Written Answers Nos. 470-491
470. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in each local health office, LHO, area waiting for an oral health appointment in primary care; and the number waiting up to 12, 12 to 26, 26 to 52 and more than 52 weeks, respectively. [50924/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
471. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the action that has been taken to implement each of the 32 recommendations in the review of the nursing homes support scheme 2015 on the administration of the scheme in tabular form. [50925/18]
View answer472. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the action that has been taken to implement each of the 13 recommendations in the review of the nursing homes support scheme 2015 on the cost of long-term residential care in tabular form. [50926/18]
View answer473. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the action that has been taken to implement each of the 12 recommendations in the 2015 review of the nursing homes support scheme 2015 for future service provision in tabular form. [50927/18]
View answer474. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the action that has been taken to implement each of the four recommendations in the review of the nursing homes support scheme 2015 on residential care capacity [50928/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 471 to 474, inclusive, together.
When the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS) commenced in 2009, a commitment was made that it would be reviewed after three years. The Report of the Review was published in July 2015. Arising out of the Review, a number of key issues have been identified for more detailed consideration across Departments and Agencies.
An Interdepartmental/Agency Working Group has been established to progress the recommendations contained in the Review. This Group is chaired by the Department of Health and includes representatives from the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the HSE, the Revenue Commissioners, and when required, the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF).
The following table provides the current status in relation to the consideration of the recommendations contained in the review.
Review of Nursing Homes Support Scheme - Progress in Actions
|
No. |
Recommendation – Administration of Scheme |
Current Position |
|
1 |
Centralise certain elements of the scheme where appropriate, with built in appropriate management and training processes to ensure customer service is maintained |
This recommendation is not being progressed at this time as agreed with the NHSS Inter Departmental Review Group |
|
2 |
Consolidate local NHSOs (from 17 to 4) |
Work in Progress on moving to five Regional NHSO’s |
|
3 |
Develop a web based form to enable nursing homes to submit invoices electronically |
Work in Progress |
|
4 |
Centralise the processing of invoices |
This recommendation is not being progressed at this time as agreed with the NHSS Inter Departmental Review Group |
|
5 |
Centralise the calculation of loan repayments |
This recommendation is not being progressed at this time as agreed with the NHSS Inter Departmental Review Group |
|
6 |
Clarify for how long the application form/documentation and the CSAR form remain valid without any new processes or medical checks |
Implemented |
|
7 |
Provide additional information regarding nursing homes to assist with the process of identifying one that is suitable |
This recommendation is not being progressed at this time as agreed with the NHSS Inter Departmental Review Group |
|
8 |
Review documents and application forms with advice from the National Adult Literacy Agency to ensure they are sufficiently user-friendly and informative and that they include clear guidance on, where relevant information/documentation can be obtained |
Implemented |
|
9 |
Consider whether any additional questions should be included in the application form |
Implemented |
|
10 |
Make sample completed application forms available |
Implemented |
|
11 |
Include in the application form a mechanism for an applicant to authorise a representative to submit the application on their behalf |
Implemented |
|
12 |
Consider the need to establish an NHSS Best Practice Group (consisting of NHSO/national office staff) to share experiences and agree on best practice |
Implemented |
|
13 |
Consider splitting application form into two parts to avoid delaying the care needs assessment while financial information and documentation is being assembled |
This recommendation is not being progressed at this time as agreed with the NHSS Inter Departmental Review Group |
|
14 |
Standardise informal advice provided to applicants regarding the nursing home loan, including clarity re legal aspects |
Implemented |
|
15 |
Provide advice regarding the possibility of claiming tax relief for medical expenses/nursing home fees |
Implemented |
|
16 |
Review current letter templates and, where possible, replace with alternative, quicker forms of communication |
Work in Progress. Updated versions agreed and in test on IT system. |
|
17 |
Review content of correspondence to ensure it is as clear as possible |
Work in Progress |
|
18 |
Examine the possibility of scanning/electronic transmission of forms and documentation from NHSOs to the national office |
This recommendation is not being progressed at this time as agreed with the NHSS Inter Departmental Review Group |
|
19 |
Clarify that the involvement of a solicitor is not required in order to apply for the loan |
Implemented |
|
20 |
Consider making it a condition of availing of the loan that the required details, including the PPSN of the responsible person are provided |
Implemented |
|
21 |
Complete analysis of home ownership levels |
Implemented |
|
22 |
Establish what databases exist that may contain useful data for the financial assessment and establish the access by NHSOs to these, including standard operating procedures, requiring review, of such information sources |
Work in Progress in liaison with DESP. |
|
23 |
Develop a consistently applied standard operating procedure for the initial financial assessment based on available resources of information |
Implemented |
|
24 |
Introduce a policy of undertaking random spot checks of financial data |
Implemented |
|
25 |
Follow up with the Revenue Commissioners on the scope for improved validation of declarations of income/assets |
Work in Progress |
|
26 |
Consider the options to encourage realistic valuations of declared property assets |
Work in Progress |
|
27 |
Standardise procedures in relation to reviews across NHSOs and ensure that all available information is utilised and accessed |
Implemented |
|
28 |
Consider amending legislation to provide for fluctuating values of assets and incomes |
Requires Legislative change. This may be considered as part of amendment planned for 2018 |
|
29 |
Continue to operate the national placement list in chronological order |
Implemented |
|
30 |
Increase time for recovery of loan to 18 months |
Requires Legislative change. This may be considered as part of amendment planned for 2018 |
|
31 |
Amend definition of ordinarily resident to ‘those who have been living in Ireland for at least a year’ |
Work in Progress |
|
32 |
Consideration should be given to whether a cap should be applied to the charge for nursing home care based on non-residential productive assets which are passed on to a direct family member after, or in the five years prior to, the death of an NHSS participant, and where the new owner carries on the farm or other business as their principal livelihood |
The changes to the Scheme will come into effect in 2019 subject to the legislative process. |
|
No. |
Recommendations on Residential Care Capacity |
Current Position |
|
1 |
The Department of Health continues to progress the project to identify and assess the various options available to encourage the provision, including the upgrading and refurbishment, of long-term residential care facilities for older people. |
5 year Capital investment programme for Community Nursing Units 2016-2021 is ongoing |
|
2 |
Implications for HSE residential facilities of the relevant standards should be clarified with a view to agreeing an approach that achieves the best achievable outcome for residents. |
5 year Capital investment programme for Community Nursing Units 2016-2021 is ongoing |
|
3 |
Detailed consideration should be given to whether there is potential for new models of collaboration between the public and private sectors. |
5 year Capital Investment programme for Community Nursing Units includes a number of CNUs for Public Private Partnership |
|
4 |
The potential of sheltered housing and assisted housing models should be considered in consultation with the D/Environment, Community and Local Government. |
Collaboration with the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government is ongoing and includes the development of a demonstration project for supported living |
475. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the percentage of serious reportable events being notified within 24 hours to a designated officer. [50929/18]
View answer476. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the percentage of mandatory investigations commenced within 48 hours of the events occurring. [50930/18]
View answer477. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the percentage of mandatory investigations completed within four months of the events occurring. [50931/18]
View answer478. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the percentage of reportable events in 2018 reported within 30 days of occurrence to the designated officer. [50932/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 475 to 478, inclusive, together.
As these are service matters and the data is collated by the HSE, the questions have been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy. This reply was taken as a composite with 50929/18, 50930/18 and 50931/18.
The Department of Health takes the management of patient safety very seriously. In November 2015, the Government approved a major programme of patient safety reforms which included the establishment of a National Patient Safety Office (NPSO) in the Department of Health. The NPSO was established in December 2016 to oversee a programme of patient safety measures. The programme of patient safety centres on initiatives such as the establishment of a national patient advocacy service, the introduction of a patient safety surveillance system, the measurement of patient experience and extending the clinical effectiveness agenda.
The NPSO is also progressing a programme of legislation in relation to the provision of open disclosure of patient safety incidents, the Patient Safety Bill, which will provide for the mandatory reporting of serious reportable events, and a Patient Safety Licensing Bill, which will introduce a regulatory regime for all hospitals as well as certain designated high risk activities.
In addition, on 25 October 2017, I launched the National Standards on the Conduct of Reviews of Patient Safety Incidents. These standards, developed jointly by HIQA and the Mental Health Commission, set out a new approach to the way health providers respond to, review and investigate incidents in order to determine as quickly as possible what may have transpired, and why, to ensure that they can immediately implement any improvements necessary to prevent a re-occurrence.
Finally, the Health Service Executive (HSE) finalised the review of its Safety incident management Policy and launched its new Incident Management Frameworks in January which will support implementation.
479. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of children and adolescents in Cork city and county on a waiting list for orthodontic assessment and orthodontic treatment, respectively; the length of time they have been waiting; the number of consultants providing such services in the location; the vacancies that exist; the steps being taken to reduce the waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50933/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
480. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on public hospital waiting lists for surgery (details supplied). [50934/18]
View answerImproving access to hospital treatment is a key priority for government. This year €55 million was allocated to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to provide treatment for patients. This has been increased to a total of €75 million for 2019 and as a result of this additional funding, my Department is working closely with the NTPF and the HSE to finalise a Scheduled Care Access Plan for inpatients/day case and outpatients for 2019.
Waiting list figures are published by the NTPF on their website www.ntpf.ie. Figures for October 2018 show that the number of patients waiting for an Inpatient or Daycase procedures has fallen to 72,000 from the peak of 86,100 in July 2017. This represents a 16% reduction in the overall number of patients waiting for an inpatient or day case procedure.
In 2019, the NTPF and the HSE will continue to work closely with Hospital Groups, inviting proposals to improve access for patients waiting for either Inpatient/Daycase or Outpatient procedures.
The data sought by the Deputy is contained in the attached document at the link.
481. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on public hospital waiting lists (details supplied). [50935/18]
View answerImproving access to hospital treatment is a key priority for government. This year €55 million was allocated to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to provide treatment for patients. This has been increased to a total of €75 million for 2019 and as a result of this additional funding, my Department is working closely with the NTPF and the HSE to finalise a Scheduled Care Access Plan for inpatients/day case and outpatients for 2019.
I recently met with the CEOs of all hospital groups and requested that they develop innovative proposals to address their outpatient lists in 2019.
In 2019, the NTPF and the HSE will continue to work closely with Hospital Groups, inviting proposals to improve access for patients waiting for either Inpatient/Daycase or Outpatient procedures.
The data sought by the Deputy is contained in the attached document at the link.
482. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has been removed from the waiting list for spinal fusion surgery; and if the person will be reinstated on the list and an appointment provided. [50942/18]
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, since 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.
483. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health if the Health Information and Quality Authority completed the health technology assessment on extending the school immunisation programme to include HPV vaccination to boys; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50946/18]
View answerThe Health Technology Assessment is currently being finalised by the Health Information and Quality Authority and is expected to be submitted to the Department in December.
484. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding that has been allocated to advertising in order to increase the uptake of the influenza vaccine in 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50947/18]
View answerThe information that the Deputy seeks is not readily available. Therefore, I have asked the Health Service Executive to reply directly to the Deputy.
485. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the uptake of the influenza vaccine to date in 2018 compared with the same period in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50948/18]
View answerThe information that the Deputy seeks is not readily available. Therefore, I have asked the Health Service Executive to reply directly to the Deputy.
486. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the status of the delivery of a primary health care centre (details supplied) in Dublin 22; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50949/18]
View answerAs the HSE has responsibility for the provision, along with the maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres and other Primary Care facilities, the Executive has been asked to reply directly to the Deputy.
487. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the status of the delivery of a primary health care centre (details supplied) in Lucan, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50950/18]
View answerAs the HSE has responsibility for the provision, along with the maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres and other Primary Care facilities, the Executive has been asked to reply directly to the Deputy.
488. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the status of the delivery of a primary health care centre (details supplied) in Lucan, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50951/18]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
489. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if he will make funds available to meet the demands of nurses in view of the 94% vote to reject the pay offer in a union (details supplied) in order to alleviate pressures in the health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43922/18]
View answerThe Government has already allocated significant resources to improving the pay rates for all public servants, including health sector staff, through the Public Service Stability Agreement. This Agreement is delivering wage increases of 6.4% to 7.2% over 2018-2020 and is weighted toward the lowest paid. On top of the pay increases provided under the PSSA, in September agreement was reached with staff interests on proposals relating to the so-called “new entrant pay” issue. This would deliver an average of an additional €3,000 over the coming years starting in March next year to over 60,000 post-2011 new entrants, including 10,000 nurses.
Specifically in relation to nurses, it should also be noted that the Public Service Pay Commission recommended a 20% increase in the Location and Qualification Allowances for nurses and midwives and accelerated promotion for nurses to the senior staff nurse level. Subject to acceptance, these measures will be implemented from March 2019 at a cost of €20m per annum.
The Deputy will be aware, however, that both the INMO and the PNA have rejected the pay proposals. Notwithstanding their rejection of these proposals, officials from my Department and the HSE have met with the nursing unions to clarify their issues. I understand that the parties have been invited to attend the National Oversight Body and I am hopeful this will help to progress matters.
490. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if pay and conditions demands from nurses will be met in order to end pay inequalities, bring nurses in line with other health professionals and to allow for faster recruitment into the health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49104/18]
View answerThe pursuit of cost increasing pay claims and engagement in industrial action are both specifically excluded under the terms of the Public Service Pay and Stability Agreement (PSSA 2018 - 2020) - a collective agreement which the INMO and its members currently subscribe to. Concession of any such pay claim, which has been costed at up to €300m p.a. would compromise public pay and budgetary policy and would also generate follow on claims from the rest of the public service workforce.
The Public Service Stability Agreement is delivering wage increases of 6.4% to 7.2% over 2018-2020 and is weighted toward the lowest paid. On top of the pay increases provided under the PSSA, in September agreement was reached with staff interests on proposals relating to the so-called “new entrant pay” issue. This would deliver an average of an additional €3,000 over the coming years starting in March next year to over 60,000 post-2011 new entrants, including 10,000 nurses.
In addition, the Public Service Pay Commission recommended a 20% increase in the Location and Qualification Allowances for nurses and midwives and accelerated promotion for nurses to the senior staff nurse level. Subject to acceptance, these measures will be implemented from March 2019 at a cost of €20m per annum.
Finally, I would point out that the Commission found that the issues around recruitment of nurses and midwives were multi-factorial and, as such, not exclusively down to pay. Therefore, if does not necesaarily follow that increasing pay will allow for 'faster recruitment', as claimed by the Deputy.
491. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health his plans to allocate extra resources to aid in the retention and recruitment of nursing and other front-line staff in public facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43950/18]
View answerThe Government has already allocated significant resources to improving the pay rates for all public servants, including health sector staff, through the Public Service Stability Agreement. This Agreement is delivering wage increases of 6.4% to 7.2% over 2018-2020 and is weighted toward the lowest paid. On top of the pay increases provided under the PSSA, in September agreement was reached with staff interests on proposals relating to the so-called “new entrant pay” issue. This would deliver an average of an additional €3,000 over the coming years starting in March next year to over 60,000 post-2011 new entrants, including 10,000 nurses.
Specifically in relation to nurses, it should also be noted that the Public Service Pay Commission recommended a 20% increase in the Location and Qualification Allowances for nurses and midwives and accelerated promotion for nurses to the senior staff nurse level. Subject to acceptance, these measures will be implemented from March 2019 at a cost of €20m per annum.
The Deputy will be aware, however, that both the INMO and the PNA have rejected the pay proposals. Notwithstanding their rejection of these proposals, officials from my Department and the HSE have met with the nursing unions to clarify their issues. I understand that the parties have been invited to attend the National Oversight Body and I am hopeful this will help to progress matters.
