Written Answers Nos. 1034-1053
1034. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health when front-line workers will receive the payment given that on his visit to Galway on 21 October 2022, he stated that contract services front-line workers who worked in hospital settings should receive the Covid-19 pandemic recognition payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54636/22]
View answerFirstly I would like to thank all healthcare workers for their extraordinary efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Government announced a COVID-19 pandemic recognition payment for certain frontline public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. To date, over 124,000 workers have received the payment, and payments to eligible HSE and Section 38 staff are substantially complete.
Certain non-HSE/Section 38 healthcare employees are also covered by the Government Decision. These include 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 HSE and KOSI Corp are currently progressing the rollout to eligible staff in cohorts 1-4 above. Information on the process involved has now been provided by the HSE and KOSI Corp to relevant organisations.
The Department of Health has transferred funding to the Department of Defence and Dublin City Council to enable payments to eligible staff in cohorts 5 and 6 above, and payments to these staff will be arranged by their respective organisations.
1035. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of children on a waiting list for an assessment of need, by CHO; the number overdue for completion for each month in the years 2020 and 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54638/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1036. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an appointment at Letterkenny University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54639/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1037. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied). [54643/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1038. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health when the new replacement 50-bed unit on the grounds of Midleton Community Hospital, County Cork will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54649/22]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
1039. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health when the extension and refurbishment of 33 beds at Kanturk Community Hospital, County Cork will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54650/22]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
1040. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health when works will be completed on the 50-bed replacement unit at Youghal Community Hospital, County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54651/22]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
1041. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health when the refurbishment and extension plus 71 beds will be completed at St. Patrick’s Community Hospital, Fermoy, County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54652/22]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
1042. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Health the way in which people can register for a monkeypox vaccine; and if the issues with the online portal system when it was first launched have been completely rectified. [54653/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1043. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health if an emergency medical card will be extended for a person (details supplied). [54661/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1044. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if the progressive disability service that operated for students at the schools (details supplied) can be reinstated rather than the students having to visit different psychologists and language therapists each month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54663/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1045. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding allocated to the National Ambulance Service for capital projects; if the base in Carlow is to be upgraded; and if a new site for the Carlow base is to be progressed as part of the capital programme. [54669/22]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
1046. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health his views on the clinical governance structures in place for CAMHS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54681/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1047. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the methods employed by the HSE to ensure that the appropriate clinical governance structures were put in place where the HSE took over the provision of CAMHS services from charitable organisations in counties Cork and Kerry from 2012 onwards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54682/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1048. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the actions currently in hand to ensure that older persons are protected against influenza; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54685/22]
View answer1049. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health in the context of the current influenza season in the southern hemisphere, with Australia facing its worst flu season in five years, the steps he has in mind for this jurisdiction for the flu season; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54686/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1048 and 1049 together.
The delivery of the influenza vaccination programme and the COVID 19 vaccination programme have been identified as key priorities in the HSE Winter Plan 2022/2023. Vaccination is proven to be the best protection against COVID19 and influenza and their potentially serious complications.
The 2022/23 influenza immunisation programme commenced on 3 October 2022. Operational responsibility for the rollout of the flu vaccine lies with the HSE. The flu vaccine is available free of charge to adults over 65 years, individuals in specified at-risk groups and children aged from 2 to 17. This programme ensures that those most vulnerable to the effects of influenza will have access to the flu vaccination without a charge. There are two types of flu vaccine available this year. The nasal spray flu vaccine is available for children and an injectable vaccine is available for all other eligible groups. Over 2,500 GPs and Pharmacies are administering the free HSE flu vaccines this season. Residents of HIQA registered Nursing Homes and all house-bound patients will be offered the flu vaccine from a HSE mobile vaccination team. Further information on the at-risk groups can be found through the following link: Getting the flu vaccine - HSE.iewww2.hse.ie/conditions/flu/getting-the-vaccine/
1050. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the proposed best protection for vulnerable groups, including the elderly, within the public health sphere to ensure their protection to the best possible standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54687/22]
View answerThe HSE regularly publishes public health advice for older people and other service users on how to stay well and be protected, including publications on keeping well in winter and on vaccination, which are available online on HSE’s website at the following web addresses:
- www2.hse.ie/living-well/winter/how-to-stay-well-in-winter/
- www2.hse.ie/living-well/winter/advice-patients-with-chronic-conditions/
- www2.hse.ie/conditions/flu/getting-the-vaccine/
Protecting older or vulnerable patients and service users who may be at risk of abuse, harm, and neglect by others in the context of their interactions with the health and social care sector is a key objective of my Department, every statutory body under its aegis, and every relevant service that interacts with such adults. In the health and social care sector, a framework of standards, policies and procedures for safeguarding adults who may be at risk of abuse, harm, neglect, and exploitation within the sector is in place, and further measures are being developed to strengthen this framework. The existing framework includes:
- the application within the health sector of relevant cross-sectoral legislation, for example in relation to reporting certain offences against children or vulnerable persons to An Garda Síochána, vetting, equal status and assisted decision-making;
- the significant regulatory powers of HIQA and the Mental Health Commission in relation to the quality and safety of healthcare and social care provision generally (under the Health Act 2007 and the Mental Health Acts);
- joint national adult safeguarding standards developed by HIQA and the Mental Health Commission, approved by the Minister for Health;
- the roles of health and social care professional regulatory bodies in relation to, for example, professional registration requirements and professional codes of conduct;
- a range of operational structures and procedures, including in particular the HSE’s national operational adult safeguarding policy Safeguarding Vulnerable People at Risk of Abuse – Policy and Procedures (2014).
My Department remains committed to ensuring that the best possible safeguards are in place to protect any of our service users who may be at risk, and significant work is ongoing to develop health sector adult safeguarding policy and legislation, building on the robust structures already in place.
1051. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the status of the roll-out of the Covid-19 booster vaccine by CHO area. [54723/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1052. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 151 of 20 October 2022, the number of additional places that have been agreed out of the 200 additional Irish-EU medicine places to be phased in by medical schools; the number of these place that were rolled out in September 2022 as part of the additional 60 offered in the first phase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54725/22]
View answerIn July 2022, Minister Harris and I announced an agreement with the Irish Medical Schools to phase in an increase of 200 additional Irish/EU medicine places over the next 5 years. The first phase has seen an additional 60 places offered in September 2022. The Medical Schools and both Departments have also agreed to explore the potential to maximise the phasing in of these places in the coming years.
The details requested by the deputy on the extra number of first year EU places from 2022 to 2026 are outlined in the table below.
|
Year |
Extra number of first year EU places over previous year |
Extra number of first year EU places over 2021 baseline |
|
2022 |
60 |
60 |
|
2023 |
60 |
120 |
|
2024 |
40 |
160 |
|
2025 |
20 |
180 |
|
2026 |
20 |
200 |
1053. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 151 of 20 October 2022, the number of additional places in nursing programmes out of the 135 announced in July that have a discipline relevant to recruitment to children’s disability network teams; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54726/22]
View answerFurther permanent additional places on healthcare disciplines were announced in July, including 135 places on nursing and midwifery programmes commencing from September 2022. Significant engagement is ongoing between my department, NMBI and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in relation to a sustainable introduction of further additional places on nursing programmes.
The details requested by the deputy are outlined in the table below.
|
Breakdown by nursing discipline |
Total |
|
General Nursing |
91 |
|
Integrated Children with General |
5 |
|
Intellectual Disability Nursing |
14 |
|
Mental Health Nursing |
11 |
|
Midwifery |
12 |
|
Psychiatric Nursing |
2 |
|
Total |
135 |
