Written Answers Nos. 751-770
751. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the number of staff members that are currently employed and working on children's disability network teams in County Cork by role and by team in tabular form; and the number of unfilled posts. [9373/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
752. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of full-time diabetes podiatrists by county and hospital in each of the years 2018 to 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9386/22]
View answerIn 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.
753. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated full year cost of recruiting four additional full-time diabetes podiatrists for each CHO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9387/22]
View answerIn 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.
754. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the actions he will take to address the shortage of diabetes podiatrists; the status of the recruitment of additional diabetes podiatrists as has been recommended by the HSE Model of Care for the Diabetic Foot through the HSE chronic disease management community hubs; if he will provide an update on his plans for improving podiatry services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9388/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
755. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to matters raised in correspondence from an association (details supplied); and if he will establish a taskforce with consultation from named bodies in order to scope the level of service requirements to address the issues and the gaps in allocated resources associated to Huntington’s disease. [9389/22]
View answerAs this question is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
756. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite the establishment of a working group under the joint auspices of the national dementia office and the Integrated Care Programme to determine the needs and solutions to provide persons with Huntington’s disease and their families with a good standard of care in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9390/22]
View answer770. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Health if he will establish a working group under the joint auspices of the national dementia office and the integrated care programme to determine the needs and outline solutions for people with Huntington’s disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9436/22]
View answer772. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if he plans to establish a working group under the joint auspices of the national dementia office and the integrated care programme to determine the needs and solutions to provide persons with Huntington’s disease and their families a good standard of care in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9497/22]
View answer858. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to establishing a working group under the joint auspices of the National Dementia Office and the integrated care programme to determine the needs and solutions to provide persons with Huntington’s disease and their families a good standard of care; the engagements that have taken place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9950/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 756, 770, 772 and 858 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
757. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Health the number of vacancies in podiatry services in local HSE acute and community services in CHO1; when these vacancies will be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9395/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
758. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Health the status of the plans to improve podiatry services for persons with diabetes in the CHO1 area and throughout the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9396/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
759. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if he will consider establishing a notification system of deaths to State agencies given the upset receipt of correspondence for a deceased relatives causes for families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9405/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
761. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health if direction will be given to maternity hospitals in relation to access to maternity wards for expectant fathers in the lead up to a birth given that Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted. [9410/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
762. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health the status of the health technology assessment on a school-based HPV mop-up vaccination programme; his views on the provision of the HPV vaccine to those who missed or turned down a vaccine in the first year of school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9412/22]
View answerThe immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practice in relation to immunisation. It makes recommendations on vaccination policy to my Department. The NIAC continues to revise recommendations to allow for the introduction of new vaccines in Ireland and to keep abreast of changes in the patterns of disease. Therefore, the immunisation schedule will continue to be amended over time.In 2009, the NIAC recommended HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination for all 12 to 13 year old girls to reduce their risk of developing cervical cancer when they are adults. In September 2010, the HPV vaccination programme was introduced for all girls in first year of secondary school.In June 2017, on foot of the NIAC’s recommendation that the HPV vaccine should also be given to boys, my Department asked the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) to undertake a health technology assessment (HTA) to establish the clinical and cost-effectiveness of extending the immunisation programme to include boys in the first year of secondary school.The HIQA completed the HTA in December 2018, recommending that the HPV immunisation programme be extended to include boys. A policy decision was made to extend the HPV immunisation programme to include boys, starting in September 2019, with the introduction of a 9-valent HPV vaccine.The ages at which vaccines are recommended in the immunisation schedule are chosen by the NIAC in order to give each child the best possible protection against vaccine preventable diseases. As the HPV vaccine is preventative it is intended to be administered, if possible, before a person becomes sexually active, that is, before a person is first exposed to HPV infection.Therefore, the gender-neutral HPV vaccination programme targets all girls and boys in first year of secondary school to provide maximum coverage. All vaccines administered through the School Immunisation Programme are provided free of charge.My Department will continue to be guided by NIAC's recommendations on any emerging evidence on this issue in the future.Anyone not in 1st year of secondary school or age equivalent in special schools or home schooled during the 2020/2021 school year who wishes to get the HPV vaccine, must go to their GP or sexual health clinic and pay privately for the vaccine and its administration. This applies to everyone whether or not they have a medical card/GP visit card, as it is outside of the HPV immunisation programme.
My Department has asked the National Immunisation Advisory Committee to consider the clinical effectiveness of providing the HPV vaccine to:
- girls and boys in secondary school who were eligible to receive HPV vaccine in 1st year but who did not receive it; and
- women up to the age of 25 years who have left secondary school and who did not receive the vaccine when eligible.
If NIAC conclude that there is sufficient evidence to support providing the HPV vaccine to one or both groups, HIQA will undertake a cost-effectiveness assessment on that basis.
763. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if his Department was alerted to correspondence between the CEO of HIQA and the CEO of the HSE relating to a matter (details supplied); if so, the date the attention of his Department was drawn to the correspondence; when his attention was drawn to the matter; and when the attention of the Ministers for State at his Department was drawn to the matter discussed in the correspondence. [9420/22]
View answerOn 10 December 2021, the CEO of HIQA wrote to the Minister of Health copying the Minister of State with responsibility for Disabilities and Department officials. He wrote 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 attention of HIQA’s CEO.
The CEO advised that he had written to the HSE’s CEO on the matter and that the Chief Inspector had informed the HSE of her concerns.
The progress on the steps being taken by HIQA as 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.
764. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of times he has received correspondence from the CEO of HIQA since he took office; and the dates on which he received the correspondence. [9421/22]
View answer765. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of times he has met with the CEO of HIQA since he took office; and the dates on which such meetings took place. [9422/22]
View answer766. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of times the CEO of HIQA has requested to meet with him since he took office. [9423/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 764, 765 and 766 together.
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) was established in 2007 as an independent authority to drive high-quality and safe care for health and social care services in Ireland.
HIQA’s mandate extends across a range of public, private and voluntary sector services. Reporting to the Minister for Health and the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, HIQA’s role is to develop standards, inspect and review health and social care services and support informed decisions on how services are delivered.
The CEO of HIQA has made no requests to meet with me since I took office. My department and I engage with HIQA on an ongoing basis and I have met with the CEO of HIQA on five occasions since I took office. The dates of these meetings were as follows: 7th September 2020, 15th October 2020, 21st December 2020, 8th January 2021, and 9th July 2021.
As part of the ongoing engagement I have received 20 items of correspondence from the CEO of HIQA since I took office. These items were received on the following dates:
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- |
Date Received |
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1 |
27/08/2020 |
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2 |
17/09/2020 |
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3 |
24/09/2020 |
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4 |
30/09/2020 |
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5 |
26/11/2020 |
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6 |
22/01/2021 |
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7 |
22/01/2021 |
|
8 |
10/02/2021 |
|
9 |
23/07/2021 |
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10 |
23/07/2021 |
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11 |
23/07/2021 |
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12 |
14/09/2021 |
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13 |
14/09/2021 |
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14 |
19/10/2021 |
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15 |
18/11/2021 |
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16 |
10/12/2021 |
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17 |
11/01/2022 |
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18 |
11/01/2022 |
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19 |
01/02/2022 |
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20 |
17/02/2022 |
767. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the steps that he has taken to develop care pathway for those with Huntington’s disease; if he has engaged with a group (details supplied) in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9427/22]
View answerAs this question is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
768. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the provision of a new fit for purpose ambulance station in Drogheda, County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9428/22]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
769. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an appointment at Galway University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9431/22]
View answerUnder 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.
