Written Answers Nos. 2709-2731
2709. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if all mobile BreastCheck clinics have recommenced in counties Louth and Meath; if so, the locations on same; if other relevant information in this regard will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38832/21]
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.
2710. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment for the ophthalmologist review in University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38836/21]
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.
2711. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Health the detail of a valid proof of vaccination for passengers arriving from non-EU/EUA countries such as the United States of America; if passengers who have been vaccinated with vaccines not yet approved in the EU will be considered as vaccinated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38838/21]
View answerFor the purposes of travel to Ireland, including from the USA, passengers are considered vaccinated if they have been vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency with recommended number of days after the final dose, see table below.
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A full course of any one of the following vaccines |
Regarded as vaccinated after: |
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2 doses of Pfizer-BioNtech Vaccine: BNT162b2 (Comirnaty®) |
7 days |
|
2 doses of Moderna Vaccine: CX-024414 (Moderna®) |
14 days |
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2 doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine: ChAdOx1-SARS-COV-2 (Vaxzevria® or Covishield) |
15 days |
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1 dose of Johnson & Johnson/Janssen Vaccine: Ad26.COV2-S [recombinant] (Janssen®) |
14 days |
Other than a Digital COVID Certificate issued for a full course of EMA approved vaccinations, valid proof of vaccination means a record or evidence in written or electronic form in English or Irish or an official translation into Irish or English which contains the following
- confirmation that the person to whom the record or evidence refers is a vaccinated person
- the date or dates on which the person was vaccinated
- the body in the state concerned implementing the vaccination programme (howsoever described) on behalf of the state that administered or caused to be administered the vaccination to the person concerned.
2712. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the status of the project to deliver a primary healthcare centre in north Clondalkin; the reason for the five year delay in its delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38840/21]
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.
2713. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) will be called for a non-urgent paediatric dietician appointment; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38841/21]
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.
2714. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the current number on each waiting list in counties Galway, Mayo and Roscommon, respectively for urgent and non-urgent paediatric dietician appointments; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38842/21]
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 13 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 14 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.
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 National Treatment Purchase Fund (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.
The NTPF collect, collate and publish waiting lists in respect of outpatient specialties and in-patient/daycase procedures. In relation to the data requested by the Deputy, the NTPF have advised my Department that they are unable to identify hospital waiting lists for paediatric dietician appointments.
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.
2715. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) will be called for a paediatric video fluoroscopy procedure at Galway University Hospital; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38843/21]
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.
2716. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the current numbers and waiting times in each acute hospital for paediatric video fluoroscopy procedures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38844/21]
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.
2718. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if the home help allocation for a person (details supplied) will be approved to reflect their latest diagnosis. [38881/21]
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.
2719. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health the process for which home vaccinations can be booked through (details supplied). [38882/21]
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.
2720. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health if the vacant child psychologist post for CAMHS Wexford South will be filled by the end of July 2021 as was communicated on 1 June 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37674/21]
View answerThe Government has provided over €1 billion for the HSE mental health care programme this year, including €23 million for new developments in 2021. We have given approval for over 150 new posts this year, including 29 for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health service (CAMHS) nationally.
While the particular details relating to the offering out of a post are confidential Human Resource matters for the HSE, the Executive has confirmed that this particular post has been offered out. It is expected that this post will be filled before the end of this summer. The filling of any post is, of course, contingent on members of the relevant panel accepting and taking up an offer.
The Deputy can rest assured that I will continue to keep this matter under review, to ensure that this post is filled as soon as possible.
2721. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the number of day care services that have not resumed service in County Kildare; when the remaining services will resume; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38906/21]
View answer2722. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health when Kildare town day care centre in Bride St, Kildare will reopen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38907/21]
View answer2723. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health when Monasterevin day care centre will reopen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38908/21]
View answer2724. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health when the premises of Monasterevin day care centre which is currently being refurbished will reopen; if funding is secured to complete the works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38909/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 2721 to 2724, inclusive, together.
Day 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.
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.
2725. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 800 of 11 May 2021, the reason much of the preliminary works including a new pharmacy and an extension to a carpark are taking place outside the designated site for the proposed new national maternity hospital; if he will clarify the ownership of these facilities; if planning permission was obtained for the pharmacy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38924/21]
View answer2763. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reason for the decision in respect of the extension to the multi-storey carpark at St. Vincent's Hospital given the main beneficiaries is an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39056/21]
View answer2764. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his views in relation to the building of the new pharmacy at St. Vincent’s Hospital, which will substantially if not wholly benefit the hospital and not the proposed new national maternity hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39057/21]
View answer3225. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the way the building of the new pharmacy at St. Vincent's University Hospital and the extension to the multi-storey car park on the Elm Park campus, both of which lie outside the actual site of the new maternity hospital constitute enabling works in relation to the new build. [40875/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 2725, 2763, 2764 and 3225 together.
On 20 December 2018, the Minister for Health approved the awarding of the contract for the first phase of the new National Maternity Hospital (NMH) to proceed. This constituted essential enabling works, including the construction of a replacement pharmacy and an extension to the multistorey car park at St Vincent’s University Hospital (SVUH). In February 2019, work commenced on the new pharmacy and the extension to the multistorey car park.
The purpose of the enabling works undertaken to date is to prepare the site of the new NMH and de-risk the campus in advance of the construction works for the new hospital. These works comprise relocating some SVUH departments currently on the site of the new NMH, such as the Pharmacy, and diverting utilities services to other locations on the SVUH campus. Planning permission and all other relevant statutory applications were obtained for the Pharmacy.
The existing multistorey car park has been extended to cater both for the additional car-parking associated with the new NMH and for existing car-parking spaces displaced by the new hospital. As such it will serve the entire SVUH campus, including the new NMH. The existing multistorey car park is not located on the site of the new NMH.
The HSE has advised that the protection of the State’s interest in the capital works carried out to date on the campus is covered by the existing grant agreement between the HSE and SVUH in relation to capital grants given to the hospital. In relation to the new NMH more specifically, as the Deputy will be aware, a draft legal framework has been developed which aims to address the ownership and governance arrangements at the new NMH on the Elm Park campus, including in terms of protecting the State's interest in the new hospital. While there has been further engagement with stakeholders in relation to these matters, this process has yet to conclude.
2726. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the waiting period after each of the Covid-19 vaccines to achieve maximum immunity; if public health messages can clarify this matter; if the new Digital COVID Certificate will refer to this point; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38925/21]
View answerUnder current travel regulations 'Vaccinated Person' means a person vaccinated with an EMA approved vaccine, with recommended number of days after the final dose. The following table sets out timelines for the four different vaccinations being used.
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2 doses of Pfizer-BioNtech Vaccine: BNT162b2 (Comirnaty®) |
|
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2 doses of Moderna Vaccine: CX-024414 (Moderna®) |
|
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2 doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine: ChAdOx1-SARS-COV-2 (Vaxzevria® or Covishield) |
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1 dose of Johnson & Johnson/Janssen Vaccine: Ad26.COV2-S [recombinant] (Janssen®) |
This information is publicly available at: www2.hse.ie/screening-and-vaccinations/covid-19-vaccine/get-the-vaccine/when-you-have-been-vaccinated/.
2727. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the waiting lists for speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and psychology by CHO, age-group and time waiting in periods of three months. [38926/21]
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.
2728. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the guidelines on ventilation are updated in line with the Expert Group on Ventilation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38927/21]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that The Expert Group on the role of Ventilation submitted two reports while reporting to the NPHET at the Department of Health, these were shared with the HPSC and HSE-AMRIC for due consideration in the context of the ongoing review and development of guidance.
These reports, along with relevant agendas and meeting minutes are available on the gov.ie website: www.gov.ie/en/publication/aa43c-expert-group-on-the-role-of-ventilation-in-reducing-transmission-of-covid-19/#reports
I have also provided links to some published health sector guidance on ventilation:
Healthcare sector (HSE-AMRIC guidance):
www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/guidance/infectionpreventionandcontrolguidance/InfectionPreventionandControlPrecautionsforAcuteSettings.pdf www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/guidance/infectionpreventionandcontrolguidance/hseinfectionpreventionandcontrolguidanceandframework/Interim%20HSE%20Guidance%20on%20IPC.pdf
www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/guidance/infectionpreventionandcontrolguidance/buildingsandfacilitiesguidance/
2729. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health when NIAC will report on the mixing of vaccines in order to achieve maximum protection from Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38928/21]
View answerIreland’s COVID-19 vaccination programme strategy is to distribute all available vaccine as quickly as is operationally possible, prioritising those who are most vulnerable to COVID-19. The programme is based on the principles of safety, effectiveness and fairness, with the objective of reducing severe illness, hospitalisations and deaths from COVID-19 infection.
The immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The Committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practice in relation to immunisation. It makes recommendations on vaccination policy to my Department. The NIAC review all data relating to COVID-19 vaccines on a rolling basis.
Following the recommendation for use of vaccines against COVID-19 by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and authorisation for use by the European Commission, the National Immunisation Advisory Committee develops guidance for their use in Ireland which is contained in the Immunisation Guidelines for Ireland. These guidelines are continuously updated and includes guidance on all new vaccines as they are approved for use in Ireland. The current Guidelines state: There are currently four COVID-19 Vaccines authorised for use in Ireland. The vaccines are not interchangeable. For vaccines that have a two dose schedule, the same vaccine should be used for both doses.
You can read the guidelines at:
www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/hcpinfo/guidelines/covid19.pdf.
There is insufficient evidence to recommend a change from the authorised two-dose Vaxzevria® schedule or to support giving a mRNA vaccine instead of a second dose of Vaxzevria®.There is a need for further evidence on safety and effectiveness of mixed (heterologous)vaccine schedules. Further information is expected in the coming months which may warrant an update of these recommendations.
2730. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the timeline for full resumption of services at the Gay Men's Health Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38930/21]
View answer2731. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of the recruitment of permanent staff at the Gay Men's Health Service; if these permanent positions will be filled in 2021; if he plans end the practice of hiring agency staff at the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38931/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 2730 and 2731 together.
As these Parliamentary Question relate to operational issues, they are 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.
I can say however that the Gay Men's Health Service (GMHS) reopened in January 2021 on a phased basis and in line with Government and HSE guidelines. The GMHS PrEP service has been recommenced and is seeing both new and returning service users. The Clinic’s Consultant in Infectious Diseases (GMHS and GUIDE Clinic, St James’s Hospital) and other doctors are providing virtual consultations, and PrEP service users attend GMHS for STI screening, blood testing and treatment as required.
Those with diagnosed STIs or requiring Hepatitis and/or HPV vaccine continue to be treated in GMHS also. A weekly STI clinic has commenced for symptomatic screening and treatment of both new and returning service users and, also, follow up for those who require further treatment or vaccinations. The GMHS Nurse led asymptomatic screening service has also been re-instated, following the recent HSE cyber attack.
The closure of the GMHS in 2020 resulted from the pressures arising from the Covid-19 pandemic and related primarily to the necessary redeployment of increasing numbers of personnel to diverse COVID-19 related duties. Staff in the Gay Men’s Health Service (GMHS) were reassigned, by reason of necessity, to other HSE services. Following the GMHS closure, significant efforts were made to maintain service provision through other locations, including the GUIDE Clinic in St. James’ Hospital.
Prior to the pandemic, the GMHS was staffed by 97% agency staff; this is no longer the case. Funding for the PrEP programme allowed pro-rata recurring funding to be allocated to GMHS in 2020. As a result of pandemic related pressures on staffing, recruitment in 2020 initially focussed on the services required to support the Covid-19 pandemic. However, a recruitment campaign to fill the posts for the GMHS PrEP programme commenced in the latter part of 2020 and is progressing well, with the recruitment of additional nurses underway. IT improvements have also been put in place.
HSE Community Healthcare East advises that they have made every effort to restore, and maintain services as far as is possible, given current pandemic related pressures on resources. It should be noted that, in order to ensure compliance with HSE Covid-19 safety measures, capacity at clinics is somewhat reduced, in order to maintain adherence to social distancing protocols.
The GMHS will continue to reinstate services on a phased basis and in line with the HSE's Safe Return to Work Guide. Officials from the Department of Health and HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme are in regular contact with CHO6 in order to monitor progress. The GMHS website is updated regularly, and provides full details of services available, as these are reinstated. It is hoped that GMHS services can be delivered to their full potential and developed further, once pandemic related constraints on health service capacity as a whole can be safely reduced.
