Wednesday, 28 Sep 2022

Health Services Staff

Questions (252)

Colm Burke

Question:

252. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health his plans to recruit and train more cardiac physiologists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47455/22]

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Written answers

The National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services commenced in January 2018 under the Chairmanship of Professor Phillip Nolan and a Steering Group formed from nominations of interested stakeholders representing medical, professional/technical staff, nursing and patient representatives.

The aim of the Cardiac Services Review is to recommend configuration for a national adult cardiac service to achieve optimal patient outcomes at population level with particular emphasis on the safety, quality and sustainability of the services that patients receive. This aligns with the Sláintecare reform programme. In terms of scope, the National Review covers scheduled and unscheduled hospital-based services for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease in adults and considers the cardiology workforce which includes cardiac physiologists.

The COVID-19 Pandemic impacted on the progress of the review during 2020 and into 2021 as the Chair of the Cardiac Services Review has played a key role in the national COVID-19 response.

Substantial progress has been made on the National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services since the Steering Group reconvened in September 2021 and it is currently in its concluding stages. The Steering Group met most recently in September and is due to meet again in October where recommendations will be finalised and the Report will be sent to the Minister for consideration

Health Services Staff

Questions (253)

Colm Burke

Question:

253. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will support the training and qualification of staff in echocardiography through organisations (details supplied); if those seeking accreditation will be afforded the time and scope necessary to complete any additional work required; if fees for such programmes will be covered by the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47456/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

This PQ was referred to the HSE for direct answer.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Questions (254)

Colm Burke

Question:

254. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health his plans to reduce waiting times for the critical diagnostic test for heart valve disease and most other cardiac conditions, known as an echocardiogram, to the target time of 18 weeks for all referrals and two weeks for urgent referrals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47458/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

The National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services commenced in January 2018 under the Chairmanship of Professor Phillip Nolan and a Steering Group formed from nominations of interested stakeholders representing medical, professional/technical staff, nursing and patient representatives.

The aim of the Cardiac Services Review is to recommend configuration for a national adult cardiac service to achieve optimal patient outcomes at population level with particular emphasis on the safety, quality and sustainability of the services that patients receive. This aligns with the Sláintecare reform programme. In terms of scope, the National Review covers scheduled and unscheduled hospital-based services for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease in adults and considers cardiac diagnostic procedures such as echocardiogram.

The COVID-19 Pandemic impacted on the progress of the review during 2020 and into 2021 as the Chair of the Cardiac Services Review has played a key role in the national COVID-19 response.

Substantial progress has been made on the National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services since the Steering Group reconvened in September 2021 and it is currently in its concluding stages. The Steering Group met most recently in September and is due to meet again in October where recommendations will be finalised and the Report will be sent to the Minister for consideration

General Practitioner Services

Questions (255)

Colm Burke

Question:

255. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase direct access to echocardiography for general practitioners through community-based ambulatory care hubs, given 80% of private hospitals provide GP direct access yet only 19% of public hospitals do the same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47459/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Disability Services

Questions (256, 258)

Neasa Hourigan

Question:

256. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the progress made in establishing dedicated community neurorehabilitation teams for each CHO, as outlined in the National Strategy & Policy for the Provision of Neuro-Rehabilitation Services in Ireland report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47465/22]

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Neasa Hourigan

Question:

258. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure continued funding for the Neurological Rehabilitation Centre, An Saol, which offers the opportunity to those with a brain injury to live their life in the community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47467/22]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 256 and 258 together.

As these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Health Services Staff

Questions (257)

Neasa Hourigan

Question:

257. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health his plans to appoint additional nurse specialists across adult neurology services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47466/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Question No. 258 answered with Question No. 256.

Medical Aids and Appliances

Questions (259)

Michael Lowry

Question:

259. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health the reason a FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system was not provided to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary with type 1 diabetes; the reason supporting documentation provided on appeal by their diabetes nurse explaining the clinical need for the FreeStyle Libre monitoring system on health and safety grounds was not accepted by primary care reimbursement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47468/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

The HSE has statutory responsibility for pricing and reimbursement decisions under the community schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. Therefore, this matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Substance Misuse

Questions (260)

Paul Murphy

Question:

260. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that while the overall allocation to the drugs initiative budget in his Department has risen every year since 2017, there has been no increase in the core budgets for community drug projects since 2013; and if he will increase funding for community drug projects in budget 2023. [47477/22]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

In Budget 2023, I secured an additional €10.5m for the national drugs strategy and inclusion health. This includes €3.5m for community and voluntary providers of drug and alcohol services and inclusion health services to maintain existing level of service. This will deliver a substantial uplift in grant agreements with service providers to cover cost of living and operational cost increases. Details of the additional funding secured in Budget 2023 are outlined in the attached factsheet.

The Department of Health provides €28 million for 280 community-based drug and alcohol services annually. In 2019, additional funding of €1m was provided for drug and alcohol task forces, including €240,000 on a recurring basis for core budgets. In December 2021, I announced a new €2 million fund to enhance community-based drug and alcohol services - the Community Services Enhancement Fund (CSEF). The fund supports the strategic priority under the national drugs strategy for 2021-2025 to enhance access to and delivery of drug and alcohol services in the community. This priority seeks to enhance community care for people who use drugs by providing health and social care services at the community level to meet identified health needs.

Budget 2023 Factsheet

Question No. 261 answered with Question No. 248.

Question No. 262 answered with Question No. 242.

Health Strategies

Questions (263)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

263. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of the cardiac services review; when he expects it to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47493/22]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Health

The National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services commenced in January 2018 under the Chairmanship of Professor Phillip Nolan and a Steering Group formed from nominations of interested stakeholders representing medical, professional/technical staff, nursing and patient representatives.

The aim of the Cardiac Services Review is to recommend configuration for a national adult cardiac service to achieve optimal patient outcomes at population level with particular emphasis on the safety, quality and sustainability of the services that patients receive. This aligns with the Sláintecare reform programme. In terms of scope, the National Review covers scheduled and unscheduled hospital-based services for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease in adults.

The COVID-19 Pandemic impacted on the progress of the review during 2020 and into 2021 as the Chair of the Cardiac Services Review has played a key role in the national COVID-19 response.

Substantial progress has been made on the National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services since the Steering Group reconvened in September 2021 and it is currently in its concluding stages. The Steering Group met most recently in September and is due to meet again in October where recommendations will be finalised. The Report will then be sent to the Minister for his consideration.

Hospital Facilities

Questions (264)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

264. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the expected opening date for the second catheterisation laboratory in University Hospital Waterford; the number of staff who have been recruited to date; the opening hours of this new facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47494/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Health Services

Questions (265)

Denis Naughten

Question:

265. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the current waiting times for paediatric speech and language therapy in Roscommon, east Galway and Galway as a whole; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47499/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Nursing Homes

Questions (266)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

266. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if a response will issue to a matter raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied) in respect of calls for a public enquiry into nursing home deaths in Ireland during Covid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47500/22]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I appreciate that the Deputy has raised this matter on a number of occasions, through various formats, on behalf of those families who lost loved ones during the pandemic.

My Department has corresponded with bereaved family members on a number of occasions and will be responding to the most recent correspondence, dated 22 September, in early course. I can confirm that I met with the group Care Champions, and some of those who had lost loved ones in the nursing home specified by the Deputy, on Monday 12 July 2021. The concerns raised by family members were heard at the meeting and a comprehensive response issued.

In relation to the specific issue raised, the position remains that the Department of the Taoiseach are considering options for a comprehensive evaluation of how the country managed COVID-19. This evaluation will provide an opportunity to learn lessons from our experiences in dealing with a pandemic over the past two years.

I want to again emphasise that throughout the pandemic, the overall national response to COVID-19 has had a specific and sustained focus on older persons, particularly those resident in nursing homes. This included the establishment of a structured nursing home support system, in line with National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) recommendations, to provide enhanced supports to public and private nursing homes. A comprehensive package of direct and indirect supports was established in early 2020 and many of these remain active across the country to support nursing homes on a proactive basis.

In addition, the independent COVID-19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel was established early in the pandemic in May 2020 to examine the complex issues surrounding the management of COVID-19 in nursing homes and to provide real-time learnings and recommendations to inform the ongoing response. As the Deputy will be aware, significant progress has already been made in implementing the recommendations of the Expert Panel, particularly those recommendations requiring a priority focus in the response to COVID-19, and work to progress medium and longer term reform recommendations is ongoing across all of the health agencies and stakeholders. Four Expert Panel Progress Reports have been published to date, the latest published on 21 June 2022, and all Progress Reports are available on my Department’s website.

Question No. 267 answered with Question No. 248.

Pharmacy Services

Questions (268)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

268. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the reason Ireland does not have a chief pharmaceutical officer (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47514/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

My Department has professionally qualified pharmacists among its staff and does not have plans to appoint a chief pharmaceutical officer at the present time. The matter will be kept under review in the context of wider workforce planning considerations.

I am aware that there is interest currently in discussing the potential post of Chief Pharmaceutical Officer and I have asked my officials in the Medicines, Controlled Drugs and Pharmacy Legislation Unit to engage directly with the Irish Pharmacy Union in the first instance, to offer the IPU an opportunity to outline their position and to listen to their perspective and insights on this matter.

Mental Health Services

Questions (269)

Pa Daly

Question:

269. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health the status of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Annual Report for the years 2013 to 2014 up to and including 2020 to 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47530/22]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Disabilities Assessments

Questions (270)

Alan Farrell

Question:

270. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health the number of children who are currently waiting for an assessment of need in CHO DNCC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47536/22]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Disability Services

Questions (271)

Alan Farrell

Question:

271. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health the number of clinical positions that are available throughout the children's disability network team in CHO DNCC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47537/22]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.