Written Answers Nos. 83-102
84. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the full complement of beds in St Finbar's ward at Galway University Hospital; the number of beds that were closed; the duration for which they were closed; the reason they were closed; if all of the beds are now in use; the circumstances which enabled the return to use of these beds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48093/17]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
85. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made on the provision of temporary modular orthopaedic theatres at Merlin Park Hospital, Galway to replace the two damaged theatres; if planning permission is required; when the theatres will be erected; the complement of beds in St Finbar's ward; if all of these are now in use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48090/17]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
86. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Health the status of the upcoming national investment plan with regard to projects in County Kildare such as the endoscopy unit extension at Naas General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47303/17]
View answerThe Government is preparing a new 10 year National Investment Plan to sustain national economic and social progress over the long term. The Government will publish a new National Investment Plan for the period 2018 - 2027 alongside and in support of the forthcoming new National Planning Framework.
Health capital funding was outlined in the recently published Public Service Estimates for 2018 and the HSE is currently developing its Capital Plan for 2018 - 2021.
Decisions in relation to individual products such as proposed developments at Naas General Hospital are a matter for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly, I have referred your question to the HSE and requested that they reply to you directly in this matter.
87. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the characteristics of the medical condition known as fragile X syndrome; the supports available to parents of children born with this condition; the supports in place in terms of respite for parents of children born with this condition, which is a high-dependency disorder; the supports available to parents generally with high-dependency conditions or disorders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47984/17]
View answer91. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the services available in the Dublin south west region from the HSE or other charitable organisations to support parents of children with fragile X syndrome who are in need of respite, additional occupational therapy and speech and language therapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47985/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 87 and 91 together.
The Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.
As the Deputy's questions relates to service matters, I have arranged for the questions to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
89. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 195 of 7 July 2017, the immediate action that is to be taken (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48091/17]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
90. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Health the action being taken to address the long waiting times for orthodontic services in the west. [48213/17]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
92. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health his plans to deal with the trolley crisis and emergency department overcrowding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48179/17]
View answer96. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which he remains satisfied regarding the adequacy of the initiatives he has put in place to address the issue of overcrowding at accident and emergency departments throughout the country; if in the event they meet or exceed targets, he plans further measures to meet the challenges presenting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48176/17]
View answer189. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which he expects to be in a position to reduce overcrowding at accident and emergency departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48448/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 92, 96 and 189 together.
I would like to acknowledge the distress for patients and their families, and the impact on staff, caused by cramped and overcrowded conditions in some of our hospital Emergency Departments.
This year so far, Emergency Department attendances are up over 1.8% or over 16,000 patients by the end of September, including a 5% increase in Emergency Department attendances by people over 75 years. Within this context, trolley numbers and patient experience times are showing small improvements on this time last year. As of 13 November, HSE data shows that there was 1.2% or 1,025 less patients waiting on trolleys this year as compared to the same period last year, notwithstanding the increased demand.
In addition several hospitals are showing significant improvement in terms of trolley numbers with HSE data to the end of September showing Mayo University Hospital, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda and Beaumont Hospital showing reductions in trolley numbers ranging from 30% to 40% as compared to the same period in 2016.
Tackling overcrowding in Emergency Departments is a key commitment of this Government and I am happy to confirm that €40 million in additional funding in 2017 has been made available as part of the 2018 Budget to address winter pressures and waiting lists over the rest of this year. A further €45 million has been allocated for measures to improve access to unscheduled care and other acute hospital priorities in 2018.
Some of this funding is already being utilised within the system, with an additional 45 homecare packages and 20 transitional care beds per week being provided for the duration of the winter period. This funding will allow for patients to return home, or an appropriate community setting, when clinically appropriate, thus helping to alleviate some of the pressures our hospitals are currently experiencing.
Funding will also be provided to increase bed capacity this winter and moving forward, as part of service planning for 2018. The Department of Health is also undertaking a Health Service Capacity review in line with the Programme for a Partnership Government commitment, the findings of which are due to be published before the end of the year, and which will provide an evidence base for future capacity decisions.
In addition, I can confirm that all Hospital Groups and Community Health Organisations have developed and put in place integrated winter preparedness plans for their locality focussed on planning and escalation preparedness, maintaining patient flow processes and ensuring public health preparedness.
93. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the action which will be taken to reduce the long waiting times for paediatric rheumatology appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48187/17]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
94. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Health his strategy for the community hospitals in County Donegal and the future development of all community hospitals within the county; his plans for the long-term bed accommodation of St Joseph's Hospital, Stranorlar, Lifford Community Hospital and Ramelton Community Hospital in view of the conflicting information provided by his predecessor on 26 January 2016 and the various HSE statements on that matter of long-stay beds within these three community hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48095/17]
View answerWhile the care delivered to residents in our community hospitals is generally of a very high standard, many of these services are delivered in buildings that are less than ideal in the modern context. It is important therefore that we upgrade our public bed stock and this is the aim of the 5 year Capital Investment Programme for Community Nursing Units which was announced last year. This provides the framework to allow for an enhanced programme to replace, upgrade and refurbish these care facilities, as appropriate. Significant work was undertaken to determine the most optimum scheduling of projects within the phased provision of funding to achieve compliance with National Standards.
This investment programme will see the provision of two new centres in Donegal, namely in Ballyshannon and also a 130 bed centre, centrally located in Letterkenny.
Since the announcement in 2016, and following discussions with public representatives, Health Forum members and local community groups, local HSE management in CHO 1 agreed to review overall requirements for the area. The Terms of Reference for the Rhatigan's review were as follows:
1. Assess current and future needs for short/long term bed capacity taking into account of up to date census data from the Central Statistics Office.
2. Based on current planning norms define scale of public/private provision required to meet this need up to 2026.
3. Assess the adequacy of existing facilities in St Joseph’s Hospital Stranorlar, Ramelton and Lifford, taking account of amended legislation governing residential care standards 2016.
4. Recommend changes to the approved capital programme, if appropriate, taking into account capital and revenue costs, geographical factors, integration of care with acute services and time frames for delivery.
5. Make specific recommendations regarding dementia care provision.
6. Based on the above to finalise brief and options appraisals for infrastructural developments proposed.
I understand that the review has been completed and a report is to be submitted to the HSE’s National Social Care Division in the first instance, and then the HSE’s National Capital Property Steering Group.
Any proposals for changes to the approved Capital Investment Programme for Community Nursing Units would have to be considered in the context of capital funding available to Health, potential revenue implications and compliance with the agreed capital approval process.
95. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health his plans for eliminating waiting times of more than 12 weeks for inpatient procedures, ten weeks for outpatient appointments and ten days for diagnostic tests. [48178/17]
View answerI acknowledge that waiting times are often unacceptably long and I am conscious of the burden that this places on patients and their families.
Reducing waiting times for the longest waiting patients is one of this Government's key priorities. Consequently, Budget 2017 allocated €20 million to the NTPF, rising to €55 million in 2018. Budget 2018 allocated additional funding in the region of €10m for the remainder of 2017 to fund patient treatment across a range of key specialties and procedures.
In order to reduce the numbers of long-waiting patients, the HSE has been implementing Waiting List Action Plans for 2017 in the areas of Inpatient/Daycase, Scoliosis and Outpatient Services. The Inpatient/Daycase Action Plan is being delivered through a combination of normal hospital activity, as well as insourcing and outsourcing initiatives utilising NTPF funding. Under the Inpatient/Daycase Plan, since early February, over 29,000 patients have come off the Inpatient/Daycase Waiting List.
The NTPF has advised that to date 14,551 patients have been authorised for treatment in private hospitals under its Initiatives, 4,574 patients have accepted an offer of treatment in a private hospital and that 1,822 patients have received their procedure. The NTPF has also indicated that 3,716 patients have been authorised for treatment in public hospitals under the Plan’s insourcing initiatives, 1,415 offers of treatment have been accepted and 776 patients have been treated. Under the Outpatient Plan, since early February, almost 100,000 patients have come off the Outpatient Waiting List.
The NTPF are undertaking an initiative to provide diagnostic endoscopy tests to an extra 700 patients who are waiting for scopes. Under this Initiative, the NTPF will provide an endoscopy procedure to an extra 700 of the longest-waiting patients. The NTPF is currently in the process of rolling this initiative, with outsourcing underway. The NTPF will work with public hospitals to identify those patients who will be offered outsourcing of their procedure to a private hospital.
With regard to 2018, €50m in funding will be allocated to the NTPF for patient treatment and a further €10m to HSE to address waiting lists, including in the area of paediatric orthopaedics and scoliosis. The HSE and NTPF are working together to develop coherent and synergistic Waiting List Action Plans in 2018 for inpatient/daycase, outpatient and scoliosis, in order to continue the focus on long-waiting patients and overall waiting list numbers.
97. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the shortcomings in the school leavers process for special needs children transferring from a school (details supplied) to adult day services provided by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48188/17]
View answerThe Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.
As the Deputy's question relates to service issues in the Kerry area, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
98. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health if an analysis has been conducted regarding the equality impact of minimum unit pricing for alcohol and its potential effects on chronic alcoholics and their families. [48180/17]
View answerResearch carried out on behalf of my Department by The University of Sheffield on minimum unit pricing, considered the impact by income on those who consume alcohol.
The research indicated that the introduction of minimum unit pricing for alcohol products will impact on drinkers in all income groups. The impacts on high risk drinkers will be substantial and greater than on low risk drinkers.
100. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health if extra funding will be provided in 2018 for the provision of home care and home help at weekends; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48190/17]
View answerThe overall funding for services for older people in 2017 is €765m. This includes about €373m for the direct provision of home care. The HSE’s National Service Plan provides for a target of 10.57 million Home Help Hours, 16,750 Home Care Packages and 190 Intensive Home Care Packages for clients with highly complex needs.
In budget 2018 a further €37 million has been made available for older people services, comprising €5m once-off funding in 2017 and €32 million next year, to further strengthen supports for older people, particularly to facilitate speedier discharge from acute hospitals over the winter period. A significant proportion of this additional funding will go towards home care services.
101. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of extra hospital beds that will be required on foot of the ESRI projection that demand for inpatient bed days is projected to increase by between 32% to 37% by 2030, from 3.27 million in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48184/17]
View answerAs the Deputy has referenced, the ESRI published projections of demand for healthcare last month. The projections are for the time period 2015 and 2030 and show significant increases in demand across all health services.
Complementary to the ESRI work, my Department is undertaking a Capacity Review. As I have previously stated, the Review will have a wider scope than previous exercises and will include key elements of primary and community care infrastructure in addition to hospital facilities. It will examine in detail the demand for all key types of hospital activity, including inpatient, daycase, outpatients, critical care, and emergency, in addition to those non-acute areas which most impact on hospitals, such as primary care and care of older persons.
A Steering Group is overseeing the project, with support from external consultants commissioned to provide technical, analytical and engagement expertise. An independent international peer review group is involved in ongoing review and validation of the methodology and approach.
My Department has also undertaken a public consultation process to ensure that stakeholder views are fed into the Review.
The findings from this Review will provide a basis for determining both the extent of capacity requirements over the next 15 years and the type of capacity that is needed at a national and regional level. The emerging findings from the review will inform the development of a new 10 year national capital plan later this year.
I expect to receive the final report of the Capacity Review by the end of the year.
102. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the ongoing legal action taken by consultants over payments due under contracts, known as the common consultant’s contract agreed in 2008, in which they claim the HSE’s actions amount to breach of contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48116/17]
View answerThe HSE and the Departments of Health, Public Expenditure and Reform and Finance are defending the cases taken by consultants in which they claim the HSE's actions amount to a breach of the common contract agreed in 2008. Under the direction of the High Court, 10 lead cases have been identified and a timeline for progression of the proceedings agreed, with the hearing date set for 20th February 2018. A robust defence is being progressed in the public interest.
