Róisín Shortall
Question:123. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will respond to correspondence from a group (details supplied); and if he will agree to its request for a meeting. [6777/22]
View answerHospital Waiting Lists
Questions (123)
Written answers
I acknowledge that waiting times for many hospital procedures and appointments are unacceptably long. It is of particular regret that children can experience long waiting times for orthopaedic treatment, especially for time sensitive procedures, and I remain acutely aware of the impact that this has on children and their families. I remain committed to working to reduce waiting times for patients.
Children with a range of needs rely on the orthopaedic service of Children’s Health Ireland, for example children with Spina Bifida, hip deformity, and other orthopaedic needs. The complex patient needs of these children remains at the forefront of service provision.
I remain acutely aware of the need to improve access to orthopaedic patients, particularly for those patients with acute medical needs. On the 7th February 2022, I met with senior officials of Children’s Heath Ireland (CHI) and the HSE, as well as senior orthopaedic clinicians from Temple Street, Crumlin and Cappagh, to discuss increased orthopaedic activity at CHI and additional activity levels which will work to reduce the number of children waiting for spinal orthopaedic procedures including Spina Bifida, by year end.
My Department continues to work with the HSE and Children’s Health Ireland to deliver improved paediatric orthopaedic services. In 2018 Children’s Health Ireland was provided with an additional €9 million in funding to address paediatric orthopaedic waiting lists, including the provision of scoliosis services. This funding is recurring and has been provided in the base HSE allocation each year since 2018. The additional funding supported the recruitment of approximately 60 WTEs in 2018 and 2019 to enable the expansion of paediatric orthopaedic services. The posts relate to the multi-disciplinary team at diagnosis, pre-assessment, during surgery in theatre, and post operatively.
More specifically, in order to tackle waiting lists for scoliosis, and orthopaedic paediatric surgery more broadly, an additional €5 million has recently been committed to improve access, including through additional theatre and diagnostic capacity to be brought on stream this year.
Children’s Health Ireland continue to examine new and innovative ways to improve access to orthopaedic services. “Cappagh Kids” at the National Orthopaedic Hospital at Cappagh provides additional theatre capacity for non-complex, age appropriate, orthopaedic procedures, freeing up much needed space at central CHI sites for children with complex, multi-disciplinary needs. Additional orthopaedic outpatient sessions are also now held at Cappagh, providing additional capacity to see and assess children on the outpatient waiting list.
In addition, a new fast-track orthopaedic pathway has been developed as part of outpatient reduction plans. Paediatric Active Clinical Triage has already been introduced for the longest waiters (over 12 months) on the paediatric outpatient list.
More broadly, improving waiting times for hospital appointments and procedures remains a commitment of this Government. For 2022 an additional allocation of €250 million, comprised of €200 million to the HSE and €50 million to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) 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 NTPF 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.
Mental Health Services
Questions (124)
Róisín Shortall
Question:124. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of full-time consultant psychiatric posts allocated to CAMHS teams by CHO; the number of posts which are currently vacant by CHO; the period these posts have been vacant in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6778/22]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Departmental Data
Questions (125)
Róisín Shortall
Question:125. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the population profile and breakdown of each CHO in tabular form. [6779/22]
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.
Mental Health Services
Questions (126)
Neasa Hourigan
Question:126. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1716 of 19 January 2022, if there were bidders other than the HSE on a property purchased in January 2021 in Carrigaline, County Cork for the purpose of residential mental health provision; if there were other properties for this type of service considered by the HSE for purchase in 2020 and 2021; and if so, the location of each. [6781/22]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (127)
Neasa Hourigan
Question:127. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the estimated annual running costs of the HSE Carrigaline residential mental health service; and the estimated timeframe for the commencement of the service. [6782/22]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Health Service Executive
Questions (128)
Neasa Hourigan
Question:128. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if the HSE has purchased or is renting a property named Garnish House in Cork city; and the details of the costs associated with this property. [6783/22]
View answerWritten answers
As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the management of the public healthcare property estate, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to you in relation to this matter.
Medicinal Products
Questions (129)
Colm Burke
Question:129. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if his Department and the HSE will give consideration to providing funding to cover the cost of a drug known as adjuvant nivolumab for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6784/22]
View answerWritten answers
Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the community drug schemes; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Disability Services
Questions (130)
Niamh Smyth
Question:130. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if correspondence (details supplied) will be reviewed and the points therein addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6788/22]
View answerWritten answers
Firstly I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period.
In recognition of the efforts of the general public, volunteers and all workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and in remembrance of people who lost their lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on Wednesday 19 January, the Government announced a once-off public holiday will take place on Friday 18 March 2022.
The Government also announced COVID-19 recognition payment for frontline public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. The payment of €1,000 will not be subject to income tax, USC, or PRSI. The measure will be ring fenced to staff ordinarily onsite in COVID-19 exposed healthcare environments within the period between 1 March 2020 and 30 June 2021.
Those public sector frontline healthcare workers eligible for the payment will be directly employed public health sector staff working in clinical settings. A pro-rata arrangement will apply for eligible part time staff / equivalents and supernumerary students who were required to perform training in clinical sites.
The Department of Health will also introduce a measure for making a similar payment to staff in private sector nursing homes and hospices that were affected by Covid-19.
The cost of providing a recognition payment of €1,000 to all eligible public servants working in the health and ambulance services depends on the number of staff who are eligible for the payment. If there were 100,000 WTE deemed eligible, the estimated cost would be approximately €100 million. This figure of 100,000 WTE represents approximately 75% of the HSE/Section 38 workforce and would be the minimum expected to be eligible for this recognition payment.
Similarly, the cost of providing an equivalent recognition payment to relevant staff in private sector nursing homes and hospices affected by Covid-19 depends on the number of staff deemed eligible for the payment. The estimated cost set out above does not include the cost in respect of nursing homes and Defence Forces staff. This measure, including costings, will be progressed by the Department of Health.
The Department and the HSE are currently engaging in finalising arrangements to give effect to the Government announcement concerning the Recognition Payment. Full particulars, eligibility and terms and conditions that apply to this payment shall be made available shortly. It is important that this measure is applied fairly as intended and I welcome the work that is ongoing to ensure this is so.
Mental Health Services
Questions (131)
Mark Ward
Question:131. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the original costs budgeted for the Mount Carmel eating disorder service in CHO6; the expected increase in costs due to the delay; when the tendering process will be finalised; and when the service will be completed. [6821/22]
View answerWritten answers
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 (132, 168)
Paul Murphy
Question:132. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if advice can be provided for persons in circumstances (details supplied). [6823/22]
View answer
Fergus O'Dowd
Question:168. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the way a person can obtain an EU Digital COVID Certificate for travel purposes in circumstances (details supplied); and if advice will be provided for this cohort. [7086/22]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 168 together.
The EU Digital COVID Certificate Regulation (2021 / 953) details the scope and parameters for the issuing, authentication, and validity of certificates. A Digital COVID Certificates can be issued to persons who have tested positive for COVID-19 with a PCR test in Ireland and subsequently recovered.
Digital COVID Certificates for recovery are not currently issued on the basis of antigen tests as per the EU Digital COVID Certificate Regulation.
The EU Digital COVID Certificate is not a travel document or a requirement for travel, but rather a record of a medical event which can make freedom of movement with the European Union easier. Any individual who wishes to travel to another EU country should familiarise themselves with the travel requirements of that country available on the Re-Open EU webpage: reopen.europa.eu/en
Health Service Executive
Questions (133)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:133. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the details of the membership of the National Therapeutics Advisory Group that has been established by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6837/22]
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.
Health Service Executive
Questions (134)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:134. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the details of the membership of the Therapeutics Operational Group that has been established by the HSE; the way that this group will identify vulnerable patient cohorts; if the group will liaise with clinical leads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6838/22]
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.
Covid-19 Pandemic
Questions (135)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:135. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if and the number of the 1,000 treatment courses of the first delivery of the monoclonal antibody, xevudy also known as sotrovimab which arrived in Ireland on 20 January 2022 that have been distributed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6839/22]
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.
Covid-19 Pandemic
Questions (136)
Paul Murphy
Question:136. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that paxlovid will be available to high-risk patients in the UK from 10 February 2022; the plans the HSE has to make this drug be available for high-risk patients in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6840/22]
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.
Ambulance Service
Questions (137)
Michael Creed
Question:137. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify the situation regarding an ambulance base (details supplied) in County Cork. [6843/22]
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.