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Tuesday, 3 Nov 2020

Written Answers Nos. 1404-1423

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (1404)

Neale Richmond

Question:

1404. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive treatment for scoliosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33635/20]

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Written answers

I am conscious that waiting times are often unacceptably long and of the burden that this places on patients and their families.

It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic the HSE had to take measures to defer most scheduled care activity in March, April, and May of this year. 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 the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) in accordance with the advice of the World Health Organisation.

Patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.

The HSE continues to optimise productivity through alternative work practices such the use of alternative settings including private hospitals, community facilities and alternative outpatient settings.

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 Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Cancer Services

Questions (1405)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1405. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the extent of the backlogs experienced in the symptomatic breast and prostate services referred to in the HSE's winter plan; and the length of time it will take to clear the backlog. [33653/20]

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Written answers

The HSE's National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) collect data on electronic GP referrals and attendance numbers for Symptomatic Breast Disease Clinics and Prostate Rapid Access Clinics. The information is set out in the following tables.

1. GP Referral Data** for the first nine months of 2019 and 2020

Clinic

Jan-Sept 2019

Jan - Sept 2020*

Symptomatic Breast

26,001

27,658

Rapid Access Prostate

2,557

2,316

2. Rapid Access Clinic Attendances for the first nine months of 2019 and 2020

Clinic

Jan-Sept 2019

Jan - Sept 2020*

Symptomatic Breast

32,310

21,889

Rapid Access Prostate

2.962

1,983

( * The more recent 2020 data is subject to final verification)

(**Electronic referrals account for approximately 80% of all referrals to these clinics)

A total of €14.35m, (€2.35m in the winter plan and €12m in Budget 2021) has been allocated to facilitate the restoration of cancer services to 95% of 2019 capacity in 2021.

Covid-19 Tests

Questions (1406)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

1406. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the reason only scientists registered with CORU can be considered to perform Covid-19 testing roles; if he plans to expand the criteria to consider recognising alternative degrees as equivalent to the current list of acceptance criteria, in view of the challenges facing the testing services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33657/20]

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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.

Medical Cards

Questions (1407)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

1407. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when a medical card will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33659/20]

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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 Services

Questions (1408)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

1408. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the reason the laboratory service at St. Michael's Hospital had its hours of operation reduced on 5 August 2020 back to pre-pandemic levels (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the fact that out-of-lab-hours point-of-care blood testing is being used, despite the fact that this equipment is known to generate erroneous results, and that this point-of-care testing is being carried out by medical students rather than lab technicians or scientists; his views on whether this is appropriate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33662/20]

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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.

Disabilities Assessments

Questions (1409)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

1409. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in an assessment of need being carried out for a person (details supplied). [33668/20]

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Written answers

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

Hospital Staff

Questions (1410)

David Cullinane

Question:

1410. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if funding will be provided for the recruitment of an additional full-time consultant obstetrician for University Hospital Galway. [33675/20]

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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 Staff

Questions (1411)

David Cullinane

Question:

1411. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if funding will be provided for the recruitment of an additional full-time consultant neonatologist for University Maternity Hospital, Limerick. [33676/20]

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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 Staff

Questions (1412)

David Cullinane

Question:

1412. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of vacant nursing posts in St. Vincent's University Hospital. [33677/20]

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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 Staff

Questions (1413)

David Cullinane

Question:

1413. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if funding will be provided for the recruitment of an additional full-time consultant cardiologist for Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown. [33678/20]

View answer

Written answers

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

Hospital Services

Questions (1414)

David Cullinane

Question:

1414. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who presented with respiratory conditions at Wexford General Hospital in 2019 and to date in 2020, in tabular form. [33679/20]

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.

Covid-19 Tests

Questions (1415)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

1415. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health his views on the confirmation from the HSE that the amplification cycles used in PCR testing here runs between 40 and 45 amplification cycles, in view of the fact that the maximum number of amplification cycles should be 30 to 35 or fewer, as anything over 35 indicates the test is too sensitive, which increases the number of false positives. [33685/20]

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

Questions (1416)

Martin Browne

Question:

1416. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health the number of scoliosis surgeries carried out on children to date in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33698/20]

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Written answers

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic the HSE had to take measures to defer most scheduled care activity in March, April, and May this year. This was to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related activity and urgent time-critical work. This decision was in line with the advice issued by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) in accordance with the advice of the World Health Organisation.

Children's Health Ireland (CHI) have advised the Department that CHI at Crumlin and Temple Street had to defer all non-emergency spinal operations in accordance with NPHET advice. They have been phasing up services on an incremental basis since June. CHI have confirmed that spinal surgery continues to be identified as a service prioritisation.Key social distancing measures and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) requirements have also had a material impact on the available physical space to deliver services, significantly impacting on the overall capacity and operational activity levels for inpatient / outpatient settings. As a result, CHI is working closely with the HSE in relation to planning and delivering care in the context of the overall service continuity plan for the health system.

To the end of September 2020, CHI has carried out 218 scoliosis procedures. Of these, 103 were spinal fusions and 115 were other spinal procedures. This is 21% behind activity levels for the same period last year, when 277 spinal procedures were carried out, of these 128 were spinal fusions and 149 were other spinal procedures.

Additional initiatives are being explored to increase access to scoliosis treatment. CHI is working with the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh to transfer additional patients who meet the clinical criteria for treatment at Cappagh and in conjunction with the NTPF, sourcing additional theatre space in private hospitals. Officials from my Department engage on an on-going basis with representatives from CHI and HSE officials to monitor scoliosis services, waiting lists, and activity levels.

Health and Social Care Professionals

Questions (1417)

Martin Browne

Question:

1417. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost in 2021 of increasing the annual general practitioner training intake to 280 places. [33699/20]

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Written answers

As GP training is currently the responsibility of the Health Service Executive, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Health Services Staff

Questions (1418)

Martin Browne

Question:

1418. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health the number of full-time speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists working in the public health services within County Tipperary in each of years 2017 to 2019 and to date in 2020, in tabular form. [33700/20]

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 Staff

Questions (1419)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

1419. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the employment terms of a person who is an employee of the HSE (details supplied). [33718/20]

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.

Medical Cards

Questions (1420)

Duncan Smith

Question:

1420. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of medical card renewal assessments carried out since the removal of the restriction on renewals; the number of medical cards withdrawn as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33723/20]

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.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1421, 1422, 1423)

Chris Andrews

Question:

1421. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Health the number of members of the public who applied to be contact tracers; the number employed; and the number who started in each of the months of 2020 to date since the Covid-19 pandemic started. [33724/20]

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Chris Andrews

Question:

1422. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Health the number of members of the public who applied to be contact tracers; and the number successfully employed. [33725/20]

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Chris Andrews

Question:

1423. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Health the qualifying criteria to be eligible to be a contact tracer. [33726/20]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1421 to 1423, inclusive, together.

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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