Written Answers Nos. 1048-1066
1048. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health when a new general practitioner will be assigned following a request to change general practitioner in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22048/21]
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 Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the progress of each of the recommendations outlined in a 2017 HSE report (details supplied); the number of these recommendations that have been implemented in full; the further actions that will be taken to ensure that all recommendations are implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22050/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1050. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 238 of 11 March 2021, the status of talks in relation to a building (details supplied) and specifically talks between the HSE and the Department of Education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22051/21]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
1051. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1803 of 24 March 2021, if a service (details supplied) is being provided; the services in place and running; if patients are being seen; the status of the vacancies; the personnel being sought with regard to healthcare professionals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22052/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1052. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22053/21]
View answerThe safety, wellbeing and comfort of all guests quarantining in a designated facility is a priority of the mandatory quarantine system, along with the ultimate goal of protecting public health by limiting the potential spread of COVID-19 variants of concern.
All guests undergoing mandatory quarantine in a designated facility are being provided with access to a 24/7 on-site healthcare team who hold clinical responsibility for their wellbeing during their stay. The on-site healthcare team are available to address any wellbeing concerns of guests through both scheduled daily check-in calls during a guest's stay as well as through direct engagement if requested. Guests requiring any specific, urgent or emergency care which cannot be provided on-site at a hotel may also be referred to a dedicated medical facility by the on-site healthcare team.
All reasonable efforts will be made by both service provider staff and the on-site health team to facilitate a comfortable stay in a designated facility, including meeting any dietary requests or requirements.
More information, including further detail on the services available in Mandatory Hotel Quarantine, can be accessed on gov.ie/quarantine.
1053. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if those in mandatory quarantine hotel facilities will be given personalised food menus considering special dietary needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22058/21]
View answerThe Health Act 1947, as amended, provides that all persons arriving in Ireland from a designated state, or having travelled through a designated state in the previous 14 days, are required to undergo mandatory quarantine in a designated facility unless they are an exempted traveller under the Act.
The safety, wellbeing and comfort of all guests quarantining in a designated facility is a priority of the mandatory quarantine system, along with the ultimate goal of protecting public health by limiting the potential spread of COVID-19 variants of concern.
All reasonable efforts will be made by both service provider staff and the on-site health team to facilitate a comfortable stay in a designated facility, including meeting any dietary requests or requirements.
1054. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are some issues when logging onto the HSE portal to sign up for the Covid-19 vaccine (details supplied); if these issues will be corrected as soon as possible to make the system more efficient; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22061/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1055. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the reason given by clinicians leaving CHO7 in their exit interviews in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22062/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy, as soon as possible.
1056. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will consider the inclusion of fixapost on the drugs payment scheme given that it treats a condition more serious to the patient in respect of potential blindness than monopost unidose which is covered under the scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22063/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1057. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health when a vaccination centre (details supplied) will open. [22065/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1058. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health his plans to make free psychological supports available to all victims once their court case ends in view of the fact that a range of supports are provided to the perpetrator in prison (details supplied); if he will consider such supports for victims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22076/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1059. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will fund an extension in treatment for a person (details supplied). [22082/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1060. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the length of time persons are waiting for an otolaryngology department appointment by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22090/21]
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.
Elective hospital care was curtailed for the first quarter of 2021, in line with the rapid increase in Covid -19 hospital admissions, with only critical time dependent elective procedures undertaken.
On 23 March the HSE published the “Safe Return to Health Services Plan”. This plan outlines a three phased approach for the proposed restoration of services across Community Services, Acute Hospital Operations, Cancer Services and Screening Services. It sets target times for their safe return and details the conditions and challenges that will have to be met. Every phase of the plan has been informed by clinical guidance and putting patient and staff safety first. Decisions in relation to the type and volume of activity will be made at site level based on local COVID-19 numbers, available capacity and guidance from national clinical leads.
The schedule outlined in the plan for resumption of services will be regularly monitored by the HSE and updated as appropriate, dependant on public health advice and healthcare capacity.
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 work of the HSE to improve access to elective care and reduce waiting times for patients is supported by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF). This includes increased use of private hospitals, funding weekend and evening work in public hospitals, funding “see and treat” services where minor procedures are provided at the same time as outpatient consultations, funding hybrid services where public and private hospitals contribute to the treatment of patients, virtual clinics and clinical validation.
€240 million has been provided in Budget 2021 for access to care, €210m of which has been allocated to the HSE and a further €30m to the National Treatment Purchase Fund. This will be used to fund additional capacity to address the shortfall arising as a result of measures taken in the context of COVID-19, as well as to address waiting lists.
The data requested by the Deputy concerning the length of time persons are waiting for an otolaryngology department appointment by county, is outlined in the attached document.
1061. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position in relation to the use and availability of public toilets run by both the local authorities and businesses; if businesses are allowed to operate their public toilets at this time; if not, the proposals he has for the availability of public toilets given the lack of same is a major issue particularly for those with health problems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22095/21]
View answerI understand that the provision of public toilets are operational matters for each individual local authority and therefore I have no function in the matter raised in the question.
1062. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if the generation of interspecies chimeric, hybrid embryos are subject to regulation here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22099/21]
View answerCurrently, there is no specific legislation regulating chimeric or interspecies hybrid embryos. However, as the Deputy will be aware, drafting of a bill on assisted human reproduction (AHR) and associated areas of research, based on the published General Scheme of the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill, is ongoing by officials in my Department, in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General. Publication of this legislation is a priority for my Department and the Government, and a commitment to enact this legislation is included in the Programme for Government, “Our Shared Future”.
This comprehensive and far-reaching piece of legislation encompasses the regulation, for the first time in Ireland, of a wide range of practices, including: embryo and stem cell research. The General Scheme also provides for the establishment of an independent regulatory authority for AHR.
Part 7 of the Bill stipulates the conditions under which research involving embryos, embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells may be permitted, subject to obtaining a licence from the Regulatory Authority. This Part of the Bill prohibits the creation of embryos specifically for research purposes and also prohibits certain practices that may be associated with embryo and stem cell research, for example, the generation of chimeric or human-animal hybrid embryos.
Overall, the provisions outlined within the Bill will ensure that AHR practices and related areas of research are conducted in a more consistent and standardised way and with the necessary oversight.
1063. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if the scheduling of the second HPV vaccine in schools has been delayed; and when it will be administered. [22105/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1064. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in counties Laois and Offaly currently on waiting lists for home help hours, homecare packages and respite by category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22106/21]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health service executive to respond to the deputy directly as soon as possible.
1065. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health when appropriate access to a psychologist will be provided in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22108/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1066. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the status of the long-awaited and urgently needed primary care centre for north Clondalkin, Dublin 22; the reason for the current hold up on the centre; the date for construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22110/21]
View answerAs the HSE has responsibility for the provision, along with the maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres and other Primary Care facilities, the Executive has been asked to reply directly to the Deputy.
