Written Answers Nos. 121-140
121. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the number of homecare support hours being provided in counties Carlow and Kilkenny in 2021; the way this compares to 2020; the number of persons currently waiting for homecare in each county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37731/21]
View answerAs this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently unable to access the information to answer Parliamentary Questions due to the recent cyber-attack, which has required a temporary shut-down of HSE IT systems. The disruption to service is ongoing, and the HSE is working hard to restore its IT capacity and resume normal services. Members of the Oireachtas will be advised as soon as the HSE is again in a position to provide responses to PQs and are encouraged to resubmit their Parliamentary Questions at that point.
123. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if additional orthopaedic capacity will be provided in 2021 to reduce waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28577/21]
View answer128. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if additional orthopaedic capacity will be provided at an early date in view of increasing waiting lists for adult and paediatric orthopaedic surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28578/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 123 and 128 together.
It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last sixteen months as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic and more recently as a result of the ransomware attack.
While significant progress was made in reducing waiting times from June 2020 onwards, the surge in Covid-19 cases in the first quarter of 2021, and the resultant curtailment of acute hospital services, is reflected in the most recently available waiting list figures to 13th May 2021.
On 23 March 2021 the HSE published the “Safe Return to Health Services Plan”, outlining 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. However, the implementation of this plan has been suspended pending the resolution of the recent ransomware attack, which had a significant impact on acute hospitals.
The HSE has been working since 14th May last to recover the effects of the cyber attack on its systems. The HSE advise that at present most systems are operational and services are returning to normal activity. There is a challenge in back entering data and there are still a number of areas of ongoing concern. The HSE was already seeking to recover from the Covid peak in the first quarter of this year and the ransomware attack has delayed this and had the effect of increasing access delays for services. My Department does not have full access to information on the impact of this ransomware attack on elective waiting lists but will provide an update as soon as one is available.
Due to the ongoing IT issues triggered by the HSE cyber-attack, the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) has been unable to receive weekly national hospital waiting list data or downloads. The latest published waiting list information was collated by the NTPF on 13th May 2021
At the 13th of May 2021, nationwide there were 11,073 patients waiting for an adult or child orthopaedic IPDC procedure, a reduction of 19% (-2,569) compared to the same period last year. At the 13th May 2021 there were 75,799 waiting for a first outpatient appointment across all hospital groups, an increase of 6% (+4,379) compared to the same period last year.
Specifically in terms of hip and knee replacements, the NTPF have advised the Department that at the end of May 2020 there were 3,042 patients waiting for such a procedure. Through focused activity, and with the support of the NTPF, at the 13th May 2021 this figure had fallen by 26 % to 2,256 patients.
The NTPF have advised that they have provided funding for a number of Insourcing initiatives to reduce Orthopaedic waiting lists in 2021, which will see 15,385 patients receive appointments and procedures. Details of these initiatives are outlined in the attached document.
|
- |
NTPF Insourcing Approved Orthopaedic OPD Proposals 2021 |
|
|
Referring Hospital |
Initiative Type |
Volume |
|
CHI at Crumlin |
OPD |
1,680 |
|
St James's Hospital |
OPD |
920 |
|
Naas General Hospital |
OPD |
810 |
|
Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore |
OPD |
500 |
|
Tallaght University Hospital |
OPD |
670 |
|
Mater Misericordiae University Hospital |
OPD |
278 |
|
St Vincent's University Hospital |
OPD |
150 |
|
National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh |
OPD |
150 |
|
Cavan General Hospital |
OPD |
491 |
|
Beaumont Hospital |
OPD |
600 |
|
Sligo University Hospital |
OPD |
30 |
|
University Hospital Kerry |
OPD |
2,000 |
|
University Hospital Waterford |
OPD See & Treat |
550 |
|
Croom Orthopaedic Hospital |
OPD Full Package of Care |
1000 |
|
University Hospital Limerick |
OPD |
1432 |
|
Total |
11,261 |
|
- |
NTPF Insourcing Approved Orthopaedic IPDC Proposals 2021 |
|
|
Referring Hospital |
Initiative Type |
Volume |
|
CHI at Crumlin |
IPDC |
18 |
|
Tallaght University Hospital |
IPDC |
259 |
|
Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore |
IPDC |
359 |
|
St James's Hospital |
IPDC |
667 |
|
National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh |
IPDC |
583 |
|
Our Lady's Hospital, Navan |
IPDC |
389 |
|
St Vincent's University Hospital |
IPDC |
321 |
|
Beaumont Hospital |
IPDC |
188 |
|
Galway University Hospitals |
IPDC |
83 |
|
University Hospital Kerry |
IPDC |
44 |
|
South Infirmary - Victoria University Hospital |
IPDC |
162 |
|
Kilcreene Orthopaedic Hospital |
IPDC |
456 |
|
Croom Orthopaedic Hospital |
IPDC |
584 |
|
Other Hospitals |
IPDC |
11 |
|
Total |
4,124 |
Inpatient - Daycase (IPDC) Orthopaedics, numbers waiting by time-band (months) as at 13/05/2021
|
Time-bands |
0-6 Mths |
6-12 Mths |
12-18 Mths |
18 + Mths |
Total |
|
Adult Orthopaedics |
4,964 |
1,830 |
1,196 |
1,578 |
9,568 |
|
Child Orthopaedics |
223 |
59 |
43 |
15 |
340 |
|
Paediatric Orthopaedics |
442 |
234 |
203 |
286 |
1,165 |
|
Grand Total |
5,629 |
2,123 |
1,442 |
1,879 |
11,073 |
Outpatient (OPD) Orthopaedics, numbers waiting by time-band (months) as at 13/05/2021
|
Time-bands |
0-6 Mths |
6-12 Mths |
12-18 Mths |
18 + Mths |
Total |
|
Adult Orthopaedics |
23,597 |
16,489 |
11,245 |
17,932 |
69,263 |
|
Child Orthopaedics |
1,412 |
706 |
389 |
491 |
2,998 |
|
Paediatric Orthopaedics |
1,251 |
929 |
380 |
978 |
3,538 |
|
Grand Total |
26,260 |
18,124 |
12,014 |
19,401 |
75,799 |
An additional €240 million has been provided in Budget 2021 for an access to care fund, €210m of which has been allocated to the HSE and a further €30m to the NTPF. This is to be used to fund additional capacity to address the shortfall arising as a result of infection control measures taken in the context of COVID-19, as well as addressing backlogs in waiting lists.
My Department, the HSE and the NTPF are currently working on a Multiannual Waiting List Plan to address waiting lists and bring them in line with Sláintecare targets over the coming years.
124. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Health the plans in place to deal with the issues regarding general practitioner services in the New Ross, County Wexford. [28072/21]
View answerGPs are self-employed private practitioners and therefore may establish practices at a place of their own choosing. Under the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. Currently there are approximately 2,500 GPs contracted to provide services under the GMS Scheme and as at 1 June, 21 panels, or less than 1%, are vacant. Where a vacancy arises in a practice with a GMS contract, the HSE becomes actively involved in the recruitment process to find a replacement GP. There are currently no vacancies in New Ross.
Where a medical card or GP visit card holder experiences difficulty in finding a GP to accept him/her as a patient, or where the person has been removed from another GP's list or refused entry onto a GP's list, the HSE has the power to assign that person to a GP's GMS patient list.
People who do not hold a medical card or GP visit card access GP services on a private basis and can make enquiries directly to any GP practice they wish to register with.
The Government is aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice, including the limited access to GP services in certain areas, and has implemented a number of measures to improve recruitment and retention in general practice.
These measures include an increase in investment in general practice by approximately 40% (€210 million) between 2019 and 2023 under the terms of the 2019 GMS GP Agreement GP. The Agreement provides for increased support for GPs working in rural practices and for those in disadvantaged urban areas, and for improvements to maternity and paternity leave arrangements. In addition, the number of GPs entering training has been increased steadily over the past ten years, rising from 120 in 2009 to 213 in 2020, with a further increase foreseen in 2021. The ICGP noted a record number of applications for the 2021 GP training programme.
These measures will see an increase in the number of GPs working in the State, improving access to GP services for patients throughout the country.
125. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the status of his plans to establish exclusion zones around medical facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28070/21]
View answerEnsuring access to termination of pregnancy services remains an ongoing priority for the Department of Health.
It was originally intended to provide for safe access to termination of pregnancy services in the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018. However, a number of legal issues were identified which necessitated further consideration.
Since services under the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 commenced in January 2019, there has been a limited number of reports of protests or other actions relating to termination of pregnancy. This is an extremely positive development. It suggests that these services have bedded in relatively smoothly to date and are becoming a normal part of the Irish healthcare system, as intended.
Where problems do arise with protests outside healthcare services, there is existing public order legislation in place to protect people accessing services, staff and local residents.
The Department of Health has liaised with An Garda Síochána on safe access to services. The Garda National Protective Services Bureau issued a notice to all Garda Stations raising awareness about the issue. It directed that any protests be monitored, and breaches of existing law dealt with. The Department has provided information on existing public order and other relevant legislation to the HSE for appropriate distribution.
Termination of pregnancy services have continued to function during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is regular ongoing engagement between my Department and the HSE to facilitate the smooth-running of the service and to resolve any issues that may arise.
126. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the role of genomic medicine in Ireland; his plans for a national genomics strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27790/21]
View answerA paper which considered the potential role of genomic medicine in Ireland and which reviewed genomics strategies in other countries was presented to the Department of Health management board in January 2020. The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic led to a rapid reprioritisation of the Department’s activities to manage the health and social care system’s response to the crisis. As a result of this, the matter remains under deliberation by the Department of Health
127. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the actions that are being taken to address the current waiting time of 4.5 to 5 years for orthodontic treatment in CHO7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28644/21]
View answerAs this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently unable to access the information to answer Parliamentary Questions due to the recent cyber-attack, which has required a temporary shut-down of HSE IT systems. The disruption to service is on-going, and the HSE is working hard to restore its IT capacity and resume normal services.
Members of the Oireachtas will be advised as soon as the HSE is again in a position to provide responses to PQs and are encouraged to resubmit their Parliamentary Questions at that point.
131. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if approval can be given to reopen the respite services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37583/21]
View answerAs this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently unable to access the information to answer Parliamentary Questions due to the recent cyber-attack, which has required a temporary shut-down of HSE IT systems. The disruption to service is on-going, and the HSE is working hard to restore its IT capacity and resume normal services. Members of the Oireachtas will be advised as soon as the HSE is again in a position to provide responses to PQs and are encouraged to resubmit their Parliamentary Questions at that point.
132. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health the status of the resumption of daycare services for older persons. [37507/21]
View answerDay centres are fundamental to the health and well-being of our older population and play a key role in enabling older people to live independently in their own communities. The pandemic and associated restrictions has had a profound impact across society and especially for our older population.
All Community Health Organisations through the National Older Persons Office were requested in April 2021 to provide information on the status of their Day Care Services in order to ascertain the level of service that could resume on receipt of updated public health guidance. As a result, it was intended that approximately 100 day centres would re-open week beginning 5 July. It was also intended that an additional 55 centres would resume in July and August, with a further 90 centres that require works expected to reopen before the end of the year. It was indicated that these dates may be subject to change as the HSE continues to deal with the significant challenge of the on-going cyber attack.
Since then updated Public Health guidance to support the re-opening of Day Care Services for Older People was provided in June 2021 to facilitate re-opening plans. Following on from this a further information request issued to HSE Services to obtain an update on re-opening plans. The process for reopening of the centres has already commenced and it is expected that more centres will reopen in the coming weeks.
135. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the steps his Department has taken to ensure the easing of maternity restrictions is being implemented in Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar. [37736/21]
View answerAs this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently unable to access the information to answer Parliamentary Questions due to the recent cyber-attack, which has required a temporary shut-down of HSE IT systems. The disruption to service is on-going, and the HSE is working hard to restore its IT capacity and resume normal services. Members of the Oireachtas will be advised as soon as the HSE is again in a position to provide responses to PQs and are encouraged to resubmit their Parliamentary Questions at that point.
136. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the number of new medical cards that have been issued to date in 2021 in the Carlow Kilkenny local health office area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37520/21]
View answerAs this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently unable to access the information to answer Parliamentary Questions due to the recent cyber-attack, which has required a temporary shut-down of HSE IT systems.
The disruption to service is on-going, and the HSE is working hard to restore its IT capacity and resume normal services. Members of the Oireachtas will be advised as soon as the HSE is again in a position to provide responses to PQs and are encouraged to resubmit their Parliamentary Questions at that point.
137. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the action being taken to address long waiting times for hospital appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37519/21]
View answerIt is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last sixteen months as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic and more recently as a result of the ransomware attack.
While significant progress was made in reducing waiting times from June 2020 onwards, the surge in Covid-19 cases in the first quarter of 2021, and the resultant curtailment of acute hospital services, is reflected in the most recently available waiting list figures to 13th May 2021.
On 23 March 2021 the HSE published the “Safe Return to Health Services Plan”, outlining 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. However, the implementation of this plan has been suspended pending the resolution of the recent ransomware attack, which had a significant impact on acute hospitals.
The HSE has been working since 14th May last to recover the effects of the cyber attack on its systems. The HSE advise that at present most systems are operational and services are returning to normal activity. There is a challenge in back entering data and there are still a number of areas of ongoing concern. The HSE was already seeking to recover from the Covid peak in the first quarter of this year and the ransomware attack has delayed this and had the effect of increasing access delays for services. My Department does not have full access to information on the impact of this ransomware attack on elective waiting lists but will provide an update as soon as one is available.
My Department, the HSE and the NTPF are focusing on improving access to elective care in order to reduce waiting times for patients. These plans include 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, providing virtual clinics and increasing capacity in the public hospital system.
An additional €240 million has been provided in Budget 2021 for an access to care fund, €210m of which has been allocated to the HSE and a further €30m to the NTPF. This is to be used to fund additional capacity to address the shortfall arising as a result of infection control measures taken in the context of COVID-19, as well as addressing backlogs in waiting lists.
My Department, the HSE and the NTPF are currently developing a Multiannual Waiting List Plan to address waiting lists and bring them in line with Sláintecare targets over the coming years.
139. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Health if he will report on progress in relation to the establishment of a digital green certificate to facilitate international travel for EU and Irish citizens, residents and their families who want to travel to another EU country and who have been vaccinated, tested or have recovered from Covid-19; the position in relation to this proposal; if he will recommend that Ireland embraces this initiative in full when finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22870/21]
View answerThe Digital COVID Certificate Regulation is intended to facilitate people’s fundamental right to move and reside freely and help to support the lifting of restrictions currently in place in a coordinated manner within the EU.
As the Minister for Health, I am supporting the work of my Department in collaborating with relevant Departments under the leadership of the Department of Taoiseach to assist in the implementation of this Regulation to prepare for the introduction of EU Digital COVID Certificates both for those travelling to the country and those travelling from the country.
140. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health the type of financial supports being provided to organisations such as an association (details supplied) in County Mayo; if there are plans to develop a funding plan to create capacity to address emergency and future care needs; if there are plans to introduce adequate multi-annual budgets provided as well as capital funding and funding for transport and therapy supports; the steps being taken to increase funding for children’s respite provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36255/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Western Care Association (WCA) plays an important role in providing disability services to over 1,380 people in County Mayo, which include adult day, respite and residential services, after-school supports, multi-disciplinary supports and respite services for children.
WCA receives funding from the HSE under Section 39 of the Health Act, 2004 to provide specialist disability services under a Service Level Agreement which is signed on an annual basis and reviewed continually. Service Level Agreements constitute a contract between the Chief Officer of a CHO and a Service Provider, and individual allocations are a matter for the HSE. In response to the changing needs of the individuals that WCA support, it is proposed that the agency will receive €41,009,426 in funding from the HSE in 2021. This represents a significant improvement on funding levels since 2014, when the organisation was allocated €28,774.642.
In recognition of the importance of our national specialist disability services, the Government provided an additional €100 million in the 2021 Budget for new disability developments, which will see the budget for specialist disability services exceeding €2.2 billion in 2021.
This allocation included funding of €5.5m for the delivery of 9 new Respite Houses for Children with disabilities. Progress is well underway on the delivery of each of these houses over the next 6 months. St. Gabriel’s in Limerick opened in May of this year, and I am pleased to note that The Hamlet in Swords will be operational this coming September. I also welcome the announcement that 85 additional therapy posts are now approved for the Children’s Disability Network Team which will support the delivery of services in these special schools.
In relation to capital funding, project prioritisation in the health sector is driven by healthcare needs. The HSE’s service directorate must determine the service need and the most appropriate model of care. The role of the National Capital and Property Steering Committee is to prioritise projects and to recommend them for inclusion in the HSE’s multi-annual Capital Plan, subject to funding availability.
In relation to multi-annual budgeting, in addition to the annual current expenditure levels which are set through the Estimates process, the Government now publishes indicative expenditure ceilings for current expenditure for a further two years which will operate as upper limits on expenditure for each year within the three-year period. Due to the level of uncertainty in 2021 as a result of the pandemic, Budget 2021 did not project multi-annual expenditure ceilings beyond 2021 at Estimates time in October 2020.
Finally, the Review of Disability Social Care Demand and Capacity Requirements to 2032 has been completed, which examines the implications of anticipated changes in the size and structure of
the disability population for future service demand. As we progress towards the vision outlined by Sláintecare, it is essential that over the next number of years, the State moves to a population-based planning approach, based on demographic and geographic considerations, that reflects both the health and social care needs of those within our population, including those who require specialist disability services. The Disability Capacity Review will be published in the coming days.
