Written Answers Nos. 257-276
257. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health when the special Covid pandemic bonus will be paid to healthcare staff who worked for private companies on the front line during the Covid pandemic given the length of time that has passed since the announcement and the valuable work that these staff carried out in the private sector during the pandemic. [62432/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly.
259. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be called for an appointment to diagnose possible ADHD. [62440/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
260. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if a private hospital (details supplied) is taking patients off the public waiting list and carrying out cataract procedures for the HSE. [62441/22]
View answerIn 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.
261. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he is concerned about a paracetamol shortage in Ireland; the plans that his Department is putting in place to address the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62443/22]
View answerThe Department of Health has been notified by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) of recent shortages impacting some prescription paracetamol products, which are not only restricted to Ireland. For two suppliers of prescription paracetamol-only products, the companies have stated that resupply is expected in January 2023. There are other prescription paracetamol suppliers with stock available.
In the case of medicines used most often in Ireland, including paracetamol, there are typically multiple forms, strengths, brands, and generic medicines available from various sources. In the event that there are some supply issues for individual medicines, alternative options such as alternative strengths, brands, and generic medicines will usually be available to ensure continuity of treatment. In some cases where the medicine initially prescribed for the patient is unavailable, patients may be switched to a suitable therapeutic alternative following appropriate consultation with a healthcare professional.
Medicine shortages are increasingly prevalent worldwide over the past decade. The causes of such shortages are multi-factorial, including shortages of raw materials, manufacturing difficulties, increased demand, product recalls due to potential quality defects, and industry consolidations. Medicine shortages can originate at any point in the supply chain. They can involve and impact many stakeholders in different ways, as the supply models and clinical use of therapies can vary across national health systems.
Management of medicines shortages necessitates a multi-faceted, multi-stakeholder response to ensure patient safety, continuity of care and protection of public health. To that end, at the request of the Department of Health, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) has assumed a coordinating function in Ireland’s response to managing medicine shortages when they occur. The HPRA is generally informed of a medicine shortage by the relevant pharmaceutical company. Shortages can also be notified to the HPRA by other stakeholders across the health system. In each case, the HPRA will work with relevant stakeholders as necessary, including the HSE, to coordinate an effective approach to the management of a confirmed product shortage. The HPRA engages with stakeholders to coordinate actions and share information to prevent or mitigate the impact of medicine shortages when they occur.
The HPRA publishes a list of medicines currently in short supply on its website with the reason for the shortage and expected dates for the return of supply. The information is available to assist healthcare professionals in managing medicine shortages when they arise and reduce their impact on patients. The information relating to shortages on the HPRA website is dynamic and changes depending on the current information the HPRA has to hand, including removal from the list when a shortage has been resolved.
Patients or their carers who have any concerns in relation to temporary alternative products provided because of medicine shortages are advised to speak with their pharmacist or other healthcare professional involved in their care.
264. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if he will consider including Letterkenny University Hospital as a location for one of the recently announced surgical hubs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62471/22]
View answerOn 7 December, the Government approved the next stage of the Enhanced Provision of Elective Care Programme and progression of the development of new Elective Hospitals in Cork and Galway.
The Government also noted HSE plans to work with Hospitals and Hospital Groups to progress proposals for a shorter-term measure by developing ‘surgical hubs’ in Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Dublin. No further locations are under consideration at this time. These units will be developed on site or close to existing Model 4/3 hospitals and will have a shorter-term impact on waiting times. They will also support consideration of the necessary reforms and enablers needed to separate unscheduled and scheduled care pathways as required by the longer-term provision of the Elective Care Programme.
267. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he has received the audit of TAPS payments undertaken by both the NTPF and the HSE; if so, if he will publish the audit in full; if the audit is not completed when he expects to receive the report and publish same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62520/22]
View answerThe Government has provided substantial supports to the nursing home sector over the course of the pandemic. Over €145 million has been claimed by nursing homes under the Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme (TAPS) since its introduction in 2020. The Government has now agreed to extend TAPS to the end of the year by maintaining the availability of Outbreak Assistance support.
A robust control framework was put in place for the Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme, including requirements for validation, review of claims by an external accountancy firm, and provision for all claims to be audited and any misallocated funds clawed back for up to six years following. The thresholds also provided a strong control on costs.
Claims to the scheme were administered by the NTPF (National Treatment Purchase Fund). An external audit has been carried out on behalf of the NTPF for the majority of the period during which TAPS has been operating.
Private and voluntary nursing homes also received a substantial package of non-financial assistance throughout the pandemic, including the provision of almost € 72m of PPE, staff accommodation, training, COVID Response Teams and more. Many of these supports continue.
As previously advised, the NTPF and the HSE are currently undertaking an audit of payments and a report will be published when this audit is finalised.
268. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health the day centres in a specific area (details supplied) of the 315-day centres nationwide that are expected to be re-opened before Christmas 2022; if he will provide a timeline for the eventual re-opening of the remaining day centres which will not be re-opened before the end of 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62521/22]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
269. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if an occupational therapist will be provided to carry out an assessment of needs for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62526/22]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
273. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the status of the proposal to establish an ambulance base at a location (details supplied); if a planning permission application has been made to date; the details of the engagement between HSE capital and estates and Galway County Council with regard to the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62556/22]
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.
274. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1071 of 8 November 2022, if he will report on the success or otherwise of the international recruitment campaign with respect to recruits for children's disability network teams; if he will report on the size of the expansion of panels for occupational therapists, psychologists, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists in November 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62588/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
276. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the waiting list for the pain management clinic at Tallaght University Hospital for over one, two, three, four, and five years respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62609/22]
View answerIt is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. While significant work continues to positively impact on waiting times and improve pathways to elective care, acute hospitals are still impacted by operational challenges arising from the pandemic.
The HSE has confirmed to the Department 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.
The Department of Health continues to work with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to identify ways to improve access to care, including through increased use of private hospitals, funding weekend and evening work in public hospitals, funding “see and treat” services, providing virtual clinics, and increasing capacity in the public hospital system.
The 2022 Waiting List Action Plan allocates €350 million to the HSE and NTPF to reduce waiting lists. Under this plan the Department, HSE, and NTPF will deliver urgent additional capacity for the treatment of patients, as well as investing in longer term reforms to bring sustained reductions in waiting lists.
For 2023, funding of €443 million is being allocated to tackle Waiting Lists. This includes:
- €123 million in funding for delivery of the HSE Waiting List Action Plan, including priority areas such as Obesity/Bariatrics, Spina Bifida/Scoliosis and Gynaecology, as well as progressing longer-term reforms to sustainably enhance capacity. Other actions in the Action Plan will streamline and reconfigure care pathways.
- €150 million for the NTPF to procure additional capacity to reduce waiting lists.
- €90m for additional short-term measures to address acute scheduled care waiting list backlogs.
The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the attached document.
|
Number of persons on the Outpatient waiting list for pain management,Tallaght University Hospital as at 24/11/2022 |
|||||
|
Report |
Archive Date |
Hospital Name |
Specialty Name |
Time band (months) |
Total |
|
OP |
24/11/2022 |
Tallaght University Hospital |
Pain Relief |
0 to 12 mths |
828 |
|
OP |
24/11/2022 |
Tallaght University Hospital |
Pain Relief |
12 to 24 mths |
436 |
|
OP |
24/11/2022 |
Tallaght University Hospital |
Pain Relief |
24 to 36 mths |
69 |
|
OP |
24/11/2022 |
Tallaght University Hospital |
Pain Relief |
> 36 mths |
0 |
No records returned for In-patient/Daycase (IDPC)
