Tuesday, 2 Nov 2021

Hospital Procedures

Questions (1008)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

1008. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the number of scoliosis procedures undertaken in Irish hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52852/21]

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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 Procedures

Questions (1009)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

1009. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the number and location of Irish hospitals that have facilitated scoliosis procedures over the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52853/21]

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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 Procedures

Questions (1010)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

1010. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital procedures which were suspended over the past three years to date due to lack of appropriate theatre space. [52854/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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.

Health Services

Questions (1011)

Neale Richmond

Question:

1011. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health if he will consider extending the list of x-ray referrers to include registered physiotherapists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52866/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM (the BSSD), insofar as it relates to the designation of referrers, was fully transposed by the European Union (Basic Safety Standards for Protection Against Dangers Arising from Medical Exposure to Ionising Radiation) Regulations 2018 (S.I. No. 256 of 2018).

These regulations designate those who may refer for radiological tests; nurses, doctors, dentists and radiographers are designated as appropriate. Physiotherapists are not designated in the regulations and were not designated as referrers (prescribers) under the previous regulations. It should be noted that not all statutorily regulated professions are designated for the purposes of the BSSD.

HSCP Deliver, A HSCP Strategic Guidance Framework for Health and Social Care Professions 2021-2026 (National Health and Social Care Professionals Office, HSE 2021), launched by the HSE Chief Clinical Officer, Dr Colm Henry, includes commitments for the National HSCP Office in relation to progressing advanced practice for Health and Social Care Professionals (HSCPs).

Officials in my Department will be collaborating with the HSE National Office for Health and Social Care Professionals in relation to HSCP Deliver and developing advance practice for HSCPs to ensure the introduction of new models of healthcare are planned and managed effectively to meet future healthcare need.

The requirement for physiotherapists to order x-rays needs to be determined in the context of the new models of healthcare envisaged under Sláintecare. If a requirement is established in the future then legislation changes supported by a clinical professional position, development of relevant education and competency standards of practice will also be required.

Health Services Staff

Questions (1012, 1038)

Neale Richmond

Question:

1012. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health if he has considered creating the grade of advanced practice physiotherapist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52867/21]

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Neale Richmond

Question:

1038. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health if he has considered creating the grade of advanced practice physiotherapist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52980/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1012 and 1038 together.

The Minister considers all new grades proposed by the HSE, however, to date the proposal for Advanced Practice Physiotherapist has not been submitted to the Department for consideration. The HSE has a robust internal process which screens all potential new grades ensuring that they fit with Sláintecare reforms and that they are remunerated in line with their complexity and scope and represent international best practice.

Progressing advanced practice for Health and Social Care Professions including physiotherapy aligns with and supports the delivery of Sláintecare, all staff working at top of licence, to help address staffing shortages in the health services and support retention of Health and Social Care Professions who might otherwise be lost due to lack of opportunities for career progression in clinical roles.

From a strategic point of the view HSCP Deliver, A HSCP Strategic Guidance Framework for Health and Social Care Professions 2021-2026 (National HSCP Office, HSE 2021), which was launched by the HSE Chief Clinical Officer and Chief Operations Officer, includes commitments for the National Health and Social Care Professions Office with regard to progressing advanced practice for Health and Social Care Professions. With support from the HSE Chief Clinical Officer and sponsorship from the HSE National Lead for Integrated Care, the National Health and Social Care Professions Office is leading a project which is focused on developing a framework to progress advanced practice, for Health and Social Care Professions.

The HSE is supportive of progressing advanced practice for physiotherapy as part of a wider response to population health care needs that will include all relevant professions within the Health and Social Care Professions group to assist in addressing health care priorities such as waiting list reduction, admission avoidance, patient flow and egress from the acute hospital, and develop the advance practitioner role to address key health issues and assist in the delivery of healthcare reform.

The HSE Integrated Care Lead and National HSCP Office are committed to working in partnership with all stakeholders to progress advanced practice including patients/service users, other clinical colleagues including medical, nursing and midwifery and other health care professionals, Professional bodies, HSE and the Department of Health.

Health Services

Questions (1013)

Brendan Smith

Question:

1013. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the proposals there are to increase the number of places for adult services at a centre (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52888/21]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible. I note that there are several services located at the same site that the Deputy has referred to in the question, and the response provided above relates solely to HSE-funded disability services.

Health Services Staff

Questions (1014, 1015)

Joe Flaherty

Question:

1014. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Health if the post for disability social worker in County Longford has been filled. [52903/21]

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Joe Flaherty

Question:

1015. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Health if the post for school age psychologist in County Longford has been filled. [52904/21]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1014 and 1015 together.

As the Deputy's questions relate to service issues, they have been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Question No. 1015 answered with Question No. 1014.

Health Services

Questions (1016)

Niall Collins

Question:

1016. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health his plans for the continued and future funding of a group (details supplied); the contacts he has had with the group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52907/21]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

Drug and alcohol task forces play an important role in identifying and coordinating responses to substance misuse priorities in local communities. Services provided by task forces are instrumental in assisting individuals and families in addressing addiction issues.

The group referred to by the Deputy was allocated €1,244,000 in 2021.

I recently met with task force representatives in early October to discuss additional funding for community-based services.

I will shortly be announcing details of €1m funding for community-based drug and alcohol services, which will be allocated on the basis of population needs across Community Healthcare Organisations. Drug and alcohol task forces will have a key role in prioritising how this funding will be used to enhance access to and provision of community services.

I have also secured an additional €6m for new measures to support the implementation of the national drugs strategy. A factsheet with details on this additional funding is available here: www.gov.ie/en/publication/001fc-budget-2022-factsheet/.

I am committed to working with drug and alcohol task forces to increase access to and provision of drug and alcohol services in the community.

Question No. 1017 answered with Question No. 777.

Question No. 1018 answered with Question No. 959.

Question No. 1019 answered with Question No. 999.

Hospital Admissions

Questions (1020)

Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

1020. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital admissions through University of Limerick Hospitals Group’s emergency departments and medical assessment units that were due to diabetic ketoacidosis or severe hypoglycaemia in each of the years 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [52919/21]

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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 Admissions

Questions (1021)

Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

1021. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the number of adults over 18 years of age that were admitted through University of Limerick Hospitals Group’s emergency departments and medical assessment units due to diabetic ketoacidosisor to severe hypoglycaemia in each of the years 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [52920/21]

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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.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1022)

Seán Canney

Question:

1022. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the makes of Covid-19 vaccines now available here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52947/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Ireland is participating in a Procurement Exercise being operated by the European Commission on behalf of Member States to procure suitable, safe and effective vaccines, in sufficient quantities, to combat COVID-19.

Four vaccines have been authorised by the EU to date; Comirnaty (Pfizer/BioNTech), Spikevax (Moderna), Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca) and Janssen.

A number of vaccine candidates are currently under rolling review by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) including NVX-CoV2373 (Novavax), CVnCoV (CureVac) and Sputnik V (Gam-COVID-Vac).

When medicines are under rolling review, the EMA human medicines committee CHMP evaluates clinical trial data as soon as these become available until it decides there is enough evidence for the developer to apply for marketing authorisation

The EMA cannot provide exact timelines as these depend on when developers provide the necessary data for CHMP review. The EMA updates the status of each medicine under rolling review when the developer applies for marketing authorisation.

Question No. 1023 answered with Question No. 777.

Question No. 1024 answered with Question No. 810.

Health Services

Questions (1025)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

Question:

1025. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Health if he will assist in providing the necessary supports to a person (details supplied); when this support will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52950/21]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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