Tuesday, 28 Jul 2020

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (833)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

833. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address issues in relation to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17985/20]

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Written answers

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic the HSE had to take measures to pause most elective scheduled care activity with effect from the end March 2020. This was to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related activity and time-critical essential work. This decision was in line with the advice issued by National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) and in accordance with World Health Organization guidelines, and the National Action Plan.

To ensure services are re-introduced in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, the HSE launched its Strategic Framework for ‘Service Continuity in a Covid Environment’ on 24 June 2020. Its implementation will ensure service resumption is done in an integrated way. This will involve a phased approach to ensure community services are strengthened. The Framework will also consolidate new ways of working and build on international knowledge. The HSE is currently developing a Service Continuity Roadmap for the resumption of services across the health system. My Department, the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund are currently working together to evaluate the impact of Covid 19 on Scheduled Care waiting lists, in order to be prepared to address pent up demand.

Under 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 is a standardised approach used by the HSE to manage scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures. It sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists and was developed in 2014 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.

In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to investigate the matter and provide you with a direct response.

Disability Services Provision

Questions (834)

Thomas Gould

Question:

834. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to the case of a person (details supplied). [17997/20]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The recently published Programme for Government document "Our Shared Future" recognises the need to improve services for both children and adults with disabilities through better implementation and by working together across Government in a better way.

The Government commits to prioritising early diagnosis and access to services for children and ensuring that the most effective interventions are provided for each child, to guarantee the best outcomes.

As the Deputy's question relates to a service issue, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Questions (835)

Brendan Smith

Question:

835. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if additional capacity will be provided to reduce waiting lists for assessments and procedures (details supplied). [18004/20]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic the HSE had to take measures to pause most elective scheduled care activity with effect from the end March 2020. This was to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related activity and time-critical essential work. This decision was in line with the advice issued by National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) and in accordance with World Health Organisation guidelines, and the National Action Plan.

The trajectory of the disease means there is now an opportunity for increasing the provision of non-covid care including more routine care. NPHET has since revised its recommendation on the pausing of all non-essential health services, with a recommendation that the delivery of acute care be determined by appropriate clinical and operational decision making.

Application of the essential risk mitigating steps set out in the guidance developed under the auspices of the NPHET Expert Advisory group will have operational implications, which will impact on throughput.

Where possible, hospitals are working to find innovative ways to enable service provision, which include virtual clinics for some outpatient department appointments. The HSE website provides details on services currently available and operational in each hospital on its website. This information is reviewed frequently and provides up-to-date announcements on services available at each site (https://www2.hse.ie/services/hospital-service-disruptions/hospital-service-disruptions-covid19.html ).

To ensure services are re-introduced in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, the HSE launched its Strategic Framework for ‘Service Continuity in a Covid Environment’ on 24 June. Its implementation will ensure service resumption is done in an integrated way. This will involve a phased approach to ensure community services are strengthened. The Framework will also consolidate new ways of working and build on international knowledge. In addition, the HSE published 'A Safe Return to Health Services' last week, which is a Service Continuity Roadmap for the resumption of services across the health system.

As the system continues to deliver Covid-19 and non-Covid 19 care side-by-side over a more prolonged period, my Department and the HSE will continue to work closely together to protect essential non-Covid 19 acute care and progress the provision of more routine non Covid-19 care.

In relation to the particular query raised by the deputy concerning the need to provide additional orthopaedic capacity to reduce waiting times for patients from Co Cavan and Co Monaghan, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to investigate the issue and provide you with a direct response.

Hospital Facilities

Nursing Home Accommodation

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 841, 846, 868 and 869 together.

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Hospital Data

Questions (842)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

842. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the capital cost of a hospital bed; the estimated fully absorbed cost of a hospital bed including staff, ancillary services and running costs; and the capital costs associated with opening new hospital beds. [18017/20]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

The average daily running cost of a hospital bed includes clinical staffing, theatres, laboratories, non-clinical staffing and cleaning, maintenance and other running costs. The cost includes critical care and ward beds but they are not separately identifiable. The fully absorbed cost, includes treatment and care costs (such as diagnostics and theatres) as well as the running costs such as heating, lighting and servicing equipment, but excludes capital and depreciation. In addition, this figure does not include other associated hospital costs such as day-case, outpatient and emergency department costs.

In relation to capital expenditure, several factors determine the capital cost of a hospital bed. These include the nature of the bed (day case, in-patient/overnight, intensive/critical care, etc.), and the bed’s location (within an existing hospital, within a new extension to an existing hospital or through the development of a new hospital). As such, there is no one capital cost for providing an additional hospital bed.

In relation to the Deputy's specific question on the estimated cost and capital cost of acute hospital beds, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.

National Maternity Strategy

Questions (843)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

843. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of funding and implementing the national maternity strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18018/20]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

The National Women & Infants Health Programme in the HSE is leading on the implementation of the National Maternity Strategy. As such, the Programme has developed a detailed Implementation Plan which will see the National Maternity Strategy implemented on a phased basis over the lifetime of the Strategy. The Implementation Plan is presented under the Strategy's four strategic priorities and details how each of the 77 actions will be implemented. The funding requirement for the Strategy will vary from year to year and the Implementation Plan will inform the annual estimates process.

Given that the Deputy’s specific query relates to the implementation of the Strategy and the associated cost, I have asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy directly.

Emergency Departments

Questions (844)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

844. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of abolishing the €100 charge for the use of emergency departments and the €75 per day charge for inpatient care in tabular form. [18019/20]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

In 2019, €30 million was raised through the statutory inpatient charge in the Acute Hospitals, with a further €21 million raised through the outpatient charge. Therefore, it would cost approximately €51 million to abolish these charges.

Home Help Service

Questions (845)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

845. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of persons directly employed by the HSE to provide home support services. [18020/20]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

The information that the Deputy is seeking is published online by the HSE and available to view publicly here:

https://www.hse.ie/eng/staff/resources/our-workforce/workforce-reporting/national-reports.html

Current levels of publicly employed Home Helps can be found on Page 3 of the HSEs Employment Report for May 2020.

Question No. 846 answered with Question No. 841.

Health Services Expenditure

Questions (847)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

847. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the time frame and estimated cost per year of full implementation of the e-health system. [18022/20]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Additional capital provision to support the implementation of eHealth and ICT for the period 2018-2021 was secured by my Department as part of the Mid-Term Capital Review and is supported through the National Development Plan. The capital provision for eHealth and ICT is set out below and will allow for a multi-annual rolling programme of work on multiple projects:

2018	2019	2020	2021
€60m	€85m	€95m	€120m

For the years 2018 and 2019, almost the full allocation of funding was spent within the fiscal year, with €59,592,511 being spent in 2018 and €84,596,897 spent in 2019, respectively. The allocated capital provision funds a large range of projects that support both my Departments eHealth strategy and the eHealth deliverables under the Sláintecare Implementation Strategy, as part of a rolling annual programme of work. Future capital investments will fund important systems such as the Electronic Health Record, ePharmacy, Shared Care Record, the Individual Health Identifier and other national eHealth systems and telehealth initiatives.

A significant portion of the capital provided for ICT each year is required to replace and upgrade the existing ICT infrastructure and systems already deployed. The balance of capital is allocated to the development and implementation of projects, the majority of which are clinical and patient focused but some relate to corporate and operational systems.

The full implementation of the eHealth strategy and eHealth deliverables under the Sláintecare Implementation Strategy will be over a number of years on a rolling basis with programme reviews, cost planning and annual expenditure commitments being made accordingly.

Ambulance Service

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Written answers

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The Health and Wellbeing Programme in my Department is responsible for co-ordinating the implementation of Healthy Ireland which is the National Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025. The Programme works closely with the HSE, other Government Departments and a range of partners to deliver a number of strategies and plans across a range of health and wellbeing issues.

In July 2018, the Government approved a number of measures to strengthen the Healthy Ireland Programme and support strengthened cross-Government collaboration on the implementation of Healthy Ireland and build on the progress to date, including a decision to establish an expanded Healthy Ireland Office in the Department of Health. Progressing these decisions is being considered by the Department in the context of Sláintecare implementation and the overall approach to improve public health and wellbeing outcomes.

Since the publication of Healthy Ireland in 2013 the expenditure of my Department on Healthy Ireland per year is as follows:

2013 €89,000;

2014 €586,000;

2015 €607,000;

2016 €1,156,000;

2017 €5,997,000;

2018 €5,587,000;

2019 €7,498,000;

It is important to note that expenditure increased significantly in 2017 upon the establishment of the Healthy Ireland Fund. In addition to the Healthy Ireland Fund, expenditure is used for a number of initiatives, including the Healthy Ireland Survey.

A national Healthy Ireland Communications and Citizen Engagement campaign has been running since 2018, aimed at raising public awareness of the gov.ie website as the place to go for trusted sources of information and supports under three key themes – healthy eating, physical activity and mental wellbeing. The cost of Healthy Ireland information campaigns in 2019 was €957,000 and €658,000 in 2018.