Written Answers Nos. 1975-1994
1975. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if he will provide his response to a campaign from an organisation (details supplied) to end parking fees at acute hospitals for the families of children undergoing in-hospital treatments. [43906/22]
View answerI am aware that hospitals that charge parking fees are very cognisant of the financial implications of parking costs for patients and their families, particularly for those with long-term illnesses.
Consequently, some hospitals have introduced a maximum daily fixed parking charge and reduced rate parking for long-term patients and visitors for whom the payment of the full rate would cause hardship.
The Programme for Government makes a commitment to introduce a cap on the maximum daily charge for patients and visitors at all public hospitals, where possible and to introduce flexible passes in all public hospitals for patients and their families. I am very aware of the financial burden this issue can cause some patients and families. Accordingly, my Department and the HSE are currently examining the issue.
1976. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health his engagement with the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment concerning reform of the recruitment process of non-EU/EEA nationals and the fast tracking of the processing of critical skills employment permits relating to healthcare professionals for the nursing home sector. [43907/22]
View answerThe Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has responsibility for the employment permits legislation and the granting of permits which facilitates the arrival of highly skilled non-EEA nationals wishing to take up employment in Ireland in an eligible occupation, to meet skills demand in the economy where those skills can’t be accessed through the resident labour force, in the short to medium term. This objective must be balanced by the need to ensure that there are no suitably qualified Irish/EEA nationals available to undertake the work and that the shortage is a genuine one.
In order to ensure the employment permits system is aligned with current labour market intelligence, these lists undergo regular, evidence-based review guided by relevant research, a public/stakeholder consultation, the views of the Economic Migration Interdepartmental Group and relevant policy Departments, including the Department of Health. Account is also taken of upskilling and training initiatives and other known contextual factors, such as the ending of the pandemic unemployment payment schemes and the Ukrainian humanitarian Crisis, and their impact on the labour market.
Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English TD announced changes in June last year to provide access to the General Employment Permit for non-EEA nationals wishing to take up employment in the State as a Nursing Auxiliary or Assistant (Health Care Assistant) in hospital/nursing home settings. The changes also included removing a number of healthcare occupations from the Ineligible Occupations List. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment continues to keep the employment permits system under review in light of changing labour market circumstances.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment experienced a significant increase in applications for employment permits in the past year, impacting on processing times. From the start of January to the end of December 2021, 27,666 applications were received, representing a 69% increase over the same period in 2020 (16,293) and a 47% increase on 2019 (18,811), which itself represented an 11 year high in applications.
The current processing time for Critical Skills Employment Permits is 4 weeks and General Employment Permits take 4 to 5 weeks. The Employment Permits Unit is aware of how employment permits processing times may have impacted businesses and their workers, and a range of measures were implemented to address processing times, which has seen the number of applications awaiting processing reduce from c. 11,000 in January 2022 to 2,715, less than a quarter of the peak in the first week of January.
1977. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of beds in Bantry Hospital assigned for mental health patients currently; his plans to either increase or decrease this allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43908/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1978. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking in response to the threat of monkeypox; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43909/22]
View answer1979. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to make the monkeypox vaccine freely available and widely accessible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43910/22]
View answer1980. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to communicate public health advice and information on vaccines concerning monkeypox to the groups in society most at risk; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43911/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1978, 1979 and 1980 together.
In response to the monkeypox outbreak, I have convened a Strategic Advisory Group, chaired by the interim Chief Medical Officer, to review evidence and advise as appropriate in relation to surveillance and management of monkeypox at a national level; develop and implement a strategy to contain monkeypox; and provide oversight and assurance of the national response. The work of the multidisciplinary Group builds on the significant work already undertaken by the Department of Health, the HSE, other relevant agencies and organisations, and community representatives since the international alert on monkeypox was first raised.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1981. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the scheme to make contraception freely available to women aged 17-25 years can be accessed through telemedicine online consultation pathways; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43912/22]
View answerThe Programme for Government, 2020 commits to providing free contraception for women, starting with the 17-25 age cohort. My Department has been working with partners, including the HSE, towards ensuring that the scheme will commence in September, 2022. Funding of approximately €9m has been allocated for this in Budget 2022.
The scheme will be open to all 17-25 year-old women ordinarily resident in Ireland and will provide for:
- The cost of prescription contraception;
- The cost of consultations with medical professionals to discuss suitable contraception for individual patients and to enable prescription of same. Consultations will include both initial discussions of suitable contraception for each patient, and necessary check-ups to provide repeat prescriptions;
- The cost of fitting and/or removal of various types of long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs) plus any necessary checks, by medical professionals certified to fit/remove same;
- The cost of providing the wide range of contraceptive options currently available to GMS (medical) card holders, which will also be available through this scheme, including contraceptive injections, implants, IUS and IUDs (coils), the contraceptive patch and ring, and various forms of oral contraceptive pill, including emergency contraception.
- The cost of training and certifying additional medical professionals to fit and remove LARCs;
The legal framework for the scheme is provided by the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Act, 2022, which was enacted in July, 2022. It is envisaged that the Act will be commenced, and the scheme launched, once the Regulations setting the terms and conditions relating to the provision of services and fees, etc., are expected to be enacted later this week. It is envisaged that the scheme will go live next week (the week commencing 12 September 2022).
The Department of Health and the HSE are working with service providers in term of preparations for scheme commencement. It is typically the case that formal agreement with the main medical and pharmacy representative organisations is reached regarding the detail of service provision, prior to engagement with other smaller providers.
I can confirm that officials in the Department have contacted smaller specialist service providers, with a view to discussing possible engagement with the scheme and to discuss any issues they may wish to raise.
With specific regard to telemedicine, it will be necessary to have the provision of prescription contraception in this manner reviewed by clinical experts, prior to inclusion in the scheme. Advice from the relevant clinical experts has been sought in this regard. If the clinical advice is that it is appropriate in terms of patient safety, etc., for prescriptions for oral contraceptives to be issued through online consultations under a State sponsored scheme (i.e. without the ability to carry out physical checks using calibrated equipment, etc.), amendments will be required to the Regulations that will lay out the terms and conditions of scheme participation for providers, following negotiations with providers to agree these.
Completing these requirements may take a little additional time; therefore it may not be possible to include such providers in the scheme from the outset. However, their inclusion is being actively worked on and we are hoping to include these options as soon as the appropriate clinical and regulatory processes have been completed.
The design of citizen engagement information and publicity campaigns to support and promote the roll out of the scheme is currently being finalised by officials in the Department’s Press and Communications Team, the HSE’s Communications team and relevant subject matter experts in the Department and HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme.
The campaign will target 17-25 year olds with a broader reach to all adults through an extensive media engagement and outreach programme on broadcast and video on demand services; digital out of home advertising in a variety of locations including third level institutes, retail settings etc; targeted and an organic social media campaign. Digital information regarding the scheme and how to access it will be available through www.sexualwellbeing.ie shortly and contraceptive choices materials will be placed in GP surgeries from later in September.
1982. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if he will immediately publish the Disability Capacity Review Action Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43913/22]
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 and is informing relevant engagement in the estimates process.
1983. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the number of in-patients in each acute hospital at present that has been admitted for more than one year in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43934/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1984. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the number of in-patients in each acute hospital over the past ten years that have been admitted for more than one year in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43935/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1985. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health when outstanding pandemic bonus payments will be made to those in the healthcare sector, including those providing home care; the reason that this has taken so long; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43943/22]
View answerFirstly, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period.
The HSE and the Department have been examining progressing the rollout of the Pandemic Recognition Payment to the list of 6 non-HSE/non-Section 38 organisation types covered by the Government Decision. This measure will be ring fenced to staff working ordinarily onsite in COVID-19 exposed healthcare environments. This shall cover eligible staff in:
1. Private Sector Nursing Homes and Hospices (e.g. Private, Voluntary, Section 39 etc.);
2. Eligible staff working on-site in Section 39 long-term residential care facilities for people with disabilities;
3. Agency roles working in the HSE;
4. Health Care Support Assistants (also known as home help / home care / home support) contracted to the HSE;
5. Members of the Defence Forces redeployed to work in frontline Covid-19 exposed environments in the HSE;
6. Paramedics employed by Dublin Fire Brigade to deliver services on behalf of the HSE.
Information will be published shortly for those certain non-HSE/non-Section 38 healthcare employees that are covered by the Government Decision and the process available to their employers to implement this measure for their eligible staff.
Once this process is published, the Department is keen that payments to eligible workers will be made as soon as possible thereafter.
1986. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health when he expects the vacant position for a urology consultant at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin to be filled; if he appreciates the time-sensitive nature of filling such a post; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43958/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1987. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Health the level of service provision that is in place for psychological intervention dealing with trauma for Ukrainian citizens living in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43964/22]
View answerAs the information requested by the Deputy comes under the remit of the Health Service Executive, this PQ has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
1988. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the current publicly-funded staffing levels at a day centre (details supplied); the corresponding levels as of January 2021, June 2021, January 2022 and May 2022; the numbers within the staff cohort that are qualified as nurses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43971/22]
View answerAs this question relates to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1989. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive a date for surgery in Temple Street Hospital; if they are on the urgent or routine list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43981/22]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1990. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a detailed explanation of the way in which funds were used in relation to the audit carried out on the nursing homes spending of support payments during the pandemic (details supplied). [43982/22]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1991. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will implement a care partner system under his powers in the Health (Amendment) Act 2021, similar to that in Northern Ireland [43983/22]
View answerPeople living in nursing homes and other residential care facilities have a right to maintain meaningful relationships with people who are important to them. Visiting is an essential part of that right. In recognition of this, the Nominated Support Person was introduced in visiting guidance that came into effect in February 2022. The guidance noted that the nominated support person should normally have unrestricted access to the resident for most of the day and that access of the nominated support person would be in addition to and not instead of visitor access. Further detail on this role was set out in visiting guidance provided by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC). This guidance has now been retired.
As the Deputy will be aware, in line with the move to further normalise visiting to nursing homes and recognising that visiting plays an essential role in supporting the rights and wellbeing of people who live in nursing homes, public health advice is that full access to visiting should be facilitated to the greatest degree practical for all residents. The revised Infection Prevention and Control guidance, which came into effect on 4 July 2022, includes a set of principles to support access and visiting in nursing homes.
The full guidance is available on the HPSC website www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/guidance/infectionpreventionandcontrolguidance/residentialcarefacilities/IPC%20and%20PH%20guidance%20for%20outbreaks.pdf
Nursing home providers are ultimately responsible for the safe care of their residents. In a broad sense, visits to nursing homes are governed by legislation under the Health Act 2007 (Care and Welfare of Residents in Designated Centres for Older People) Regulations 2013; regulation 11 provides that the nursing home should facilitate visiting and not restrict visiting except in circumstances such as the resident requesting same, or potential risk posed from visiting. The regulations also require that the nursing home has suitable facilities in place and available for residents to receive visits. It is the legal responsibility of each provider to assess the risks and mitigation measures associated with their service and how best to manage visits having regards to the specific circumstances that arise in relation to their service.
1992. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE teams that provided on-the-ground support to nursing homes and the number of nursing homes that were provided with this support throughout the pandemic. [43985/22]
View answerAs this is a matter for the Health Service Executive (HSE), I am requesting that the HSE respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1993. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if the HSE was turned away from any nursing homes which it attempted to provide support to due to the HSE believing that the nursing home was in crisis. [43986/22]
View answerAs this is a matter for the Health Service Executive (HSE), I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1994. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health when the HSE will release the report into a nursing home (details supplied); and if the full report will be made public. [43987/22]
View answerAs this is a matter for the Health Service Executive (HSE), I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
