Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 September 2020
1208. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health his views on whether the number of heart failure nurses is sufficient to fully meet standards in relation to the treatment and management of heart failure in hospitals and in the community; if there is a deficit, the number of additional heart failure nurses required; the other staffing deficits that exist within heart failure services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21590/20]
View answer1210. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure the successful resumption and maintenance of heart failure services with particular emphasis on developing such services in the community and providing greater integration between these and hospital services; if there will be no redeployment of staff working in acute cardiac and stroke services in view of the fact such patients are particularly susceptible to such disruption; the research taking place to establish the exact impact of disruption to services on excess deaths since the outbreak of Covid-19 here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21592/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1208 and 1210 together.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to an unprecedented interruption to normal health services both in the community and acute hospitals system.
It is important to recognise that many vital services have continued throughout the pandemic, ensuring that priority care needs were addressed and the most vulnerable protected even at the height of this crisis. To ensure that services were restored in a prioritised manner with investments targeted at rebuilding services guided by Sláintecare - shifting service provision from Hospital to community-based care, the HSE published in June 2020, a Strategic Framework for Delivery of Service Continuity in a COVID Environment. This ensures a safer environment for patients and service users
The Department of Health continues to work closely with the HSE on the resumption and maintenance of usual healthcare services as a key priority. This includes ongoing consideration of the how best to deliver such services in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and in line with the HSE Strategic Framework.
With regards to heart failure and cardiology services more generally, the National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services commenced in January 2018 with Professor Phillip Nolan as Chair of the Steering Group. Stroke services are not included in the scope of this Review.
This Review aims to achieve optimal patient outcomes at population level with particular emphasis on the safety, quality and sustainability of the services that patients receive by establishing the need for an optimal configuration of a national adult cardiac service.
Substantial progress has been made on the Review. However, the COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted on the progress of the review during 2020, as the Chair of the Cardiac Services Review has played a key role in the national COVID-19 response as a member of the NPHET and Chair of the Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group. It is planned that work on the Cardiac Services Review will progress again in the Autumn.
As the Deputy's question also relates to operational matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for attention and for direct reply on these matters to the Deputy.
