Wednesday, 19 Jan 2022

Written Answers Nos. 1545-1565

Health Services Staff

Questions (1545)

Bríd Smith

Question:

1545. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if there is currently a practice of asking healthcare workers recruited by the HSE on fixed term contracts that are ending in December 2021 being advised to register with private homecare providers (details supplied) if they want to retain their positions; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that if these workers commence employment with these private agencies, they will experience wage cuts of 23%, zero hour contracts and inferior working conditions; if this development means that the HSE is effectively a recruitment service for private care providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63552/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I am engaged with stakeholders in home support and nursing homes on issues of recruitment and retention, with multiple meetings held with such groups in recent months and I can confirm the HSE is recruiting across all sectors and at all grade levels. Budget 2022 provides funding for continued further expansion in the health sector workforce. Work is also ongoing within the Department to progress the establishment of a Cross Departmental Strategic Workforce Advisory Group which will be established as a matter of priority in early 2022.

The role of the group will be to facilitate the views of stakeholders and examine any strategic workforce challenges in front-line carer roles in home support and nursing homes. Potential areas to be considered include recruitment, retention, training, and the career development of front-line carers in home support and nursing homes into the future. 

The Department is completing a short-life scoping exercise which is currently underway. A ‘call for submissions’ issued to relevant national stakeholders on 3rd December, with a closing date for receipt of submissions on 7th January 2022. 

The Department’s project team will consider the submissions received which will inform the next steps.  This is a critical first step to set out current challenges and to gather initial data and evidence to support the scoping, nature, and extent of the challenges, in advance of the Department bringing relevant stakeholders together in a structured process.  Subject to the scoping exercise, it is expected that the pay and conditions for these workers is also likely to be considered

Neither the Department nor the HSE have a direct role in the terms and conditions of individuals’ private personal contracts of employment in the private health and social care sector. 

General Practitioner Services

Questions (1546, 1649)

Mattie McGrath

Question:

1546. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the status of plans to extend free general practitioner care to all children under eight years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63564/21]

Paul Donnelly

Question:

1649. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health when the new general practitioner cards for children under seven years of age will be issued to parents given that they were initially due to be issued in December 2021. [1206/22]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1546 and 1649 together.

The Government is committed to increasing access to GP care without charges for children, an important healthcare measure that will remove a potentially prohibitive cost barrier to accessing GP care and will help to improve children’s health as they develop. At present all children up to and including the age of 5 are eligible for a GP visit card and therefore GP care without charges.

The Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Act 2020 provides, amongst other things, for the phased expansion of GP care without fees to all children aged 12 years and under in three phases: to children aged 6 and 7; to children aged 8 and 9; and to children aged 10,11 and 12. Budget 2022 provides for the initial stage of this phased expansion, the provision of GP care without fees to all children aged 6 and 7 and my Department has commenced work to roll the service out this year.

The specific date for commencing the expansion remains under consideration in light of COVID-19 and the additional pressures the expansion might place on general practice in that context and will require consultation with the IMO, representing General Practitioners. It is important to ensure that any additional pressures placed on general practice will not limit its capacity to meet the needs of all patients in the community.

Question No. 1547 answered with Question No. 1537.

Health Services

Questions (1548)

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

1548. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if the assessments that take place at the National Gender Service meet international best practice; if his attention has been drawn to the concerns raised by service users regarding the questions they are asked during the assessments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63568/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. 

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (1549)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

1549. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an appointment in Letterkenny University Hospital for a pain relief injection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63577/21]

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.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1550)

Réada Cronin

Question:

1550. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health the reason the HSE is asking persons including healthcare workers arriving at vaccination centres to replace their high-protection masks such as FFP2 with those of lower protection quality; if he will publish the scientific basis on which this request is made; if, in the circumstances of the highly-transmissible omicron variant, his Department is content for the HSE to continue with this practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63579/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1551, 1552)

Réada Cronin

Question:

1551. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health the reason the HSE is persisting in its specific advice to high-risk and vulnerable persons to use blue surgical masks as opposed to the FFP2 and similar (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63580/21]

Réada Cronin

Question:

1552. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health the reason the HSE and HIQA are taking a different stance on the use of FFP2 masks to that operating in other countries; if he will publish the scientific advice on which this is based; if he will require both bodies to advise FFP2 and similar in the context of the highly-transmissible omicron variant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63581/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1551 and 1552 together.

On 2 December 2021, the NPHET endorsed advice from HIQA which at that time concluded that the evidence did not support a population-level recommendation for the use of respirator masks by those who are at higher risk of severe infection from COVID-19 (while noting that this did not preclude their use at an individual level).

On 6 January 2022, the NPHET further reviewed its advice on facemasks within the context of the Omicron variant and made a number of recommendations. It recommended that guidance and messaging should clarify that:

- all types of masks, including cloth masks, can significantly reduce community transmission if properly constructed, well fitted, and appropriately worn;

- medical grade and respirator masks, if properly worn, offer greater protection than cloth masks;

- anyone who wishes to wear a medical grade or respirator mask instead of a cloth mask should do so, so long as whichever mask they choose is well-fitting and worn properly.

The NPHET recommended that the HSE should develop targeted communications in line with international models to provide appropriate information and clear messaging to communicate and promote adherence to the current public health guidance on facemasks.

Furthermore, the NPHET noted that as an additional form of protection for the wearer, individuals in medically vulnerable cohorts and older age groups (those 60s years and over) are currently advised to wear a medical grade mask when in crowded outdoor spaces or confined indoor spaces, including on public transport and in retail and healthcare settings. Some of these people may prefer to wear a respirator mask. When properly fitted and worn, a respirator mask may provide a higher level of protection against inhaling virus that may be valuable for people at higher risk.

Finally, the NPHET recommended that ideally a respirator mask or, alternatively, a medical grade mask (not a cloth mask) should be worn by anyone who is a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis during their infectious period, or who has symptoms suggestive of COVID-19, or who is a household contact of a confirmed COVID-19 case, or visiting a healthcare setting or when visiting those who are vulnerable to COVID-19 in any setting. This advice formed the basis of new guidance for cases and close contacts published by the Government last week - details available here - www.gov.ie/en/publication/3361b-public-health-updates/#guidance-for-those-with-symptoms-cases-and-close-contacts.

The NPHET also emphasised that respirator and medical grade face masks must, in the first instance, be prioritised for use by healthcare workers and those in healthcare settings.

HIQA's rolling summary of Omicron evidence and guidance can be found online www.hiqa.ie/reports-and-publications/health-technology-assessment/summaries-evidence-and-international-public. The NPHET letters are also available online: www.gov.ie/en/collection/ba4aa0-letters-from-the-cmo-to-the-minister-for-health/

Question No. 1552 answered with Question No. 1551.

Health Services

Questions (1553)

James Lawless

Question:

1553. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health if the case of persons (details supplied) will be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63582/21]

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.

Question No. 1554 answered with Question No. 1522.

Home Care Packages

Questions (1555)

Sorca Clarke

Question:

1555. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in County Longford awaiting the allocation of homecare hours; the length of time they have been waiting; and the number of hours they have been allocated. [63591/21]

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.

Home Care Packages

Questions (1556)

Sorca Clarke

Question:

1556. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in County Westmeath awaiting the allocation of homecare hours; the length of time they have been waiting; and the number of hours they have been allocated. [63592/21]

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.

Question No. 1557 answered with Question No. 1363.

Departmental Funding

Questions (1558)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

1558. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he plans to give approval to the funding application by a hospital (details supplied) given the unacceptably long waiting lists for orthopaedic and paediatric services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63597/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The National Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh is Ireland’s major centre for Elective Orthopaedic Surgery. The hospital provides the full range of Orthopaedic Services including Major Joint Replacement (ankle, hip, knee, foot, shoulder, elbow and wrist), Spinal Surgery, Primary Bone Tumour Service, Paediatric Orthopaedics and the management of Sports Injuries.

As part of Children’s Health Ireland’s (CHI) paediatric orthopaedic service, most complex cases (including patients with scoliosis) are treated at Crumlin and Temple Street, with Crumlin providing specialised multi-disciplinary treatment for the most complex patients. The National Orthopaedic Hospital at Cappagh provides additional capacity for the treatment of more routine orthopaedic patients, including some routine scoliosis procedures. By using the capacity provided by Cappagh, CHI can free up space in order that complex orthopaedic procedures, including spinal fusions, can be carried out centrally at CHI sites. More specifically, additional theatre capacity at the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh commenced on the 26 April 2021 for daycase surgery. CHI have advised the Department of Health that this should result in a positive impact in reducing long waiting times for general orthopaedics in addition to consequential capacity gains for complex patient needs. In 2022 CHI are planning to undertake a range of inpatient, daycase and outpatient orthopaedic appointments in Cappagh.

Funding proposals submitted to the HSE by Children’s Health Ireland for increased investment in paediatric orthopaedic services in 2022 and increased activity through 'Cappagh Kids' will be decided as part of the finalisation of the Waiting List Action Plan 2022. In addition the HSE has advised my Department that a proposal to fund an additional theatre at Temple Street is currently progressing through the normal HSE capital approval process. Improving access to scheduled care capacity remains a priority for me and my Department as we work to finalise 2022 Waiting List Action Plan. 

For 2022 an additional allocation of €250 million, comprised of €200 million to the HSE and €50 million to the National Treatment Purchase Fund has been provided in respect of work to reduce hospital and community waiting lists. The €250 million will be used to fund additional activity in both the public and private sectors. The €50 million additional funding provided to the NTPF brings its total allocation for 2022 to €150 million, and as a consequence there will be a budget of €350 million available to support vital initiatives to improve access to acute hospitals and community health services. 

In addition, my Department, the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund are also working on a Multi Annual Waiting List Plan to bring waiting lists in line with Sláintecare targets over the coming years. This process will be overseen by a Ministerial Taskforce, chaired by the Secretary General of my Department and includes representatives from the HSE and National Treatment Purchase Fund.

Departmental Data

Questions (1559)

Cathal Crowe

Question:

1559. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the average time it takes in each CHO for a death certificate to be issued in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63612/21]

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.

Health Promotion

Questions (1560)

Colm Burke

Question:

1560. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if his Department will consider launching a public health campaign advising of the health dangers of obesity and measures of prevention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63613/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The policy instrument for obesity in Ireland is “A Healthy Weight for Ireland’, the Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP), which was launched in September 2016 as part of the Healthy Ireland Framework.  The OPAP covers a 10-year period up to 2025 and aims to reverse obesity trends, prevent health complications and reduce the overall burden for individuals, families, the health system, and the wider society and economy. 

Communication with the public forms an important strand of the OPAP, and Step 4 of the OPAP is to Implement a strategic and sustained communications strategy that empowers individuals, communities and service providers to become obesity aware and equipped to change, with a particular focus on families with children in the early years.   Under Healthy Ireland, the Department, safefood and the HSE run a communications campaign called START (www.safefood.net/start), which aims to inspire, empower and support parents to start building and persist with healthy lifestyle habits in the family to prevent childhood obesity.  This five-year campaign, launched in 2017, acknowledges that the solutions to tackling overweight and obesity are multiple and that every sector has a role to play.  Key messages of the campaign are to minimise the intake of foods high in fat, salt and sugar and eat more fruit and vegetables, establish water and milk as routine drinks and provide appropriate child-sized portion sizes.  Increasing physical activity and sleep time and limiting screen time are also highlighted. 

More recently in Q4 2021, action under Step 4 of the OPAP has included the Healthy Ireland Let’s Get Set campaign (www.gov.ie/letsgetset ), which empowers us all to set a healthy routine in relation to eating well, getting active and minding our mood.

The launch of a new five year adult Healthy Weight Campaign is a priority under the OPAP for 2022.  The design of the campaign is being input into by members of the Obesity Policy Implementation Oversight Group and it will include a key target audience segmentation for 25- 34 year olds, as from 35 years of age onwards, research shows that large increases in overweight and obesity can occur. Qualitative research with different demographics of people within this age cohort has been carried out and is informing the development of the campaign.

In addressing this age group, the key focus will be on how to be weight aware and maintain a healthy weight, The focus of the campaign is aimed at the whole population of 25-34 year olds, but will also include a focus on disadvantaged communities, where levels of overweight and obesity tend to be higher.  The campaign will be a supported by initiatives and programmes delivering the key messages within the healthcare system such as the Healthy Food Made Easy programme and the recently announced dedicated services of a Food and Nutrition Officer in each of the 19 areas in the Sláintecare Healthy Communities Programme. The people in these positions will work within the communities to educate families about healthy eating and help address poor nutrition.   Work on the adult Healthy Weight Campaign is now well advanced and the campaign will commence during 2022.

Health Promotion

Questions (1561)

Colm Burke

Question:

1561. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to the establishment of a national radio station dedicated solely to health issues offering personal guidance, advice and assistance to persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63615/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The Department of Health and the HSE use a variety of media channels to inform and assist the public on a regular basis. This includes national and local radio ad campaigns and the participation of spokespeople and health experts to radio and television programmes. 

The Department of Health has developed many public health information campaigns, regarding policy and service updates, for radio, television and social media. These include Healthy Ireland ‘Let’s Get Set’ campaign, Sláintecare ‘Integrated Fund’ campaign, minimum unit pricing of alcohol, call-to-action on the palliative care consultation, screening and the National Screening Advisory Council campaigns and multiple Women’s Health Taskforce led initiatives.  

In line with best practice international advice and guidance provided by the WHO and the ECDC, communications has been a cornerstone of the Department of Health and wider Government’s response to COVID-19 from the outset of this pandemic.   

Safe behaviours are the bedrock of my Department and the HSE’s communications programmes. Over the last number of months, my Department and the HSE have, in close collaboration, developed numerous public health information campaigns that cover these behaviours in depth, for radio, TV, digital and print media.   

The Department communicates its messaging through the traditional medium of radio, including numerous public health information campaigns. Representatives of the NPHET are also regularly available for media interview across all major media outlets such as RTE, Newstalk and Virgin Media News, to answer questions and provide responses to any concerns posed to them by media or the general public in relation to the pandemic and Ireland’s response to it.  

In 2020, the Department of Health launched its first official podcast ‘Health of the Nation’. The channel featured health officials, healthcare workers and experts delivering clear and factual information regarding our response to the pandemic. This channel will be relaunched to cover a wide range of health topics into the future.   

Considering the large audiences that populate social media in Ireland, the Department of Health has directed followers on social media to official sources of information, such as the Government website, the COVID-19 Data Hub and the HSE’s website. The HSE also undertakes considerable social media advertising campaigns in order to promote public health information, health services and general expert advice across platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.  The Department proactively tackles misinformation online, an example of which is the SciComm Collective; a network of young science communicators backed by the Department of Health to reach wider audiences with trusted information.  

All of this work is supported by regular opinion polling carried out by Amárach. This is published weekly on my Department’s website and shows the commitment to assessing how the general public are feeling, not only about the COVID-19 measures, but on a range of issues related to the pandemic – including the media platforms they see or would like to see more public health information made available.

Health Services

Questions (1562)

Colm Burke

Question:

1562. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if his Department will consider establishing drop-in care centres with services for patients with dementia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63616/21]

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. 

Health Services

Questions (1563)

Colm Burke

Question:

1563. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if his Department plans to deliver post acquired brain injury inpatient services locally outside of Dublin as per the recommendations of the National Stroke Strategy and the National Rehabilitation Strategy which plan for the implementation of local specialist neurorehabilitation services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63617/21]

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.

Health Services

Questions (1564)

Colm Burke

Question:

1564. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if a commitment will be given to delivering post acquired brain injury inpatient services; his plans for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63618/21]

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.

Health Services

Questions (1565)

Colm Burke

Question:

1565. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to establishing a mental health first aid responder unit to be contactable along with other emergency services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63619/21]

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 directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.