Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 September 2021
1318. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health his views on the roll-out of heart failure community integration teams countrywide and on ensuring that their roles are standardised across all CHO areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42455/21]
View answer1320. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to improve investment in the heart failure workforce; his views on the delivery of four heart failure clinical nurse specialists per 150,000 population starting with filling currently funded whole-time equivalents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42457/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1318 and 1320 together.
Budget 2019 provided €20 million for the establishment of a new ring-fenced Sláintecare Integration Fund to test and scale how services can best be delivered. The Integration Fund looked for initiatives that support the delivery of integrated care and the shift to community care in new and innovative ways, helping to reduce and prevent hospital visits. This will support us in meeting our ultimate goal of reducing waiting lists and reducing waiting times.
The Fund supported a number of projects testing integrated care pathways for heart failure patients. Details of these projects are set out below.
|
Number |
Project Name |
|
129 A |
Donegal Heart Failure Integrated Care Service |
|
129 B |
Sligo/Leitrim/W. Cavan/Sth. Donegal /Roscommon Heart Failure Integrated Care Service |
|
165 |
Integrated Ambulatory Care Heart Failure Project - Improving quality of life for patients with Heart Failure |
|
237 |
Heart Failure Virtual Consultation Service with Clinical Nurse Specialist Support in the Community |
|
248 |
Community based Integrated Diagnostic and Care Initiative - Reduction in referral and follow-up waiting times for Heart Failure Patients |
|
377 |
Heart Failure Service Integrated Care Project - Reduced Hospital Length of Stay through Integrated Heart Failure Service |
|
416 |
Integrated Heart Failure Management Programme-Improving patient outcomes and health service efficiency by comprehensive and innovative integration of care across the continuum of healthcare settings - Improving patient outcomes through integrated care for heart failure |
|
430 |
Cardiology Advance Nurse Practitioner (ANP) Heart Failure - Half day reduction in length of hospital stay thanks to Advance Nursing Practitioner in Cardiology |
|
469 |
Galway University Hospitals Community Cardiac Diagnostics - Reduced Waiting Times for Cardiac Diagnostic |
These projects were evaluated and were found to have successfully met their targets and objectives. They have been mainstreamed and are now being funded under the Enhanced Community Care programme under NSP 2021 at a cost of €2.5 million.
Issues of an operational nature under the remit of the HSE also arise in this PQ and I have referred it to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
