Wednesday, 22 Sep 2021

Written Answers Nos. 217-231

Hospital Staff

Questions (217)

Marian Harkin

Question:

217. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health when the four currently unfilled epilepsy nurse specialist posts approved in 2018 will be appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45512/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this question relates to an operational matter for the Health Service Executive (HSE), I have asked that the HSE responds to the Deputy directly.

Medicinal Products

Questions (218)

Marian Harkin

Question:

218. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the inquiry into the historical licensing and prescribing of sodium valproate and the establishment of a stakeholder group to review safety and risk measures in relation to the prescribing and distribution of sodium valproate, which was announced in November 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45513/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Details of the proposed inquiry into the historical licensing and use of sodium valproate in Ireland, and of the stakeholder group referred to by the Deputy, are currently being considered by officials within the Department of Health.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (219)

Niamh Smyth

Question:

219. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) is waiting so long for a hospital appointment in Navan Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45516/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.

In 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.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Questions (220, 221)

Imelda Munster

Question:

220. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health the number of patients on outpatient waiting lists in tabular form at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda; if he will provide a breakdown or medical speciality of those numbers by department in tabular form; and the length of time that patients have been on the list. [45517/21]

Imelda Munster

Question:

221. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health the number of patients on outpatient waiting lists in tabular form in Louth County Hospital; if he will provide a breakdown or medical speciality of those numbers by department in tabular form; and the length of time that patients have been on the list. [45518/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 220 and 221 together.

It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last eighteen 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 associated curtailment of acute hospital services, coupled with the ransomware attack of May 2021, has impacted waiting times. However, the HSE advise that acute services are now almost all fully restored to pre cyber-attack levels, and are operating in line with relevant Covid protocols.

My Department, the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) are focusing on improving access to elective care in order to reduce waiting times for patients. These plans include increased use of private hospitals, funding weekend and evening work in public hospitals, funding “see and treat” services where minor procedures are provided at the same time as outpatient consultations, providing virtual clinics and increasing capacity in the public hospital system.

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 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 National Treatment Purchase Fund 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 waiting list information requested by the deputy is outlined in the attached documents.

Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Outpatient Waiting List by Hospital

	0-3Months	3-6Months	6-9Months	9-12Months	12-15Months	15-18Months	18-21Months	21-24Months	24-36Months	36-48Months	Grand Total
Cardiology	434	257	210	158	130	97	158	76	14		1534
Dermatology	1360	885	648	712	467	157	215	212		446	5102
Endocrinology	186	132	88	63	10						479
Gastro-Enterology	168	124		27							319
General Medicine	34				17						51
General Surgery	362	181	80	62	23	15	11				734
Gynaecology	526	380	305	282	166		45				1704
Haematology	129	41	12					20			202
Infectious Diseases		6									6
Nephrology	37			6							43
Ophthalmology	122	113	53	34	39	8					369
Orthopaedics	66	44	40	33	20	6	17				226
Otolaryngology (ENT)	402	359	221	171	116	23	101	80	98		1571
Paediatric ENT	69	55	52	52	21	27	46	44		84	450
Paediatrics	423	259	255	269	17	21		16			1260
Respiratory Medicine	89	73	29	32	20	19	47		26		335
Urology	294	228	195	186	120	68		32			1123
Small Vol Specialties											14
Grand Total	4720	3150	2217	2072	1153	483	642	439		646	15522

Louth County Hospital Outpatient Waiting List by Specialty

Row Labels	0-3Months	3-6Months	6-9Months	9-12Months	12-15Months	15-18Months	18-21Months	21-24Months	24-36Months	Grand Total
Endocrinology	107	77			10					194
General Surgery	386		93							479
Gynaecology	110	95	81	67		31				384
Ophthalmology	55	61	42	31	13	7			5	214
Orthopaedics	289	209	198	228	161	122	161		70	1438
Urology	47		30							77
Small Vol Specialties										13
Grand Total	1000	566	330	327	209	131	165		71	2799

Question No. 221 answered with Question No. 220.

Dental Services

Questions (222)

Imelda Munster

Question:

222. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health the number of children on the waiting lists in counties Louth and Meath for dental appointments by local area in tabular form. [45519/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Dental Services

Questions (223)

Imelda Munster

Question:

223. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health the number of children on the waiting lists in counties Louth and Meath for orthodontic appointments by local areas in tabular form. [45520/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Nursing Homes

Questions (224)

Denis Naughten

Question:

224. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health when he will commence the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Act 2021; the projected full year costs of the changes to the cap on farms and businesses; the projected full year cost on the changes to the treatment of capital following the sale of the family home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45521/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Act 2021 was signed into law on 22 July. The principal amendment introduced under the Act extended the three-year cap on contributions to farms and businesses owned by scheme participants, on the condition that these continue to be managed by a family successor for a certain period. The goal of this amendment is to assist in protecting the viability and sustainability of family farms and family run businesses. The timeline set out in the legislation ensures that the Act will be operational by the 20 October 2021.

The 2021 full year cost of this measure is estimated at €10.30m, reducing to €10.20m per annum in 2022 and 2023, with an additional per annum cost of €3.75m (€13.95m) being realised in 2024.

Under the NHSS Act 2009, a participant in the Fair Deal scheme contributes to costs at 7.5% against the value of their principal residence for their first three years in care; after this, the contributions from the residence is capped. However, if they then sold the residence, the resulting cash asset would be assessable indefinitely. The NHSS Amendment Act 2021 changed this, so that the three-year cap is also applied to the cash proceeds of sale of a principal residence, as long as the residence is sold after an individual enters long-term care. This amendment ensures that the value of the PPR continues to be protected for families, whether the home is sold before or after the resident leaves care. It also removes a disincentive against the sale of vacant properties, in the context of the government’s Housing for All strategy.

The costs of this amendment were estimated at a total of €6.5m annually.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Questions (225, 230, 231)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

225. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the waiting list for gynaecology appointments; the waiting times for urgent and routine referrals in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45530/21]

Pearse Doherty

Question:

230. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the waiting times for gynaecological appointments in Letterkenny University Hospital for routine and urgent referrals in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [45535/21]

Pearse Doherty

Question:

231. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the waiting times for inpatient and outpatient gynaecological appointments at each hospital across the seven hospital groups in tabular form; if this information will be provided specifically regarding those waiting for three, six, nine, 12 or more than 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45536/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 225, 230 and 231 together.

It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last eighteen 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 associated curtailment of acute hospital services, coupled with the ransomware attack of May 2021, has impacted waiting times. However, the HSE advise that acute services are now almost all fully restored to pre cyber-attack levels, and are operating in line with relevant Covid protocols.

My Department, the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) are focusing on improving access to elective care in order to reduce waiting times for patients. These plans include increased use of private hospitals, funding weekend and evening work in public hospitals, funding “see and treat” services where minor procedures are provided at the same time as outpatient consultations, providing virtual clinics and increasing capacity in the public hospital system.

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 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 National Treatment Purchase Fund 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.

My Department continues to work with the HSE’s National Women & Infants Health Programme to improve access and ensure a more sustainable gynaecology service. The Programme has developed an Ambulatory Gynaecology Model of Care which centres on the establishment of one-stop “see and treat” ambulatory gynaecology clinics. The roll out of the Model of Care commenced in 2020, and funding has been provided under Budget 2021 to establish and/or expand services across additional clinics in 2021, including a clinic at Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH).

The HSE has advised that the new ambulatory gynaecology clinic at LUH is operational. Building on progress made since 2020 and, subject to resource availability, it is envisaged that up to a total of 20 ambulatory gynaecology clinics will be rolled out across the country, on a phased basis, in the coming years.

The information requested by the Deputy concerning gynaecology waiting lists is outlined in the attached documents.

Gynaecology Outpatient Waiting List By Hospital

	hospital name	0-3Months	3-6Months	6-9Months	9-12Months	12+ Months	Grand Total
Dublin Midlands Hospital Group
	Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital	1116	523	221	185	658	2703
	Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise	314	206	188	149	888	1745
	St. James's Hospital			83			83
	Tallaght University Hospital	410	431	267	264	1817	3189
Ireland East Hospital Group
	Mater Misericordiae University Hospital	235	41	12		10	298
	Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar	439	244	214	202	458	1557
	Our Lady's Hospital Navan	78	61	27	59	166	391
	St. Columcille's Hospital	17	11			9	37
	St. Luke's General Hospital Kilkenny	266	88	15	5		374
	St. Vincent's University Hospital	148	44	40	44	34	310
	Wexford General Hospital	444	318	189	198	40	1189
	St. Michael's Hospital	120	83	45	24	248	520
RCSI  Hospitals Group
	Beaumont Hospital	152	139	114		38	443
	Cavan General Hospital	318	251	144	124	150	987
	Louth County Hospital	110	95	81	67	31	384
	Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda	526	380	305	282	211	1704
	Rotunda Hospital	1320	989	611	357	17	3294
	Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown	179	139	104	84	28	534
Saolta University Health Care Group
	Galway University Hospitals	878	416	225	261	589	2369
	Letterkenny University Hospital	405	145	47	35	145	777
	Portiuncula University Hospital	302	267	127	93	32	821
	Sligo University Hospital	242	195	129	146	380	1092
	Mayo University Hospital	232	176	144	127	52	731
South/South West Hospital Group
	University Hospital Waterford	302	211	111	126	165	915
	Tipperary University Hospital	214	151	70	26	10	471
	University Hospital Kerry	278	225	123	134	366	1126
	Cork University Maternity Hospital	890	623	279	131	72	1995
University of Limerick Hospital Group
	Ennis Hospital	108	76	55	68	294	601
	Nenagh Hospital	43	25	34	32	145	279
	St. John's Hospital Limerick	158	96	71	76	36	437
	University Hospital Limerick	554	190	186	111	388	1429
Children's Health Ireland
	CHI at Temple St	98	45	49	44	29	265
Grand Total		10977	6885	4229	3499	7460	33050

All Hospitals Gynaecology OP

	0-6 Mths	6-12 Mths	12-18 Mths	18+ Mths	SmallVolTimeBand	Grand Total
19/12/2019	15,740	6,054	2,905	2,537	3	27,239
Invalid	1,350	15				1,365
Routine	10,668	5,061	2,409	2,237		20,375
	SmallVolPriority				3	3
Urgent	3,722	978	496	300		5,496
23/12/2020	15,187	5,955	3,570	4,065	1	28,778
Invalid	1,352	105	10			1,467
Routine	10,091	4,752	2,872	3,625		21,340
	SmallVolPriority				1	1
Urgent	3,744	1,098	688	440		5,970
26/08/2021	17,862	7,728	2,693	4,767		33,050
Invalid	2,409	457	128	105		3,099
Routine	11,335	6,258	2,230	4,163		23,986
Urgent	4,118	1,013	335	499		5,965

Letterkenny Gynaecology OP

	0-6 Mths	6-12 Mths	12-18 Mths	18+ Mths	Grand Total
19/12/2019	589	343	321	524	1,777
Routine	279	138	128	358	903
Urgent	310	205	193	166	874
23/12/2020	488	208	186	458	1,340
Routine	144	80	110	387	721
Urgent	344	128	76	71	619
26/08/2021	550	82	55	90	777
Routine	188	53	39	85	365
Urgent	362	29	16	5	412

Note: These are Point-In-Time values.

They represent the Point-In-Time position for the three reference dates given.

They give no representation for any other time.

Gynaecology IPDC Waiting List by Hospital

	0-3 Mths	3-6 Mths	6-9 Mths	9-12 Mths	12+ Mths	Grand Total
Beaumont Hospital	48	38	22	21	10	139
Cavan General Hospital		52				52
Cork University Maternity Hospital	140	109	72	54	219	594
Ennis Hospital		13				13
Galway University Hospitals	163	94	32	36	81	406
Letterkenny University Hospital	109	32	12	24	88	265
Louth County Hospital	78				46	124
Mater Misericordiae University Hospital	66	44	8	14	54	186
Mayo University Hospital	51	82	29	33	180	375
Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar	89	68	44	61	123	385
Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise	33	28	23	32	43	159
Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda	83	55	31	17	15	201
Our Lady's Hospital Navan	33				5	38
Portiuncula University Hospital	66	46	8	8	45	173
Sligo University Hospital	183	67	40	33	66	389
St. James's Hospital	53	38	31	14	64	200
St. John's Hospital Limerick	44	33	7	6	12	102
St. Luke's General Hospital Kilkenny	202	113	26	50	117	508
St. Michael's Hospital	38	24	7	7	42	118
St. Vincent's University Hospital	27	7			5	39
Tallaght University Hospital	57	35	18	27	31	168
University Hospital Kerry	11	5			7	23
University Hospital Limerick	74	45	37	15	43	214
University Hospital Waterford	74	41	17	24	98	254
Wexford General Hospital	12	15		10		37
Tipperary University Hospital	40	9			5	54
Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital	83	32	24		25	164
Small Volume Hospitals						9
Grand Total	1920	1117	503	507	1342	5389

*Due to the small volume of patients waiting in certain specialties, to preserve patient confidentiality, when the number of patients is <5, these have been included within broader time bands or aggregated into a 'Small Volume Specialties' and 'Small Volume Hospitals' cohort.

Hospital Services

Questions (226)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

226. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if results of blood tests taken at accident and emergency can be accessed by the gynaecology department in Letterkenny University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45531/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Questions (227)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

227. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of persons waiting and the waiting times for urgent and routine MRI referrals in Letterkenny University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45532/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As the issues raised by the Deputy relate to operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (228)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

228. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an appointment for hip surgery at Mayo University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45533/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.

In 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.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (229)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

229. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive a date for foot surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45534/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.

In 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.

Question No. 230 answered with Question No. 225.

Question No. 231 answered with Question No. 225.