Written Answers Nos. 970-987
970. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made on the recommendation for an additional nurse specialist post for the neurology service in Limerick Hospital which was submitted as part of the 2021 estimates process by the National Clinical Programme for Neurology. [52705/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
971. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of persons attending acute hospitals with strokes, blood clots and for emergency cardiac care from January 2021 to September 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52716/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
972. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health the position regarding efforts to secure new general practitioners for Ballyduff, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52719/21]
View answerGPs are self-employed private practitioners and therefore may establish practices at a place of their own choosing. There is no prescribed ratio of GPs to patients and the State does not regulate the number of GPs that can set up in a town or community.
Under the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. Where a vacancy arises in a practice with a GMS contract, the HSE becomes actively involved in the selection process to find a replacement GP.
In June 2021, Cork Kerry Community Healthcare was notified that a GMS post in Ballyduff would become vacant in September. An interim GP service has been arranged whilst the process of securing a permanent GP for the area is taking place. All GMS patients have been advised of this interim arrangement.
The GP Service, inclusive of nursing services, continues to be provided within the Ballyduff area whilst on-going recruitment campaigns are initiated to provide permanent filling of this post. Two recruitment campaigns were launched in July and September, however unfortunately, they have failed to yield a successful candidate. The HSE will launch another campaign in the near future and continue to provide an interim GP service within the Ballyduff area.
The Government is aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice in certain areas and a number of measures to improve recruitment and retention in general practice have been implemented.
These measures include an increase in investment in general practice by approximately 40% (€210 million) between 2019 and 2023 under the terms of the 2019 GMS GP Agreement GP. The Agreement provides for increased support for GPs working in rural practices and for those in disadvantaged urban areas, and for improvements to maternity and paternity leave arrangements. In addition, the number of GPs entering training has been increased steadily over the past ten years, rising from 120 in 2009 to 233 in 2021, with further increases expected.
These measures will see an increase in the number of GPs working in the State, improving access to GP services for patients throughout the country.
973. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if the HSE funds psychiatric nurse courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52720/21]
View answer974. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the rationale for the HSE to fund a psychiatric nurses course; if the course has been completed; if so, the outcome; if this course will continue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52721/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 973 and 974 together.
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
975. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of staff employed by the HSE; the number employed through a recruitment agency from 2019 to the latest date in 2021 in the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52722/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy, as soon as possible.
976. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a report on the €53 million debt that was cleared in mental health in 2021 in which this debt occurred; the way it was cleared; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52725/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
977. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 334 of 30 September 2021, the annual increases in the mental health expenditure separated by NSP development funding, Covid-19 related expenditure, pay restoration expenditure and any other relevant categories; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52730/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
978. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the types of venues and settings in which the EU Digital COVID Certificate can be used to permit entry, aside from hospitality premises; if it can be used by organisers of indoor group activities such as art classes; the way organisers of indoor group activities should assess if attendees are all vaccinated or a mix of vaccinated and unvaccinated persons, therefore requiring a pod system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52738/21]
View answerCovid pass arrangements are currently in place for nightclubs, life entertainment venues and indoor events and mass gatherings in additional to hospitality. A valid EU Digital COVID Certificate, or a recognised alternative proof, with photo ID is required for admission to these venues.
In addition, organisers of indoor activities can choose to apply the Covid pass. If organisers of indoor activities do not apply the Covid pass, and instead have a mix of vaccinated and unvaccinated people, the activities should take place in pods of 6.
As the Deputy will be aware, there is a range of sectoral guidance in place, including for example guidance for venues operating for the purposes of live entertainment and nightclubs (www.gov.ie/en/publication/updated-guidelines-for-nightlife-and-live-entertainment-sector/) and Arts Council guidance for the arts sector (www.artscouncil.ie/uploadedFiles/wwwartscouncilie/Content/Contact_us/COVID-19/COVID19_GuidancefortheArtsSector_291021.pdf).
979. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if the issue of pay restoration for section 39 workers will be addressed (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52745/21]
View answerUnder section 39 of the Health Act 2004, the HSE provides financial assistance to organisations by means of a grant. Section 39 legally underpins the provision of services similar or supplementary to a service that the HSE may provide. Staff in these section 39 organisations were not subject to the provisions of FEMPI legislation and therefore did not receive those cuts that were applied to the pay of public servants. They were not and are not party to the Public Service Agreements and are therefore not covered by the pay restoration provided for in these Agreements.
In October 2018, an agreement was reached by the parties at the Workplace Relations Commission in relation to a process of pay restoration for staff employed in a pilot group of 50 section 39 organisations who are funded by way of a Service Level Agreement (SLA). A further WRC engagement followed in December 2020 in relation to a final phase of 250 SLA funded organisations who were identified as part of the earlier agreement.
Pay restoration was applicable to Section 39 organisations who met certain criteria, rather than types of individual workers that are employed in them. The list of section 39 organisations that was compiled, included only agencies that had service arrangements in place back in 2013 and that were still under service arrangements in 2019. Only organisations who received in excess of an agreed, specified amount from the HSE by way of the Service Level Agreement process were included.
The CHO has received the allocation for South Doc and are processing the payment. They have informed South Doc in writing that the funding is forthcoming.
982. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a situation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52753/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
983. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if a list of chiropodists who accept medical cards in Dublin 1, 3, 7 and 9 will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52757/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
984. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if he has developed a plan to ensure that any person who is eligible can get the Covid-19 booster vaccine, in particular those who are housebound and are unable to attend on-site clinics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52758/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
985. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the steps his Department is taking to address issues related to foetal alcohol syndrome; the amount of funding provided to address these issues over the past five years; the information available on the incidence of foetal alcohol syndrome over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52764/21]
View answerAll matters relating to the provision of services for the treatment of foetal alcohol syndrome are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive and as such, I have referred this question to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply.
986. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the number of persons in Ireland that need to take PCBD 110 oil prescribed by their consultants for their illness (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52774/21]
View answerThe Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. Reimbursement for medicines under the community drugs schemes is for licensed indications which have been granted market authorisation by the European Medicines Agency or the Health Products Regulatory Authority.
In making a relevant reimbursement decision, the HSE is required under the Act to have regard to a number of criteria including efficacy, the health needs of the public, cost effectiveness and potential or actual budget impact. The Minister for health has no role in these decisions. The HSE have advised that PCBD110 is not reimbursable under the community drugs schemes.
The Medical Cannabis Access Programme (MCAP) is a 5-year pilot programme. The MCAP allows medical consultants to prescribe specified cannabis-based products for patients with certain medical conditions who have exhausted all other available medical treatment options. Those conditions are:
- Spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis
- Intractable nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy
- Severe, refractory (treatment-resistant) epilepsy
The MCAP is now open for medical consultants to make an application for themselves and their patients to be registered on the Cannabis for Medical Use Register, operated by the HSE.
Prospective suppliers of products to the MCAP can apply to the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), acting on behalf of the Minister for Health, to have a cannabis product considered for inclusion in the schedule to the Misuse of Drugs (Prescription and Control of Supply of Cannabis for Medical Use) Regulations 2019. The onus is on prospective suppliers to submit applications to the HPRA.
For medical indications not included in the MCAP, doctors may continue to utilise the Ministerial licensing route to prescribe medical cannabis for their patients. In line with the Chief Medical Officer's advice, the granting of a licence for cannabis for medical purposes must be premised on an appropriate application being submitted to the Department of Health, which is endorsed by a consultant who is responsible for the management of the patient and who is prepared to monitor the effects of the treatment over time.
It is important to note that the medical decision to prescribe or not prescribe any treatment, including cannabis treatment, for an individual patient is strictly a decision for the treating clinician, in consultation with their patient. The Minister for Health has no role in this clinical decision-making process.
