthcare.
People who cannot, without undue hardship, arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be eligible for a medical card under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme. In accordance with the provisions of the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is determined by the HSE. Medical card eligibility is primarily based on an assessment of means and is not granted on the basis of any particular condition.
In certain circumstances the HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card, even though an applicant exceeds the income guidelines, where he or she faces difficult financial circumstances, such as extra costs arising from illness.
Under the Drug Payment Scheme (DPS), no individual or family pays more than €80 a month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The DPS is not means tested and is available to anyone ordinarily resident in Ireland. The DPS significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals with ongoing expenditure on medicines.
Individuals may also be entitled to claim tax relief on the cost of their medical expenses, including medicines prescribed by a doctor, dentist, or consultant. Relief is at the standard tax rate of 20%.
587. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45153/23]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
588. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health when a child will be seen for an urgent assessment (details supplied). [45159/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
