Written Answers Nos. 549-568
549. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if a comprehensive analysis has been conducted of the estimated cost of the HSE providing homecare directly to care recipients on an hourly basis; if so, if he will provide this analysis; the estimated equivalent cost to the HSE and providers of providing such care on an out-sourced basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44660/22]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
550. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the average waiting times for urgent and non-urgent patients at the symptomatic breast cancer clinic at University Hospital Galway; the number of patients on each list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44663/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
551. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the status of the development of a primary care centre for Claregalway, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44664/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
552. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who have issued letters of claim and taken cases against the State regarding the deaths of persons from Covid-19 in hospitals or nursing homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44670/22]
View answerThe State Claims Agency (SCA) has a statutory remit to manage personal injury claims on behalf of Delegated State Authorities including the Health Service Executive.
The information contained within this report was extracted from the National Incident Management System (NIMS) according to the below criteria:
- The explicit reference to ”hospitals” is interpreted as all claims notified to the SCA against the HSE which relate to incidents occurring in an acute hospital setting.
- The explicit reference to “nursing homes” is interpreted as all claims notified to the SCA against the HSE which relate to incidents occurring within a nursing home.
-Claims which relate to incidents occurring within a community health organisation location/unit have not been included in this report.
The number of claims currently being taken against the HSE, notified to the SCA, which arise from the death of a family member as a result of contracting Covid-19 in a HSE Hospital or Nursing Home setting is 42.
Definitions
National Incident Management System (NIMS):
Incidents (which include claims) are reported using the “National Incident Management System”. This is hosted by the State Claims Agency (SCA) for the HSE, other Healthcare enterprises and State Authorities. An incident can be a harmful Incident (Adverse Event), no harm incident, near miss, dangerous occurrence (reportable circumstance) or complaint
553. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who have taken cases against the State and HSE and who have issued letters of claim regarding the alleged misreading of smear tests in each of the past ten years and to date in 2022. [44671/22]
View answerThe State Claims Agency (SCA) has a statutory remit to manage personal injury claims on behalf of Delegated State Authorities including the Health Service Executive.
The information contained in this report has been extracted from the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and is accurate as of 08/09/2022.
Criteria used • Cervical Check claims received on NIMS 01/01/2012 – 08/09/2022
|
Claim Received Year |
Number of Claims |
|
2012 |
0 |
|
2013 |
0 |
|
2014 |
1 |
|
2015 |
0 |
|
2016 |
2 |
|
2017 |
1 |
|
2018 |
86 |
|
2019 |
52 |
|
2020 |
95 |
|
2021 |
103 |
|
2022 YTD |
29 |
|
Grand Total |
369 |
Table 1: Claims received between 01/01/2012 & 30/06/2022
76 of the 369 cervical claims received are associated psychological claims brought by family members.
Definitions:
National Incident Management System (NIMS): Incidents (which include claims) are reported using the “National Incident Management System”. This is hosted by the State Claims Agency (SCA) for the HSE, other Healthcare enterprises and State Authorities. An incident can be a harmful Incident (Adverse Event), no harm incident, near miss, dangerous occurrence (reportable circumstance) or complaint.
Claim: A claim refers to notification of intention to seek compensation for personal injury and/or property damage where it is alleged the State was negligent. The application may be in the form of a letter of claim, an InjuriesBoard.ie application, or a written/oral request.
Claim Received Year: Official date that the claim was received on NIMS.
554. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who have made claims via the Cervical Check Tribunal; the number for whom claims have been settled; the number for whom claims have been rejected; and the number for whom the process is ongoing. [44672/22]
View answerThe CervicalCheck Tribunal was established on 27 October 2020 under the CervicalCheck Tribunal Act 2019 (the 2019 Act). Establishment of the Tribunal was finalised with the appointment of the nominated chairperson and members with effect from 1 December 2020. The original closing date for receipt of claims was extended and the final date for making or transferring a claim to the Tribunal was 26 July 2022.
The Tribunal has indicated to my Department that it received twenty-six claims, two of which were consolidated. In terms of persons, that is twenty-five claims in respect of eligible women as set out in the relevant sections of the 2019 Act. Most of these claims were brought by individual claimants, however six claims were 'fatal injuries’ claims brought on behalf of surviving dependents, and some of these have more than one claimant. In respect of claims settled, the Tribunal has advised that of the claims lodged, to date, eight claims in respect of eligible women have been resolved between the parties. In circumstances where claims forms were submitted containing insufficient information for the Tribunal to issue the claim, the forms were returned for completion. No eligible claims were rejected by the Tribunal. However, in a small number of cases the Tribunal was not in a position to hear and determine a claim for want of respondent consent which was either not forthcoming or withdrawn.There are currently fourteen claims in process before the Tribunal.
555. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of general practitioner referrals to rapid access clinics in each of the past ten years and to date in 2022, in tabular form. [44673/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
556. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the number of persons diagnosed with cancer in the State by cancer-type, in each of the past ten years and to date in 2022, in tabular form. [44674/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
557. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of persons screened by BreastCheck in each of the past ten years and to date in 2022. [44675/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
558. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of persons screened by CervicalCheck in each of the past ten years and to date in 2022. [44676/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
559. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of nursing homes which opened in the State in each of the past ten years; and the total number which closed in the State in each of the past ten years, in tabular form. [44677/22]
View answerThe Health Information and Quality is responsible for the monitoring, inspection and registration of designated centres for older people, such as nursing homes, in Ireland. The Authority has advised the Department that its system of recording changed in 2017. Therefore, the system can only provide consistent information in relation the Deputy’s query from 2018. The data, set out in the table below, reflect the number that are closed as of 30 August 2022.
|
Year |
New Nursing Homes |
Nursing Home Closures |
|
2018 |
12 |
10 |
|
2019 |
10 |
6 |
|
2020 |
11 |
23 |
|
2021 |
3 |
9 |
|
2022 |
4 |
6 |
The Authority has further advised that the numbers recorded in 2020 reflect the repurposing of HSE centres during the beginning of the pandemic.
560. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the total amount paid out in compensation for alleged medical negligence in each of the following hospitals in each of the past ten years and to date in 2022: Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan, Cavan General Hospital, Mayo University Hospital, Wexford General Hospital, University Hospital Galway, Merlin Park University Hospital, Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe, Roscommon University Hospital, Sligo University Hospital, Letterkenny University Hospital, Cork University Hospital, University Hospital Limerick and Mullingar hospital. [44678/22]
View answerThe State Claims Agency (SCA) has a statutory remit to manage personal injury claims on behalf of Delegated State Authorities including the Health Service Executive. I have been informed by the SCA that the information contained in the attached document has been extracted from the National Incident Management System (NIMS) according to the below criteria.
The SCA does not release transaction data into the public domain at individual hospital level because to do so would effectively provide a league table of hospitals and could cause the public to draw false and unwarranted assumptions in relation to the clinical performance of an individual hospital in the absence of further relevant contextual information.
Criteria used
- Payments relate to Acute Statutory and Voluntary Hospitals.
- Relates to payments made under the Clinical Indemnity Scheme.
- Amount paid in damages for the period 2012-2022 (To end of August).
- This report is correct as of 31/08/2022
561. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 169 of 22 June 2022, the reason for the delay in the payment of the pandemic recognition payment to eligible staff of private nursing homes; when the payments will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44689/22]
View answerFirstly, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period.
Rolling out the payment to eligible employees of those specific non-HSE/Section 38 organisations covered by the government decision is a complex task, particularly as these employees are not normally paid by the public health service, duplicate payments need to be avoided, and there are many organisations to be covered, but this work is being given priority attention. Officials are continuing work to progress this large complex project, and further consideration is actively underway on how this would best be expedited.
At this point, the Department is not in a position to assess or comment on individual cases. Please be assured that work on rolling out payment to non-HSE/Section 38 organisations is being prioritised and once information on which organisations shall be paid is published, the Department is keen that payments to eligible workers will be made as soon as possible thereafter.
I assure you that it is the intention of the Department to have all eligible healthcare workers paid without delay, and all possible efforts are being made to achieve this. I want to reassure you that the Government is prioritising this payment and remains extremely appreciative for all our healthcare workers’ efforts in the fight against Covid-19.
562. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Health the provision that has been made by the HSE for incoming Ukrainian refugees into Limerick to be given access to general practitioner services [44702/22]
View answerIt is a priority for the Department and the HSE to ensure that Ukrainian refugees are provided with appropriate health and social care services. Ukrainian refugees will be able to access the equivalent health services as people who are already ordinarily living here.
There is a simplified and streamlined medical card application process for Ukrainians granted temporary protection status. For those placed in temporary accommodation, the HSE and local healthcare workers are providing GP and primary care services and connections to more specialist services as needed.
As the provision of GP services to Ukrainian refugees in Limerick is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
563. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44722/22]
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.
564. Deputy Josepha Madigan asked the Minister for Health the estimated amount it would cost to provide medical cards to all those 80 years of age and above; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44726/22]
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 70 or older are assessed under the over 70s medical card income thresholds which are based on gross income. On 1 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 this is not readily available and it is therefore not possible to provide an estimate of the associated cost.
I can advise the Deputy that it is vitally important that the medical card system is responsive and sensitive to people's needs. In that regard, my Department keeps medical card issues, including existing 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.
565. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a matter in which a Section 39 care provider who could not provide consistent and regular care to two women with disabilities in County Wicklow was advised to approach the HSE home-support approved providers to determine whether there is capacity to fill the gaps in these women’s care (details supplied); the steps that he will immediately take to address the issue of no carer capacity in the Greystones area at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44730/22]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to reply to the Deputy, as soon as possible.
566. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 360 of 26 May 2022, if he will provide a further update on a timeframe for the commencement of a catch-up HPV vaccination programme; if this catch-up programme will include girls and boys in secondary school who were eligible to receive HPV vaccine in first year but who did not receive it; if this catch-up programme will include women up to the age of 25 years who have left secondary school and who did not receive the vaccine when eligible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44751/22]
View answerThe immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practice in relation to immunisation.
The ages at which vaccines are recommended in the immunisation schedule are chosen by the NIAC in order to give each child the best possible protection against vaccine preventable diseases. As the HPV vaccine is preventative it is intended to be administered, if possible, before a person becomes exposed to HPV infection.
Therefore, the gender-neutral HPV vaccination programme targets all girls and boys in first year of secondary school to provide maximum coverage.
In October 2021, my Department asked the National Immunisation Advisory Committee to consider the clinical effectiveness of providing the HPV vaccine to:
- girls and boys in secondary school who were eligible to receive HPV vaccine in 1st year but who did not receive it; and
- women up to the age of 25 years who have left secondary school and who did not receive the vaccine when eligible.
I can confirm that the NIAC has submitted its advices in relation to the HPV Vaccination Programme to my Department. As part of its advices, the NIAC noted that HPV vaccination should be prioritised for unvaccinated second level students and females under the age of 25 years.
In line with that advice, I have asked the HSE to provide an opportunity for all boys and girls in secondary schools who were previously eligible to receive the HPV vaccine and who have not yet, for whatever reason, received it, to now be offered the vaccine.
I have also asked the HSE to provide options on how best to introduce a catch-up programme for young women who have now left secondary school and who did not receive the vaccine when they were eligible.
I will be in a position to outline timeframes once the HSE has completed its examination of potential implementation options.
567. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health when staff in organisations (details supplied) will receive the pandemic bonus payment. [44764/22]
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.
568. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the number of children currently awaiting occupational therapy appointments in counties Roscommon and Galway; the average waiting time for an appointment; the steps being taken to address the waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44775/22]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to a service issue, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
