Tuesday, 22 Feb 2022

Residential Institutions

Questions (771, 801)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

771. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding regulation for certain communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9438/22]

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Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

801. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if care homes (details supplied) will be regulated by HIQA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9644/22]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 771 and 801 together.

The Health Act 2007 established the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) and the Office of the Chief Inspector of Social Services. In doing so, it also provides for a scheme of registration and inspection of residential services for older persons (nursing homes), persons with disabilities and children in need of care and protection. HIQA's functions include the setting of standards on safety and quality in respect of these residential services and the Chief Inspector of Social Services monitors compliance with standards and regulations.In accordance with Section 2 of the Health Act 2007 and Section 2 of the Health (Nursing Homes) Act 1990, premises in which a majority of the residents are members of a religious order or are priests of any religion (religious institutions), are exempted from the provisions of the 2007 Act as they are not ‘designated centres’ as defined in the Act. In the context of the 1990 Act at the time of its passing in the Oireachtas, careful consideration was given to striking a balance between facilitating those religious communities that specialise in providing nursing home care to priests or members of religious orders and excluding those communities that care for their older members within the rules of their religious founders. As such, only a nursing home run by a religious community caring for dependent persons who are in receipt of a subvention from a health board, as it was at that time, was included in the regulatory framework. The Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009 also only recognises registered nursing homes in the context of State support under that Act. The COVID-19 pandemic has identified substantial learning in the context of nursing home services, including the supporting regulatory framework, which requires review. Minister Donnelly and I have determined a phased approach to examining the legislation with a view to enhancing the nursing home regulatory model. Phase 1 is bringing forward interim legislative enhancements aimed at making initial improvements to the regulatory framework. This work is ongoing in my Department and is the priority focus in terms of regulatory reform. The Government included a Health (Amendment) Bill on its legislative agenda, aimed at legislative amendments to enhance the oversight and regulation of nursing homes.Phase 2 will be a wider, root-and-branch review of the nursing home regulatory model, incorporating best practices and guidance established through both a national and international evidence review of nursing home regulatory models. On completion of phase 1, my Department will establish a process for the phase 2 wider review of the regulatory model underpinning nursing homes. To facilitate planning for this, my Department will undertake a scoping exercise in the second half of 2022 to determine the scope of phase 2 of the review. I will ask my officials to consider the issue of religious orders in the context of this scoping work to determine if the issue can be examined in the wider review.

Question No. 772 answered with Question No. 756.

Departmental Data

Questions (773)

Michael McNamara

Question:

773. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the detail of the incidence of presentations at hospitals in the State with myocarditis, aneurysms and clotting disorders by month in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9532/22]

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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 (774)

Marian Harkin

Question:

774. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health his plans following the recently launched HSE model of care for the diabetic foot to address the shortage of podiatry specialists in CHO1 acute and community services; the status of plans for improving podiatry services for persons with diabetes in counties Sligo and Leitrim and nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9535/22]

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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 Service Executive

Questions (775)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

775. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter in relation to respite services in County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9539/22]

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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.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (776)

Holly Cairns

Question:

776. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of children currently awaiting occupational therapy appointments in south west County; the average waiting time for an appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9541/22]

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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 Staff

Questions (777, 781)

Holly Cairns

Question:

777. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if there are vacant positions for speech and language therapists in CHO4; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9542/22]

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Holly Cairns

Question:

781. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of staff members by role currently employed and working on children’s disability network teams in each area of CHO4 by team in tabular form. [9546/22]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 777 and 781 together.

As the Deputy's questions relate to service issues, they have been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Health Services Staff

Questions (778)

Holly Cairns

Question:

778. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if there are vacant positions for occupational therapists in CHO4; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9543/22]

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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.

Home Care Packages

Questions (779)

Holly Cairns

Question:

779. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of persons availing of homecare hours; and the number of hours assigned in CHO4 by LHO in 2021. [9544/22]

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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 (780)

Holly Cairns

Question:

780. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of persons awaiting homecare hours; and the number of hours they are waiting for in CHO4 by LHO in 2021. [9545/22]

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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. 781 answered with Question No. 777.

Mental Health Services

Questions (782)

Holly Cairns

Question:

782. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the current waiting list for CAMHS services in each area of CHO4; the average waiting time in tabular form; and his plans to address this. [9547/22]

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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.

Disability Services

Questions (783)

Holly Cairns

Question:

783. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of children on waiting lists for assessments for each children’s disability network team in each CHO as of 14 February 2022. [9548/22]

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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 (784)

Paul Murphy

Question:

784. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health his plans for dedicated Huntington's disease clinics, staffing and funding; if he will establish a working group under the joint auspices of the National Dementia Office and the integrated care programme ensuring that the work is completed within the next six months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9551/22]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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

Disability Services

Questions (785)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

785. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the number of staff members by role currently employed and working on children's disability network teams in each county by team in tabular form; and the number of unfilled posts. [9554/22]

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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.

Dental Services

Questions (786)

Gary Gannon

Question:

786. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health the additional support and resources that are to be provided to the north Dublin city and county orthodontic unit in 2022 and 2023 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9560/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Dental care for children under 16 is provided by the Public Dental Service of the HSE. Emergency care is provided for all children under 16. In addition, targeted screening and prevention is provided for school children at certain dental developmental milestones and for special needs groups.

In 2015 the Department of Health approved a Treatment Waiting List Initiative, with an allocation of €1million per annum, to target patients who were waiting over 4 years for treatment. A procurement commenced in 2016 and ended in 2020. It resulted in 1,996 patients having treatment with private Specialist Orthodontists at a total cost of €5.65m.

In 2021, the HSE commenced a new procurement that allows patients to have treatment with private Specialist Orthodontists. It replaces the previous procurement that ended in 2020. Under the new procurement the first patients were allocated to private Specialist Orthodontists in Q3 of 2021. By the end of 2021, 870 patients had commenced treatment under these arrangements. The allocation of patients to private Specialist Orthodontists is continuing in 2022.

The HSE advise that children who are 16 or under have access to treatment through the HSE for emergency treatment.

Departmental Advertising

Questions (787)

Michael Ring

Question:

787. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health the amount that his Department has paid for advertising, features and so on in a magazine (details supplied). [9577/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

My Department has not paid for advertising or features in this publication.

Health Services Staff

Questions (788)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

788. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the reason the HSE is not allowing ward clerks on to wards at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Navan, County Meath to assist families who are unable to visit sick and elderly persons to answer their phone or set up a facetime call (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9592/22]

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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.

Dental Services

Questions (789)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

Question:

789. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Health the status of a dental waiting list position of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9593/22]

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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.

Question No. 790 answered with Question No. 664.