Written Answers Nos. 1977-2001
1977. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the reason the inquiry into the historical licensing and use of the anti-epileptic drug sodium valproate epilim has not commenced yet; and when the inquiry is set to commence. [36061/21]
View answerDetails of the proposed inquiry into the historical licensing and use of sodium valproate in Ireland are currently being considered by officials within the Department of Health.
1978. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the number of ancillary staff that were recruited to administer to the additional 100 multidisciplinary posts that were allocated to children’s disciplinary services in 2020; the additional cost of recruiting the 100 multidisciplinary posts and the ancillary staff that were recruited to administer to them, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36062/21]
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.
1979. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with a disability who have been moved from a congregated settings into a community setting in each of the years 2017 to 2020; the amount of funding that was allocated for transferring persons with a disability from a congregated settings into a community setting in the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36063/21]
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.
1980. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with a disability who remain in a congregated setting; the estimated cost for moving the remaining persons with a disability in a congregated setting to a community setting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36064/21]
View answerAlmost ten years ago, the Time to Move on from Congregated Settings Report identified approximately 4,000 people with disabilities living in congregated type settings. The 2011 Report expected that decongregation could happen at a much faster pace than was actually possible.
Since 2014, the Transforming Lives Programme provides the framework for implementation and for putting policy into practice across key reports, including Time to Move on from Congregated Settings in respect of residential centres,
Today less than 2,000 people live in congregated settings.
The Programme for Government – ‘Our Shared Future’ includes a commitment to continue with moving people out of old style congregated settings, into new homes within the community, with the necessary supports.
Today, people are being supported to live lives of their choice out in the community. Several congregated settings have closed fully and many more have closed specific units within the centres.
Thoughtful planning, capacity building work with stakeholders and sharing the learning across services is enabling meaningful person-centred planning and transitions that are sustainable.
While the pace of change has been slow in some services, there is momentum and progress is being made.
Budget 2021 provides for an unprecedented level of investment in disability services, with the investment of €100m for new initiatives in 2021. The increased level of funding in 2021 will enable us to build on initiatives currently underway, including the decongregation programme, with a renewed focus on assisting people to move out of congregated settings to homes in the community. The HSE has prioritised the transition of a further 144 people from congregated settings in 2021 under its Service Plan.
As the numbers in the large settings continues to fall, the people still remaining in these services have access to better living conditions and share with fewer people.
As 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.
1981. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost of increasing the funding to the Capital Programme for Disabilities by 5%, 10% and 25% respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36065/21]
View answer1982. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the estimated number of additional housing units that would be delivered if the funding to the Capital Programme for Disabilities was increased by 5%, 10% and 25% respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36066/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1981 and 1982 together.
The Health capital allocation for disabilities in 2021 is €20m.
Capital funding for the Health Sector in the ten years of the National Development Plan (NDP) is €10.9 billion. A structured, in depth review of the NDP was initiated by Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) in Q4 2020 as set out in the Programme for Government. This process has two phases and aims to align the priorities identified in the Programme for Government (including implementation of Sláintecare) with the associated resourcing requirements.
My department made a detailed submission outlining sectoral strategies and drivers of demand. The Phase 1 report was published on April 4th, 2021. Phase 2 is about to be concluded and will inform the prioritisation of projects in the HSE Programme and the related allocation for disabilities.
1983. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost of increasing funding for the home-based summer July provision programme for children with complex needs by 5%, 10% and 25% respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36067/21]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that July Provision is a matter for the Department of Education.
1984. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost of increasing funding for the HSE-led summer July provision programme for children with complex needs by 5%, 10% and 25% respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36068/21]
View answerAs this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the Health Service Executive (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 to 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.
1985. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost of increasing funding for expanding the capacity of day services for persons with a disability by 5%, 10% and 25% respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36069/21]
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.
1986. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the unmet need in day services for persons with disabilities in 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36070/21]
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.
1987. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the estimated timeframe for a full return of day services for persons with a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36071/21]
View answerDay services re-opened at 39% capacity at service locations throughout August and early September of 2020, and by end of January 2021 this had increased to 51%. The combination of supports in the location, outreach supports, and remote supports provides an overall quantum of support to service users of over 60% at the end of January. The increase in day service capacity was supported by additional funding of €30 million provided in Budget 2021 to increase capacity in buildings and provide extra staff. This funding provided an increase in day services by an average of one day a week for 14,940 people against September 2020 service levels.
For the duration of the COVID-19 emergency day service capacity is reduced, this is due to the physical limitations of the buildings available, the lack of mainstream community activities, and the continued restrictions imposed by social distancing guidance. Many people with disabilities have underlying health conditions, and as the threat of COVID-19 remains, unfortunately so too does the need for these restrictions.
The vaccination process for staff and service users is well underway across day services, and all service providers should now be delivering a minimum of 60% of pre-COVID levels of location-based supports. For those in residential services, currently their day service supports are largely being provided in their residence, however some service users have returned to their day service location, and it is now expected that all residential service users that received their day service at a location pre-COVID should begin to resume location-based day service supports.
The HSE is in the process of establishing the vaccination status of all staff and service users in day services. Once established, the HSE will engage with Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) on what further easing of restrictions can appropriately be applied to day services. Those attending day services have been vaccinated as part of cohort 4, people aged 16-69 years and at very high risk of severe COVID-19 disease. The administration of the second vaccine dose for this cohort began in the week beginning May 10th and is expected to be complete by early July.
The IPC guidance are kept under constant review and updates will be provided in the months ahead on further restoration of day services.
1988. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost for the establishment of community-based neuro-rehabilitation teams in each CHO here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36072/21]
View answer1989. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the number of community-based neuro-rehabilitation teams here currently; the CHO they are based in; the estimated timeframe for the establishment of the remaining neuro-rehabilitation teams in the CHOs in which they are currently not based; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36073/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1988 and 1989 together.
As these Parliamentary Questions relate 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.
1990. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost of increasing funding for respite for persons with a disability by 5%, 10% and 25% respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36074/21]
View answer1991. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the number of additional respite hours that would be delivered by increasing the funding for respite for persons with a disability by 5%, 10% and 25% respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36075/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1990 and 1991 together.
As these Parliamentary Questions relate 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.
1992. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost of increasing funding for personal assistants for persons with a disability by 5%, 10% and 25% respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36076/21]
View answerAs this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the Health Service Executive (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 to 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.
1993. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the estimated number of additional personal assistant hours that would be delivered by increasing the funding for personal assistants for persons with a disability by 5%, 10% and 25% respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36077/21]
View answerAs this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the Health Service Executive (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 to 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.
1994. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 1014 and 1015 of 31 March 2021, the breakdown by specific therapy category of the 100 therapy posts that were allocated to children’s disability services under the HSE National Service Plan 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36078/21]
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.
1995. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the whole-time equivalent therapy posts in the Children’s Disability Service in 2021, 2020, 2019 and 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36079/21]
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.
1996. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1014 and 1015 of 31 March 2021, the percentage of assessments of need that were overdue from 30 June 2020 that are now complete; if it is still anticipated that most of the CHO areas will have eliminated their assessments of need backlogs by the end of quarter 2 of 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36080/21]
View answerWhile the number of overdue Assessment of Need stood at approximately 6,500 in June 2020, through a combination of different measures, figures to the end of April 2021 show that approximately 5,115 children have had completed Assessments, thus reducing the backlog to approximately 1,440 cases. A reduction of just under 79%. 3 Community Healthcare Organisations have cleared their backlog, one of which exceeded its target.
The Deputy is advised as the completion of overdue Assessments of Need is a HSE operational matter, and having regard to the recent cyber attack on its I.T. systems this is the latest information available.
1997. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1014 and 1015 of 31 March 2021, the number of children’s disability network teams that have currently been established; and if the remaining 60 teams will be established by the end of quarter 2 of 2021. [36081/21]
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.
1998. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the estimated number of additional therapy posts that are needed to fully resource children’s disability network teams to an adequate level that will ensure timely access to both an assessment of need report and the subsequent access to the interventions identified in the assessments of need report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36082/21]
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.
1999. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the progress of the personalised budgets demonstration pilot projects; the projected timeline for the completion of the demonstration projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36083/21]
View answerThe report of the Task Force on Personalised Budgets was launched by Minister McGrath in July 2018. The report set out how personalised budgets could work as a funding mechanism for people with a disability.
Personalised budgets can help to provide people with disabilities with greater choice and control over the services and supports they receive.
The Task Force reviewed national and international research and consulted with service users and their families. They recommended that the Department of Health, with the HSE, should establish a pilot project to test the delivery of personalised budgets - the aim being to identify the best approach to roll-out personalised budgets following this pilot phase.
Funding can be spent on specific personal supports funded by the HSE such as employing your own support worker or having support staff at a time you choose. These supports will be agreed and identified in a personal support plan for each participant. The funding is allocated by the HSE.
Funding cannot be spent on informal care from a partner or close relative or to pay for supports that would normally be provided by another Government Department or Statutory Agency, e.g. housing.
The Personalised Budget pilot is open to adults with a disability that are currently in receipt of HSE funded services. This included appropriate school leavers in 2019 and 2020.
It is hoped that the pilot will have up to 180 participants over two phases who access day services, residential services, respite services, rehabilitative training and personal assistance.
Some other variables that the HSE are also considering in relation to the sample of participants include types of disability, complexity of need, CHO and type of funding models.
In order to take part in the pilot, participants submitted an expression of interest. Expressions of interest for phase 2 closed in September 2020 and the HSE received 136 applications. Due to COVID-19 there was a pause in processing applications, so applications are still being processed.
There are currently 55 participants in the various stages of the pilot. This means that the pilot is running behind schedule. This is due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in the closure of services, and then the knock-on effect that this has had in making it difficult to recruit staff for the HSE team. The current restrictions are negatively impacting with the HSE’s ability to meet with individuals and progress.
The Personalised Budget Office continues to embed the option of Personalised Budgets in each CHO through regular linking with Disability Managers and Day Opportunity Co-ordinators, to offer advice and problem solving for participants.
In November 2020, I approved an extension to the pilot project until June 2022. This will facilitate applicant participation of 12 months minimum and allow time for a robust evaluation to be completed thereafter.
2000. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost of extending personalised budgets to all persons with a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36084/21]
View answerThe report of the Task Force on Personalised Budgets was launched by Minister McGrath in July 2018. The report set out how personalised budgets could work as a funding mechanism for people with a disability.
The Task Force reviewed national and international research and consulted with service users and their families. They recommended that the Department of Health, with the HSE, should establish a pilot project to test the delivery of personalised budgets - the aim being to identify the best approach to roll-out personalised budgets following this pilot phase.
The Personalised Budget pilot is open to adults with a disability that are currently in receipt of HSE funded services. This included appropriate school leavers in 2019 and 2020.
It is hoped that the pilot will have up to 180 participants over two phases who access day services, residential services, respite services, rehabilitative training and personal assistance.
There are currently 55 participants in the various stages of the pilot. This means that the pilot is running behind schedule. This is due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in the closure of services, and then the knock-on effect that this has had in making it difficult to recruit staff for the HSE team. The current restrictions are negatively impacting with the HSE’s ability to meet with individuals and progress.
In November 2020, I approved an extension to the pilot project until June 2022. This will facilitate applicant participation of 12 months minimum and allow time for a robust evaluation to be completed thereafter. Following this evaluation, a decision will be made on rolling out Personalised Budgets to all persons with a disability.
2001. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the estimated level of additional funding that will be needed to cover the cost of Covid-19 recovery for organisations delivering services to persons with disabilities in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36085/21]
View answer2107. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional funding that will need to be allocated to organisations delivering services to persons with disabilities for Covid-19 related costs in 2022, by capital and resource funding and CHO in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36546/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 2001 and 2107 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Covid-19 pandemic continues to present challenges to the delivery of health services, including in relation to those organisations delivering specialist disability services.
The level of funding that will be required to meet the Covid-19 related costs of organisations which provide specialist disability services is a matter which will be determined in the context of the 2022 Estimates Process, and the 2022 Capital Planning Process, if appropriate.
