Willie O'Dea
Question:727. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the redundancy claim by a 'person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19390/24]
View answerHealth Services Staff
Questions (727)
Written answers
From the material that the Deputy has submitted by way of clarification in respect of this matter, it appears that Mr Davis has been engaging with his employer on the matter already, as is the appropriate route for addressing this matter, and has been advised by his employer that redundancy is not possible.
It is not appropriate for me to intervene in individual employment matters such as this, however Mr Davis may wish to engage directly again with HSE Mid-West Community Healthcare Organisation in respect of the option of Carer's Leave that has been outlined in HSE HR's communication to him.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (728)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:728. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19403/24]
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.
Dental Services
Questions (729)
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:729. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of dentists in Cork city and Cork county which have ceased providing medical card services over the past five years; if he will provide an overview of the dental services currently offered to medical card holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19412/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
Question No. 730 taken with No. 691.
Dental Services
Questions (731)
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:731. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the implementation of the national oral health policy, Smile agus Sláinte; the timeline for implementation; the cost of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19414/24]
View answerWritten answers
The National Oral Health Policy, Smile agus Sláinte, sets out a complete transformation of our oral healthcare services and an expansion of the care available for both children and adults. An eight-year implementation time frame was originally envisaged and an implementation plan for the first (2024-2026) phase of rollout is being developed jointly between my Department and the HSE, for consultation and publication in Q3 this year.
The ESRI worked with my Department during the policy development phase to provide indicative costings for the delivery of various interventions under the proposed packages of care for children and adult medical holders, based on the current fees at that time, and it was estimated that the cost of implementing the packages in full would be in the region of €80m.
The roll-out of these packages will take place incrementally over the next number of years. The detail of the packages and the resource requirements will be agreed as part of the implementation process. The progressing of any measures with resource implications will be dependent on the outcome of the normal budgetary process in any given year.
For children, the HSE is developing comprehensive, prevention-focused oral healthcare packages, starting with 0-2 years olds, supported by €4.75m in additional funding made available. These packages will support children to attend a local dentist from birth, to access oral health promotion, routine and emergency care, and oral health evaluation.
For adult medical card holders, the HSE is currently developing the clinical aspects of new packages of preventative care, as the first phase of reform of the medical card scheme.
Healthcare Policy
Questions (732)
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:732. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to establishing a clinical care programme for those living with lung fibrosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19418/24]
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 (733)
Mark Ward
Question:733. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 182 of 11 April 2024, to address the part of the question that was not answered; if consent was needed from the parents for their son (details supplied) to go on medication; if this was received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19431/24]
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
Questions (734, 741)
David Cullinane
Question:734. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the reason public funding of CAR-T immunotherapy for leukaemia patients is limited to under 26 years of age; if consideration has been given to extending the age for funding of treatment option to beyond the age of 26 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19441/24]
View answerMark Ward
Question:741. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the reason public funding of CAR-T immunotherapy for leukaemia patients is limited to under 26 years old; if consideration has been given to extending the age for funding of treatment option to beyond the age of 26 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19470/24]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 734 and 741 together.
Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the community drug schemes; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Departmental Data
Questions (735)
Niall Collins
Question:735. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health if his Department or any agency of his Department has assessed any potential health impacts to people who reside near windfarms/wind turbines including the impacts of any noise and flicker coming from wind turbines; if the Department has or compiles any data in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19443/24]
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 Appointments Status
Questions (736)
Niamh Smyth
Question:736. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has been waiting so long for an endoscopy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19452/24]
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 Services
Questions (737)
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn
Question:737. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if he will support and implement the call from a group (details supplied) for a consultant neurology service to be based in Letterkenny University Hospital.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19466/24]
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 (738)
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn
Question:738. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the reason memory assessment support services for persons with dementia and their families has not been rolled out in County Donegal. [19467/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible
Hospital Services
Questions (739)
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn
Question:739. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when the Saolta University Healthcare Group will meet with TDs, Senators and HSE forum county councillors in County Donegal to update them on the progress made in addressing the grave concerns of over 100 GPs and hospital consultants in the county about the level of health services being provided at Letterkenny University Hospital and the solutions that they had put forward late last year; and if the Saolta University Healthcare Group will commit to a dedicated meeting with those County Donegal public representatives every three months to update them further on the progress made, as previously committed to. [19468/24]
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 (740)
Jim O'Callaghan
Question:740. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the numbers employed in WTE in each category (details supplied) in each public/voluntary hospital in March 2024 or the latest date available, in tabular form. [19469/24]
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.
Question No. 741 answered with Question No. 734.
Health Services
Questions (742)
Mark Ward
Question:742. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the reason public funding of CAR-T immunotherapy for leukaemia patients is limited to under 26 years old; if extenuating circumstances can be applied for an individual patient (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19471/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this refers to an individual case, I have referred this matter to the HSE for their attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Qualifications Recognition
Questions (743)
Cian O'Callaghan
Question:743. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health how the Counsellors and Psychotherapists Registration Board is progressing with opening its register, in line with the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (Amended); when this register is likely to become active; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19490/24]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy will be aware, CORU is Ireland’s multi-profession health and social care regulator. CORU’s role is to protect the public by regulating the health and social care professions designated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (as amended), including setting the standards that health and social care professionals must meet to be eligible for registration and maintaining registers of persons who meet those standards.
Seventeen health and social care professions are designated for regulation by CORU. There are currently registers open for twelve professions and CORU is continuing the substantial work required to open the registers for the remaining designated professions of Psychologists; Counsellors and Psychotherapists; Clinical Biochemists; and Orthoptists.
CORU’s regulatory model is based on protection of title; once a profession is regulated it becomes a criminal offence to use a professional title if a person is not a CORU registrant.
Each profession designated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act has its own independent registration board with statutory responsibility for:
• Establishing and maintaining the register of members for that profession;
• Recognising qualifications gained outside the State;
• Approving and monitoring education and training programmes for entry to the register;
• Setting the code of professional conduct and ethics giving guidance to professionals on Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
Regulations to designate the professions of counsellor and psychotherapist under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (as amended) were made by the previous Minister for Health, Simon Harris TD, in 2019. The Counsellors and Psychotherapists Registration Board (CPRB) was established in February 2019. Its membership comprises practitioners, representatives from education and training, and lay members.
The work of the CPRB includes consideration of the titles to be protected and the minimum qualifications to be required of existing practitioners and the qualifications that will be required for future graduates. The work of the CPRB is significantly more challenging than it is for registration boards for some of the more established professions owing to the different and complex pathways into these professions, the variety of titles used, and the variety and number of courses and course providers.
The CPRB undertook an extensive research process to inform the drafting of standards and criteria. This included a review of contemporary evidence-informed academic literature, an examination of comparator international professional standards, and understanding the contemporary practice of the profession in Ireland. Key stakeholders, including the public (through a public consultation process), are also part of the drafting process.
Throughout the course of 2022 and 2023, the CPRB drafted threshold level standards of knowledge, skills and professional behaviour – its Standards of Proficiency – and the systems and processes that education providers must have in place to ensure consistent and effective delivery of graduates who have achieved the Standards of Proficiency ¬– its Criteria for Education and Training Programmes. Two sets of these requirements were drafted: one for counsellors and one for psychotherapists representing the first attempt to establish distinct standards for each profession in Ireland and the first effort to standardise threshold level education and training requirements for entry to each profession.
The introduction of regulation to the counselling profession is a top priority for CORU. Extensive work has already been carried out by the CPRB to achieve this. Most recently a public consultation was held on the Standards of Proficiency and Criteria for Education and Training Programmes for the counselling profession.
The CPRB is now reviewing the many responses received during this consultation. Following this extensive review activity, the Board will communicate the next steps in the process towards introducing statutory regulation for counsellors.
Owing to the significant body of preparatory work that the CPRB are required to undertake, it is not possible to say with any degree of accuracy when the professions of counsellor and psychotherapist will be fully regulated. I would anticipate that the CPRB will require a number of years to complete its work.
Health Services Staff
Questions (744)
Duncan Smith
Question:744. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the nature of and current situation with regard to the European Commission’s announcement of 16 October 2014 that it was sending Ireland a letter of formal notice (INFR(2014)4131) in respect of the working time of social care workers under the responsibility of the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19505/24]
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 Staff
Questions (745)
Charles Flanagan
Question:745. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if funding will be made available for a specialist Parkinson’s disease nurse for County Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19506/24]
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 Staff
Questions (746)
Charles Flanagan
Question:746. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the number of Parkinson's disease nursing posts which remain unfilled and the efforts made to fill said vacancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19510/24]
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 (747)
Charles Flanagan
Question:747. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if his Department has provided investment into research on the links between exposure to pesticides and Parkinson’s disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19511/24]
View answerWritten answers
While policy and legislation relating to pesticides would be a matter for my colleague the Minister for Agriculture Food and Marine, my department is the largest funder of health research in the state. This is progressed through the Health Research Board, which to date has not funded research in this area. However, the vast majority of HRB schemes welcome applications from the research community in any area as long as they are aligned with the agency's broad remit to fund clinical research, population health research, health services and systems research. Within this remit, research concerned with environmental factors and health and wellbeing would be relevant and applications arising in the area of pesticides and Parkinson's disease would therefore be eligible for consideration by the HRB.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (748)
Barry Cowen
Question:748. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health for an update on the case of a child (details supplied); and when the person concerned can expect an appointment at Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore. [19516/24]
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 (749)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:749. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19517/24]
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.