Written Answers Nos. 592-614
592. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the steps that are being taken to ensure that the response times for ambulance services are as fast as possible, with particular reference to the north County Kildare area; if the service has enough personnel on hand to adequately respond to all calls in a timely manner from the nearest National Ambulance Service station at all times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54227/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
593. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health his proposals to allow those who, on medical grounds, are not fully vaccinated to be allowed to fully participate in society; if he will introduce an exemption to the current Covid-19 restrictions, on health grounds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54241/21]
View answer684. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to permit antigen testing as a means of facilitating access to hospitality for persons who cannot get vaccinated on medical grounds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54750/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 593 and 684 together.
The current high level of COVID-19 infection and the dominance of the significantly more transmissible Delta variant poses a very substantial threat, particularly to those who are not fully protected through vaccination. Public health advice remains that those who are not fully vaccinated should avoid congregated indoor settings for their own and others safety.
The National Public Health Emergency Team gave some consideration to the issues arising for those people that can’t receive a COVID-19 vaccine for medical reasons as part of its discussions on the 18th October 2021 on the continuing response to COVID-19 and the extension of Covid Pass arrangements. The matter is being given further consideration.
The Deputies may wish to be aware that on 15 July, NIAC made a recommendation, which was endorsed by the Chief Medical Officer and accepted by the Minister for Health that while the preference was for homologous vaccination regimens (using the same vaccine as part of a two dose regime) that selective use of heterologous vaccination schedules (two different vaccines used as part of two dose regime) should be permitted where a second vaccine dose of a homologous regimen is contraindicated, irrespective of whether the first dose was an mRNA or adenoviral vector vaccine. NIAC in conjunction with the RCPI and the Irish Association of Allergy and Immunology have prepared a guide to aid vaccinators and other healthcare workers on how to advise allergic individuals in respect of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, this guide is available here: rcpi-live-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/FAQs-about-COVID19-Vaccines-and-Allergies_12August2021.pdf
594. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the options that are available to persons to receive a booster vaccine in circumstances in which a person received a vaccine (details supplied) and is medically unable to receive another one; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54243/21]
View answerThe immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The NIAC's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practices in relation to immunisation. It makes recommendations on vaccination policy to my Department.
The HSE has been advised to operationalise updated NIAC guidance in relation to the mixing of vaccines, specifically relating to certain people who are yet to complete a two-dose Covid-19 vaccine regimen.
The NIAC advice on heterologous vaccination relates to:
- individuals who have already had a dose of Vaxzervia® (AstraZeneca) and who did not complete the vaccination schedule as recommended, an mRNA vaccine should be offered.
If an mRNA vaccine is used as a second dose, it should be given after an interval of at least 28 days and the person should be considered fully vaccinated after their second vaccine (7 days after Comirnaty (Pfizer/BioNTech), 14 days after Spikevax (Moderna)).
595. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health , further to Parliamentary Question No. 574 of 21 September, if the vacancy for the psychiatrist has been filled in the day hospital in Kilrush; if so, when the person is expected to commence work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54246/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
596. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health if it is projected that there will be a sufficient number of home care workers to further progress the time to move on from congregated settings strategy in 2022. [54269/21]
View answerAs the particular issue raised is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
597. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the extent to which the figure earmarked in tables 1a and 1b of the Disability Capacity Review to 2032: A Review of Social Care Demand and Capacity Requirements to 2032, by each type of disability, that is each row in the table service has been achieved in budget 2022 (details supplied); and the amount of this €220 million shortfall that will be met in 2022. [54284/21]
View answerBudget 2022 builds on €100m funding allocated in 2021 to enhance specialist disability services. The 2022 package totals an additional €115m. A key initiative will be funding for residential services to persons with a disability in response to their priority needs and further residential supports on a planned basis. The HSE, in preparing its National Service Plan, will examine how this key priority can be progressed in 2022 within the overall increased envelope of funding for disability services.
A Review of Disability Social Care Demand and Capacity Requirements up to 2032, was published by myself, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O’Gorman on 15th July 2021.
It is important to note that the Report quantifies and costs future need for disability support services from a 2018 baseline, and not a 2021 baseline. That is, the funding requirements as set out in the Report are relative to 2018 expenditure, not 2021. In order to drive the process of implementing the recommendations of the report, the Ministers have also published a Framework Action Plan setting out key priorities over the period to 2025.
An Interdepartmental Working Group is now preparing the Action Plan for consideration of the Cabinet Social Policy Sub- Committee. This work was enhanced by the views of service users and representative organisations who were consulted in September of this year.
Further information on the Working Group can be found at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/f7943-the-disability-framework-action-plan-working-group/
Further information on the public consultation can be found here:
www.gov.ie/en/consultation/e9193-public-consultation-on-disability-social-care-services-to-guide-plan-for-the-next-4-years-2022-2025/
598. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the discussions he has had with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on the way to address the shortfalls in disability funding identified by the Disability Capacity Review to 2032: A Review of Social Care Demand and Capacity Requirements to 2032; and the way in which the review was factored into the determination of his Department's budget allocation for disability services for budget 2022. [54286/21]
View answerA Review of Disability Social Care Demand and Capacity Requirements up to 2032, was published by myself, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O’Gorman on 15th July 2021.
It's important to note that this Report quantifies and costs future need for disability support services from a 2018 baseline. That is, the funding requirements as set out in the Report are relative to 2018 expenditure. In order to drive the process of implementing the recommendations of the report, the Ministers have also published a Framework Action Plan setting out key priorities over the period to 2025.
An Interdepartmental Working Group is now preparing the Action Plan for consideration of the Cabinet Social Policy Sub- Committee. This work was enhanced by the views of service users and representative organisations who were consulted in September of this year.
Further information on the Working Group can be found at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/f7943-the-disability-framework-action-plan-working-group/
Further information on the public consultation can be found here:
www.gov.ie/en/consultation/e9193-public-consultation-on-disability-social-care-services-to-guide-plan-for-the-next-4-years-2022-2025/
I engage regularly with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on funding for disability services, and am pleased to note we have secured a funding package of an additional €115m for disability services in 2022. As the work on preparing the Action Plan progresses, I will be continuing that ongoing engagement.
599. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the progress on transferring the disability budget from his Department to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. [54287/21]
View answerFollowing the Government's announcement regarding the establishment of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability and Integration, arrangements are underway for the transfer of disability services to the new Department.
Given the scale of the transfer and the significant budget involved (c. €2.2bn in 2021), HR, policy, legal and governance workstreams are underway within my Department to sequence the range of tasks necessary to effectively complete the transfer of responsibility. A Project Group has been created with representatives from both Departments to prioritise the project and senior officials have been assigned responsibility for this. Fortnightly bilateral meetings are taking place to ensure an efficient, collaborative approach to the overall programme of work. Relevant officials have also engaged with colleagues in the HSE.
Significant progress has been made. There is broad agreement as to the scale and scope of the services involved. There was close cooperation between the two Departments in relation to the budget negotiations for 2022, which were led by my Department with strategic input from DCEDIY.
The legislation to underpin the transfer (The Health (Amendment) (Transfer of Functions) Bill) is listed as priority legislation in the legislative programme for this Oireachtas term. I intend to bring a Memorandum to Government in the coming weeks, with the agreement of the MCEDIY, to seek permission to draft Heads of a Bill.
600. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if there is a minimum amount of Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC content that a cannabis product seeking to be added to the Medical Cannabis Access Programme must contain in order to be approved for inclusion under the programme; if he will provide further details on this minimum threshold; if products with minimal trace amounts of THC can be added to the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54290/21]
View answerThe regulations that enable the operation of the Medical Cannabis Access Programme (S.I. 262 of 2019, Misuse of Drugs (Prescription And Control Of Supply Of Cannabis For Medical Use) Regulations 2019) are made under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977, as amended. The basis of these regulations are to permit, in limited controlled circumstances, the prescribing and supply of a controlled substance, namely, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), that the Misuse of Drugs Act otherwise prohibits.
As such, from the outset, only products containing THC meet the criteria for inclusion on the Medical Cannabis Access Programme (MCAP). As there are no thresholds or limits with respect to THC in the Misuse of Drugs Act, theoretically a product containing just a trace amount of THC could be considered for inclusion in the MCAP, however, a requirement for eligibility is that the product must be aligned with the clinical guidance in this area, as published by the Department of Health.
601. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he is giving consideration to the campaign by an organisation (details supplied) for an additional 100 neurology nurse specialists across Ireland, which includes eight additional nurses for the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin 7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54291/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
602. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health when chiropody services will be made available in Athenry, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54292/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
603. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the dental services in County Galway that will take on new medical card patients; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many pensioners in County Galway have reported that they have found it difficult to access dental services through the medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54296/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
604. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Health if the details of the costings for the renovations of the Owenacurra Centre, Midleton, County Cork will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54297/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
605. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Health his views on whether it will be possible to assign an independent assessor to the Owenacurra Centre, Midleton, County Cork to examine if the problems regarding the centre can be resolved in the short to medium-term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54298/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
606. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide explicit assurances that no plans are in place to downgrade services currently in operation at Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise, including a downgrading of the emergency department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54312/21]
View answerI am committed to securing and further developing the role of the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise as a constituent hospital within the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group.
The Deputy will be aware that the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise has been the focus of a number of investigations and reports in recent years. The reports point to the need to reconfigure some services to ensure that patients are treated in the most appropriate setting by specialist staff who can safely meet their needs. Against that backdrop, the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group submitted a draft action plan some time ago for a new model of clinical service delivery at the hospital. That plan takes account of the need to develop services at Portlaoise in the context of developing a model of service provision to span the Hospital Group.
While no decision has yet been taken on the draft action plan, it is important that in any consideration of services at the hospital, patient safety and patient outcomes are the priority. It is also important that any reconfiguration of Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise is undertaken in the context of, and aligned with, the overall Sláintecare process and the progression of the Regional Health Areas.
607. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who at present avail of the fair deal scheme, by primary care centre and primary health network catchment area, in County Cork, in tabular form. [54367/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
608. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a child (details supplied) who has waited two years for services has been informed that there will be three speech and language sessions provided between now and February 2022 while that person's mother engages with a course on speech and language therapy. [54369/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
609. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if he will consider publication of updated guidance for addiction recovery peer support meetings given that restrictions did not lift on 22 October but nightclubs opened yet these groups can only have extremely limited numbers in a room. [54434/21]
View answerThe Department has developed guidance for drug and alcohol support groups and treatment programmes. The guidance recognises the important role of drug and alcohol support groups and treatment programmes in helping individuals to build recovery capital and to avoid relapse into harmful patterns of substance use.
In line with the reopening of society, the cap on attendance at drug and alcohol support groups and programmes has been lifted, subject to protective measures being in place. These include:
- wearing of face masks (can be removed for consumption of refreshments)
- ensuring indoor spaces are well ventilated
- maintaining adequate social distancing (two metres where possible)
- covering coughs and sneezes and washing our hands
- not attending meetings if a person has symptoms and getting tested.
The specific number attending groups or programmes should be determined by the capacity of the venue to ensure social distancing and should be reduced accordingly in smaller venues.
The difficulties in implementing the EU Digital COVID Certificate (COVID-19 pass) for attendance at support groups and programmes are recognised. Organisers should encourage participants to available of the Covid-19 vaccination. Vaccination protects individuals from the impact of the disease and is especially important where other participants may have underlying health issues.
Public health advice is that non-vaccinated people should avoid congregated indoor settings. Other meeting formats - outdoors and online - should continue to be provided.
My officials will continue to engage with AA and other recovery support groups to ensure the safety of those attending groups and programmes, in line with public health advice.
610. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of palliative care teams and staff by community healthcare organisation, CHO, area. [54438/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
611. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the detail of the current backlog of unreviewed safeguarding concerns in respect of the abuse of adults by community healthcare organisation, CHO, region. [54440/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible
612. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide clarification on a matter regarding payments to general practitioners (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54441/21]
View answerUnder the General Medical Services (GMS) contract, GPs are reimbursed for a range of services they provide to medical card and GP visit card holders on behalf of the Health Service Executive. GPs are remunerated for these services primarily on a capitation basis, with a range of additional support payments and fees for specific items of service.
The HSE Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) is responsible for making payments to Primary Care Contractors, including GPs. The reimbursement payments to independent practitioners are not salary and practitioners must meet their business expenses out of same.
Following engagement with the Irish Medical Organisation, a grant-based system of funding for GP Out Of Hours Co-operatives has been in place since March 2020 to support Out of Hour services during the pandemic. In accordance with the agreed system, no Out of Hours or other claims for consultations during Co-op hours of operation are claimable by the Co-op or their members from the PCRS.
The PCRS has a legal obligation to ensure that resources are used for the purpose for which they are intended and is obliged to verify the reasonableness and accuracy of all claims submitted for payment. A validation mechanism exists for claims made by Co-op members during the hours of operation of grant aided Co-ops.
Where GPs have any queries or concerns in relation to the validation mechanism or their GMS remuneration, there is a specific email contact point provided pcrs.doctorsqueries@hse.ie. Where information is provided that clarifies that any claim held under the validation is in line with contracts PCRS ensures same is paid.
614. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if he will consider putting in place mental health teams dedicated to supporting expectant and bereaved mothers, and families. [54444/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
