Written Answers Nos. 1033-1057
1034. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health the number of persons waiting on lists as both inpatients and outpatients for St. Luke’s Hospital; the average wait time; the number waiting more than one, two, three and four years, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1522/21]
View answerIt is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last year as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The HSE is currently recommending that only critical time dependent elective procedures are undertaken at this time due to the on-going and significant increased demand for bed capacity related to Covid-19.
This decision was made arising from the rapid increase in Covid-19 admissions and to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related activity and time-critical essential work.
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 information requested by the Deputy concerning St Luke’s Hospital waiting lists, is outlined in the attached document.
1037. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health when the 23-bed intermediate care unit in Monaghan Hospital will be fully operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1546/21]
View answerA 23-bed Intermediate Care Unit in Monaghan Hospital is planned as part of Winter Plan 2020 to provide step down beds for Cavan Hospital patients. Five of these beds have opened and the RCSI Hospital Group advise that the other 18 will open on a phased basis in the coming months.
1038. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health when the group home for persons with physical and sensory disabilities at Drummond Otra, Carrickmacross, County Monaghan will be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1547/21]
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.
1039. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the number of dental practices that operate within each county; the number within same that are currently accepting medical card patients in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1548/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1040. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if the Cross-Border Healthcare Directive will continue to apply for new applicants from this State wishing to avail of treatment in Northern Ireland post-Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1549/21]
View answerSince 1 January 2021, the provisions of the EU Cross Border Directive (CBD) no longer apply to the UK. In order to mitigate the impact of the loss of access to care in the UK under the EU CBD scheme for persons resident in Ireland, the Government has agreed to provide for the implementation of a replacement scheme to be available in Northern Ireland only from 1 January 2021. The new Northern Ireland Planned Healthcare Scheme will operate for 12 months and will operate on the same parameters as the EU Cross Border Directive scheme.
Furthermore, the HSE has also put in place transitional arrangements for certain patients who have a legitimate expectation of continuing to access care in the UK under the current provisions of the EU Cross-Border Directive Scheme including provision for reimbursement of healthcare costs by the HSE to persons who fall into certain categories, such as patients who can evidence that they have treatment booked prior to December 2020 for treatment in 2021. Patients are advised to contact the HSE CBD office directly with queries on individual applications and whether they are covered by the transitional arrangements or the new Northern Ireland Planned Healthcare Scheme.
Finally, it is also important to note that, patients continue to have access to health services under the EU CBD Scheme in all other remaining EU countries.
1041. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive their much-required cataract operation at the Mater Hospital, Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1550/21]
View answerIt is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last year as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The HSE is currently recommending that only critical time dependent elective procedures are undertaken at this time due to the on-going and significant increased demand for bed capacity related to Covid-19.
This decision was made arising from the rapid increase in Covid-19 admissions and to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related activity and time-critical essential work.
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.
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.
1042. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding approved fire rating and retardant specifications to exterior cladding being fitted to the national children’s hospital build; if the fire rated specifications of same will be published considering concerns regarding exterior cladding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1603/21]
View answerAs the NPHDB has statutory responsibility for planning, designing, building and equipping the new children's hospital, I have referred your question to the NPHDB for direct reply.
1043. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health if the HSE has been in any new discussions regarding possible new surge capacity requirements from the private hospitals network; the present surge plan in HSE run hospitals; if all private consultants will be awarded temporary work approvals from the HSE if private hospital capacity is utilised again; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1604/21]
View answerFollowing the termination of the original private hospital agreement in June 2020, the Government mandated the HSE to seek to agree with the private hospitals a new arrangement which would provide the HSE with access to private hospital capacity to include a safety net arrangement for any further surge of Covid-19 cases.
The additional capacity provided by the private hospitals is critical to enabling the public health system cope with large scale surges in the incidences of the disease. It is intended to use the capacity of the private hospitals for urgent, time-dependant and complex care.
Sixteen private hospitals have indicated they are prepared to sign up to the agreement to provide additional hospital capacity to the HSE, to deal with the surge in Covid-19 cases and any further surges in the pandemic, if they arise within the next 12 months. The HSE have indicated that they expect to conclude these agreements very shortly. Discussions are still underway with one remaining hospital. Under the agreement, the hospitals have agreed to supply, depending on the incidence of the disease, up to 15% or 30% of their capacity.
The agreement also provides for additional capacity over the 30% to be made available by mutual agreement and a number of hospitals have already indicated that they might be willing to offer such capacity if required. The immediate task is to make effective use of the capacity secured, which will take a number of weeks and any additional requirement will be considered as required.
The agreement builds on the good relationship which already exists between public and private hospitals and engagement on the transfer of patients is taking place. A number of the private hospitals have already begun to make arrangements to take on public patients over the coming days. The agreement also enables a local relationship between private hospitals and public hospitals in each area, which should result in a more streamlined service for both hospitals and patients.
The agreement will see the private hospitals provide a full service within the capacity made available including medical services and they will be reimbursed at the standard commercial rate. It allows for the ongoing treatment of private patients and the operation of the traditional private healthcare market alongside the provisions of this arrangement, insofar as is commensurate with the requirements of the overall national pandemic response.
1044. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an assessment in order that their family can apply for a special school. [1607/21]
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 access to disability 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.
1045. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the number of deaths that occurred as a result of Covid-19 in nursing homes, direct provision and meat factories by county in November and December 2020, in tabular form; the age and nationality of each person concerned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1608/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1046. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the restart date for dermatology services in St. Luke's General Hospital, Kilkenny (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1613/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1049. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if he will re-establish local testing centres in north Cork for Covid-19. [1619/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1050. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health if any contact tracers are currently working in open plan office; if so, his views on whether this is safe and best practice given the current number of Covid-19 cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1630/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1051. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health if he will consider issuing a statement to have all contact tracers work from home in line with current public health advice from the Chief Medical Office. [1631/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1052. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health where do HIQA inspectors fall in the definition of frontline workers; and if they will receive the vaccine with frontline staff in the current vaccination strategy. [1637/21]
View answerThe aim of the COVID-19 vaccination programme is to ensure, over time, that vaccine will become available to vaccinate all of those for whom the vaccine is indicated. Given that there will be initially limited vaccines available, it will take some time for all to receive those vaccines and that has necessitated an allocation strategy to ensure that those most at risk of death and serious illness receive the vaccine first.
The priority is to first vaccinate and protect directly the most vulnerable amongst us, that is, those most likely to have a poor outcome if they contract the virus. The priority is to directly use vaccines to save lives and reduce serious illness, hence the focus on the over 65 year old cohort in long term residential care facilities, and healthcare workers in frontline services often caring for the most vulnerable.
All of the groups will be covered as further vaccine supplies become available and the immunisation programme is rolled out nationally.
The evidence will be kept under review and the allocation groups may be updated, where necessary, in light of new evidence.
Further information on the Strategy can be found at:
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/39038-provisional-vaccine-allocation-groups/.
1056. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a wait time of three years for a person (details supplied) to obtain a cystoscopy examination at Nenagh Hospital. [1650/21]
View answerIt is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last year as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The HSE is currently recommending that only critical time dependent elective procedures are undertaken at this time due to the on-going and significant increased demand for bed capacity related to Covid-19.
This decision was made arising from the rapid increase in Covid-19 admissions and to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related activity and time-critical essential work.
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.
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.
1057. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the wait time in excess of 12 months for a person (details supplied) to get a hip replacement procedure at Croom Hospital, Limerick. [1651/21]
View answerIt is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last year as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The HSE is currently recommending that only critical time dependent elective procedures are undertaken at this time due to the on-going and significant increased demand for bed capacity related to Covid-19.
This decision was made arising from the rapid increase in Covid-19 admissions and to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related activity and time-critical essential work.
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.
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.
