Written Answers Nos. 531-541
531. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of warnings issued by hospitals advising patients with non-emergency conditions to seek assistance from other parts of the health service and to not attend their emergency department in 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31701/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
532. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his plans to undertake a full and Independent clinical review of operations at University Hospital Limerick; if such a review will evaluate the pressures on the hospital, the performance of the hospital, the levels of emergency department overcrowding at the hospital and capacity issues at the hospital; the status of the levels of service and capacity levels provided by other hospitals in the catchment area that the Hospital serves; the capacity in general practitioner and community care in the same region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31702/22]
View answerThe emergency department in UHL has experienced increased attendances and admissions in recent months. These increases, along with the additional pressure covid has placed on capacity, have resulted in increased Patient Experience Times and usage of trolleys. This is despite the addition of 150 beds in the UL Hospital Group, 98 of which were in UHL itself, over the past two years.
I wrote to the CEO of the HSE requesting that he send in an expert team to ascertain what additional resources might be deployed, as well as any changes that could be made to alleviate the current pressures.
The Team has engaged with the Hospital Group and Mid-West Community Healthcare to review the day-to-day functioning within a leadership, management, operational and clinical context and has made a number of site visits to UHL. The primary focus is on determining purposeful and integrated actions aimed at delivering sustained improvements. This work also includes key proposals and recommendations for community enhancements to support an integrated approach for effective patient flow.
Separately the hospital management has commissioned Deloitte to conduct an external review of patient flow at University Hospital Limerick. The Deloitte Review is progressing and engagement with the Mid-West Community Healthcare has commenced. The final report is expected in the coming weeks. The HSE review team will also consider the outputs of this work in its review.
533. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital acquired infections recorded in each of the years 2016 to 2021 and to date in 2022 by hospital, hospital group and infection type for example Covid, MRSA, CPE and so on, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31703/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
534. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital acquired infections recorded from 2019 to 2021 and to date in 2022, by month, hospital, hospital group and by infection type Covid, MRSA, CPE and so on, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31704/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
535. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital staff who contracted a hospital acquired infection from 2019 to 2021 and date in 2022, by month, hospital, hospital group and by infection type Covid, MRSA, CPE and so on in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31705/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
536. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital patients who contracted a hospital inquired infection from 2019 to 2021 and to date in 2022, by month, hospital, hospital group and by infection type Covid, MRSA, CPE and so on, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31706/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
537. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital visitors who contracted a hospital inquired infection from 2019 to 2021 and to date in 2022 by month, hospital, hospital group and by infection type Covid, MRSA, CPE and so on, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31707/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
538. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health when the decision was made to close the Castlemartyr health centre and by whom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31708/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
539. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the review team that was appointed for the Kerry CAMHS investigation; the exact process of appointment undertaken for the entire team; when the appointment took place; the number of the team members who were HSE staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31709/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
540. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the status of the investigation into the whistleblower in the Kerry CAMHS crisis; the timeframe for the completion of this investigation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31710/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
541. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will take measures to ensure the availability of cariban medication for pregnant persons given that the medicine is not subsidised and the price places the medication out of access for many patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31711/22]
View answerUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the community drug schemes; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
