Written Answers Nos. 652-669
652. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the recruitment of 83 WTEs for the implementation of speech and language therapy service improvement initiatives across CHOs has been concluded; if not, the number of these positions now in place; and the CHOs in which each of these posts have been assigned. [33928/17]
View answerAs this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
653. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of additional speech and language assessment and therapy appointments as part of the 2016 service improvement initiative provided by the end of June 2017 or the latest date available. [33929/17]
View answerAs this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
654. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of governance groups convened to date in 2017 to develop and agree revised models for primary care physiotherapy and occupational therapy services to include development and agreement of care pathways, workforce planning and implementation plans. [33930/17]
View answerAs this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
655. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when the clinical oversight group to advise on clinical standards in HSE funded primary dental services was established; and if he will report on its work to date. [33931/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
656. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the implementation of targeted dental screening for areas that do not have access for 11 to 13 year olds; the additional areas that now have screening; and the additional number of 11 to 13 year olds that have now been screened. [33932/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
657. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if wave 2 fluoride and caring for children's teeth fieldwork has been completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33933/17]
View answer"Fluoride and Caring for Children's Teeth" (FACCT), is a research project which is being conducted by UCC and supported by the HSE. I understand that Wave 2 of the fieldwork has been completed and I look forward to the project's completion and publication.
658. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if a communication action plan to support implementation of anti-microbial guidelines in dentistry has been developed; and if so, the details of same. [33934/17]
View answerAntimicrobial prescribing guidelines for primary care in Ireland are overseen by the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland/HSE Clinical Advisory Group on Healthcare-Associated Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance and are published on the website of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, which is part of the HSE. I understand that the HSE is consulting the Dental Council on communication of these guidelines to the dental profession.
659. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of children that have been waiting for orthodontic services for three years or more as of 30 June 2017 or the latest date available. [33935/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
660. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the action plan for anti-microbial resistance. [33936/17]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, this Department, in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, has co-authored the drafting of Ireland's first National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2017-2020 to meet World Health Organisation (WHO) and European Council requirements of each country to have in place a national action plan on antimicrobial resistance by mid-2017.
The draft Plan has been developed in collaboration with key stakeholders across the human, animal and environmental sectors in line with a whole of Government or ‘One Health’ approach to tackling AMR; the work of the two Departments has been guided by the Interdepartmental AMR Consultative Committee, chaired jointly by the Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Veterinary Officer. This ambitious 3-year Plan covers the use of antimicrobial medicines in animal health and agriculture, as well as human health. Following the template of the WHO Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (2015), Ireland's draft Plan lists Strategic Interventions and Activities, responsible bodies and priority rankings of timelines for implementation.
Minister Creed and I intend to submit Ireland’s draft National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2017-2020 to Cabinet shortly for approval and publication. Subject to approval the Plan will be published and formally launched in September. An implementation plan will be developed separately which will address means of tackling antimicrobial resistance as appropriate to each sector.
661. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the individual health identifier business application tool has been procured and configured; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33937/17]
View answer662. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the individual health identifier business service has been implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33938/17]
View answer663. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the individual health identifier has been rolled out to initial selected GPs; and the number of GPs selected. [33939/17]
View answer664. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his plans to roll out the individual health identifier to national systems, further GPs and first hospital systems. [33940/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 661 to 664, inclusive, together.
The introduction of an Individual Health Identifier (IHI) is an important patient safety initiative. It is also a key building block in the eHealth agenda which is crucial to developing a modern integrated health service. Its introduction can also allow the managed improvement of data quality, which in turn can have an impact on patient access to health services.
On 30 May 2017, I signed the Health Identifiers Act 2014 (Commencement) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 236 of 2017) and the Health Identifiers Act 2014 (Health Services Providers) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 237 of 2017). The main purpose of the Order and Regulations is to facilitate access to the National Individual Health Identifier Register by health services providers and other specified persons and their use of the IHI for the purposes permitted under the Act. Access to the IHI Register and the use of the IHI is tightly regulated under the Health Identifiers Act 2014 and includes offences provisions.
As part of the initial phase-in of the Individual Health Identifier, IHI numbers have now been provided to 11 volunteer General Practitioners and an additional 11 further volunteer General Practitioners are scheduled to receive IHI numbers over the next number of weeks. In addition to the 11 volunteer General Practitioners, the IHI is available in electronic referrals (eReferrals) transmitted from General Practitioners to Hospitals.
The phase-in plan (2017 to Q1 2018) for the Individual Health Identifier currently includes the provision of IHI numbers as a priority for the PCRS Schemes, the National Radiology System (NIMIS), the National Maternity and New Born Clinical Management System (MN-CMS), the National Laboratory System (MedLIS), the National Epilepsy Electronic Patient record system (Epilepsy EPR), the National Hepatitis C Register and the National Cancer Screening Service. The IHI Programme is actively engaged in progressing the implementation of the IHI for each of these systems. The IHI number is also planned to be provided into the first major hospital patient administration system by the end of this year.
An appropriate business application tool has been developed in the HSE to support the Individual Health Identifier Business Service in its current operational capacity. Not only does this allow the Individual Health Identifier Business Service to operate, it will also inform the specification of requirements in advance of procuring a subsequent larger scale business application tool required to support the Individual Health Identifier Business Service in an expanded operating environment. That Individual Health Identifier Business Service now in operation is currently staffed by project team resources with operational processes and procedures designed and implemented by the current business team.
665. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the status of the review of existing service arrangements with section 39 service providers to ensure a stronger focus on addressing the health needs of homeless persons including the development of targets, outcomes, quality standards, enhanced monitoring and evaluation. [33941/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
666. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the CHO and hospital groups in which the discharge protocol for homeless persons in acute hospitals and mental health facilities are being implemented. [33942/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
667. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the HSE consultation process with all service providers of children's palliative care in the community has now been completed; the action that will follow from this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33943/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
668. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if persons with a primary non-cancer diagnosis have equal access to services as per the eligibility criteria guidelines. [33944/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
669. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of persons that received specialist palliative care treatment in their normal place of residence in each month in 2017 to date. [33945/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
