Written Answers Nos. 1083-1102
1093. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the cost of increasing the weekly income limit by extending the allowance for each of the first two children aged under 16 years by €38 a week for persons aged under 66 and over 66 years to qualify for a medical card; the estimated number of additional cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38085/22]
View answer1094. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of increasing the weekly income limit by extending the allowance for the third and each subsequent child aged under 16 years by €41 a week for persons aged under 66 and over 66 years to qualify for a medical card; the estimated number of additional cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38086/22]
View answer1095. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of increasing the weekly income limit by extending the allowance for each of the first two children aged over 16 years with no income by €39 a week for persons aged under 66 and over 66 years to qualify for a medical card; the estimated number of additional cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38087/22]
View answer1096. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of increasing the weekly income limit by extending the allowance for the third and each subsequent child aged over 16 years with no income by €42.50 a week for persons aged under 66 and over 66 years to qualify for a medical card; the estimated number of additional cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38088/22]
View answer1097. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of increasing the weekly income limit by extending the allowance for each dependent over 16 years in full-time third-level education who is not grant aided by €78 a week for persons aged under 66 and over 66 years to qualify for a medical card; the estimated number of additional cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38089/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1093 to 1097, inclusive, together.
Eligibility 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 ensures 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 proposals, the data required to model these are not readily available and it is therefore not possible to provide an estimate of the associated cost, number of cards, or other requested figures.
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 are considered in the context of Government policy, the annual budgetary estimates process and other issues which may be relevant.
1098. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health if the case of a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38092/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1100. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which progress has taken place in recent months in respect of reducing the waiting lists for various procedures in respect of scoliosis and spina bifida with particular reference to availing of every opportunity to reduce these waiting lists and to show results on a weekly basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38103/22]
View answerReducing waiting times for hospital appointments and procedures remains a commitment of this Government. Earlier this year I approved an ambitious plan for Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) to reduce the number of children waiting for spinal orthopaedic procedures (scoliosis and spina bifida) by year end. Both current and capital funding totalling €17.43 million has been approved for this initiative. The plan will result in an additional 67 spinal fusions and 28 spinal other procedures for children with Scoliosis, as well as an additional 141 procedures for children with Spina Bifida. The plan also allocates substantial paediatric orthopaedic procedures at Cappagh orthopaedic hospital, with 720 additional procedures planned for the year. The impact of the plan has already been recorded with increased activity year to date, with 239 procedures carried out year to date on 1st July, compared with 178 procedures in the same period last year.
This latest initiative is further evidence of this Government’s commitment to address acute hospital waiting lists. The 2022 Waiting List Action Plan allocates €350 million to the HSE and National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to improve waiting times. This is the first stage of an ambitious multi-annual waiting list programme, which is currently under development in the Department of Health.
1101. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which ready access to treatment for patients requiring cardiovascular, endoscopy and oncology is expected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38104/22]
View answerIt 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.
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 endoscopy and cardiovascular waiting lists, acute hospital Outpatient and Inpatient/Day case waiting lists are published monthly, broken down by specialty, and are available on the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) website at: ntpf.ie/home/nwld.htm
With regard to oncology, key performance indicators for access to oncology services are outlined in the HSE National Service Plan and performance profiles and are published on the HSE website at: hse.ie/eng/services/publications/performancereports/
1102. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in design and implementation of new statutory scheme for the financing and regulation of home-support services as committed to in the Programme for Government; when such a scheme will be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38105/22]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to ‘Introduce a statutory scheme to support people to live in their own homes, which will provide equitable access to high-quality, regulated home care’.
Work is ongoing within the Department across three broad workstreams to progress this commitment:
(i) Regulation of home-support providers
The Department is currently developing a regulatory framework for home-support providers with the aim of ensuring that all service-users are provided with high-quality care. This framework will comprise primary legislation for the licensing of providers, secondary legislation in the form of regulations (minimum requirements), and HIQA national standards.
On 27 April 2021, Government gave approval to the Minister for Health to draft a General Scheme and Heads of Bill to establish a licensing framework for home-support providers. The Heads of a Bill are currently at draft stage and it is intended to bring this legislation through the Houses of the Oireachtas at the earliest opportunity.
In tandem to this, draft regulations setting out the minimum requirements a home support provider must meet to obtain a licence are also at an advanced stage. The Department has completed a targeted stakeholder consultation which has amended the draft regulations further. This has been enhanced by regular discussions with HIQA, HSE, Private Providers' representative groups and legal expertise assisting with legal text and interpretation of core issues, such as, capacity legislation, employment laws and health and safety issues. A 6-week public consultation is ongoing, due to close on 28th July.
In addition to this, HIQA are in the process of developing standards for home care and home support services which will be the focus of a public consultation in September.
(ii) Funding of home-support services
The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) undertook a programme of work on behalf of the Department on the potential demand for, and cost of, home support which culminated in two reports.
This research will form an important part of the evidence base for the development of a sustainable funding model for home support services in the context of our ageing population.
An internal consultation process on a range of potential funding options is underway. Targeted external consultation will follow in due course.
(iii) Reformed model of service delivery
The Pilot for testing of a reformed model of service for the delivery for home-support is now fully operational. It commenced in November 2021 in CHO 8 and the three other sites CHO2, CHO 4 and CHO 7 became operational in January 2022. The interRAI outputs and pilot site evaluation will be critical to the development of the new home-support scheme.
Recruitment of 128 Care Needs Facilitator posts has commenced to progress the national rollout of interRAI as the standard assessment tool for care-needs in the community. It is planned to have these posts in place by the end of Q3 2022..
Approval and funding were provided in 2021 for the new National Older Persons Services Offices which will encompass the National Home Support Office to be located in Tullamore. Funding is provided for 15 full time jobs including 9 Community Healthcare Organisation home support manager/coordinator posts. Recruitment of the Head of Service of the new National Home support Office has been advertised.
