Written Answers Nos. 1472-1491
1472. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he and the HSE have considered plans submitted by a society (details supplied) relating to a dedicated unit to treat and rehabilitate patients with intestinal failure; if he has made a decision on the proposal for such a unit at a location such as St. James’s Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43114/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1473. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of assistant psychologists that are currently working in a voluntary capacity within the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43115/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1474. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his views on the recruitment of assistant psychologists in an unpaid capacity; if the review has been carried out; if the results of the review will be made available to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43116/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible
1475. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his plans to expand the current national pilot assistant psychology programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43117/21]
View answerThe 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 establishment of 114 paid 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 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 before being extended to the end of September 2021.
The Assistant Psychology programme has subsequently been extended again to the end of December 2021 to allow the programme to continue to deliver for clients and to provide some degree of certainty to those currently in post. A decision on the long-term future of the grade will be made following submission and consideration of the final evaluation report.
1476. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of acute inpatient beds in the health service; the number of beds in wards; the number of beds in single room isolation; the estimated cost to replace 10% of beds in wards with single isolation; if he has plans or targets to replace beds over a fixed time period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43118/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1477. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the average revenue cost of a community bed by type of community bed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43119/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1478. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of dentists that have withdrawn from the dental service scheme in the period 31 May 2020 to 31 May 2021, by county and by CHO area in tabular form; the number of dentists that remain on the scheme by county and by CHO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43120/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1479. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost of providing at least one advanced nurse practitioner in each heart failure service unit. [43121/21]
View answerThe skill mix for the model of care in each heart failure unit including advanced nurse practitioners and associated cost is a matter for the Health Service Executive (HSE).
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1480. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the cost of ten wholetime equivalent lactation consultants. [43122/21]
View answerThe cost of ten wholetime equivalent Lactation Consultants is €659,608
On 11 May, funding of €1.58m was announced to provide the additional 24 Lactation Consultants across hospital and community settings, that are required to implement the National Breastfeeding Action Plan and ensure timely skilled assistance for mothers who wish to breastfeed. It will also support enhanced training, skills and knowledge to frontline staff.
1481. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of 50 new nursing posts. [43123/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1482. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of non-training NCHD posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43124/21]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1483. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE patients who have been facilitated for treatment in the United States for full or partial removal of transobturator mesh implants; if a patient could access public funding for such treatment in the US; if so, the person or body that authorises same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43125/21]
View answerI understand that complications from a mesh implant are very distressing and painful for those women involved. Women’s health is a priority for this Government, as outlined in the programme for Government and since the emergence of this matter, the ongoing priority focus for the Department and the HSE has been to meet the care needs of women experiencing mesh complications. Women affected by mesh continue to be strongly encouraged to engage with the relevant HSE contact points and the associated care pathways, to ensure that their service needs can be identified and provided for.
Considerable work has been done and continues to progress in Ireland in relation to the safe use of mesh implants and ensuring that all women who develop mesh-related complications receive high quality, multidisciplinary and patient-centred care is a priority.
Multidisciplinary specialist services are available for women suffering from mesh complications through a National Specialist Centre which has been developed over two sites at Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) and the National Maternity Hospital (NMH) Dublin and these have received specific funding from the HSE for the provision of these services. Both centres currently treat women suffering with post-mesh complications and have been accepting referrals from the national pathway since it was set up in November 2018.
The HSE has created a dedicated web page about vaginal mesh implants, including contact information regarding the pathways for women suffering complications. Full details of mesh removal services and contact information for relevant hospitals are available on the HSE website at www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/acute-hospitals-division/woman-infants/vaginal-mesh-implants/.
As this Parliamentary Question also relates to a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1484. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the cost to restore pay equality for consultants on type B contracts; the additional cost of any back pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43126/21]
View answerAs this is a service related matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1485. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost of a 100% uptake each year of the HPV vaccine. [43127/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1486. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of 50 new healthcare assistant posts. [43128/21]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1487. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he will address the immediate funding need for dementia-specific day care services provided by a society (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43129/21]
View answerIt is a matter for the Health Service Executive to identify the need for dementia-specific day care services and to make appropriate service arrangements for the delivery of such services to meet identified needs. In this context, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly on the question of the immediate funding need for dementia-specific day care services.
More broadly, the provision of funding to respond to the ongoing need for dementia-specific day care services is a matter for consideration in the forthcoming Estimates process.
1488. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost for the school immunisation programme if uptake was to be 100% each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43130/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1489. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost for the school immunisation programme if those who did not get the HPV vaccine in their year of eligibility were to receive it during a subsequent school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43131/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1490. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he has engaged with the Minister for Education, the HSE and higher education institutes to ensure that students on clinical placements in hospitals who opt not to be vaccinated can complete their placements without failing or repeating the previous academic year; if allowing students to have regular Covid-19 testing privately will be considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43132/21]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in respect of this operational matter, and the measures in place in these circumstances.
1491. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number and types of staff required to safely staff an adult critical care bed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43133/21]
View answerThe HSE National Clinical Programme for Critical Care has calculated that there is a requirement of 5.6 nursing WTEs per ICU bed to provide direct 1:1 nursing care on a 24/7 basis. Alongside this, other specific requirements including ACCESS nurses, clinical educators and clinical nurse managers which will vary depending on unit size and skill mix. In relation to medical staffing, the National Clinical Programme has adopted the Critical Care Minimum Service Requirements definition provided by the JFICMI National Standards. I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in relation to further detail on staffing requirements.
The Deputy may wish to note that a Strategic Plan for Critical Care was noted by Government in December 2020. This aims to increase critical care capacity to 446 beds over time. The Plan recognises workforce planning and education as key to capacity expansion, and this is reflected in the funding provided this year to commence the implementation of the Strategic Plan.
