Written Answers Nos. 277-290
277. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a facility (details supplied) in County Dublin and the excellent work carried out by the facility; the funding provided to the facility in the past 12 months; his plans to increase the funding provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18871/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
278. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of nurses in each acute hospital in each of the years 2007 to 2017, by hospital in tabular form. [18872/18]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to you directly on this matter.
279. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of nurses in each community hospital in each of the years 2007 to 2017, by hospital in tabular form. [18873/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
280. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the average wait time for persons referred to HSE counselling services after being deemed eligible following their appearance before the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18882/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
281. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Health when additional inpatient psychiatric beds for children and young persons will be opened (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18884/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
282. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the status of an application by a person (details supplied) for a home care package to enable them to be discharged from hospital; and when a decision will issue. [18886/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
283. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the status of the introduction of the 20-week anomaly scan at Cavan General Hospital; if it is now open to all women; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18914/18]
View answerThe National Maternity Strategy is very clear that all women must have equal access to standardised ultrasound services. The Strategy will be implemented on a phased basis and this work is being led by the National Women and Infants Health Programme. The Programme's Implementation Plan for the Strategy includes a number of actions to facilitate the provision by all maternity hospitals/units of dating and anomaly scans to all pregnant women.
Indeed, the issue of anomaly scanning is a matter of priority for the NWIHP and additional funding provided to the Programme for 2018 will facilitate the recruitment of the 28 additional sonographers required to provide 100% access to such a service. Pending the recruitment and necessary training processes, the Programme will continue to work with the six Hospital Groups to assist in increasing access to anomaly scans. In this context, it is expected that the establishment of Maternity Networks across Hospital Groups will assist in the development of a sustainable service model that ensures that all women can access anomaly scans.
In relation to the specific query raised concerning Cavan General Hospital, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
284. Deputy Niamh Smyth 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. [18917/18]
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.
The National Waiting List Management Policy, a standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the HSE, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
285. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to correspondence regarding recruitment and retention of nurses (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18927/18]
View answerI am aware of the correspondence from the Psychiatric Nurses Association which was sent to all Dáil Deputies and Ministers, and which refers to the deliberations of the Public Service Pay Commission.
As you already know, the Public Service Pay Commission was established to advise Government on Public Service Remuneration policy. It made its first report to Government in May 2017, which informed negotiations on a successor to the Lansdowne Road Agreement. While the evidence collected by the Commission suggested that there are no significant recruitment difficulties across the public service vocational streams, it found evidence of some recruitment and retention issues in certain specific areas of the public service. These include certain areas of the health sector (including nurses and midwives) and the Defence Forces, as well as senior executive and professional posts in the civil service.
It suggested that ‘a more comprehensive examination of underlying difficulties’ could take place where ‘such difficulties are clearly evident’. The Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020, which was ratified by the PNA, provides for such an examination to take place. The aim of the next phase of work by the Public Service Pay Commission is to determine to what extent, if any, issues relating to the recruitment and retention of staff exist within certain sectors of the public service.
The Public Service Pay Commission is taking a modular approach. The first module is looking at health grades - including nurses and midwives. Their report is expected in June and I look forward to reading its findings.
286. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the status of results for a person (details supplied) following their appointment on 28 March 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18928/18]
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.
The National Waiting List Management Policy, a standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the HSE, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
287. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Health when an appointment for back surgery for a person (details supplied) will be met. [18951/18]
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.
The National Waiting List Management Policy, a standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the HSE, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
288. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive a full-time bed in Castleblayney, County Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18954/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
289. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of aligning nursing salaries with those of therapy staff at all points on the salary scale. [18956/18]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to you directly on this matter.
290. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of raising the starting salary for nurses to that of the maximum point on the health care assistant scale. [18957/18]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to you directly on this matter.
