Holly Cairns
Question:2308. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of school age teams operating nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37314/21]
View answerDisability Services
Questions (2308)
Written answers
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.
Disability Services
Questions (2309)
Holly Cairns
Question:2309. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the annual cost of running a full-staff school age team including an occupational therapist, psychologist and speech and language therapist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37315/21]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Assisted Human Reproduction
Questions (2310)
Holly Cairns
Question:2310. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the financial and non-financial supports provided to couples receiving IVF treatment from the State outside of the medical card or drugs payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37316/21]
View answerWritten answers
While assisted human reproduction (AHR) treatment, such as IVF, is not currently funded by the Irish public health service, as the Deputy is aware, a defined list of fertility medicines needed for fertility treatment is covered under the High Tech Arrangements administered by the HSE. Medicines covered by the High Tech Arrangements must be prescribed by a consultant/specialist and authorised for supply to the client’s nominated community pharmacy by the High Tech Hub managed by the Primary Care Reimbursement Service. The cost of the medicines is then covered, as appropriate, under the client’s eligibility, i.e., Medical Card or Drugs Payment Scheme. Given the costs associated with certain fertility medicines, I am aware that these schemes can have a material impact on the total cost of AHR treatment for individuals who avail of them.
In addition, there is other support available in that patients who access IVF treatment privately may claim tax relief on the costs involved under the tax relief for medical expenses scheme.
Further to this support, a commitment to introduce the model of care for infertility, which was developed by officials in my Department in conjunction with the HSE’s National Women & Infants Health Programme, is included in the Programme for Government, “Our Shared Future”. This model of care will ensure that infertility issues will be addressed through the public health system at the lowest level of clinical intervention necessary as part of the full range of services available in obstetrics and gynaecology.
Phase One of the roll-out of the model of care has commenced and involves the establishment, at secondary care level, of Regional Fertility Hubs in maternity networks, which will facilitate the management of a significant proportion of patients presenting with infertility issues.
Phase Two of the roll-out will see the introduction of tertiary infertility services, including IVF, in the public health system. Phase Two will not commence until such time as infertility services at secondary level have been developed across the country, required resources have been allocated, and the AHR legislation is commenced. Drafting of the AHR legislation is ongoing, in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General.
It is intended that, in line with available resources, this model of care for infertility will be rolled out on a phased basis over the course of the coming years. The underlying aim of the policy to provide a model of funding for AHR, within the broader AHR regulatory framework, is to improve accessibility to AHR treatments, while at the same time embedding safe and appropriate clinical practice and ensuring the cost-effective use of public resources.
Question No. 2311 answered with Question No. 2219.
Health Services Staff
Questions (2312)
Holly Cairns
Question:2312. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health his plans to recruit more clinical psychologists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37319/21]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Health Services Staff
Questions (2313)
Holly Cairns
Question:2313. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of assistant psychologists currently working on a voluntary capacity within HSE services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37320/21]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Health Services Staff
Questions (2314)
Holly Cairns
Question:2314. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health his position on the recruitment of assistant psychologists in an unpaid capacity by HSE services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37321/21]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Health Services Staff
Questions (2315)
Holly Cairns
Question:2315. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if he will extend the national pilot to establish the efficacy of the assistant psychologist grade as a paid grade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37322/21]
View answerWritten answers
The establishment of 114 Assistant Psychologist posts within HSE Psychology Services on a pilot basis was a key action in the HSE's National Service Plan for 2016, with the posts coming on-stream in a phased basis during 2017, and funding of €3.4m being provided for implementation of this important initiative.
The role of Assistant Psychologist supports the provision of psychology services in primary care settings, enabling delivery of early and cost-effective interventions for children and adolescents, and is key to delivering a “stepped care” model in which service users receive the level of required support and/or intervention appropriate to their assessed need.
The employment of Assistant Psychologists in HSE Primary Care Psychology services is a time-limited pilot project and is being independently evaluated. All Assistant Psychologist posts were due to complete their contracts by the end of July 2020 when the evaluation was originally due to be finalised.
However, due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was necessary for this evaluation process to be paused during 2020 and, as several months of data was not collected, the HSE report that the initiative has been extended to the end of September 2021. After this date, a final report and assessment of the pilot project will be completed, and a decision on the future of the programme will be made.
Health Services Staff
Questions (2316)
Holly Cairns
Question:2316. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the actions he is taking in response to advertisement of seven unpaid assistant psychologist roles for HSE services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37323/21]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Health Services
Questions (2317)
Holly Cairns
Question:2317. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health his response to the high perinatal mortality rates among ethnically African mothers or expectant mothers living in Ireland as recorded in the 2017 Perinatal Statistics Report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37324/21]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Health Services Staff
Questions (2318)
Holly Cairns
Question:2318. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if he will provide ten days of compensatory leave for healthcare workers due to fatigue and overwork throughout the pandemic as requested by a union (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37325/21]
View answerWritten answers
The Government is committed to recognising the great dedication that frontline healthcare workers showed during the pandemic, and work is ongoing to determine how best we do that.
Concerning the detail of this specific question, I note that a conciliation process is underway between health service management and representative unions at the Workplace Relations Commission on this matter. I and the Government are supportive of efforts being made to resolve this matter as it progresses through the established industrial relations processes. Accordingly, further public comment from me or the Government would be inappropriate at this time.
Vaccination Programme
Questions (2319)
Holly Cairns
Question:2319. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the status of the delays experienced by persons in cohort 4 high risk and cohort 7 high risk in accessing Covid-19 vaccines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37326/21]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Mental Health Services
Questions (2320)
Holly Cairns
Question:2320. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of persons currently in the acute adult mental health psychiatric units in Cork University Hospital and Mercy University Hospital whose discharges from hospital have been delayed by one, two, three, four and more than five years, respectively; the number of these persons whose hospital discharge has been delayed as a result of a lack of appropriate follow-on accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37327/21]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Health Services
Questions (2321)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:2321. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if he will furnish this Deputy with the HSE quarterly report on Assessment of Need in CHO1. [37328/21]
View answerWritten answers
The assessment of need process consists of two stages, the first stage is a review of the referral to the assessment of need process by an assessment officer which is an administrative exercise. The child is then referred to stage 2, if appropriate, which is for clinical assessment.
Due to the recent cyber-attack the latest information available from the HSE is that one application was due to commence stage 2 of the Assessment of Need process and 18 applications were overdue for completion at 31st March 2021.
Health Services
Questions (2322)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:2322. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the current average waiting time for services (details supplied) in counties Cavan and Monaghan. [37329/21]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Health Services
Questions (2323)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:2323. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) waiting for speech and language, occupational therapy and psychologist services in the Cavan/Monaghan region with a service will be in receipt of these services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37330/21]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Health Services Staff
Questions (2324)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:2324. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if there are vacant posts to be filled in services (details supplied); and if there is a plan to increase capacity for assessment for Autism in counties Cavan and Monaghan as a service has advised that there is a significant backlog of assessments including assessment for autism of 2-3 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37331/21]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Vaccination Programme
Questions (2325)
Matt Shanahan
Question:2325. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health if his Department will ensure that vaccination appointments are offered to persons living within a defined radius of the centres rather than based on allocated eircodes which appear to be directing patients to centres many hours away rather than the nearest centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37332/21]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Health Services Staff
Questions (2326)
Michael Ring
Question:2326. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health the staff numbers in the HSE in an area (details supplied); if there are plans to increase the workforce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37382/21]
View answerWritten answers
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.