Thomas Gould
Question:235. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the actions he is taking to restore rehabilitation beds to pre-Covid-19 levels. [56354/21]
View answerHealthcare Policy
Questions (235)
Written answers
It is important when looking at waiting lists for drug and alcohol services to be aware of the impact COVID-19 had on society and particularly on drug and alcohol service provision.
Several factors have impacted on waiting lists for drug and alcohol detoxification over the course of the pandemic. These include (a) a reduction in capacity to comply with public health guidance, (b) restrictions on new entries, (c) closures due to outbreaks and (d) difficulties carrying out face to face assessments and validating waiting lists as many of the interactions are telephone only.
Unfortunately, the necessary Covid-19 safeguards have resulted in increases in waiting times for residential addiction treatment across the country ranging from an average of 2-6 weeks in some services to an average of 6-9 months in other services. The HSE cannot change the capacity issues that have arisen due to the introduction of social distancing measures to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Notwithstanding the limitations of Covid-19, the Department of Health provided an additional €2 million for residential drug and alcohol treatment services in 2021. This funding will provide an additional 100 stabilisation treatment episodes as part of the North East Inner City initiative, a further 150 episodes nationally in tier 4 residential treatment services and 100 treatment episodes in a residential step-up treatment facility for CHOs 3, 4 and 5.
In addition, over €1.3 million is being provided for the establishment of a 20 bed residential therapeutic community for expectant women and women with children in the mid-west region, which will cater for 125 episodes per annum.
Altogether, this funding will provide an additional 475 treatment episodes.
Public health guidance and support have been provided to residential services during Covid-19. The restoring of rehabilitation beds to pre-Covid-19 levels will depend on public health guidance and the prevalence of Covid-19 in society.
I acknowledge the challenges faced by service providers during Covid-19 and will continue to support service providers to fully resume services.
Departmental Data
Questions (236, 237, 238)
Thomas Gould
Question:236. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the number of new addiction beds by type, such as rehab, detox, stabilisation and so on, opened since 1 January 2021 by facility in tabular form. [56355/21]
View answerThomas Gould
Question:237. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the average wait time from first referral to admission for rehabilitation by CHO in tabular form. [56356/21]
View answerThomas Gould
Question:238. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the average wait time from first referral to admission for detox by CHO in tabular form. [56357/21]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 236, 237 and 238 together.
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. 237 answered with Question No. 236.
Question No. 238 answered with Question No. 236.
Departmental Data
Questions (239)
Thomas Gould
Question:239. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the funding provided to each taskforce in 2008; and the funding to be provided in 2021 in tabular form. [56358/21]
View answerWritten answers
In 2008 the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs had responsibility for the funding of Drug and Alcohol Task Forces.
The Department of Health does have records of payments to Task Forces in 2008. A table detailing the funding to each Task Force in 2021 is attached.
|
LDATF |
2021 DOH |
2021 HSE |
|
Ballyfermot |
€255,446 |
€1,241,286 |
|
Ballymun |
€422,958 |
€707,957 |
|
Blanchardstown |
€179,305 |
€923,589 |
|
Bray |
€573,860 |
€926,271 |
|
Canal Communities |
€338,605 |
€1,151,309 |
|
Clondalkin |
€388,114 |
€1,017,948 |
|
Cork |
€57,588 |
€1,472,699 |
|
Dublin 12 |
€70,397 |
€1,003,750 |
|
Dublin NE |
€239,971 |
€787,116 |
|
Dun Laoghaire |
€94,676 |
€796,755 |
|
Finglas Cabra |
€263,277 |
€637,960 |
|
NIC |
€394,856 |
€1,844,723 |
|
SIC |
€176,043 |
€1,878,014 |
|
Tallaght |
€336,022 |
€908,930 |
|
Total LDATF |
€3,791,118 |
€15,298,307 |
|
RDATF |
2021 DOH |
2021 HSE |
|
East Coast Area |
€58,200 |
€518,500 |
|
Midland |
€4,000 |
€805,307 |
|
Mid-West |
€147,982 |
€1,270,007 |
|
North East |
€0 |
€937,813 |
|
North West |
€258,633 |
€471,730 |
|
North Dublin City & Co. |
€0 |
€787,264 |
|
South East |
€0 |
€1,075,760 |
|
South West |
€102,820 |
€706,497 |
|
Southern |
€0 |
€983,178 |
|
Western |
€136,994 |
€534,155 |
|
Total RDATF |
€708,629 |
€8,090,211 |
|
Overall Total |
€27,888,265 |
Departmental Strategies
Questions (240)
Thomas Gould
Question:240. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the role of the taskforce coordinator. [56359/21]
View answerWritten answers
The Drug and Alcohol Task Force Handbook sets out the role of the task force coordinator.
The coordinator plays a key role in assisting the task force with developing and implementing its drug strategy. This necessitates taking a proactive role in driving the work of the task force. The coordinator is responsible for ensuring the task force acts in accordance with the Terms of Reference of Drug and Alcohol Task Forces. This involves:
- Co-ordinating the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy in the context of the needs of the region/local area.
- Implementing the actions in the National Drugs Strategy where Task Forces have been assigned a role.
- Promoting the implementation of evidence-based local/regional drug and alcohol strategies and to exchange best practice.
- Supporting and strengthening community based responses to drug and alcohol misuse.
- Maintaining an up-to-date overview on the nature and extent of drug and alcohol misuse in the area/region.
- Identifying and reporting on emerging issues and advocating for the development of policies or actions needed to address them.
- Monitoring, evaluating and assessing the impact of the funded projects and their continued relevance to the local/regional drugs task force strategy.
Task forces have an operational plan that identifies priorities and actions required to best serve the community/area they represent. The role and duties of the coordinator may vary depending on the objectives of the operational plan, as well as the range and volume of drug and alcohol projects they are involved with.
For more detailed information on the role of the task fore coordinator, see www.drugsandalcohol.ie/16412/. The handbook is currently being revised.
Departmental Strategies
Questions (241)
Thomas Gould
Question:241. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the publication date of the mid-term review of the National Drugs Strategy. [56360/21]
View answerWritten answers
Minister Feighan published the mid-term review on the 17th November. See here:
www.gov.ie/en/press-release/1dda3-minister-feighan-publishes-mid-term-review-of-national-drugs-strategy-and-strategic-priorities-for-2021-2025/
Departmental Strategies
Questions (242)
Thomas Gould
Question:242. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the strategy the HSE and other relevant Departments have been working under in relation to addiction given that the action provided in the National Drugs Strategy concluded in 2020. [56361/21]
View answerWritten answers
The national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, sets out government policy on drug and alcohol use in Ireland until 2025. The strategic action plan for the period 2017 to 2020 contains 50 actions. The implementation of these actions is monitored through the national oversight structures, supported by the coordinated system of monitoring, research and evaluation set out in the strategy.
The mid-term review of the strategy shows significant progress in implementing the action plan for the period 2017 to 2020, with only a small number of the 50 actions outstanding. We have improved access and availability of drug services, especially services for women, people who are homeless and those with heroin addiction. There is a new clinical programme for dual diagnosis and the government is championing an alternative health-led approach for the possession of drugs for personal use.
I have announce six strategic priorities for the remaining years of the strategy until 2025. These will strengthen the health-led approach to drug use, as agreed in the Programme for Government, and align with the EU Drugs Strategy and Action Plan. I will now work with all stakeholders to agree additional actions under these priorities.
The mid-term review is available here www.gov.ie/en/press-release/1dda3-minister-feighan-publishes-mid-term-review-of-national-drugs-strategy-and-strategic-priorities-for-2021-2025/
To support the implementation of the strategic priorities, I provided additional funding of €6m for new health measures in Budget 2020. Details of the funding is available at www.gov.ie/en/publication/001fc-budget-2022-factsheet/
Health Services Staff
Questions (243)
Thomas Gould
Question:243. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the number of staff currently employed in each of the children’s disability network teams by role in County Cork. [56363/21]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Legislative Measures
Questions (244)
Thomas Gould
Question:244. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the status of the proposed gambling control Bill. [56364/21]
View answerWritten answers
The Department of Justice has statutory responsibility for the regulation of gambling in Ireland.
The Minister of State for Law Reform, Youth Justice and Immigration, James Browne TD, published the General Scheme of the Gambling Regulation Bill on 21 October 2021.
Enquiries about the current status of the Bill should be directed to the Department of Justice.
Healthcare Policy
Questions (245)
Colm Burke
Question:245. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if the target to ensure that cancer referrals from a general practitioner into a hospital will be made electronically and each hospital group will facilitate the phasing-in of e-referral by the end of 2022 is still on track as is recommended in the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56391/21]
View answerWritten answers
The electronic GP referral system is active in all Hospital Groups. In 2020, a total of 52,343 electronic cancer referrals were received.
Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, e-referral and attendance data suggests that almost all GP referrals to symptomatic breast, lung and prostate cancer rapid access services are now being sent electronically. It is anticipated that the end 2022 target will be met for all cancer referrals.
Healthcare Policy
Questions (246)
Colm Burke
Question:246. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if public sector radiation oncology facilities in Dublin, Cork and Galway have been expanded to meet patient demand; if a planned national programme of equipment refreshment and replacement has been implemented as is recommended in the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56392/21]
View answerWritten answers
The National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 and the National Programme for Radiation Oncology (NPRO) provide the strategic direction for the provision of radiation oncology services in Ireland.
Under the NPRO, public sector radiation oncology facilities in Dublin, Cork and Galway are being expanded to meet patient demand. Much progress has been made in the expansion of these facilities in recent years as follows:
- Cork University Hospital (CUH) - the construction, clinical commissioning and full transition to a new radiation oncology facility at CUH was recently completed.
- University Hospital Galway - the construction of a new Radiation Oncology Unit is underway. Full opening of the new facility, including clinical commissioning, is expected in 2023.
- Beaumont Hospital - Initial design work on the expansion of the St Luke’s Radiation Oncology facility at Beaumont Hospital has been completed, a planning application has been lodged and work is ongoing on the room design for the new facility.
Furthermore, a business case for an equipment replacement programme over a number of years in the St. Luke's Radiation Oncology Network (Beaumont, St James's and St Lukes, Rathgar) has been approved and work is progressing towards implementation.
Healthcare Policy
Questions (247)
Colm Burke
Question:247. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if plans are in place to establish an age-appropriate facility designated for adolescents and young adults with cancer within the new national children’s hospital as is recommended in the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56393/21]
View answerWritten answers
As indicated, the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 recommends the designation of an age appropriate facility for adolescents and young adults with cancer within the new Children's Hospital.
The HSE's National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) has advised that the new Children's Hospital at St James's will provide age appropriate facilities and will increase inpatient cancer capacity by 50%. Furthermore, Adolescent and Young Adult beds will increase from 2 to 6, and the facilities will feature a den for Adolescent and Young Adult patients that is aimed at meeting some of the particular needs of this age group.
In 2019, a Clinical Lead for Children, Adolescents and Young Adults (CAYA) was appointed within the NCCP. Since then, a scoping exercise of current CAYA cancer services has been completed. Also, the NCCP established a CAYA Cancer Clinical Leads Group in April 2019 to oversee and implement the recommendations of the National Cancer Strategy and to enhance the delivery of care to Children, Adolescents and Young Adults with cancer nationally.
Healthcare Policy
Questions (248)
Colm Burke
Question:248. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if his Department has established a cancer patient advisory committee to provide input into the development of programmes for patients with cancer as is recommended in the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56394/21]
View answerWritten answers
The Cancer Patient Advisory Committee was established by my Department in January 2019, in line with Recommendation 39 of the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026. The Committee is comprised of 15 members of the public, primarily people who have direct experience of cancer treatment as a patient (both current and in the past), as well as people who have supported a family member (typically a child) through cancer treatment.
The Committee meets on a quarterly basis, meeting virtually through the Covid-19 pandemic. An official of the Department chairs the Committee, and secretarial services are provided by the Department. A representative of the HSE's National Cancer Control Programme attends meetings of the Committee.
The Terms of Reference of the Committee are:
- To facilitate a patient input to the oversight of the implementation of the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026;
- To provide input into the development of programmes for patients with cancer (e.g. in relation to survivorship/quality of life); and
- To consider how the patient input into cancer services can be facilitated more broadly in line with the objectives of the National Cancer Strategy.
My Department will shortly be seeking expressions of interest for membership of the Cancer Patient Advisory Committee to fill vacancies arising as the terms of some members come to an end.
Further information on the Committee can be found at www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/1942d8-cancer-patient-advisory-committee/.