Written Answers Nos. 172-187
172. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the action that is being taken to fill vacancies in primary care in counties Cavan and Monaghan for children who are waiting for occupational therapy, speech and language support and psychology services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37247/22]
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 Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the number of home care support hours being provided in each LHO area in CHO8 in 2022; the way that this compares for each of the LHO areas in 2019; the number of persons currently awaiting home care in each LHO area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37469/22]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
174. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the number of integrated care programme for older persons teams that are now in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37466/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
175. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the progress in relation to the Disability Capacity Review to 2032; and the way that he intends to remediate the significant levels of unmet need for those with intellectual disabilities and their families that receive support from an organisation (details supplied) in Mayo. [37654/22]
View answerThe Department of Health published the Disability Capacity Review in July 2021. This report set out the capacity requirements for health-funded disability services for the period up to 2032. In order to drive the process of implementing the recommendations of the Capacity Review, a Working Group was set up to develop an Action Plan for Disability Services for the period 2022-2025. This Group, whose membership consisted of senior officials from the Departments of DCEDIY, Social Protection, Housing, Further and Higher Education, Health, and the Health Service Executive, has now completed its work and the draft Action Plan is currently being finalised.
176. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of ambulances serving south Kerry; and the locations in which they are stationed. [37558/22]
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 Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the recommendations that his Department has made on the scope of the Citizens' Assembly on Drugs being convened by the Department of the Taoiseach; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37668/22]
View answerThe Government has established two concurrent citizens' assemblies; one dealing with biodiversity loss and the other with the type of directly elected mayor and local government structures best suited for Dublin. It is proposed that a Citizens’ Assembly on Drug Use will directly follow these two assemblies, with the intention of running it concurrently with the Citizens’ Assembly on the Future of Education, if learnings from the concurrent running of assemblies suggest that this operational model is the best way forward.
In line with this decision, the Department of Health has commenced preparations for the Citizens’ Assembly on Drug Use, and, to this end, detailed discussions regarding the assembly took place at the most recent meeting of the National Oversight Committee for the National Drugs Strategy. These preparations are being undertaken to ensure that there will be no delay in establishing this citizens’ assembly when the two assemblies which are currently operating complete their work before the end of this year or in quarter 1, 2023 at the latest. This will allow a period of over one year for the Government to consider its recommendations.
The Government is pursuing a health-led approach to drug use through the health diversion programme, which offers compassion, not punishment to people who are in possession of drugs for personal use. The programme will connect participants with health services and provide a pathway to recovery. It will also allow participants to avoid a criminal conviction, which can have far-reaching consequences, particularly for younger people.
As we prepare for the Citizens Assembly on Drug Use, work continues to implement the health diversion programme and the strategic priorities for the remaining four years of the national drugs strategy. One of these priorities is to promote alternatives to coercive sanctions for drug-related offences. This priority aligns with the EU Drugs Strategy and Action Plan, 2021 – 2025, which actively encourages Member States to scale up alternatives to coercive sanctions and to monitor and evaluate their effectiveness for drug using offenders and for people arrested, charged with or convicted for drug-related offences or people found in possession of drugs for personal use.
I am very positive about the potential contribution of the citizens assembly to the government's health-led response to drug use. Drug use affects all members of society, whether directly or indirectly, and imposes very significant social and financial costs. Involving citizens in decision-making on drugs policy is therefore appropriate.
178. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health the number of home care support hours being provided in each LHO area in CHO3 and 5 in 2022; the way that this compares for each of the LHO areas in 2019; the number of persons currently awaiting home care in each LHO area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37473/22]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
179. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the initiatives being taken to meet the challenge of long Covid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37495/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to reply to the Deputy directly.
180. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health when he will publish a multi-annual waiting list strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37357/22]
View answerThe 2022 Waiting List Action Plan was launched on 25 February this year following extensive engagement between my Department, the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF).
The Action Plan contains 45 actions to reduce and reform waiting lists across four main areas of work: delivering capacity, reforming scheduled care, enabling scheduled care reform, and addressing community care access and waiting lists. One of these actions is to develop and agree a multi-annual waiting list reduction plan to support the achievement of the Government maximum wait time targets.
Our immediate priority under the Action Plan during the first half of 2022 has been to focus on identifying and funding additional activity to reduce the number of people waiting, with a particular focus on long waiters. The HSE and the NTPF are currently delivering this additional activity. Implementation of the Action Plan is being governed by a Waiting List Task Force, co-chaired by the Secretary General of my Department and the CEO of the HSE, who are meeting regularly.
The focus of the Task Force for the remainder of 2022, in addition to overseeing and driving additional activity, is now turning to delivery of a multi-annual waiting list reduction plan that will provide direction over the coming years to implement longer-term reform measures.
Such reform measures include modernising patient care pathways to bring care closer to the community and reduce the pressure on our hospitals, and greatly enhancing the availability and analysis of waiting list data and information. In this area, we have already seen the initial roll out to hospitals by the HSE of a health performance visualisation platform (HPVP) to introduce a new automated approach to acute hospitals information management that will produce timely, meaningful insights and reports.
The 2022 Waiting List Action Plan will both positively impact the numbers of people waiting in 2022, as well as bring about real and lasting change to our waiting lists in the future by being the first year of a comprehensive and strategic multi-annual waiting list reduction and reform programme, the plan for which will be published during Q4 of this year, as was previously specified in the Sláintecare Action Plan 2022 published by my Department on 8th June.
181. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health his views on directly employing general practitioners in rural areas within the HSE as per the recommendations in Sláintecare. [37557/22]
View answer968. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the status of considerations for the introduction of salaried general practitioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37791/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 181 and 968 together.
GPs are self-employed private practitioners who hold contracts with the HSE to provide services under various public health schemes; there are no plans at present to directly employ GPs. Any proposed model involving salaried GP positions would require careful consideration to ensure the required level of service could be provided for medical card and GP visit card holders.
The Government is aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice and is committed to increasing the number of GPs working in the State, improving access to GP services for patients throughout the country.
Under the 2019 GP Agreement additional annual expenditure provided for general practice has to date been increased by €206.6m and is set to increase to €211.6m per annum next year when the Agreement is fully rolled out. This provides for significant increases in capitation fees for participating GMS GPs, and new fees and subsidies for additional services. Improvements to GP’s maternity and paternity leave arrangements, increased rural practice supports and a support for GPs in disadvantaged urban areas, have also been provided for.
The GP Agreement includes a commitment to undertake a strategic review of GP services within the lifetime of the Agreement, to examine how best to ensure the provision of GP services in Ireland for the future. Preparatory work on the review will commence this year. The review will examine the broad range of issues affecting general practice, and will set out measures necessary to deliver a sustainable service into the future.
182. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if funding will be provided to a healthcare setting (details supplied) in County Cavan in order that it can provide a sensory room; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37478/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
183. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if he will provide clarity on the future of the accident and emergency department in Our Lady’s Hospital Navan. [37588/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the HSE has proposed a process of planned service changes at Our Lady's Hospital Navan. These changes are necessary to support safe service delivery on a sustained basis and the HSE advises that these are driven first and foremost by patient safety.
While the very real clinical concerns identified by the HSE are recognised, the Government is clear that several important issues, including additional capacity in other hospitals impacted and the continued ability of people in the Navan area to access emergency and urgent care, would need to be fully addressed before any proposed transition by the HSE.
I have asked the HSE to undertake a process to review, validate and stress test the reconfiguration planning. My Department is currently engaging with the HSE in relation to this process, with a view to it being completed within a matter of weeks.
This process will need to be completed before I consider a definitive date for the implementation of proposed changes. Ongoing preparations for reconfiguration, including consultation can take place in parallel with this process.
184. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health if he will address the significant challenges in the delivery of home care service in County Mayo; and the measures that he is taking to resolve the recruitment backlog. [37655/22]
View answerThe overall Budget for Home Support is over €670 million. This includes the €150 million I secured in Budget 2021 to progress the development of a reformed model of service delivery to underpin the statutory scheme for the financing and regulation of home-support services and to provide 5 million additional hours of home support.
In 2021 some 20.4 million hours was provided to over 55,000 people. This is about 2.9 million more hours compared to 2020, an increase of 17%. In 2022, our aim is to provide 23.67 million hours of home support.
At the end of May preliminary data shows that 55,392 people were receiving home support and over 8.7 million hours has been delivered year to date. The preliminary data also shows significant inroads have been achieved in reducing waiting lists for funding approval for new or additional service from over 7,800 in January 2020 to 348 in May 2022. This reduction has been achieved through a combination of validation of the waiting list and availability of additional funding to address those waiting. However, there can be a lag between funding approval and the actual delivery of home support hours. Certain geographical areas that are experiencing increased pressures due to staff availability are particularly affected.
At the end of May provisional information shows that there were 4,720 people assessed and approved for Home Support but were awaiting a carer to be assigned. In January 2020, there was about 1,300 people in this category. Despite the increase, it is important to note that the total number of people waiting for home support across both categories has reduced from over 9,000 at the start of 2020 to 5,068 at the end of May 2022.
The number of home support hours in communities is increasing, in line with enhanced investment. Delivering this enhanced capacity requires substantial recruitment. This has been affected due to the strategic workforce challenges in the sector.
I have established an Advisory Group to identify the specific obstacles to recruiting carers. The Group is committed to providing me with a set of recommendations by September.
The HSE continues to advertise for Health Care Assistants. In my ongoing engagements with the Chief Officers I have recommended that they consider a renewed focus in advertising these positions locally.
As the Deputy refers to home care issues in Mayo, these would be operational matters and I have therefore referred this part of your question to the HSE to reply directly to you.
185. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the number of respite centres that remain closed since the pandemic; their location of same; the reason for their continued closure; and the required staff to reopen each centre. [36899/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
186. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Health his views on the mental health of transgender children or children with gender dysphoria who cannot access psychological assessment and support in Ireland; the number of children who have been identified through general practitioner referral or other referral pathway as being in need of support; his plans to provide support to those children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37080/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
187. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the number of persons currently waiting for an occupational therapy assessment in each LHO area in CHO4; the number waiting for treatment in each LHO area in CHO4; the number in each category waiting for over a year [37523/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
