Written Answers Nos. 713-733
713. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will meet with an organisation (details supplied) regarding the ongoing issues facing the blood cancer community during the pandemic, particularly in relation to access to evusheld; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48586/22]
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. Furthermore, under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the Health Service Executive has statutory responsibility for the issues referred to in this question, therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
714. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of full-time consultant paediatric rheumatologists attached to Children’s Health Ireland Temple Street in 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; if this number will be further increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48594/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
715. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the average wait times by facility for residential rehabilitation or detoxification treatment in September 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48595/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
716. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health when all workers covered by the pandemic bonus payment will receive same; if he will review correspondence from the Board of Management of a nursing home (details supplied); when these workers will receive their pandemic bonus payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48597/22]
View answerThe HSE and the Department are currently examining progressing the roll-out 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 on-site in COVID-19 exposed healthcare environments.
It is hoped that 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.
717. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of persons detained under section 3 (1)(a) of the Mental Health Act 2001 in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48617/22]
View answer718. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of persons detained under section 3 (1)(b) of the Mental Health Act 2001 in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48618/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 717 and 718 together.
The Mental Health Commission collects data on the number of involuntary detentions under the Mental Health Act 2001. However, the data collected does not include a breakdown of whether an individual is detained subject to section 3(1)(a) or section 3(1)(b) at present.
The Mental Health Commission includes figures for the total number of involuntary detentions, including information on the number of admission orders made and the number of renewal orders made, in a given year in its Annual Report. The Commission published its 2021 Annual Report in June 2022. The 2021 Report and the reports for the years 2018 - 2020 can be found at the following link: www.mhcirl.ie/publications
Information on the number of involuntary detentions for 2022 is not yet available.
719. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of persons detained under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006 in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48619/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
720. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify the position on a waiting list of two children (details supplied), in relation to their additional needs. [48625/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
721. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the breakdown of spending announced in 2021 in Budget 2022 for disability services; the amount that was spent out of the full allocation; the areas to which this expenditure went; if any expenditure is being reallocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48626/22]
View answerAs this question refers to operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
722. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the breakdown of measures announced in Budget 2023 for disability services in terms of the additional number of persons who will receive services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48627/22]
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 has now completed its work and the draft Action Plan is currently being finalised for approval. In recent years, significant resources have been invested by the health sector in disability services. This year, the overall Budget for disability services in 2023 will be €2.4 billion, including a significant level of funding for specialist disability services. Building on the previous year, this is an unprecedented level of funding for Disability services. It follows substantial increases in the budget in 2021 and 2022; and reflects this Government’s commitment to strengthening the funding provided for the disability sector and working to act to address the shortfalls identified in the Disability Capacity Review.
The following funding has been provided for 2023.
|
Funding |
Measure |
|
€109m |
To support existing levels of service |
|
€4.3m |
Digital Initiatives/Disability Awareness and Participation Fund |
|
€25m |
Building Capacity (Core Services) |
|
€39m |
One off Costs associated with activity during Covid-19 |
A significant fund of up to €100m has been allocated this year to support community based voluntary organisations who are such an essential pillar in the provision of Health services across country. This fund is being made available in recognition of the challenges being faced by the sector in delivering and maintaining key health and social care services against a backdrop of increased inflationary pressures affecting energy, heating and related costs. These organisations are funded through the HSE to deliver a range of health and social care services on behalf of the HSE to communities around Ireland. This includes residential, day and ancillary services for people with a disability, older people, mental health services, palliative care services, addiction services and other health and social care services provided in the community. Details of the fund including its administration are being finalised.
The HSE, in preparing its National Service Plan, will examine how services, including relevant KPIs, can be progressed in 2023 within the overall increased envelope of funding for disability services.
723. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the breakdown of spending announced in 2021 in Budget 2022 for mental health; the amount that was spent out of the full allocation; the areas to which this expenditure went; if any expenditure is being reallocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48628/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
724. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the breakdown of measures announced in Budget 2023 for mental health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48629/22]
View answerThe total allocation for mental health services in 2023 is over €1.2 billion, which is another record budget for mental health services. This significant investment will enable implementation of many of the short and medium-term measures in our national mental health policy, Sharing the Vision, enhancing the provision of mental health supports across a broad continuum from mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention, to acute and specialist mental health service delivery, and enabling us to continue to deliver our vital services to as many people as possible, as we move into 2023.
As occurs each year following the Budget, discussions will now take place with the HSE on details relating to specific service initiatives in the context of preparing the HSE Service Plan 2023, including that for Mental Health.
725. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of the completed report into the abandoned secondment of a person (details supplied); the timeline that he is working towards for the publication of this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48630/22]
View answerI received Ms Quinn’s report on July 27th. I expect to be in a position to publish the report in the coming weeks in accordance with due process and fair procedures.
726. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of private or for-profit housing providers that have service level agreements with the HSE in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48638/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
727. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the independent review of radiation therapy; if he will provide a timeline for the commencement of this review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48642/22]
View answerAn independent radiation therapist review has been agreed under the auspices of the WRC. Discussions are ongoing between the parties to finalise a Terms of Reference and appoint an independent chair.
As this is an ongoing Industrial Relations process it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.
728. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health the plans that are in place to deal with the severe shortage of radiation therapists in the HSE, of which currently, 15% of positions are vacant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48643/22]
View answerAn independent radiation therapist review has been agreed under the auspices of the WRC. Discussions are ongoing between the parties to finalise a Terms of Reference and appoint an independent chair.
As this is an ongoing Industrial Relations process it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.
729. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to reports that throughout the European Union, the medication evushed has been fast-tracked to ensure that patients with blood cancer can develop antibodies to resist Covid, which would otherwise have a very high fatality rate for such patients, but in Ireland, the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics has required a lengthy heath-technical-assessment before it would consider sanctioning its use; if this approach accords with the precautionary approach which has characterised the Government's Covid policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48649/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
730. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of children waiting for a first appointment with CAMHS services in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48650/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
731. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of children currently awaiting a first appointment with the children’s disability network services in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48651/22]
View answer732. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health the current number of vacancies within the children's disability network services in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48652/22]
View answer733. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of children currently awaiting an assessment of needs with the children's disability network services in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48653/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 731 to 733, inclusive, together.
As these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
