Pa Daly
Question:438. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health when a permanent consultant psychiatrist will be put in place for north Kerry adult mental health services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21790/22]
View answerMental Health Services
Questions (438, 439)
Pa Daly
Question:439. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health if teleclinics will not be used as a temporary or permanent measure to provide adult mental health services in lieu of a permanent consultant psychiatrist who is based in north County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21791/22]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 438 and 439 together.
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. 439 answered with Question No. 438.
Health Services
Questions (440)
Pa Daly
Question:440. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will report on HSE guidelines for the use of teleclinics including those conducted by physicians who are located outside of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21792/22]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Health Services
Questions (441)
Mattie McGrath
Question:441. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if a review has been carried out on the consequences of the reconfiguration of acute health services in the mid-west region; if he will make findings of this review available; if not, if he will expedite a review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21798/22]
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.
Hospital Overcrowding
Questions (442)
Mattie McGrath
Question:442. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will launch an investigation into the failure of University Hospital Limerick to lower the trolley numbers at the hospital despite opening a new 60-bed unit recently; if he will request the reopening of 24-hour accident and emergency services in Nenagh, St. John's, and Ennis to take the pressure off the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21799/22]
View answerWritten answers
I wrote to Mr. Reid, CEO of the HSE, on 26th April to request that an expert team be sent to University Hospital Limerick to ascertain urgently what additional resources might be deployed, as well as any changes that could be made quickly to alleviate the current pressures being experienced in the Emergency Department. I have stressed that it is very important to me that the management and the clinicians at University Hospital Limerick get all of the support that they possibly need.
My Department and the HSE will continue to work with local hospital management to improve patient experience in UHL. It must be acknowledged that the hospital has been dealing with the Covid pandemic since the new beds were opened and this has impacted on patient flow within the hospital and to the model 2 hospitals and nursing homes in the region which impacts on ED performance.
National Children's Hospital
Questions (443)
Mattie McGrath
Question:443. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the current cost of the national children's hospital to date; the projected final cost of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21800/22]
View answerWritten answers
The New Children’s Hospital (NCH) project comprises the main hospital on a shared campus at St James’s, the Outpatient and Urgent Care Centre at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, and the Outpatient and Emergency Care Centre at Tallaght University Hospital.
In 2018, Government approved a capital budget of €1.433bn for the NCH project. This included the capital costs for the main hospital at St James's Hospital campus, the two satellite centres, equipment for the three sites, and the construction of the carpark and retail spaces. The capital budget has not yet been depleted and to date, €966.32m of the €1.433bn budget has been drawn down for works on the project across the three sites.
There are a number of items not included in this investment figure as there was no price certainly for them and nor can there be, for some, for the duration of the project. These include construction inflation, the impact of Covid-19, statutory changes, any change in scope resulting in healthcare policy changes, and the Employment Order.
Additional costs in relation to the integration and transfer of the services of the three children’s hospitals to the new sites brings the total programme cost to €1.73bn. This includes investment in ICT, a new Electronic Health Record system, and the Children's Hospital Integration Programme (the merging of three paediatric hospitals) including commissioning.
Brexit, the pandemic and recent geopolitical developments have severely impacted supply chains and the NCH project is not immune to these external challenges. Every effort is being taken to mitigate the risks but these externalities beyond the control of the contractor and the NPHDB make speculation and more definitive forecasting unwise at this point in time.
Hospital Facilities
Questions (444)
Mattie McGrath
Question:444. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the reason that the HSE chose not to include the mid-west region for any additional acute, subacute and ICU beds for 2022 as part of the 411 beds allocated nationally as part of the national service planning programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21806/22]
View answerWritten answers
The Government provided funding to open an additional 1,146 acute inpatient beds, excluding critical care over the number available at the end of 2019 by the end of 2021. An additional 6 beds were subsequently added in the Mater bringing the total to 1,152, of which 150 were for UL Hospital Group. This was in line with the Programme for Government which commits to providing additional bed capacity to meet challenges presented by Covid and the health needs of the population. All of the 160 (general and critical care) beds planned for the UL Hospital Group were delivered by the end of 2021.
339 beds of the total 1,152 remain to be delivered this year but all the Limerick beds were delivered as planned. These 339 form the bulk of the beds referred to in the question.
The additional beds provided in the UL HG are:
- The 60-bed modular ward block at UHL which opened at the end of 2020.
- Two separate rapid-build projects which delivered 38 beds to UHL under the Government National Action Plan in Response to Covid-19.
- 10 ‘virtual ward’ beds were provided to UHL.
- Croom Orthopaedic Hospital opened 24 beds.
- St John’s Hospital opened a 15 bed Clinical Support and Recovery Unit.
- Nenagh Hospital opened 3 beds.
- In addition 10 critical care beds were provided in University Hospital Limerick, as part of the Strategic Plan for Critical Care.
A new €2m Injury Unit opened in Ennis on 8th April 2022 increasing the number of patient assessment bays from 3 to 5 for minor injuries such as sprains, breaks and burns.
Future plans for Limerick include provision for a 96-bed replacement ward block at UHL. The evaluation of tenders received has been completed. The award of a works contract was approved by the HSE Board on 25th March 2022. The Capital & Estates department of the HSE will now be engaging with the successful bidder.
Disabilities Assessments
Questions (445)
Denise Mitchell
Question:445. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if occupational therapy and speech and language therapy assessments have been temporarily frozen or suspended by the HSE; if so, the reason for doing so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21808/22]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy's question relates to a service issue, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
Disability Services
Questions (446)
Róisín Shortall
Question:446. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the position regarding disability services for a child (details supplied) in Dublin 11; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21812/22]
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.
National Treatment Purchase Fund
Questions (447)
David Cullinane
Question:447. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the breakdown of the National Treatment Purchase Fund inpatient and day case active by specialty waiting list by procedure type and procedure for each specialty by hospital in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21820/22]
View answerWritten answers
It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. While significant work continues to positively impact on waiting times and improve pathways to elective care, acute hospitals have been impacted by operational challenges arising from surges in cases related to the Omicron variants.
The HSE has confirmed to the Department that 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.
The Department of Health continues to work with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to identify ways to improve access to care, including through increased use of private hospitals, funding weekend and evening work in public hospitals, funding “see and treat” services, providing virtual clinics, and increasing capacity in the public hospital system.
The 2022 Waiting List Action Plan, which was launched on the 25th of February, allocates €350 million to the HSE and NTPF to reduce waiting lists. Under this plan the Department, HSE, and NTPF will deliver urgent additional capacity for the treatment of patients, as well as investing in longer term reforms to bring sustained reductions in waiting lists.
The plan builds on the successes of the short-term 2021 plan that ran from September to December last year. The 2021 plan was developed by the Department of Health, the HSE and the NTPF and was driven and overseen by a senior governance group co-chaired by the Secretary General of the Department of Health and the CEO of the HSE and met fortnightly.
This rigorous level of governance and scrutiny of waiting lists has continued into this year with the oversight group evolving into the Waiting List Task Force. The Task Force will meet regularly to drive progress of the 2022 plan.
This is the first stage of an ambitious multi-annual waiting list programme, which is currently under development in the Department of Health. Between them, these plans will work to support short, medium, and long term initiatives to reduce waiting times and provide the activity needed in years to come.
In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, the NTPF advised that due to the vast amount of data involved, they would be unable to provide the requested information regarding the inpatient/day case active by specialty waiting list by procedure type and procedure for each specialty by hospital. However, the NTPF have provided waiting list figures for the top ten specialties and the listed procedures within each specialty. This information is outlined in the attached document.
Health Services
Questions (448)
David Cullinane
Question:448. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if a matter raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied) will be addressed; if this policy is in place; the extent to which the policy applies; the reason for the suspension of services; if services have not been suspended as claimed; if this relates to a decision of the High Court; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21821/22]
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.
Disability Services
Questions (449)
David Cullinane
Question:449. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if any disability services for children have been suspended following the recent cases taken or decided in the courts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21823/22]
View answerWritten answers
As these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
Questions (450)
Eoin Ó Broin
Question:450. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health the reason that clerical staff working on the frontline through the successful vaccination programme have been excluded from receiving the pandemic bonus payment; the reason that clerical staff in other Departments are eligible to receive the payment; and if he intends to extend the payment to this excluded group. [21830/22]
View answerWritten answers
Firstly I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period.
To recognise their unique role during the pandemic, the Government announced a COVID-19 recognition payment for frontline public sector healthcare workers. Eligibility guidelines for this payment, as applies in HSE and Section 38 organisations, were published by the HSE on 19th April and are available at www.hse.ie/eng/staff/resources/hr-circulars/hr-circular-012-2022-pandemic-special-recognition-payment.html.
Separately, the Department of Health shall shortly publish information for those other certain healthcare employees that are covered by the Government Decision and the process available to their employers to implement this measure for their eligible staff. This shall cover eligible staff in:
- Private Sector Nursing Homes and Hospices (e.g. Private, Voluntary, Section 39 etc.);
- Eligible staff working on-site in Section 39 long-term residential care facilities for people with disabilities;
- Agency roles working in the HSE;
- Health Care Support Assistants (also known as home help / home care / home support) contracted to the HSE;
- Redeployed members of Department of Defence to work in the HSE;
- Paramedics employed by the Department of Local Government, Housing and Heritage
I am also mindful of other workers who played their own part during this difficult period in sustaining other services. It is tough to draw a line on this matter, but the Government based its decision on the risks which the above frontline workers faced. In recognition of the efforts of all workers, volunteers, and the general public during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in remembrance of people who lost their lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government announced a public holiday which took place on 18 March 2022. From February next year there will also be a new permanent public holiday established to mark Imbolc/St Brigid’s Day.