Written Answers Nos. 142-156
142. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the timeline for when all of the beds in Abbeyleix Hospital will be brought into use; and when the day care centre in the same facility will be fully operational. [37479/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
143. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Health the number of persons currently waiting for a psychology appointment in primary care in each LHO area in CHO9; the number who have been waiting over a year; the way that this compares to the end of 2021 in each LHO area and in each category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37497/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
144. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Health if he will report on capital developments at St. Joseph’s Care Campus in Longford. [37459/22]
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.
145. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent staffing posts that will be provided to Children’s Disability Services in 2022; the additional resources that will be provided to CDNTs to address the backlog of assessment of need and those assessment of need which were carried out incorrectly; the additional therapeutic supports that will be provided to CDNTs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36728/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
146. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the action that is being taken to ensure the availability of an adequate number of health professionals within the health services including but not limited to consultants, general practitioners and nurses to meet the demand in all areas throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37510/22]
View answerEmployment levels at the end of May 2022, show there were 134,711 WTE (equating to 153,578 personnel) directly employed in the provision of Health and Social Care Services by the HSE and the various Section 38 hospitals and agencies.
Since 2019, the workforce has grown by a record 14,893 WTE or 12.4%. It is continuing to grow at an unprecedented rate and is on track to grow by 5,500 WTE this year, this would equate to a growth of 4%. To put that in context, the workforce has grown by a total of 2,387 WTE since the end of 2021, with an increase in May of 138 WTEs.
The HSE Resourcing Strategy (2022) sets out the detailed approach and suite of actions to target and deliver the expansion of the workforce. It also sets out the overarching governance and oversight arrangements in place to monitor progress monthly and to identify further focused actions as required in specific areas. The HSE have comprehensive and far-reaching international recruitment campaigns targeting all professions, whereby international reach has extended further into new countries to harness new markets.
In addition to the suite of actions set out in the HSE Resourcing Strategy (2022), the below will also be of interest to the Deputy, as it sets out some of the focused activities underway as part of monthly monitoring and targeted actions.
- A relocation package has been developed by the HSE to ease international recruitment across all grades.
- The critical skills list has been expanded to facilitate and support the international recruitment of Pharmacist, Cardiac Physiologist, Medical Scientist, Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, Podiatrist/Chiropodist, Psychologist and Speech & Language Therapist.
- A review of international recruitment campaigns for specialist posts, such as nursing and midwifery specialists has been undertaken.
- A Health and Social Care Professions (HSCP) recruitment action group has been established within the HSE. The work of this group is to build on the planned recruitment of the Irish HSCP graduates, that is already underway.
- Collaboration with the HSCP regulator CORU to identify further actions to support international applicants, now at a much higher number and across more varied grades through the registration process.
- Targeted work is on-going in relation to the recruitment of medical consultants which has included streamlining of the recruitment process to reduce the times to hire, but also focusing on existing consultant posts that are challenging to fill and developing targeted strategies around these posts. This is inclusive of the development of marketing material to attract applications to certain locations and direct links with the postgraduate training bodies. A microsite is also in development to increase international reach in this cadre of staff.
147. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health the plans that are in place to review current requirements for entitlement to a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37499/22]
View answerEligibility for a Medical Card is primarily based on a financial assessment which is conducted by the HSE in accordance with the Health Act 1970 (as amended). The HSE assesses each medical card application on a qualifying financial threshold. This is the amount of money that an individual can earn a week and still qualify for a card. It is specific to the individual’s own financial circumstances.
Persons aged 69 and under are assessed under the general means tested medical card thresholds which are based on an applicant’s household income after tax and the deduction of PRSI and the Universal Social Charge. Certain expenses are also taken into account, i.e. mortgage payments, which help to increase the amount a person can earn and still qualify for a medical card.
Persons aged 70 or older are assessed under the over 70s medical card income thresholds which are based on gross income. It should be noted that in November 2020, the weekly gross medical card income thresholds for those aged 70 and over were increased to €550 per week for a single person and €1050 for a couple. This increase helps to ensure that a greater proportion of those aged 70 and over qualify for a medical card.
I wish to assure the Deputy that the current medical card income thresholds are kept under review and any changes that may be required are considered in the context of Government policy, the annual budgetary estimates process and other issues which may be relevant.
148. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of increasing the medical card income guidelines for all those under 70 years of age to the rate that pertains at present to general practitioner cards and abolishing the general practitioner card for those under 70 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37493/22]
View answerEligibility for a Medical Card is primarily based on a financial assessment which is conducted by the HSE in accordance with the Health Act 1970 (as amended). The HSE assesses each medical card application on a qualifying financial threshold. This is the amount of money that an individual can earn a week and still qualify for a card. It is specific to the individual’s own financial circumstances.
Persons aged 69 and under are assessed under the general means tested medical card thresholds which are based on an applicant’s household income after tax and the deduction of PRSI and the Universal Social Charge. Certain expenses are also taken into account, i.e. mortgage payments, which help to increase the amount a person can earn and still qualify for a medical card.
Persons aged 70 or older are assessed under the over 70s medical card income thresholds which are based on gross income. It should be noted that in November 2020, the weekly gross medical card income thresholds for those aged 70 and over were increased to €550 per week for a single person and €1,050 for a couple. This increase helps to ensure that a greater proportion of those aged 70 and over now qualify for a medical card.
With regard to the estimated cost of the Deputy's proposal, the data required to model this is not readily available and it is therefore not possible to provide an estimate of the associated cost.
However, I wish to assure the Deputy that, to ensure the medical card system is responsive and sensitive to people's needs, my Department keeps medical card issues, including the current medical card income thresholds under review and any changes that may be required are considered in the context of Government policy, the annual budgetary estimates process and other issues which may be relevant.
149. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will detail the progress that has been made on the review of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018; when he will report to Dáil Éireann on same; the estimated timeline for its finalisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37684/22]
View answerThe Review of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 commenced in line with statutory and Government commitments in December 2021. The Review will assess the effectiveness of the operation of the legislation and will be conducted in a fair and transparent manner.
The Review comprises of 2 main phases. As part of the first phase of the review, information, and evidence on the operation of the Act is being collected from women who use the service, from health professionals that provide the service, and from the public. The three elements within the first phase of the Review have initiated:
- Public Consultation. The public consultation provided organisations, stakeholders, advocacy groups working in the area and all other interested parties with the opportunity to inform the Review of the operation of the legislation. The consultation closed on 1st April. Submissions received as part of this process are currently being reviewed.
- Service User Perspective. Research to inform the service user strand is being carried out by Dr Catherine Conlon who is progressing a qualitative study to investigate unplanned pregnancy and abortion care. This study, which was commissioned by the HSE’s Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme in September 2019, will generate an in-depth understanding of the experiences of women who have accessed abortion care services since the commencement of the Act. This study report is due to be published imminently.
- Service Provider Perspective. Research to inform the service provider strand is being carried out by Manchester Metropolitan University. This qualitative research will capture the views/experiences of termination of pregnancy service providers.
The second phase of the Review is being led by an independent Chair, Marie O’Shea BL, who will assess the extent to which the objectives of the 2018 Act have been achieved, analysing in that regard the findings of the three major research inputs.
A final report will be submitted to me in late 2022 for consideration.
150. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he has a comprehensive plan to address the severe capacity deficiencies in healthcare in the mid-west; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37353/22]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy Directly, as soon as possible.
151. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health his views on the recent resignations from senior posts across the health service in the HSE and his Department; his views on whether this represents a systemic problem within the management levels of the health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37518/22]
View answerI wish to acknowledge the valuable role senior managers play in our health system.
The Health Service consists of the Civil Service and the Public Service. The role of the Civil Service is to support the Government of the day to develop and implement its policies. The Public Servants employed by the HSE deliver the service to the citizens of Ireland. There are a great range of opportunities available to those working within the Health Service which provide employees with the opportunity to work on initiatives that will help Ireland respond to the challenges of a changing world. The Health Service has a diverse and inclusive workforce, with ample opportunities for progression and upskilling.
There are a huge variety of roles to suit professionals at all levels of skills and experience. In any organisation one can expect a turnover of staff for a variety of reasons. The recovery in the economy has led to increased opportunities for many organisations to attract senior staff from both the private and public sector. The Health Service has seen recent resignations from senior posts for a variety of reasons such as wishing to spend more time with family or a wish to self-develop by moving to a new organisation. These are normal movements in organisations across the world.
As with any organisation when a staff member moves on, either for career progression or to spend more time with family, the objectives of the organisation remain and it is important for the organisation to go to the market to fill the vacant position with the best talent available for the post. I’m pleased to say that some posts have been filled already and process of filling the soon to be vacant post is in progress.
Staff movement is a normal part of business in any Government Department. It is not particularly unusual for staff to resign from the Department and they do so for a variety of reasons. There have been two recent resignations from senior posts in my Department, both from members of staff who have had considerable years of service. It is a personal matter for any individual as to their reasons for leaving the Department, whether on retirement or to take up a different post elsewhere.
152. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health if the detailed implementation measures for the Disability Framework Action Plan have been published and made public; if not, when this will be published and made public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36727/22]
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.
153. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health the current average waiting time for an assessment of need under the Disability Act 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37500/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
154. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health if he will take steps to ensure that the terms of reference for the inquiry into the historical licensing and prescribing of sodium valproate will include the participation of families affected; if he will commit to meeting patients’ groups (details supplied) to discuss their concerns in relation to the terms of reference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37687/22]
View answerWhen I met with the patient groups involved with this issue in late 2020, I supported their call for an inquiry into sodium valproate and committed to making that happen. Senior officials in my Department have engaged closely with patient groups and other stakeholders over the past year, to finalise the terms of reference and set up this inquiry.
This inquiry will be designed around giving a voice to patients and their families while looking at the use of sodium valproate in Ireland since it was first licensed. It was important that enough time and resources were invested in scoping out the work to be done and engaging with patient groups. There were a lot of factors to consider, and I wanted to develop a terms of reference that would deliver on our goals. One important aspect is to create an environment that supports families who want to tell their story during this inquiry, and my officials are working to ensure that supports are in place to facilitate this.
There are lots of different groups involved here, including the manufacturer, prescribers of the drug, and our medicines and pharmacy regulators. As a result, there is a lot of preparatory work involved in laying the groundwork for this inquiry. However, I would like to see the inquiry commencing this year, and my officials will continue to engage with the patient groups in order to make that happen.
155. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Health the plans that are in place for primary care facilities in Edgeworthstown, Granard and Ballymahon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37460/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
156. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the number of persons currently awaiting a psychology appointment in primary care in each LHO area in CHO8; the number of these waiting for over a year; the way that this compares to the end of 2021 in each LHO area and each category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37470/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
