Written Answers Nos. 589-608
589. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which hospital waiting lists are being confronted with a view to a major reduction in such waiting lists and an improvement in the quality of life for those currently on such waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44904/22]
View answerThe 2022 Waiting List Action Plan was launched with €350m of funding 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 was 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 focused on 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 the Department of Health and 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 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.
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.
However, it is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The HSE has confirmed 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.
590. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will receive their Covid-19 recognition payment for frontline workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44915/22]
View answerFirstly, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period.
While my Department does not comment on individual cases, on January 19th, the Government announced a COVID-19 pandemic recognition payment for frontline public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. Following extensive engagement with healthcare unions on the matter, on 19th April the HSE published eligibility guidelines and FAQs, as apply to the HSE and Section 38 agencies, which are available on its website at www.hse.ie/eng/staff/resources/hr-circulars/hr-circular-012-2022-pandemic-special-recognition-payment.html.
The rollout of the Pandemic Recognition Payment is currently receiving priority across all Hospital Groups and Community Services in the HSE. As of Friday, 09 September, 85,078 eligible HSE staff have received payment around the country. This number excludes Section 38 agencies which are estimated to have paid 37,589 staff to date thereby bringing the total number of employees paid to 122,667 .
In relation to the number of eligible HSE/Section 38 staff that are yet to be paid, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
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.
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.
I would also like to remind the Deputy that it is against Department policy to comment on individual cases.
591. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made in implementing a scheme of paid leave for health service employees with long-Covid in the public health sector. [44923/22]
View answerThe Department of Public Expenditure and Reform introduced Special Leave with Pay (SLWP) for Covid at the start of the pandemic as a temporary measure to assist in the prevention of the onward spread of Covid in the workplace.
The most recent change to this introduced by DPER means that all of those currently out on SLWP who remain unwell, will have moved to the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme from 1 July 2022.
Both the Government and I recognise that the staff of the public health service have gone beyond the call of duty, providing patient care in frontline Covid clinically exposed environments, treating Covid positive patients throughout the most challenging phases of the pandemic. Many of those frontline public health sector workers contracted Covid and continue to suffer from long-Covid and remain unfit to attend the workplace.
On this basis a scheme, specific to the public health service has been developed to provide for Paid Leave for Public Health Service Employees unfit for work post Covid infection.
This Scheme will ensure that eligible public health sector employees who remain absent from the workplace re long-Covid, do not experience a ‘cliff edge’ in respect of the revision of SLWP provisions from the 1 July 2022.
The HSE have issued the full details of the Scheme to all public health service employers by circular, and eligible employees will have been notified by their employer that they are transferred to the new Scheme retrospectively from 1 July 2022.
592. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if the case of a child (details supplied) will be reviewed; when a bus escort will be made available for them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44924/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
593. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the plans in relation to use of Garnish House, Cork as a mental health facility; if the house will be rented beyond 2022; if not, if the house will be considered for purchase; the details of the consultation (details supplied) that the HSE has had with family members of residents since April 2020 regarding the duration of the HSE's use of the property as a placement centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44925/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
594. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if HSE management consulted with the Mental Health Commission prior to transferring a resident of a centre (details supplied); if the resident has been accommodated in a single or shared room in unit 3; if the resident was offered a trial placement with the option of returning to the centre in the interim if the placement did not work out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44926/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
595. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the number of residents of a centre (details supplied) who have been transferred to shared rooms in other facilities since June 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44927/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
596. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will acknowledge the ongoing issues and needs of the diabetes community in Ireland, that is, living with one of the top-ten most-challenging health problems, as described by the World Health Organisation; if he will commit to establishing a national diabetes strategy as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44939/22]
View answerDiabetes is a complex condition that can have a profound impact on the quality of life of people living with the condition. If not well managed, it can lead to debilitating complications. Management of the condition is required across the entire spectrum of healthcare delivery including self-management support as well as care delivered through general practice, community specialist care and hospital inpatient specialist care.
I am aware of the needs of the diabetes community and the challenges faced by those living with the condition and have recently met with representatives from Diabetes Ireland and the HSE National Clinical Programme for Diabetes to discuss different ways diabetes care can be improved across the country.
The planned delivery of diabetes services is ongoing, with increases in approved related hospital and community diabetes team posts, the increased number of DAFNE centres, and the recent Government approval for the General Scheme of a Health Information Bill, to facilitate the development of national/population-based disease specific “virtual” registries, including a virtual national diabetes registry. The inclusion of diabetes as one of four chronic diseases in respect of which GMS patients receive ongoing, planned care from their GP through the Chronic Disease Management Programme also represents a major step forward in assisting those living with diabetes to manage their condition.
597. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health when he will publish information for additional healthcare employees that are covered by the Government decision on the pandemic special recognition payment, including the process available to their employers to implement this measure for their eligible staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44940/22]
View answerThank you for your correspondence.
Firstly, 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 are currently examining progressing the rollout 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.
Information will be published shortly for those certain non-HSE/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. 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.
The above 6 areas only are covered by this Government Decision and all eligible workers will be paid in accordance with the overarching eligibility criteria in place.
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.
598. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health when the pandemic special recognition payment will be paid to firefighters and advanced paramedics working in the Dublin Fire Brigade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44945/22]
View answerThank you for your correspondence on behalf of Dublin Fire Brigade firefighters and advanced paramedics.
Firstly, 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.
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.
599. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health if children who require high index lenses in their glasses can avail of funding under the children's optical voucher scheme to cover the additional cost of purchasing these lenses as a standard throughout every region of the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44950/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
600. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health when all of the remaining groups that are eligible for the pandemic recognition payment but have not received it to date, will be able to apply for the payment; when they will receive payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44951/22]
View answerFirstly, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period.
The rollout of the Pandemic Recognition Payment is currently receiving priority across all Hospital Groups and Community Services in the HSE. As of Friday, 09 September, 85,078 eligible HSE staff have received payment around the country. This number excludes Section 38 agencies which are estimated to have paid 37,589 staff to date thereby bringing the total number of employees paid to 122,667 .
In relation to the number of eligible HSE/Section 38 staff that are yet to be paid, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
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.
As the rollout of payments to the eligible workers in non-HSE/non-Section 38 organisations has not yet begun, and eligibility has not yet been assessed across the private sector, I cannot provide an estimated number of workers who will receive the payment.
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.
601. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has received an update from the HSE on the roll-out of the pandemic bonus payment; and the arrangements in particular that have been made for contract workers [44953/22]
View answerThank you for your correspondence on behalf of contract workers.
Firstly, 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 are currently examining progressing the rollout 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.
Information will be published shortly for those certain non-HSE/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. 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.
The above 6 areas only are covered by this Government Decision and all eligible workers will be paid in accordance with the overarching eligibility criteria in place. Once this process is published, the Department is keen that payments to eligible workers will be made as soon as possible thereafter.
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 and where this would best be expedited.
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.
602. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if consideration is being given to ending the pause on the use of mesh for urinary stress incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse surgeries in Irish public hospitals; if he will provide an update on the implementation of the recommendations from the Use of Uro-Gynaecological Mesh in Surgical Procedures report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44974/22]
View answerI understand that complications from a mesh implant can be very distressing and painful for the women experiencing them. Since concerns about mesh complications came to the attention of the Department of Health in late 2017, the ongoing priority focus for the Department has been to ensure that all women experiencing mesh related complications receive high quality, multi-disciplinary and patient-centred care.
Uro-Gynaecological (Transvaginal) mesh is used in the surgical treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) and Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) in women and such mesh devices have been widely used for this over the past two decades. However, in late 2017, in line with emerging international evidence, concerns were raised at national level regarding the frequency and severity of complications associated with the use of transvaginal mesh devices. The then Minister for Health requested the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) to prepare a report on the clinical and technical issues involved.
In November 2018, the CMO’s Report on The Use of Uro-Gynaecological Mesh in Surgical Procedures was published. The Report made 19 recommendations in all, including the necessity to develop patient information and informed consent materials; surgical professional training and multi-disciplinary expertise in units carrying out mesh procedures, and ensuring timely, appropriate and accessible care pathways for the management of women with complications. In July 2018, the CMO had asked the HSE to pause all mesh procedures where clinically safe to do so, pending confirmation of the implementation of specific recommendations in the CMO’s Report. This pause remains in place.
In April 2019 the HSE published a detailed Implementation Plan to progress the recommendations detailed in this report and significant progress has been made in relation to the implementation of the CMO’s Report on The Use of Uro-Gynaecological Mesh in Surgical Procedures (2018) and the National Women and Infants Health Programme continue to lead on this work for the HSE.
The focus for the HSE and my Department is the full implementation of the CMO’s Report on The Use of Uro-Gynaecological Mesh in Surgical Procedures and ensuring that women who require aftercare following mesh complications receive high quality, multi-disciplinary patient centred care in accordance with the evidence and supported by robust clinical governance mechanisms. Department officials continue to engage with the HSE in this regard.
603. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health if FEMPI cuts imposed on community pharmacists will be reversed; if these pharmacies will be awarded a fee increase given the fact that their running costs have increased exponentially over the past 12 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44980/22]
View answerAs the Minster for Health, I recognise the significant role community pharmacists play in the delivery of patient care and acknowledge the potential for this role to be developed further in the context of health service reform. Community pharmacy is recognised as the most accessible element of our health service with an unequalled reach in terms of patient contact. Community pharmacists have played a central role in the national vaccination rollout – the largest ever undertaken by the State.
The regulations governing the pharmacy fee structure that were made under section 9 of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) Act 2009 expired at the end of 2019. Under the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017, these regulations had to be replaced by 1 January 2020 in order to maintain a statutory basis for contractor payments and to prescribe the fees payable from that date.
The Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 (Payments to Community Pharmacy Contractors) Regulations 2019 – S.I. No. 639 of 2019 – gave effect to the current pharmacy fees. Any future changes to the pharmacy fee structure will need to be made by regulations under the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017. The fees to be set are determined by the Minister for Health, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
During the COVID-19 pandemic the Health Service Executive established a Community Pharmacy Contingency Planning working group with relevant stakeholders, including the Irish Pharmaceutical Union and the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland, to support the implementation of all COVID-19 support measures. This group – now called the Community Pharmacy Planning Forum – had examined the operational and clinical challenges confronting community pharmacists during the COVID-19 emergency and played a key role in resolving them to the benefit of the people of Ireland.
The work of the Forum has now transitioned to discussing the strategic direction of the community pharmacy profession. This will prove invaluable in the context of future contractual reform. Of course, any publicly funded pharmacy service expansion should address unmet public healthcare needs, improve access to existing public health services, and provide better value for money.
604. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) will qualify for the pandemic bonus payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44985/22]
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 are currently examining progressing the rollout 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.
Information will be published shortly for those certain non-HSE/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. 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.
The above 6 areas only are covered by this Government Decision and all eligible workers will be paid in accordance with the overarching eligibility criteria in place. Once this process is published, the Department is keen that payments to eligible workers will be made as soon as possible thereafter.
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.
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, eligibility for payment can be checked at that point.
I would also like to remind the Deputy that it is against Department policy to comment on individual cases.
605. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will secure an urgent appointment to meet with a consultant immunologist. [44990/22]
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.
606. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Health if he will make full-time residential care available for a disabled person (details supplied). [44993/22]
View answerAs the question relates to a service matter, I am referring it to the HSE for direct response to the Deputy as soon as possible.
607. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the number and locations of hospital beds, broken down by acute, non-acute and ICU beds that are in place in HSE-run hospitals in September 2022; the corresponding figures for the end of 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45021/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
608. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the additional staffing resources that are being provided to the Clare children's disability network team for the purpose of reducing waiting lists in County Clare; the measures that will be taken to further improve service delivery in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45022/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
