Written Answers Nos. 172-181
172. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that calls to Naas Hospital from family members enquiring regarding patient welfare are going unanswered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26586/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
173. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the lack of availability of dentists who treat medical card patients in counties Kildare and Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26587/22]
View answerI am aware that a significant number of dentists chose to leave the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) during the pandemic and that this led to some medical card patients having difficulties accessing treatment under the Scheme. Following consultation with the Irish Dental Association, I have approved new measures to provide for both expanded dental health care for medical card holders and increased fees for dental contractors.
The changes to the Scheme, which came into effect at the beginning of this month, are interim measures designed to secure services for medical card holders pending a more substantive reform of dental services to align with the National Oral Health Policy. Work on that longer-term project has already commenced and it is estimated that it will take 1-2 years to complete.
The HSE will assist anyone who is still experiencing problems accessing a service.
174. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the lack of availability of general practitioners that treat medical card patients in counties Kildare and Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26588/22]
View answer212. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health if he will examine and address the lack of general practitioners in Kilcock and Maynooth, County Kildare; if there are plans in place to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26710/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 174 and 212 together.
Under the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. Currently there are 2,549 GPs contracted to provide services under the GMS Scheme. Where a vacancy arises in a practice with a GMS contract, the HSE becomes actively involved in the recruitment process to find a replacement GP. As of the 1st of May 2022, there are no GMS vacancies in Co. Kildare or Co. Laois.
Where a GMS patient experiences difficulty in finding a GP to accept him/her as a patient, the person concerned having unsuccessfully applied to at least three GPs in the area (or fewer if there are fewer GPs in the area) can apply to the HSE National Medical Card Unit which has the power to assign a GMS patient to a GP's GMS patient list.
People who do not hold a medical card or GP visit card access GP services on a private basis and can make enquiries directly to any GP practice they wish to register with. As private contractors, it is a matter for each individual GP to decide whether to accept additional private patients. Where a GP practice has a full list of patients and cannot take on new patients, patients should contact other GP practices in the surrounding areas.
The Government is aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice and is working to ensure patients across the country continue to have access to GP services and that general practice is sustainable in all areas into the future.
The 2019 Agreement on GP contractual reform and service development will see the Government increase annual investment in general practice by approximately 40% (€210 million) between 2019 and 2023. The Agreement provides for increased support for GPs working in rural practices and for those in disadvantaged urban areas, and for improvements to maternity and paternity leave arrangements. In addition, the number of GPs entering training has been increased steadily over the past number of years, rising from 120 in 2009 to 233 in 2021, with an intake of 258 planned for this year.
These measures will see an increase in the number of GPs working in the State, improving access to GP services for patients throughout the country.
175. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that older people who have equity release loans are ineligible for the fair deal scheme due to a contractual prohibition on further equity charges which are required by the HSE to execute the fair deal scheme; his plans to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26590/22]
View answerThe financial assessment under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme does already incorporate circumstances where a person has taken out an equity release loan (also called a life loan) based on the value of their principal private residence (PPR).
The HSE has advised that it will first of all establish the purpose of an equity release loan before making a decision whether it can be treated as an allowable deduction. In undertaking a Financial Assessment as part of the application process, the HSE may allow certain expenses against the value of a PPR, including some mortgage charges, provided the monies borrowed as an equity release loan were loaned specifically for the purchase, repair or improvement of the asset. In such circumstances the loan may be treated as an allowable deduction under Cash Assets and Relevant Assets. It should be noted that any deduction is only applied against the value of the principal sum advanced by the life loan as accrued interest is not considered to be an allowable deduction.
In circumstances where the applicant is seeking to avail of Ancillary State Support, also known as the Nursing Home loan, the HSE may seek an independent valuation of the property in question. The terms and conditions of each life loan will also be examined by the HSE to establish the level of risk involved as ancillary state support will not be approved unless the HSE is sure that there is equity remaining in the property following the death of the resident, or other relevant event, that will prove sufficient to recover any monies advanced by the HSE to provide nursing home support. It is important in all cases that applicants provide the necessary documentation requested by the HSE to enable them to make an appropriate decision.
Third-party contractual arrangements between the borrower and a financial institution are a matter for the parties involved. Neither the Department of Health nor the HSE are a party to such contracts.
Information provided by to the Department of Health by the HSE in relation to these life loans relates to general guidance for assessment. Each individual's circumstances are examined on a case-by-case basis to establish the amount of financial assistance that is available to them.
176. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the progress that is being made in implementing the recommendations of the Independent Review of Unscheduled Care Performance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26591/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
177. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the progress that is being made with the renovation of a centre (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26592/22]
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.
178. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the progress that is being made with the new facility for older people at the community nursing unit, Merlin Park; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26593/22]
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.
179. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health his views on the reinstatement of the water birth service in a homebirth setting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26594/22]
View answerAs the National Women and Infants Health Programme leads on the management, organisation and delivery of maternity, gynaecological and neonatal services, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
180. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the number of vacancies for nurse specialists in neurology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26595/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy, as soon as possible.
181. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health his plans to address hospital overcrowding and spiralling trolley numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26596/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
