Written Answers Nos. 1054-1073
1054. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) will be called for an appointment for initial assessment with a specialist in the Midlands Regional Hospital, Tullamore. [54728/22]
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.
1055. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in the emergency department in Letterkenny University Hospital giving the results of a chest X-ray to a person in County Donegal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54731/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1056. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of subsection 3 of the Mental Health Act 2001 which people involuntarily committed between each of the years 2015 to 2021 and to date in 2022 fell under, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54736/22]
View answerThe 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 2015 - 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.
1057. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied) who is awaiting a hernia operation at University Hospital Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54737/22]
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.
1058. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 214 of 19 October 2022 in which he referred to a previous reply (details supplied) which refers this matter back to his Department, if he will seek an urgent response on this funding which was originally submitted to a person, with consideration to the back-and-forth to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54738/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1059. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of nurses from overseas who have applied to complete the aptitude tests within the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland for each of the years 2017 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in order to obtain nursing registration; their nationalities; the wait time to complete in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54742/22]
View answer1060. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the pass rate for overseas nurses of the aptitude tests within the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland for each the years 2017 to 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54743/22]
View answer1061. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of modules which must be repeated if an overseas nurse fails an individual module of the aptitude test with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland; the waiting time for a repeat test; the cost to the nurse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54744/22]
View answer1062. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if the aptitude test for overseas nurses in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland is to the best international practice standards, in light of the critical shortage of nurses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54745/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1059 to 1062, inclusive, together.
As they Deputy will be aware, all nurses and midwives who practise in Ireland must be registered on the Register of Nurses and Midwives which is maintained by the Regulator, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). The NMBI has a number of statutory obligations to protect the public in its dealings with nurses and midwives and to protect the integrity of the practice of the professions of nursing and midwifery. Maintaining a high level of scrutiny in the assessment of applications is an essential element of this protection.
Along with the professions of midwife, doctor, pharmacist and dentist, Registered General Nurse (RGN) is one of the five health professions falling within the scope of the EU’s automatic recognition system. The relevant legislation obliges member states to comply with minimum training standards - S.I. No. 8/2017 - European Union (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 2017 refers. In Ireland, the NMBI has the duty to ensure compliance. It achieves this by setting down educational standards in legislation (NMBI Rules). Similarly to Student Nurses and Midwives, overseas applicants must meet the minimum training standards as a precondition to achieving registration with NMBI.
Nurses and midwives who qualified outside Ireland and who are seeking registration with the NMBI are required firstly to complete a recognition of qualifications process. This involves the comparison, by the NMBI, of their qualifications with the Irish education standards and requirements. The outcome of this process may be a decision by the NMBI ( a Decision Letter) to register the applicant; or to refuse such registration; or, as a pre-requisite to registration, to require the applicant to successfully complete a compensation measure, either an NMBI approved aptitude test or a period of adaptation and assessment in a hospital setting. Following receipt of their Decision Letter from the NMBI advising that a compensation measure must be successfully completed as a pre-requisite to registration, an applicant can consider applying for an aptitude test. Upon satisfactory receipt of an application to sit the aptitude test, an invitation is sent within one day.
The RCSI Aptitude Test referenced by the Deputy comprises two parts. Part 1 is the theory test which must be successfully completed before Part 2 can be attempted. Part 2 is the practical test or OSCE (objective structured clinical examination). OSCE is acknowledged internationally as an assessment methodology that enables the applicant to demonstrate competence in a simulated practice setting, known as a station. Assessment of competence for practice through a range of OSCEs includes fourteen different stations that are set up as they would be in a clinical setting. The test, in its entirety, examines the applicant’s potential suitability for registration with the NMBI. Two attempts are allowed for each of the theory and practical parts of the test. If an applicant fails the theory test at the first attempt, the test must be repeated in full. If an applicant fails the practical test at the first attempt, only the station or stations failed need to be repeated.
The RCSI has informed my Department that there is no significant waiting time to repeat the test. The applicant should allow sufficient time to prepare for the second and final attempt and a minimum of two weeks is strongly recommended by the RCSI. An applicant may avail of a longer period for preparation if they wish. There is no cost to the applicant for a second attempt at either the theory or practical part of the test.
Overall, 9,609 applicants have undertaken the RCSI Aptitude Test within the last seven years (December 2015 to October 2022). These applicants have come from 48 countries namely : Australia; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Botswana; Brazil; Bulgaria; Cameroon; Canada; Chile; China; Croatia; Czech Rep; Egypt; Eswatini; Ghana; Hungary; India; Iran; Israel; Jordan; Kenya; Lesotho; Malawi; Malaysia; Mauritius; Myanmar; Namibia; Nepal; New Zealand; Nigeria; North Macedonia; Pakistan; Philippines; Poland; Romania; Russia; Singapore; Slovenia; South Africa; Sri Lanka; St Kitts and Nevis; St Vincent and Grenadines; Taiwan; The Gambia; Trinidad & Tobago; UAE; Uganda; USA; Zimbabwe.
The highest number of applicants are from India, followed by the Philippines and the African countries. There are currently 38 test dates available for 2023 which will allow up to 2,736 applicants to sit the test. To date, the number of available places each year has exceeded the number of applicants, so capacity issues have not arisen.
In relation to the pass rate over the past seven years, an average of 72% of applicants passed the practical part of the test at the first attempt. On the second attempt, an average of 85% of the applicants passed.
Regarding the further detailed breakdown requested by the Deputy, I have asked my Department to engage with the NMBI and the RCSI with a view to providing whatever further relevant information that may be available.
1063. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 213 of 19 October 2022 in which he has referenced the latest publicly available data, if he will identify the source for these data and provide a link; if he will confirm whether there is currently any internal departmental report which looked to quantify the number of these organisations and the workers within; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54760/22]
View answerThe data referenced in relation to the Community and Voluntary sector in general was supplied by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and sourced from the Benefacts 2020 Report benefactslegacy.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/benefacts-nonprofit-sector-analysis-2020.pdf
Data on community and voluntary organisations in the Health Sector can be found in the Report of the Independent Review Group established to examine the role of voluntary organisations in publicly funded health and personal social services www.gov.ie/en/publication/9b5f87-independent-review-group-examining-role-of-voluntary-organisations/
1064. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the total number of persons who presented or attended at an emergency department, by emergency department, for each month for the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; the number admitted; the number not admitted; the number who registered and left before a decision on admission was made; the performance against key performance indicators for each month for admitted and non-admitted patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54764/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1065. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of occasions on which an emergency department recorded a patient experience time to admission greater than 72 hours, by emergency department for each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form. [54765/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1066. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of occasions on which an emergency department recorded a maximum patient experience time to admission greater than 72 hours, by emergency department for each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form. [54766/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1067. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if a cancer patient in receipt of a full medical card has to pay for a shingles vaccine (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54776/22]
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 NIAC continues to revise recommendations to allow for the introduction of new vaccines in Ireland and to keep abreast of changes in the patterns of disease. Therefore, the immunisation schedule will continue to be amended over time. Shingles vaccination is not currently provided as part of the national immunisation programme.
It is open to an individual to source a vaccine from a GP outside of the national immunisation programme on the basis of a private arrangement.
1068. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if he will review a case (details supplied); the reason that personal assistance hours were cut in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54779/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1069. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health if he has considered removing the transport contribution charge for those travelling to HSE day centres; the amount that was raised by these fees to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54780/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1070. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify whether a person (details supplied) had to work in an area where there was a Covid-19 outbreak and continued Covid outbreaks to be eligible for the pandemic recognition payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54781/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly.
1071. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the number of professionals (details supplied) who were based within a special school setting in each of the five years prior to the introduction of children’s disability network teams; the number of these professionals who were based within a special school setting in the first quarter of 2021; the number of these professionals who are currently recruited and based within a special school setting, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54783/22]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
1072. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the steps that will be taken to alleviate waiting lists in access to primary care appointments and pressure on primary care staff who are overwhelmed (details supplied). [54794/22]
View answerI acknowledge that there are significant waiting times to access some primary care therapy services, which is of course frustrating for those waiting to access services, and their families. The pressure on staff due to this situation is also acknowledged, and I wish to thank the staff working in these areas for their significant contribution in delivering these important services to those who need them.
Significant funding has been allocated in recent years to enable the continued implementation of the Enhanced Community Care Programme, with full-year funding of €195 million provided in 2022. This level of investment in primary care development and reform is unprecedented and supports a significant reorientation of the healthcare system to deliver the right care in the right place at the right time.
The expansion of primary care capacity is key to delivering the Enhanced Community Care (ECC) Programme, with approximately 1,500 additional health and social care professionals to be recruited, including Speech and Language Therapists and Occupational Therapists, out of a total of 3,500 new staff.
To date over 2,000 staff recruited to the ECC Programme have commenced their roles, with a further 350 staff at an advanced stage of recruitment expected to commence their roles before the end of this year.
As part of the ECC Programme, community-based care is undergoing substantial reform in line with Sláintecare. This involves a significant re-structuring in how services are delivered and will ensure that care is provided in an equitable, efficient, and integrated way through newly established Community Healthcare Networks (CHNs). As these networks are developed, it will build the capacity of the primary care sector and enable the waiting lists to be addressed.
The networks also empower Health and Social Care Professionals to deliver care to address local need, with each CHN providing services to local populations of approximately 50,000. To date, 91 of the 96 CHNs have been delivered, in line with the significant progress in recruitment across the ECC Programme.
As occurs each year following the Budget, discussions are currently taking place between my Department and the HSE on details relating to specific service initiatives in the context of preparing the HSE Service Plan 2023, with a continued focus on reducing primary care waiting lists.
1073. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if advice provided to him by the regional health areas advisory group is publicly available; if not, if he will publish this advice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54800/22]
View answerThe Department of Health (DoH) is actively progressing the implementation of RHAs in partnership with the HSE, Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY).
Regional Health Areas (RHAs) will provide for the alignment and integration of hospital and community healthcare services at a regional level, based on defined populations and their local needs. This is key to delivering on the Sláintecare vision.
I established an independent RHA Advisory Group of patient and staff representatives from across the health and social care sector in September 2021. The Advisory Group provides guidance, support, and advice on the design of an implementation plan for RHAs to the Department of Health and HSE officials charged with implementing this work programme under Sláintecare.
The RHA Advisory Group has met a total of five times since its establishment and is scheduled to meet again today.
Following each meeting, the Chair of the RHA Advisory Group provides me with a note of the groups advice. You will appreciate that this advice is part of a broader ongoing and deliberative process and is therefore not yet in the public domain. However, the minutes of the RHA Advisory Group are available on my Department's website: www.gov.ie/en/publication/1a9e6-regional-health-areas-advisory-group/
In addition to the RHA Advisory Group, a number of engagements with stakeholders have taken place over the past several months, including members of the CHOs and Hospital Groups.
All of the insights gained from these engagements will inform the overall design of RHAs. My Department is drafting an implementation plan in partnership with the HSE and other key stakeholders which will cover how RHAs will impact finance, clinical and corporate governance and accountability, digital and capital infrastructure, workforce & HR, and change, communications & culture. The implementation plan will set out the key objectives, actions, and deliverables for the successful implementation of RHAs. The implementation plan is currently in draft and will be finalised by the end of the year.
