Written Answers Nos. 842-861
842. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health if the cath lab suite at University Hospital Waterford will be open to primary PCI admittance; if the lab will be open to primary patient referral from the NAS during the additional opening hours; if the planned workload will include PCI and other device procedures and not be restricted to diagnostic activity only (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36996/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
843. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health if the technical specification at the planned second cath lab department at University Hospital Waterford ensures that it is a fully capable interventional facility with the same specification as the remodified cath laboratory at the hospital in order to offer full substitution to the existing lab in the event of breakdown; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36997/20]
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.
844. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health if additional resource funding has been made available through SSWHG to the cardiac team at University Hospital Waterford in order to carry out a full panoply of interventional procedures including primary and elective PCI during the additional soon-to-be-announced scheduled hours (details supplied); if the primary PCI service will be notified as available during these hours to the National Ambulance Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36998/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
845. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health the funding that has been allocated to hospice foundations in counties Longford and Westmeath to date in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37003/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
846. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay on the part of the HSE in replying to Parliamentary Question No. 285 of 15 October 2020, referred by him to the HSE for reply; the protocols in place to ensure speedy replies to questions referred to the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37008/20]
View answerUnder Standing Order 51(1), a question may be referred to a body and the referred body has ten working days to provide a response to the Deputy.
The HSE has been experiencing large volumes of Parliamentary Questions and Representations. Up to 12 November 4,332 PQs have been referred for direct reply. I have been advised that the HSE is currently answering 82% of all PQs within the 10 working day deadline. Some PQs are complex and take additional time to gather and collate the information requested which may not be routinely available. In addition, I am advised that the HSE has received (to 13 November) 5,128 Representations directly through its Parliamentary Affairs Division. The HSE advise that currently 82% of all Reps are also being answered before/within deadlines. My Department and the HSE are committed to answer all questions in a timely manner. Officials in the Parliamentary Support Unit in my Department hold regular meetings with their counterparts in the HSE to discuss the management of parliamentary obligations.
847. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the position regarding pharmacies’ orders for flu vaccines (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37015/20]
View answerThis season, 1.95 million doses of influenza vaccine have been purchased, which is double the amount administered last season. The HSE has procured 1.35 million doses of the Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (QIV) for the forthcoming winter. This vaccine is being made available to all persons in an at-risk group and aged from 6 months up. In addition, the HSE has also purchased 600,000 doses of the Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV), which is delivered via nasal drops rather than by injection and is being made available to all children aged from 2 to 12 years old inclusive.
Deliveries of this vaccine from the manufacturer were not as quick as we would have liked, due to the very challenging international market for flu vaccines. It is also true that demand for vaccination this year is unprecedented. This is the case across Europe and beyond, and in this context it is unlikely that additional supply will become available.
While I cannot comment on individual providers, I can confirm that 1.3 million of the 1.35 million doses of flu vaccine available this winter have been distributed to GPs, pharmacists and other vaccination sites since early October. In addition, 420,000 doses of the LAIV for administration to children aged from 2 to 12 have been distributed.
Demand for vaccination remains strong at this point and may exceed available supply. It is likely that the full amount procured, 1.35 million doses, will be distributed and administered. As a consequence, from the fourth round of deliveries which started on 23 October, GPs and pharmacists have been asked that of remaining patients in at-risk groups, priority should be given to the over-65s and healthcare workers with direct patient contact, in line with WHO advice.
Each year a certain amount of vaccine is “held back” to ensure those in at-risk groups receive vaccines. With the unprecedented demand this year it is important that the HSE manage the distribution of the remaining doses in order to target administration to the at-risk groups who need it the most. The distribution of the final 50,000 doses will commence by the end of this month.
The significant increase in uptake among those in the at-risk groups, combined with the addition of vaccination for children aged from 2 to 12, will help reduce the impact of influenza on the community and the health system.
849. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of dentists by local electoral area in County Wexford at present contracted to provide dental services under the dental treatment services scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37023/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
850. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37026/20]
View answerIt 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.
851. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37027/20]
View answerThe 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.
852. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health the reason a person who has a medical card has to pay to get blood tests taken at his or her general practitioner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37028/20]
View answerPersons who are eligible for GP care without charge under the Health Act 1970 are not subject to any co-payments or other charges in respect of such services. There is no provision under the GMS GP contract for persons who hold a medical card or GP visit card to be charged for routine phlebotomy services provided by their GP which are required to either assist in the diagnosis of illness or the treatment of a condition and the HSE has advised GPs accordingly.
I am aware that, nonetheless, some GPs are charging GMS patients for phlebotomy services in some circumstances. The GP chronic disease management programme which is being phased in from this year will involve the ongoing monitoring of patients’ condition and any blood tests required in this context will be covered by the fees payable for this care.
However, it remains a matter of concern to me that a GMS and GP visit card patient might be charged for blood tests which are clinically necessary and I have asked my officials to discuss with the HSE what further solutions to this issue may be possible. If a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card believes he or she has been incorrectly charged for routine phlebotomy services by his or her GP, then that patient should report the matter to their HSE Local Health Office. The local management, upon being notified of potential inappropriate charging of GMS patients, carry out an investigation into each complaint and will, where appropriate, arrange for a refund of charges incorrectly applied by the GP.
853. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health the reason a person who has a medical card has to pay to get his or her ears syringed (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37029/20]
View answerPersons who are eligible for GP care without charge under the Health Act 1970 are not subject to any co-payments or other charges in respect of such services. Under the terms of the current GMS contract, GPs are required to provide eligible patients with ''all proper and necessary treatment of a kind usually undertaken by a general practitioner and not requiring special skill or experience of a degree or kind which general practitioners cannot reasonably be expected to possess." The removal of wax by ear syringing is considered to be included under the GMS contract if the removal of wax forms part of the "proper and necessary treatment" required by an eligible patient.
I am not aware that there is currently an issue regarding GPs charging medical card patients for necessary ear syringing. However, if a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card believes they have been incorrectly charged for a service by their GP, then that patient should report the matter to their HSE Local Health Office.
854. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health the number of additional ICU beds that have been provisioned in both public and private hospitals since the first lockdown in March 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37050/20]
View answerAt the start of the year, permanent adult critical care capacity in our public hospitals 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. As part of the initial response to the pandemic, funding was provided for an additional 40 adult critical care beds in March 2020 as well as two paediatric beds. The HSE has advised that between 280 and 285 critical care beds are currently open, with the number open any given day subject to fluctuation in respect of available staff and other operational considerations.
Budget 2021 will allocate funding totalling €52m in 2021 to critical care. This will retain, on a permanent basis, the 42 critical care beds put in place on a temporary basis this year and add significant new capacity. Funded adult critical care beds will increase to 321 by end 2021, an increase of 66 over the baseline number of 255 funded beds in 2020.
In relation to private hospitals, in anticipation of the projected surge in Covid-19 cases and the expected impact on the health care system, a major part of the response was to urgently ramp up capacity for acute hospital care facilities. A critical element of the strategy was to put in place an arrangement with the private hospitals to use their facilities as part of the public system, to provide essential acute hospital services for the duration of the emergency. Following negotiations with the Private Hospitals Association an overarching agreement with the 18 private acute hospitals was agreed at the end of March. Under the agreement, the HSE secured 100% of the capacity of the private hospitals until the end of June.
Following termination of the agreement the Government mandated the HSE to seek to agree with the private hospitals a new arrangement which would provide the HSE with full access to private hospital capacity in the event of a surge of Covid-19 cases. The negotiations are ongoing.
In relation to the provision of additional capacity in private hospitals, that would be a matter for the individual private hospitals themselves. The Department of Health does not have a role to play in capacity expansion in private facilities.
855. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health the number of cycles being used within the PCR tests in Irish testing laboratories; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37051/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
856. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the enactment of provisions set out in the Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Act 2020 in order that medical professionals impacted will know when the provisions will come into effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37083/20]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware the Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Act 2020 is a large and complex Act which has been several years in development. I am pleased to confirm that commencement began on November 6th with the removal of the requirement for applicants to hold the equivalence of the Irish certificate of experience for registration on the Trainee Specialist Division of the Medical Council’s register. The change is being made as many non-EEA trained doctors, who are already working in large numbers in Ireland under their registration on the General Division, are currently precluded from applying for post-graduate training despite having suitable skills, experience and competence.
Officials in my Department are liaising with the five health professional regulatory bodies to progress commencement of the Act's remaining provisions at the earliest opportunity. However, the amendments brought about by the Act involve a very significant body of work for each of the regulators as changes are being introduced across complex areas such as registration and fitness to practice processes. Some of these changes require the drafting of new rules and may require public consultation etc. While preparatory work is underway, it is not currently possible to provide a specific timeline.
857. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Health if acupuncture will be considered as essential work in view of the fact it is commonly used to treat pain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37084/20]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the situation regarding COVID-19 has been, and continues to be, an evolving situation. COVID-19 is still having a major impact both here in Ireland and elsewhere.
On Tuesday 15 September the Government published ‘Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19’. This Plan outlines our medium-term strategy for COVID-19 and sets out a Framework of 5 Levels which outline the broad measures which will apply depending on the level of the virus at any given time. It will be possible for different regions and counties to be at different levels, depending on prevailing epidemiological situation. The Plan is designed to help everyone – individuals, organisations and sectors – to better understand, anticipate and prepare for the measures that might be introduced to contain transmission of the virus. The intention is that Departments and sectors will provide guidance for specific sectors and activities in line with the 5 level framework.
At Level 5 of the Plan, only essential retail outlets and essential services are allowed to open to the public. The list of essential services that can remain open during Level 5 includes therapy services provided by a member of a designated profession within the meaning of section 3 of the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (No. 27 of 2005). There are seventeen professions designated under the 2005 Act, which are encompassed in the list of essential services. These are: Dietitians, Dispensing Opticians, Medical Scientists, Occupational Therapists, Optometrists, Physiotherapists (which includes Physical Therapists), Radiographers, Radiation Therapists, Social Workers, Speech and Language Therapists, Clinical Biochemists, Counsellors, Orthoptists, Podiatrists, Psychologists, Psychotherapists and Social Care Workers.
The public health advice relating to Covid-19 is kept under continuing review by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), and it provides advice to Government in line with the current epidemiological position. The latest public health advice on these matters is available at the links below and is updated on a regular basis:
https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-health/
https://www2.hse.ie/coronavirus/
https://www.gov.ie/en/
858. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health when the report and recommendations agreed by the national transgender healthcare steering committee will be published in view of the fact that it concluded its work in March 2020; when implementation will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37093/20]
View answerThe steering committee on the development of HSE transgender identity services was formed in May, 2019 to address specific issues in relation to the development of transgender identity services. The remit of the committee is to develop a seamless and integrated service for those who present with gender identity issues, with clear pathways of care so that the needs of the patient and their families are placed at the centre of service delivery.
The HSE has recognised the need to develop gender identity services, with the funding made available to develop services in recent years. This included the appointment of consultant endocrinologists to both the adult and children’s services, as well as a consultant psychiatrist to the adult service. There was also funding for additional team members.
The committee included a wide range of stakeholders from the agencies involved in delivering care as well as service user representatives and was chaired by the former national clinical advisor and group lead for mental health services.
I am informed that, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, additional time is required to collate the information for the final report. I am advised that the report will be published as soon as possible.
859. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if steps can be taken to address the fact that in just one year the national gender service waiting list has gone from 15 months to more than three years; if immediate action will be taken to address the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37094/20]
View answerIt 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.
The National Gender Service provides specialist support to people who are seeking medical or surgical interventions to help them affirm their gender. This service has existed in some form in St Columcille’s Hospital for 20 years. Currently, due to the organic development of the Service over time, the National Gender Service operates over two sites: St Columcille’s Hospital and St John of God Community Services.
In order to provide this Service, a specialised multidisciplinary team (MDT) is needed to deliver effective, safe, individualised care. The National Gender Service delivers this care via a Model of Care that incorporates a holistic individualised MDT assessment, support pathways, and gender affirming interventions.
In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy concerning the National Gender Service, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
860. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the ESRI-HSE report Talking about Sex and Sexual Behaviour of Young People in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37098/20]
View answer861. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the ESRI-HSE report Talking about Sex and Sexual Behaviour of Young People in Ireland finding that a significant group of young persons are not receiving information or advice from their parents on relationships and sex and its suggestion that initiatives to target quality sex education via internet platforms and television should be considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37099/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 860 and 861 together.
I was pleased to launch the report referred to by the Deputy, which provides a welcome addition to our knowledge base in relation to one of the most important elements of growing up.
I welcome the findings of the report, which show good communications between parents and children from a young age can be a significant protective factor around unplanned pregnancy, with, for example, 90% of those who reported having sexual intercourse using contraception the first time.
However, I accept also that that some findings of the report provide cause for concern, with consistent use of contraception being lower than contraception use at first sex, and over 40 per cent of young people not using a condom every time they have sex. It is important also to be aware of the need for supports for families who find the topic difficult to discuss.
A key goal of the National Sexual Health Strategy is that everyone living in Ireland will receive comprehensive, and age-appropriate sexual health education and information. My Department and the HSE's Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme (SHCPP) and HSE Education Lead work closely with our partners in the Department of Education to support health and wellbeing in schools, including supports for the Junior Cycle Wellbeing Curriculum, Social and Personal Health Education (SPHE) and Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE), which is currently being reviewed by the NCCA.
With regard to the type of information campaigns suggested by the Deputy, the SHCPP has implemented a number of sexual health information campaigns aimed at children and young people, in particular through dedicated websites such as sexualwellbeing.ie and B4UDecide.ie. Wider information for young people is also available through SpunOut.ie.
In addition to developing resources for schools and for young people themselves, the HSE and SHCPP also work closely with parents to provide support and information. Alongside the report, a series of additional resources, including Busy Bodies and Making the 'Big Talk' Many Small Talks were also launched. These can be used both in schools and at home, providing advice to parents and teachers on discussing relationships and sexuality with children. For more detailed information on these initiatives, I have also asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
