Wednesday, 24 Mar 2021

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

Questions (1803)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

1803. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the number of persons employed in CAMHS in County Roscommon; the number of vacancies waiting to be filled. [15482/21]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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

Disabilities Assessments

Questions (1804)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

1804. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be seen for an assessment of need. [15504/21]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1805)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

1805. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to further prioritising cardiac patients within the vaccine allocation groupings in view of the recognition of recent prioritisation of other medical conditions with regard to vaccine allocation and the severity of many cardiac conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15512/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

On the 23rd of February 2021, I announced an update to Ireland’s COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy.

In comprising the initial Vaccine Allocation Strategy, the NIAC listed several conditions associated with increased risk of severe disease and death. In the intervening period, national and international evidence has become available which has enabled a more detailed analysis of underlying conditions that may increase the risk of developing severe disease or death.

The NIAC has now been able to more comprehensively identify those medical conditions and to distinguish between those which place a person at very high or high risk of severe disease if they contract the virus. Medical conditions and the magnitude of the risk they pose will continue to be monitored and periodically reviewed.

The NIAC continues to monitor data around this disease and indeed emerging data on effectiveness of vaccines on a rolling basis. Further details are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/b44b2-minister-donnelly-announces-update-to-vaccine-allocation-strategy/

The next cohort to be vaccinated (Cohort 4) are those aged 16-69 and at very high risk of severe illness and death. Vaccination of this group began in March.

It is important to emphasise that vaccination is only one part of our response to the prevention of COVID-19 infection. People who are vaccinated need to continue with all the public health measures that have been proven to reduce the risk of infection, i.e., limiting our social contacts, physical distancing, wearing a mask, hand hygiene, cough etiquette and avoiding non-essential travel until a sufficiently large proportion of the population are immune.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1806)

Mairéad Farrell

Question:

1806. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health the role a company (details supplied) is playing in the provision of contact tracing; the cost of the contract; the amount spent on management consultancy fees in 2020 and to date in 2021; if the hiring of the company went through a normal procurement procedure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15516/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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 (1807)

Mairéad Farrell

Question:

1807. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health if agency workers involved in contact tracing are bound by HSE policies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15517/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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 (1808)

Seán Canney

Question:

1808. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the category that pharmacy technicians are in to receive the Covid-19 vaccination; when this will occur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15518/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

On the 23rd of February 2021, I announced an update to Ireland’s COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy.

In comprising the initial Vaccine Allocation Strategy, the NIAC listed several conditions associated with increased risk of severe disease and death. In the intervening period, national and international evidence has become available which has enabled a more detailed analysis of underlying conditions that may increase the risk of developing severe disease or death.

The NIAC has now been able to more comprehensively identify those medical conditions and to distinguish between those which place a person at very high or high risk of severe disease if they contract the virus. Medical conditions and the magnitude of the risk they pose will continue to be monitored and periodically reviewed.

The NIAC continues to monitor data around this disease and indeed emerging data on effectiveness of vaccines on a rolling basis. Further details are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/b44b2-minister-donnelly-announces-update-to-vaccine-allocation-strategy/

The next cohort to be vaccinated (Cohort 4) are those aged 16-69 and at very high risk of severe illness and death. Vaccination of this group began in March.

Frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) in direct patient contact roles are being vaccinated in Cohort 2. This includes HCWs working in public, private, and voluntary settings. Other HCWs, not in direct patient contact, will be vaccinated in Cohort 6.

It is important to emphasise that vaccination is only one part of our response to the prevention of COVID-19 infection. People who are vaccinated need to continue with all the public health measures that have been proven to reduce the risk of infection, i.e., limiting our social contacts, physical distancing, wearing a mask, hand hygiene, cough etiquette and avoiding non-essential travel until a sufficiently large proportion of the population are immune.

Cross-Border Co-operation

Questions (1809)

David Cullinane

Question:

1809. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the extent of formal cross-Border healthcare provision, cooperation and integration; the services and locations in which this occurs, such as the paediatric congenital cardiac services in Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin or in the North-West Cancer Centre, County Derry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15531/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

There has been significant activity in cross-border health and social care over the last decade and more. The two health sectors continue to react to opportunities for cooperation where it makes practical sense to do so.

The paediatric congenital cardiac services in Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin and the North-West Cancer Centre at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry are examples of the benefits of cross-border health services.

Significant progress has been made towards the transfer of all cardiac surgical activity from Northern Ireland to Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin with 92 children from Northern Ireland having had cardiac surgery in CHI in 2020.

The development of the North West Cancer Centre brings a cross-border dimension to cancer services – providing radiotherapy services for the whole North West region and delivering the highest standards of specialist care with the latest high tech radiotherapy equipment. The North West Cancer Centre provides access to radiotherapy treatment for 500,000 people including around 110,000 from the South.

Examples of some of the other areas of cross-border healthcare cooperation include:

- The All-island Congenital Heart Disease Network;

- Percutaneous coronary intervention;

- Kidney transplant services;

- Critical care provision; and

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The NHSS, commonly referred to as Fair Deal, is a system of financial support for people who require long term residential care. Participants contribute to the cost of their care according to their means while the State pays the balance of the cost. The Scheme aims to ensure that long-term residential care is accessible and affordable for everyone and that people are cared for in the most appropriate settings.

Ancillary State Support is an optional feature of the Fair Deal Scheme for people who own property/land-based assets in the State. It is a loan advanced by the HSE to help people meet the portion of their contribution to the cost of care that is based on property/land-based assets.

Ancillary State Support becomes repayable following the occurrence of a relevant event, most commonly after the death of the client. After the death of the person in care, the loan must be repaid within 12 months. If the loan is not repaid within 12 months, interest will be applied. The interest will start from the date of death. The current interest rate is 0.0219% per day.

However, where the loan becomes repayable on the death of a client, the repayment of monies (based on the principal residence only) can be further deferred or postponed in certain cases. This is called ‘Further Deferral’.

An applicant for Further Deferral must be one of the following:

A spouse or partner,

A child (or the child of a spouse/ partner’s child) if they are under the age of 21 years or if their assets do not exceed the asset disregard of €36,000,

A sibling if their assets do not exceed the asset disregard of €36,000,

A relative in receipt of a disability or similar allowance, blind person’s pension, or the State pension (non-contributory), or whose income does not exceed the State pension (contributory),

A relative who is in receipt of a foreign pension or allowance similar to those outlined in (d) above,

A relative who owns a building to which the principal residence is attached (e.g. ‘a granny flat’), or

Any person who cared for an applicant prior to the latter entering the nursing home (this is defined by reference to relevant social welfare payments)

The individuals at (b)-(g) above are termed “connected persons” and they must also satisfy the following conditions:

The asset in question must be their only residence

They must have lived there for not less than 3 years preceding the original application for the Nursing Home Loan

They must not have an interest in any other property.

A further deferral application can then be made to the HSE within 90 days after the death of the client but not later than 180 days after the death of the client.

The Ancillary State Support loan amount must then be repaid to the Revenue Commissioners within 12 months from the date of death of the Connected Person or within 6 months from date of sale.

Nursing Homes Support Scheme

Questions (1813)

Patricia Ryan

Question:

1813. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health if he will postpone interest accrual under the fair deal scheme following the death of a nursing home resident until after the end of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15548/21]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The NHSS, commonly referred to as Fair Deal, is a system of financial support for people who require long term residential care. Participants contribute to the cost of their care according to their means while the State pays the balance of the cost. The Scheme aims to ensure that long-term residential care is accessible and affordable for everyone and that people are cared for in the most appropriate settings.

Ancillary State Support is an optional feature of the Fair Deal Scheme for people who own property/land-based assets in the State. It is a loan advanced by the HSE to help people meet the portion of their contribution to the cost of care that is based on property/land-based assets.

Ancillary State Support becomes repayable following the occurrence of a relevant event, most commonly after the death of the client. After the death of the person in care, the loan must be repaid within 12 months. If the loan is not repaid within 12 months, interest will be applied. The interest will start from the date of death. The current interest rate is 0.0219% per day.

However, where the loan becomes repayable on the death of a client, the repayment of monies (based on the principal residence only) can be further deferred or postponed in certain cases. This is called ‘Further Deferral’.

An applicant for Further Deferral must be one of the following:

A spouse or partner,

A child (or the child of a spouse/ partner’s child) if they are under the age of 21 years or if their assets do not exceed the asset disregard of €36,000,

A sibling if their assets do not exceed the asset disregard of €36,000,

A relative in receipt of a disability or similar allowance, blind person’s pension, or the State pension (non-contributory), or whose income does not exceed the State pension (contributory),

A relative who is in receipt of a foreign pension or allowance similar to those outlined in (d) above,

A relative who owns a building to which the principal residence is attached (e.g. ‘a granny flat’), or

Any person who cared for an applicant prior to the latter entering the nursing home (this is defined by reference to relevant social welfare payments).

The individuals at (b)-(g) above are termed “connected persons” and they must also satisfy the following conditions:

The asset in question must be their only residence

They must have lived there for not less than 3 years preceding the original application for the Nursing Home Loan

They must not have an interest in any other property.

Minister for Health

Tifco Hotel Group have been appointed as the service provider to assist the State in delivering mandatory hotel quarantine. Ground transportation to the designated facility will be provided for travellers from their point of entry to the State.

The facilities which will be used to receive arriving travellers in the start-up phase are located in Dublin.

The contractual arrangements provide for additional hotels from the group to be added as required to support the State in implementing this important public health measure. The locations of such additional facilities will be determined having regard to operational requirements and relevant operational factors.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1819)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

1819. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if he will expand the countries on the list for mandatory hotel quarantine. [15587/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

The Health (Amendment) Act 2021 provides for a system of mandatory quarantine at designated facilities for certain categories of travellers. Under Section 38E of the Health (Amendment) Act 2021, the Minister for Health may designate high-risk states, having regard to the advice of the Chief Medical Officer and in consultation with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and any other relevant government minister. The designation of high-risk states has been completed and published on www.gov.ie/quarantine, in anticipation of commencement at 4am Friday 26th March. There are currently 33 such states designated by the Minister for Health.

The Government gives continuous consideration to travel policy informed by the epidemiological situation internationally and public health advice, particularly in regard to the list of designated high-risk countries.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1820)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

1820. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the measures he has discussed with the Minister for Education on additional public health safety measures at schools. [15588/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

National Treatment Purchase Fund

Questions (1821)

Pa Daly

Question:

1821. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health the cost of operations and procedures for University Hospital Kerry referred to private hospitals under the National Treatment Purchase Fund in each of the years 2018 to 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15592/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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

Hospital Data

Questions (1822)

Pa Daly

Question:

1822. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health the number and cost of each of hip replacement and knee replacement surgeries, respectively referred from University Hospital Kerry to private hospitals in County Kerry in each of the years 2018, 2019 and 2020. [15593/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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

Disability Services Provision