Written Answers Nos. 731-750
731. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of national independent review panel reports under way currently, by CHO area and by the type of service under review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9327/22]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter, I am referring the question for response to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
732. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of national independent review panels launched in each of the past ten years by CHO area and by the type of service reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9328/22]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to a HSE operational matter, I am referring the question for response to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
733. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the funding that was provided to a group (details supplied) in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9331/22]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to a service matter I am referring the question for response to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
734. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if additional resources are being allocated to hospitals in order to address the backlog of children awaiting their 9 to 11 month developmental check given that many children are not receiving an appointment for this timeframe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9332/22]
View answerChild development checks are provided by Public Health Nurses alongside a range of other community healthcare services.
In relation to service capacity, since March 2020, many Public Health Nursing staff have been redeployed to support COVID-19 related clinical activities including providing clinical leadership and direct support in the establishment of COVID-19 vaccination clinics. This redeployment of staff has had a significant impact on the capacity of the Public Health Nursing service to deliver the core child health screening and surveillance programme. However, as public health nursing staff returned to their core duties the child development check services were prioritised. Any parents with a concern should contact their GP or local HSE Public Health Nursing service.
In respect of additional resources, the Government is investing €195m in 2022 under the Enhanced Community Care programme which will support recruitment of around 3,500 primary and community staff, including more nursing staff.
735. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the number of adult psychiatrists employed by the HSE who treat people with ADHD in CHO9; the practices in which they are located; if there are plans to increase resources in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9334/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
736. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the status of the community healthcare networks supporting the expansion of services based on the need and size of local populations as outlined in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9341/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
737. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding payments to healthcare assistants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9342/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
738. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the way he plans to deal with the severe lack of podiatrists available to care for persons with diabetes (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9345/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
739. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health his views on an independent review into the CHO1 in the north west and its ability to manage and operate disability services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9347/22]
View answer740. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will commence an independent review into the quality and management of disability services in CHO2; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9348/22]
View answer741. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will commence an independent review into the quality and management of disability services in CHO3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9349/22]
View answer742. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will commence an independent review into the quality and management of disability services in CHO4; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9350/22]
View answer743. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will commence an independent review into the quality and management of disability services in CHO5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9351/22]
View answer744. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will commence an independent review into the quality and management of disability services in CHO6; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9352/22]
View answer745. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will commence an independent review into the quality and management of disability services in CHO7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9353/22]
View answer746. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will commence an independent review into the quality and management of disability services in CHO8; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9354/22]
View answer747. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will commence an independent review into the quality and management of disability services in CHO9; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9355/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 739 to 747, inclusive, together.
In December 2021, the CEO of HIQA advised the Minister of Health and the Minister of State with responsibility for Disabilities of concerns in relation to the HSE’s governance, management, and oversight of social care in CHO1. The Chief Inspector of Social Services, in the context of HIQA functions under the Health Act 2007 as amended, had brought concerns to the CEO's attention. The Chief Inspector is an independent statutory function responsible for the registration and inspection of designated centres, including those for people with disabilities.
The Chief Inspector has instigated a regulatory programme requiring the HSE to take action to improve the quality of life for residents of designated disability centres and regulatory compliance. HIQA is monitoring the progress of the HSE.
The progress on the steps being taken by HIQA the regulator, and the response by the HSE to address the safeguarding and governance concerns in adult disability services in CHO1, is being monitored by the Department of Health and the Minister of State with responsibility for Disabilities, Minister Rabbitte.
Minister Rabbitte, with the Department of Health and HSE, is actively considering and scoping what might be done to further enhance safeguarding in residential care in the area.
The findings of HIQA’s regulatory programme, and the work of the HSE in this regard in CHO1, will be considered and learnings may inform safeguarding policy more generally as appropriate. It is important, however, to allow the work underway to progress. The ultimate aim is to ensure that services are safe for clients and that those working in the services are appropriately supported.
Work is currently underway by the Department of Health in developing a national policy on adult safeguarding in the health and social care sector, which includes disability services. The intention of this Policy development is to enhance / strengthen the health and social care sector’s wider adult safeguarding framework.
The delivery of high-quality safe services for adults with a disability in CHO1 is of the highest priority. All steps being taken to provide assurance of this is to be welcomed.
748. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he is confident that HIQA as a regulator is receiving adequate and timely notifications from disability health service providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9356/22]
View answerRegulations set out specific incidents that providers are legally required to notify to the Chief Inspector of Social Services, and the timeline for submitting same. According to HIQA, the majority of providers make notifications to the Chief Inspector within the required timeframe. In cases where notifications are not made on time, this is identified as a regulatory non-compliance and the provider is required to take action to ensure they meet the requirements of the regulations.
A report on each HIQA inspection, which includes information on compliance with regulations, is published by the Authority on its website – www.hiqa.ie. Information on notifications is also included in the Authority’s Annual Report.
749. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made on the action in the Healthy Ireland Strategic Action Plan 2021-2025 to progress implementation of the commitment to use planning to address the obesogenic environment; the plans that are in place for 2022 for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9357/22]
View answerThe Healthy Ireland Strategic Action Plan 2021-2025 was published in May 2021 by Minister Stephen Donnelly and myself, following an extensive stakeholder consultation process. The Healthy Ireland Strategic Action Plan builds on the success of the Healthy Ireland Framework, which was published in 2013. The Action Plan contains 56 strategic actions across six themes which will be implemented over the lifetime of the plan. It takes a "whole of government" and "whole of society" approach, and each action has a lead government department from across fourteen separate government departments.
One of the strategic actions under Theme 2, "Partnerships and Cross-Sectoral Work", is to "Engage and collaborate with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to align policy and initiatives with Healthy Ireland policy ". The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) is represented on both the Obesity Policy Implementation Oversight Group and the National Physical Activity Plan Implementation Group (NPAP IG). The Department of Health also collaborates with DHLGH in other fora, such as the Town Centre First interdepartmental advisory group.
An Implementation Action under the strategic action referred to above is "Implementation of the commitment to use planning to address the obesogenic environment ". Due to other priorities, progress has not been made in this area since the publication of the Strategic Action Plan. In 2022, the Department will work with the lead Department, DHLGH, and other stakeholders to progress work in this complex area.
750. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the current members of the Obesity Policy Implementation Oversight Group; the person that currently chairs the group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9358/22]
View answerThe Obesity Policy Implementation Oversight Group (OPIOG) was set up under the Obesity Policy and Action Plan, published in 2016. The OPIOG is currently chaired by the Principal Officer of the Health and Wellbeing Programme in the Department of Health and also includes representatives from the following organisations:
- Department of Health
- Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
- Department of Social Protection
- Department of Education
- Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
- Health Service Executive
- safe food
- Food Safety Authority of Ireland
- University College Cork
