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Thursday, 12 Nov 2020

Written Answers Nos. 315-335

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Questions (315)

Bríd Smith

Question:

315. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of nursing homes that qualified for the maximum monthly support grant available under the support schemes announced. [36022/20]

View answer

Written answers

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

Medical Aids and Appliances

Questions (316)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

316. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35822/20]

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.

General Practitioner Services

Questions (317)

Thomas Gould

Question:

317. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the status of SouthDoc reopening in Blackpool, Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35828/20]

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.

Home Care Packages

Questions (318)

Michael McNamara

Question:

318. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Clare will receive extra urgent home care hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35829/20]

View answer

Written answers

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

Ministerial Correspondence

Questions (319)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

319. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35834/20]

View answer

Written answers

The HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the community drug schemes in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.

Gluten-free products were removed from the list of GMS reimbursable items, with a number of other products, in September 2012. These products were, by this time, more widely available and they tend to be significantly cheaper than products sold through community pharmacies. There are no plans to reinstate these products on the list of reimbursable items under the GMS and other community drug schemes.

Coeliac patients may also claim tax relief on medical expenses incurred on gluten-free products manufactured specifically for coeliacs.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (320)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

320. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35837/20]

View answer

Written answers

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.

Misuse of Drugs

Questions (321)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

321. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the status of growing hemp for industrial purposes such as hempcrete construction; and his plans to change same. [35838/20]

View answer

Written answers

Cannabis and its derivatives are controlled by virtue of the Misuse of Drugs framework. Under the Misuse of Drugs Acts, cannabis means any part of the plant of the genus cannabis but excludes the mature stalk and fibre produced from it and the seeds after separation from the rest of the plant. Any other part of the plant not explicitly excluded under the Act is cannabis for the purposes of the Act and should be destroyed by the licensee.

Under current legislation the Minister for Health can issue a licence for the growing of hemp from seed varieties specified by the Commission of the European Communities, as being eligible for the purposes of Article 1 of Regulation (EU) No. 1307/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 (OJ No. L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 608.). The cultivation of certain varieties of hemp for industrial purposes is permitted in Ireland provided the entity cultivating the hemp is in possession of a licence issued under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977, as amended.

The HPRA (Health Products Regulatory Authority) administers the hemp licencing process on behalf of the Department of Health. Further information regarding the hemp licencing process for the above purposes is available from the HPRA at controlleddrugs@hpra.ie.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (322)

David Stanton

Question:

322. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health the status of the purchasing of PPE; if he and the HSE are prioritising the purchase of PPE from Irish suppliers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35843/20]

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 (323)

Cathal Crowe

Question:

323. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the number of cycles of the PCR test that are being used in the field to diagnose the rising cases of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35846/20]

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.

Departmental Offices

Questions (324)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

324. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his Department has lease arrangements with co-working real estate companies; and, if so, the details of the leases, including the terms of the lease, location, price and duration. [35859/20]

View answer

Written answers

As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the management of the public healthcare property estate, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to you in relation to this matter.

Departmental Offices

Questions (325)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

325. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his Department leases additional office space that is outside its departmental building and the estates section of the OPW; and, if so, the details of the lease, including the terms of the lease, location, price and duration. [35877/20]

View answer

Written answers

My Department has entered into a lease with the Health Research Board for additional accommodation at Grattan House, Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2. The lease was signed on the 2nd March 2020 for a period of 3 years. The lease terms are:

- Lease Cost - €154,615 (+VAT) per annum

- Annual Service Charge - €96,000 per annum (No VAT applies)

In addition, my Department signed a 25 year lease with Irish Estates in 1998 for premises at the Irish Life building to house the Women’s Health Council. This was subsequently used to house the Disability Appeals Office. An POST National Lottery currently sublet the premises from my Department on an annual basis. The lease cost to my Department is on a net neutral basis as all costs are paid by the National Lottery. The lease expires in 2023 and has an annual value of €98,500.

My Department contracts the offices for the Farrelly Commission of Investigation, Ormond Quay, Dublin 1 through a service agreement which commenced in October 2017. The agreement is renewable and the total cost to date is €1,043,674.

Nursing Staff

Questions (326)

Willie O'Dea

Question:

326. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if student nurses are still being offered a contract as healthcare assistants and therefore still being paid for their work during the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35890/20]

View answer

Written answers

The Health Care Assistant initiative, whereby student nurses and midwives were offered temporary contracts as HCAs, was in response to the Covid19 outbreak and ceased in August 2020. This initiative was only ever intended as a temporary measure to provide additional support to the national effort. It also offered some protection to the ongoing education of student nurses and midwives as their clinical placements had ceased.

Clinical placements for Student Nurses have resumed. There are no plans at present to reinstate this initiative.

Hospital Services

Questions (327)

Carol Nolan

Question:

327. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the status of the appointment of an independent external facilitator to engage in a consultative process in respect of the Midland Regional Hospital, Port Laoise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35892/20]

View answer

Written answers

No decision has been regarding the appointment of an independent external facilitator for a consultation process in relation to Midlands Regional Hospital, Portlaoise. I would also like to assure the Deputy that in any consideration of the draft Action Plan, or future service provision at the hospital, patient safety and patient outcomes are the priority. It is also important that any reconfiguration of Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise is undertaken in the context of, and aligned with, the overall Slaintecare process and the progression of the Regional Health Areas.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (328)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

328. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the details of analysis, studies and reports on the number and rate of infections of persons with Covid-19 in private rented accommodation; if a comparison will be provided of the data with the data for the general population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35914/20]

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 (329)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

329. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will provide information on analysis, studies and reports on the overall rate of infection of persons with Covid-19 since the pandemic began in the eight Dublin local health office districts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35915/20]

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.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (330)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

330. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if an appointment will be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35940/20]

View answer

Written answers

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.

Disabilities Assessments

Questions (331, 332, 333, 334, 335)

Alan Farrell

Question:

331. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health the number of names on the assessment of need waiting list for north County Dublin; the resources and funding that has been allocated to clear the waiting list by April 2021, as advised by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35943/20]

View answer

Alan Farrell

Question:

332. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health his plans to streamline the referral process for children who move between early intervention services and the school-age team in north County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35944/20]

View answer

Alan Farrell

Question:

333. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health the resources being allocated in the early intervention services and school-age team to assist it to accept the influx of referrals if the assessment of need waiting list is cleared by April 2021 in north County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35945/20]

View answer

Alan Farrell

Question:

334. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health his plans to open a school age team in Balbriggan primary care centre and transfer the waiting list and families already attending the services of a clinic (details supplied) in Clontarf, Dublin 3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35946/20]

View answer

Alan Farrell

Question:

335. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health if resources will be allocated to community care teams within north County Dublin to treat additional referrals following the clearing of the assessment of need waiting list by April 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35947/20]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 331 to 335, inclusive, together.

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 these questions relate to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

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