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Tuesday, 15 Feb 2022

Written Answers Nos. 634-652

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (634)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

634. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital appointments that were cancelled, postponed and rescheduled in Cavan General Hospital in each of the years 2019, 2020 and 2021, in tabular form. [7437/22]

View answer

Written answers

I fully acknowledge the distress and inconvenience for patients and their families when elective procedures are cancelled, particularly for clinically urgent procedures. While every effort is made to avoid cancellation or postponement of planned procedures, the HSE has advised that planned procedures and operations can be postponed or cancelled for a variety of reasons including capacity issues due to increased scheduled and unscheduled care demand.

Patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.

In relation to the particular queries raised, as these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (635)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

635. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital appointments that were cancelled, postponed and rescheduled in University Hospital Limerick in each of the years 2019, 2020 and 2021, in tabular form. [7438/22]

View answer

Written answers

I fully acknowledge the distress and inconvenience for patients and their families when elective procedures are cancelled, particularly for clinically urgent procedures. While every effort is made to avoid cancellation or postponement of planned procedures, the HSE has advised that planned procedures and operations can be postponed or cancelled for a variety of reasons including capacity issues due to increased scheduled and unscheduled care demand.

Patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.

In relation to the particular queries raised, as these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (636)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

636. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital appointments that were cancelled, postponed and rescheduled in Wexford General Hospital in each of the years 2019, 2020 and 2021, in tabular form. [7439/22]

View answer

Written answers

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

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (637)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

637. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital appointments that were cancelled, postponed and rescheduled in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda in each of the years 2019, 2020 and 2021, in tabular form. [7440/22]

View answer

Written answers

I fully acknowledge the distress and inconvenience for patients and their families when elective procedures are cancelled, particularly for clinically urgent procedures. While every effort is made to avoid cancellation or postponement of planned procedures, the HSE has advised that planned procedures and operations can be postponed or cancelled for a variety of reasons including capacity issues due to increased scheduled and unscheduled care demand.

Patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.

In relation to the particular queries raised, as these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (638)

Barry Cowen

Question:

638. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the status of the case of a person (details supplied); and when they can expect an appointment for admission to the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin. [7442/22]

View answer

Written 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 (639)

Jennifer Whitmore

Question:

639. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Health the funding provided for CAMHS in budget 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7443/22]

View answer

Written answers

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

Disability Services

Questions (640)

Alan Dillon

Question:

640. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health if another round of the fund to develop sensory gardens will be opened; if so, when new applications will be accepted; if similar funding streams are currently open to applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7450/22]

View answer

Written answers

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

Irish Blood Transfusion Service

Questions (641, 642)

Neasa Hourigan

Question:

641. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the date changes were brought forward by the Irish Blood Transfusion Service relating to deferral policies for blood donations, in particular when the change to reduce the existing 12-month deferral for methylsulfonylmethane to four months will be introduced. [7456/22]

View answer

Neasa Hourigan

Question:

642. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the date by which the Irish Blood Transfusion Service will introduce new technology to replace the existing paper health and lifestyle questionnaire with an electronic questionnaire to be known as the self-assessment health history. [7457/22]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 641 and 642 together.

The remit of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) is to provide a safe, reliable and robust blood service to the Irish health system. A major objective of the IBTS is to ensure that it always has the necessary programmes and procedures in place to protect both the recipients and the donors of blood and blood products.

Following a review of existing donor deferral policy by an independent expert group last year, the IBTS announced a range of changes to their existing deferral policies, including those concerning Men who have Sex with Men (MSM).

The objective of these policy changes is to move towards an individual assessment process for donors, making blood donation more inclusive. As a prerequisite to this, the existing paper-based Health and Lifestyle Questionnaire (HLQ) will be replaced with an electronic Self-Assessment Health History (SAHH) questionnaire.

The IBTS have advised that they expect the first phase of these deferral policy changes to begin on March 28th of this year. This initial phase will reduce the existing 12-month deferral period for MSM to 4 months. The replacement of the HLQ with the SAHH is expected to take place in July/August of this year, with the individual assessment system to follow later in the year once the SAHH is established.

Question No. 642 answered with Question No. 641.

Mental Health Services

Questions (643)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

643. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address the case of a person (details supplied) in respect of the provision of appropriate care for their child; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7470/22]

View answer

Written answers

My Department has already received correspondence from the family and it is currently being investigated.

This meeting request will be considered and a decision will be conveyed in the substantive response to the family.

As the remaining part of this question relates to a service matter I am referring this part of the question to the HSE for direct reply as soon as possible.

Ambulance Service

Questions (644, 645)

Gerald Nash

Question:

644. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if an inspection has been undertaken at a facility (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7472/22]

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Gerald Nash

Question:

645. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the refurbishment work being undertaken at a facility (details supplied); the total cost of the works involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7473/22]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 644 and 645 together.

As these are operational matters for the National Ambulance Service in the first instance, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Question No. 645 answered with Question No. 644.

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Questions (646)

Paul Murphy

Question:

646. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will consider including other workers who have also had to attend work throughout the lockdown periods such as those who work in residential drug services in the Covid recognition payment. [7476/22]

View answer

Written 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 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.

I am also mindful of other workers who played their own part during this difficult period in sustaining other services but did not work in such exposed areas. It is tough to draw a line on this matter, but the Government based its decision on the risks which frontline healthcare workers faced.

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Questions (647)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

Question:

647. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health if sections 10 and 39 funded services will be recognised in the Covid recognition payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7479/22]

View answer

Written 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 (whether private, voluntary or Section 39 etc.) that were affected by Covid-19.

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.

It is tough to draw a line on this matter, but the Government based its decision on the risks which frontline healthcare workers faced. It is also important to note that some private sector healthcare employers have already recognized their frontline workers for their extraordinary efforts since March 2020. I would encourage those other private sector healthcare employers who have not done so to adopt appropriate measures to recognise their employees.

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Questions (648)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

Question:

648. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health if general practitioner practice receptionists will be recognised in the Covid recognition payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7480/22]

View answer

Written 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 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.

Primary Care Centres

Questions (649)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

Question:

649. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the status of the primary care centre in Tullow, County Carlow; the timeline for when this facility will be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7481/22]

View answer

Written answers

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

Healthcare Policy

Questions (650)

Paul Murphy

Question:

650. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will request the women's health task force to consider the way care for women with hyperemesis can be improved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7483/22]

View answer

Written answers

I fully appreciate that hyperemesis, or severe sickness during pregnancy, is a debilitating condition for some women, and I am anxious that our health service should support women with this condition in every way possible.

Improving women’s health outcomes is a key priority for me and this Government. We made a strong commitment to Promoting Women’s Health in the Programme for Government and are fully committed to the development and improvement of Women’s Health services and to working with women and girls to improve their health across the whole life cycle.

In coming weeks I will be bringing a Women’s Health Action Plan to Government. It sets forward a wide range of positive initiatives to support women’s health, including maternal health, and provides a framework for further prioritisation as issues and needs arise.

In relation to the issue of hyperemesis, my officials are engaged with the HSE on this. The HSE are currently considering options intended to make products which treat this issue more widely available, and I am requesting an urgent consideration of this matter. I have also asked the Women’s Health Taskforce, the Department of Health group established in 2019 to improve women’s health outcomes and experiences of healthcare, to review the report currently being prepared by HSE on this issue with a view to achieving the best possible outcome for women suffering with this condition.

The commitment to Women’s Health has been reflected within Budget 2022, in the allocation of €31 million for new development funding to specifically support women’s health.

Budget 2022 will:

- Invest almost €9 million additional funding to ensure continued implementation of the National Maternity Strategy into 2022 and beyond, building on the significant investment in 2021

- Continue improvements in our gynaecology services by establishing a further 6 ambulatory gynaecology "see and treat" clinics, bringing the total to 20 clinics nationally

- Investment to fund access to contraception for women aged 17-25

- Support further developments in menopause care by increasing the number of specialist menopause clinics from 1 clinic to 4 clinics nationally

- Increase investment in sexual assault treatment units

- Invest in tackling period poverty for the first time

- Funding for the establishment of a new Obstetric Event Support Team

- Funding to establish a perinatal genetics service

- Build on initiatives started in 2021, by further expanding specialist endometriosis services for more complex cases across two centres

- Invest an additional €5 million into the Women’s Health Fund to fund innovative new approaches to women’s health services nationwide.

In addition, a further €16m in other measures to support women's health has been embedded within other new measures for 2022 within the Health Vote in areas such as cancer, mental health and social inclusion budgets, bringing the overall investment in women's health to €47m in additional funding provided for 2022.

General Practitioner Services

Questions (651)

Jackie Cahill

Question:

651. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health if the Shannondoc out-of-hours general practitioner service will continue to operate out of St. Mary’s Hospital, Thurles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7495/22]

View answer

Written answers

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

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (652)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

652. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive a hospital appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7505/22]

View answer

Written answers

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.

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