Written Answers Nos. 200-222
200. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE staff from each of the CHOs redeployed from their contracted role to provide Covid-19 swabbing functions in test centres each month from May to September 2020, in tabular form. [25817/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
201. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE dental staff in CHO 9 that have been redeployed to provide Covid-19 swabbing functions in test centres in each month from May to September 2020, in tabular form. [25818/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
202. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE addiction staff in CHO 9 that have been redeployed to provide Covid-19 swabbing functions in test centres in each month from May to September 2020, in tabular form. [25819/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
203. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the status of the capital works to accommodate the provision of a second CT scanner for the Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar, purchased through fundraising by the community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25827/20]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly in relation to this matter.
204. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the number of patients that were referred to acute stroke units in each of the CHOs in each month since January 2020; the names and locations of each of the units; the number of persons referred to the aforementioned acute stroke services from outside of their CHO areas due to stroke services in their own areas being out of hours in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25831/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
205. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 19 of 16 September 2020, if students on placement in a healthcare setting that have part-time employment are expected to continue to go out to work in a wide range of settings while also working on placement thus vastly increasing the risk of transmission; the position regarding those students that work in caring or other related positions; and if they are expected to complete their placement in a hospital and then go to work in a nursing home or other similar setting despite certain employers, third-level institutions and trade unions (details supplied) advising against same. [25834/20]
View answerClinical placements have recommenced recently for healthcare students in line with the requirements of their courses. The resumption of clinical placements is also essential in terms of ensuring the continuation of a sustainable workforce into the future.
As the Deputy was advised by the Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in his reply on 16 September, guidance on the resumption of clinical placements was issued by the Chief Clinical Officer of the HSE to all Higher Education Institutes and copied to healthcare providers. This guidance included a revised version (dated 17 August 2020) of the HSE's document - Infection Prevention and Control Requirements for Clinical Placements in HSE facilities in the context of COVID-19. This document, among other things, sets out the requirement for Infection Prevention and Control Training for all students. It also underlines that clinical placements are an essential part of students' education and training, ensuring that they will continue to receive the breath of clinical experience that they require.
According to this guidance, students can move from a placement in one setting to a placement in another without an interval of time, provided they complete a COVID-19 Healthcare Worker Relocation Self Risk Assessment prior to commencing in a different location. Similarly, if a student continues part-time work in a healthcare setting during the same period as attending clinical placements, they are required to complete this self-assessment on an ongoing basis so that any need for testing may be identified. The guidance makes it clear that students should not present on clinical placement if they have any symptoms of acute infection. Overall, the guidance facilitates students in completing their education and training and in doing so it does not preclude them from working part time so long as they adhere to the infection prevention and control requirements.
206. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE disability staff in CHO 9 that have been redeployed to provide Covid-19 swabbing functions in test centres in each month from May to September 2020, in tabular form. [25843/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
207. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE primary care staff in CHO 9 that have been redeployed to provide Covid-19 swabbing functions in test centres in each month from May to September 2020, in tabular form. [25844/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
208. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if urgent consideration will be given to issues raised in correspondence (details supplied) concerning the difficulties in delivering health services; and if assistance will be provided to the sector as promised by his predecessor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25856/20]
View answer212. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if concerns raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied) in relation to the dentistry profession will receive a response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25873/20]
View answer216. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding provided to independent dental practitioners for PPE since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic [25908/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 208, 212 and 216 together.
I am aware of the difficulties that the current Covid-19 pandemic poses for the dental profession. My Department has worked with the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) to provide guidance to allow for the resumption of the safe provision of routine care. The HPSC advises that regular PPE, which has always been used, is generally sufficient for routine dentistry. This is supported by the Dental Council which has indicated that dentists must take a case by case assessment when deciding if additional PPE is warranted.
My Department, in conjunction with the HSE, is examining the issue of the provision of PPE across all parts of the health service, including health service contractors.
The Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS), which currently provides a range of dental treatments to medical card holders will need to be revised in order to align it with modern evidence on oral health needs and provision of dental services. My Department is committed to reviewing the provision of dental care for those eligible for public services and will engage with representatives of the dental profession in this regard.
I am aware of the delays in accessing some services provided by the HSE, caused in part by the necessary concentration of resources at managing the current COVID-19 pandemic. However, I understand that the HSE expect most services to return to normal in due course.
209. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a primary medical certificate application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25864/20]
View answerThe Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
210. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if the issue of the non-existent orthopaedic operations (details supplied) in University Hospital Kerry will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25865/20]
View answerThe South/South West Hospital Group has advised my Department that in order to comply with National HSE and Public Health guidance and direction, University Hospital Kerry (UHK) were required to scale back all elective services earlier this year during the initial period of COVID-19. This was to allow for the increase in COVID-19 presentations to the hospital.
Since early June 2020 UHK, in line with other hospitals throughout the system, have gradually re-commenced services. Patient safety remains at the forefront of service resumption. To ensure services are re-introduced in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals, including UHK, are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols which has resulted in reduced capacity and activity.
The HSE have further advised that during this period Orthopaedic services at UHK have been extremely busy. The hospital’s Orthopaedic trauma activity has increased, due not only to unscheduled trauma presentations, but also due to improved access to theatre arising from a lower rate of elective surgery.
UHK management have confirmed that fractures are automatically seen and treated in UHK without delay at present. These patients are not re-directed to any other unit for treatment.
In addition, UHK have advised my Department that while the Arthroplasty (Joint replacement) service was suspended during COVID-19 due to the increased risk to patients, this service recommenced in September with the assistance of the Bon Secours Hospital Tralee.
At present it is expected that Arthroplasty services will recommence fully in UHK by the beginning of October 2020. Approval has been given to proceed to Design Stage 2(a) for the construction of a new dedicated Orthopaedic Clean-air theatre and associated developments. Orthopaedic surgeons and nursing staff are part of this design team for this project.
211. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if a pop up Covid-19 test centre will be provided in Drogheda, County Louth in view of the significant increased demand on testing that has been evident since July 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25867/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
213. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the provisions being made to provide PPE to dental surgeries, general practice, pharmacies and other non-HSE aspects of the healthcare system; if provision will be made to allow them to procure PPE VAT-free; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25874/20]
View answerAs Minister for Health I do not have responsibility for issues relating to VAT which are the responsibility of the Minister for Finance.
As the other issues raised are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
214. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to reports of the requirement of Covid-19 screening of patients for scheduled procedures amounting to hundreds of Euro that is not being covered by health insurance; his views on such reports; if he has raised Covid-19 screening costs with insurance companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25877/20]
View answerIn relation to the COVID-19 screening tests; the HSE has developed guidance for the management of planned hospital admissions for non-COVID care which sets out advisory testing strategies for hospital patients. This guidance seeks to provide an advisory framework for mitigating risks associated with the delivery of non-COVID care while COVID-19 continues to be prevalent, and testing provides one of a number of measures that can be taken to reduce risk. As with any procedure or test, there will be a cost. As Minister for Health, I do not have any responsibility for private hospitals, including in relation to charges that they apply to their patients. Additionally, I cannot direct health insurers in how they provide their products and services, or indeed how they choose to reimburse their customers for costs relating to healthcare procedures. Private health insurers operate in a highly competitive market and I cannot interfere in the operation of that market.However, it is my understanding that the three main health insurers have reached agreement with the majority of private hospital facilities regarding charges for pre-admission COVID-19 testing, while continuing to work with those providers who they have not yet finalised agreements with. The aim is to ensure agreements are in place so that health insurance customers will not be charged at point of entry for pre-admission COVID tests.
215. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Health the guidance and information being given or that will be given to general practitioner practices regarding patients experiencing long Covid-19 symptoms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25907/20]
View answerAs this question relates to a service matter, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
217. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 239 of 22 July 2020, if a copy of the strategic plan for the longer term requirement for testing and tracing which he indicated would be submitted by the HSE in August 2020 will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25932/20]
View answerThe Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021 Plan for Living with COVID-19 launched by the Government on 15 September 2020, commits the HSE to introducing a more accessible and sustainable testing service that will meet the demands coming into the Autumn/Winter months.
The HSE is now finalising the detailed future service model for testing and tracing. This service model will aim to deliver a patient-centred, accessible, consistent and flexible service. This plan includes the recruitment of a permanent workforce which has already commenced, and a range of other service improvements which will be rolled out quickly.
This is with an aim of delivering a more consistent service. The improvements which will be implemented will see the building of a dedicated workforce for Covid-19 Testing. The testing service will employ a 3,000 strong workforce. The HSE is currently recruiting over 700 people to take swabs and over 500 contact tracing staff all around the country. Both campaigns have been launched and the HSE is actively screening and interviewing candidates for immediate positions.
The HSE is also committed to the recruitment of up 150 permanent staff and other temporary staff to ensure there is capacity to deal efficiently and effectively with public health emergencies with scale and speed, both now and in the future.
218. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the ICU capacity by region versus expected capacity without Covid-19; and the expected effect of changing each restriction and forecast of the impact of outbreak types. [25936/20]
View answerThe identification of surge capacity, and in particular critical care surge capacity, was a key part of Ireland’s response to Covid-19. At the start of the year, permanent adult critical care capacity in Ireland stood at 255 beds, according to the National Office of Clinical Audit. This included 204 Level 3 ICU beds and 51 Level 2 HDU beds. Funding for a further 40 adult critical care beds and two paediatric critical care beds was provided as part of the response to Covid-19 in March 2020.
Surge capacity supports the provision of critical care as required, with the number open on any given day subject to fluctuation in respect of available staff. At the outset, substantial work was carried out to develop a critical care capacity plan, including identification of additional ICU and ventilation spaces. The development of the plan, including consideration of staffing, ventilators and oxygen capacity, involved considerable input from clinical, operational and estates perspective, all of which was essential to the intensive effort to deliver the necessary surge capacity.
Training was provided to over 1,500 nursing staff to allow them to provide support to critical care as required. The number of critical care beds open and staffed at any one time can flex with demand, and staffing challenges and clinical risk continue to increase as the number of surge beds increases.
The acute hospital system and critical care service coped with the initial surge in admissions during the early stages of the pandemic, and were not overwhelmed, as was seen elsewhere, largely due to the success of public health measures in flattening the curve and the fall-off in non-Covid care.
My Department and the HSE have been engaging in regard to critical care capacity requirements in the public hospital system and consideration is ongoing.
I understand that the Deputy is specifically interested in the expected ICU occupancy levels in a non-Covid environment and in the expected occupancy levels at each stage of the roadmap. I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on those issues as soon as possible.
219. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will engage with his counterpart in the British Government to cooperate on new legislation that would regulate the proliferation of oyster trestles on the western shore of Lough Foyle. [25735/20]
View answerApplications for Aquaculture licences are considered by my Department under the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act, the 1933 Foreshore Act, and applicable EU legislation.
In the case of Lough Foyle, Section 2 of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act disapplies the Act to the Moville Area, as it is defined in the Foyle Fisheries Act, 1952. My Department therefore does not issue aquaculture licences and related foreshore licences in respect of Lough Foyle.
The Good Friday Agreement provided for the establishment of the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission (FCILC). This body is one of the six North South Implementation Bodies created under the Agreement. The Loughs Agency, as part of the FCILC, has been given responsibility for fisheries related matters in respect of both Lough Foyle and Carlingford Lough and the legislation envisages that the Agency will enter into a management agreement with the relevant authorities in both jurisdictions with a view to assuming responsibility for aquaculture licensing within the loughs. Discussions in respect of the management agreement are ongoing.
The management of aquaculture and associated foreshore licensing functions in Lough Foyle gives rise to legal and jurisdictional complexities. Negotiations regarding the jurisdiction of the Lough Foyle area are, in the first instance, a matter for the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Following discussions in 2011 between the then Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and the British Foreign Secretary, the British and Irish Governments agreed to seek to resolve jurisdictional issues relating to Lough Foyle.
The Department of Foreign Affairs is satisfied that all sides are committed to reaching a positive resolution as soon as possible.
220. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will engage with his counterpart in the Northern Executive to ensure that all aquaculture activity on the shores of Carlingford Lough is licensed and regulated by the Lough’s Agency. [25736/20]
View answerThe Good Friday Agreement provided for the establishment of the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission (FCILC). This body is one of the six North South Implementation Bodies created under the Agreement. The Loughs Agency, as part of the FCILC, has been given responsibility for fisheries related matters in respect of both Lough Foyle and Carlingford Lough and the legislation envisages that the Agency will enter into a management agreement with the relevant authorities in both jurisdictions with a view to assuming responsibility for aquaculture licensing within the loughs.
In the case of Carlingford Lough, aquaculture licensing on the southern side of the median line is the responsibility of my Department in accordance with the applicable national and EU legislation. The authorities in Northern Ireland have responsibility for aquaculture on the northern side of the median line.
Pending the resolution of the outstanding jurisdictional issues my Department will continue to have responsibility for aquaculture licensing on the southern side of the median line in Carlingford Lough.
Ministerial decisions have been made in respect of a number of Aquaculture Licensing applications for Carlingford Lough and every effort is being made to expedite the remaining applications in the Lough having regard to all the legal and technical complexities involved.
221. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the current shortage of timber and the economic impact this is having here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25749/20]
View answer222. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the current shortage of timber and the economic impact this is having here (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25750/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 221 and 222 together.
I am acutely aware that current delays in issuing licences has led to difficulties for stakeholders. The Government is committed to reform of the planning and appeals processes as set out in the Programme for Government and we have published draft legislation to this effect which will be presented to the Seanad this week.
My Department is intensively engaging with all relevant stakeholders on these issues. The current licensing difficulties are as a result of the changes made to internal Appropriate Assessment Procedures (AAP). These were introduced in response to important Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) decisions and their subsequent interpretation by the Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC) and others. These findings meant that in order to grant licences which fully meet environmental requirements, fundamental changes to the licensing system were unavoidable.
My Department has a detailed project plan in place for dealing with the current backlog and new applications, which includes significant investment in extra resources required to deliver the plan. These resources are a combination of additional ecologists, forestry inspectors and administrative staff where required.
A Project Management Board, with a dedicated Project Manager, is overseeing and monitoring delivery. There will be a continuous review of the process, in order to effect efficiencies. A communication plan to keep stakeholders fully and regularly informed of progress, with a dedicated central resource to deal with queries, is a key element of the project. This plan is already yielding progress with felling licences issued in August the highest in the previous 13 months in both volume and area.
As I mentioned above, in tandem with this plan a draft amendment to the Agriculture Appeals Act, 2001 is being introduced which aims to increase efficiencies in the appeals process. I very much welcome the almost 9,000 submissions on the Bill which have informed the updated Bill I will present to the Seanad this week.
While the licensing delays are affecting the timber being felled and transported to sawmills, to date my Department has issued tree felling licences for just under 3 million cubic metres of timber.
I know that the current situation is challenging, but it is a temporary disruption which, when resolved, will make for a better, more sustainable and fit-for-purpose forestry licensing system for many years to come.
