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Tuesday, 8 Sep 2020

Written Answers Nos. 1070-1089

Health Services Provision

Questions (1070)

David Cullinane

Question:

1070. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of increasing the number of nurses by 1,000 taking account of retirements and staff departures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21333/20]

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Written answers

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

Health Services Provision

Questions (1071)

David Cullinane

Question:

1071. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of increasing the number of midwifes by 250 taking account of retirements and staff departures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21334/20]

View answer

Written answers

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

Health Services Provision

Questions (1072)

David Cullinane

Question:

1072. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of directly hiring 250 general practitioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21335/20]

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Written answers

General Practitioners are self-employed private practitioners, most of whom have contracts with the HSE to provide services under various public health schemes.

Under the General Medical Services (GMS) contract, GPs are reimbursed for a range of services they provide to medical card and GP visit card holders. GPs are remunerated for these services primarily on a capitation basis, with a range of additional support payments and fees for specific items of service.

As there is currently no approved salary scale in the public service for a GP post, it is not possible to quantify the financial implications for the HSE of GPs being hired to provide services to the public health system under the GMS and other schemes.

Hospital Car Parks

Questions (1073)

David Cullinane

Question:

1073. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of abolishing hospital car parking charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21336/20]

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Written answers

The Programme for Government makes a commitment to introduce a cap on the maximum daily charge for patients and visitors at all public hospitals, where possible and to introduce flexible passes in all public hospitals for patients and their families.

This issue has been under active consideration in recent years. The HSE conducted a review of hospital car parking charges and submitted their report to the Department of Health in December 2018. My Department and the HSE are currently engaging on this issue in order to achieve this new Programme for Government commitment.

Health Services Provision

Questions (1074)

David Cullinane

Question:

1074. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of increasing funding by 10% to BreastCheck and CervicalCheck; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21337/20]

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Written answers

The Health Service Executive, National Screening Service (NSS) has responsibility for four population-based screening programmes in Ireland CervicalCheck, Diabetic RetinaScreen, BowelScreen and BreastCheck.

I am pleased that in the Programme for Government we have committed to extend the free screening age range in BreastCheck to those aged 69. This is an important development for the BreastCheck screening programme. Based on the 2020 allocated funding for the BreastCheck Programme the HSE has advised the impact of a 10% increase in funding for BreastCheck would be €2.8m.

In relation to CervicalCheck, the Government has committed to fully implementing the recommendations of Dr Scally’s Report of the Scoping Inquiry. Full implementation represents a very broad programme of work incorporating improvements across the National Screening Service and wider health services, and funding to support this work was allocated in Budget 2020, together with funding to support the switch to HPV primary testing. The move to HPV cervical screening means that Ireland joins a small group of nations that employs the best-in-class testing to screen their populations for cervical cancer. This improved testing methodology, along with the continued roll-out of HPV vaccinations, means that Ireland can look forward to a significant reduction in the incidence of cervical cancer cases over the next 10-20 years.

The HSE has advised that based on the 2020 allocated funding for CervicalCheck programme the impact of a 10% increase in funding for the programmes would be €4.4m.

Health Services Provision

Questions (1075)

David Cullinane

Question:

1075. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of recruiting an additional obstetrician; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21338/20]

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Written answers

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

Health Services Provision

Questions (1076)

David Cullinane

Question:

1076. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of recruiting an additional gynaecologist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21339/20]

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Written answers

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

Health Services Provision

Questions (1077)

David Cullinane

Question:

1077. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of repatriating CervicalCheck screening; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21340/20]

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Written answers

The Health Service Executive (HSE) made a strategic decision in 2018 to develop a National Cervical Screening Laboratory, in conjunction with the Coombe Woman and Infants University Hospital. The HSE established a joint project with the Coombe, and a project team is in place to assist in the delivery of this project. The capital cost of building a National Cervical Screening Laboratory is estimated to be in the region of €15 – 20 million. Allowances have been made in the HSE capital plan for this expenditure.

An exercise for developing the operational costs for the laboratory, which would have the capacity to undertake all cervical screening services is under way. The exercise will look at staffing, logistical and equipment costs.

A long-term strategy will be developed which will examine issues of laboratory resilience to ensure a sustainable and safe space for the future of the cervical screening programme in Ireland.

BreastCheck, BowelScreen and Diabetic RetinaScreen access services in Ireland and therefore there are no repatriating costs.

Health Services Provision

Questions (1078)

David Cullinane

Question:

1078. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of hiring an additional dentist into the public system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21341/20]

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Written answers

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

Hospital Consultant Contracts

Questions (1079, 1211)

David Cullinane

Question:

1079. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of delivering pay equalisation for hospital consultants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21342/20]

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David Cullinane

Question:

1211. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated initial cost and annual full-year revenue cost of resolving the two-tier consultant pay issue; the estimated cost of back payments which may arise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21593/20]

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Written answers

At present 'new entrant' consultants recruited since 1 October 2012 are on lower pay scales than those recruited prior to that date. The Programme for Government provides for the finalisation of the new Sláintecare Consultant Contract and the introduction of related legislation to support 'public-only work' in public hospitals. The FEMPI Acts currently prohibit pay increases for serving public servants and will require amendment to enable pay increases for serving consultants who move to the Sláintecare 'public only' Consultant Contract.

I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the estimated costs that would arise as soon as possible. It is not envisaged that the introduction of the Sláintecare Contract would involve backpayments.

Health Services Provision

Questions (1080)

David Cullinane

Question:

1080. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of increasing the trainee GP intake to 250 a year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21343/20]

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Written answers

As GP training is currently the responsibility of the Health Service Executive, I have arranged for this question to be referred to the Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Health Services Provision

Questions (1081)

David Cullinane

Question:

1081. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of an additional ambulance for each of the four HSE regions; the estimated cost of recruiting additional paramedics to staff them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21344/20]

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Written answers

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

Health Services Provision

Questions (1082)

David Cullinane

Question:

1082. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of reducing prescription charges by €1; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21345/20]

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Written answers

The total cost of reducing prescription charges by €1 is €48m; €25.7m for the Under 70s and €22.6m for the Over 70s.

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

Health Services Provision

Questions (1083)

David Cullinane

Question:

1083. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of increasing the number of undergraduate nursing places by 250; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21346/20]

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Written answers

Ireland has a four year nursing/midwifery degree programme. Therefore, the full year effect of the cost of increasing the number of undergraduate nursing and midwifery places by 250 arises from year four onwards and this is estimated to be € 20,260,000. Costs can be broken down into four main areas -

The Higher Education Authority uses a figure of €7,500 per student per year as representing an average of funding currently provided by them for grants and fees for nursing and midwifery undergraduate places. Given that four cohorts of the increased number of 250 would be in place by year four, the estimated annual cost from that point onwards is €7,500,000. During the final year of the programme students are on rostered work placements and are paid 70% of the first point of the staff nurse salary scale for a period of 36 weeks. The estimated annual cost of this for 250 students is €5,900,000. Each placement requires supervisory, teaching and assessment support which is provided by a team of Clinical Placement Co-ordinators, Allocations Liaison Officers and Nurse Tutors. The estimated annual cost of this is €6,400,000 to provide the support required for the four cohorts of the increased number of 250 which would be in place by year four.

There is also travel / accommodation allowances of €50.79 per student for clinical placement weeks which estimates to €460,000 over 4 years.

Health Services Provision

Questions (1084)

David Cullinane

Question:

1084. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the current and capital cost of a palliative care bed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21347/20]

View answer

Written answers

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

Diabetes Strategy

Questions (1085)

David Cullinane

Question:

1085. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of persons diagnosed with diabetes by type and county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21348/20]

View answer

Written answers

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

Diabetes Strategy

Questions (1086)

David Cullinane

Question:

1086. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the annual healthcare spend on treating diabetes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21349/20]

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Written answers

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

Diabetes Strategy

Questions (1087)

David Cullinane

Question:

1087. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the diabetes preventive strategies in place; the annual cost of funding the strategies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21350/20]

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Written answers

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

Diabetes Strategy

Questions (1088)

David Cullinane

Question:

1088. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent community diabetes nursing positions by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21351/20]

View answer

Written answers

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

Nursing Staff

Questions (1089)

David Cullinane

Question:

1089. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the recruitment process for hiring nurses; the average time the process takes to formal appointment stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21352/20]

View answer

Written answers

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

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