Written Answers Nos. 1207-1226
1209. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if there is a process through which a person can be allocated a GP in order for the person to avail of combined care in circumstances (details supplied). [63416/22]
View answer1212. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will assist a person (details supplied) to find and register with a GP service providing maternity care where the person has been unable to find a GP with capacity to take on any new patients. [63424/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1209 and 1212 together.
GPs are private practitioners, most of whom hold a contract with the HSE for the provision of health services, such as the GMS contract for the provision of health services to medical card and GP visit card holders.
Where a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card experiences difficulty in finding a GP to accept them as a patient, the person concerned having unsuccessfully applied to at least three GPs in the area (or fewer if there are fewer GPs in the area) can apply to the HSE National Medical Card Unit which has the power to assign that person to a GP's GMS patient list.
People who do not hold a medical card or GP visit card access GP services on a private basis in which the Minister has no role and can make enquiries directly to any GP practice they wish to register with. As private contractors, it is a matter for each individual GP to decide whether to accept additional private patients.
The Government is aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice and is working to ensure patients across the country continue to have access to GP services and that general practice is sustainable in all areas into the future.
Under the 2019 GP Agreement additional annual expenditure provided for general practice has been increased now by €211.6m. This provides for significant increases in capitation fees for participating GMS GPs, and new fees and subsidies for additional services. Improvements to GP’s maternity and paternity leave arrangements, increased rural practice supports and a support for GPs in disadvantaged urban areas, have also been provided for.
The number of GPs entering training has increased steadily over the past number of years, rising from 120 in 2009 to 258 in 2022. The transfer of GP training from the HSE to the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) which was concluded in 2021 will allow for the introduction of a new service model for GP training in Ireland and the further expansion GP training capacity in the years ahead. The ICGP aims to have 350 training places available for new entrants per year by 2026.
These measures make general practice in Ireland a more attractive career choice and will see an increase in the number of GPs working in the State, improving access to GP services for patients throughout the country.
1210. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health when he intends to publish the report into the secondment of the former Chief Medical Officer to a position in Trinity College Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63417/22]
View answerI received Ms Quinn’s report last year. I expect to be in a position to publish the report in the coming weeks in accordance with due process and fair procedures.
1211. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63422/22]
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.
1214. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the services that are currently available to those diagnosed with foetal valproate spectrum disorder; the way that families can access services within their communities following a diagnosis; if he will provide an update on engagement between the HSE and his Department to improve access to services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63430/22]
View answerAs these questions relate to operational matters for the Health Service Executive (HSE), I have asked that the HSE responds to the Deputy directly.
1215. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health if advice will be provided in relation to matters raised by a person (details supplied) regarding the provision of respite care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63454/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1216. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 450 of 27 September 2022, if the necessary administrative and operational changes have been made to the fair deal scheme in order that some income from renting out the family home can be deemed exempt; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63457/22]
View answerEffective from 01 November 2022, the amount of rental income that nursing home residents can retain under the Fair Deal from renting their principle private residence increases from 20% to 60%.
Prior to the change outlined above being implemented, participants in the Fair Deal scheme were able to rent out their homes or other assets, but rental income was subject to assessment at 80% like all other income (such as pension income).
Recognising that this may act as a disincentive against renting out a property, the Government approved a policy change to the Nursing Homes Support Scheme “Fair Deal”. The rate of assessment for rental income from a principal residence is reduced from 80% to 40%. This will be reviewed after six months of operation, with the potential for further amendment after that point.
1217. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if the temporary inflation payment scheme will be extended past December 2022 given that fuel costs are expected to remain at heightened levels in the coming months and given that nursing homes are bound by HIQA regulations relating to temperature and adequate lighting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63461/22]
View answerThe Government remains conscious of the financial challenges faced by the Nursing Home sector, particularly in terms of inflationary cost increases. A €10m scheme (the Temporary Inflation Payment Scheme or TIPS) has been established that will cover 75% of year-on-year energy and heating cost increases in private and voluntary nursing homes up to a monthly cap of €5,250 per month per nursing home over the period of July to December 2022. This means that eligible nursing homes can claim up to €31,500 to help meet increasing energy costs.
Budget 2023 saw over €40 million in additional funding for the Nursing Home Support Scheme (NHSS) which will provide for an uplift in the maximum prices chargeable by private and voluntary nursing homes, as negotiated.
Since the start of the pandemic, private and voluntary nursing homes have also received a wide range of non-financial supports, including over €72m in free PPE and oxygen, as well as over €145m of financial support through the Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme (TAPS). The TAPS Covid-19 Outbreak Assistance has been extended to the end of the year.
Minister Butler is currently in discussions with Departmental officials to examine ways in which funding can also continue to be used to provide support, where necessary and appropriate, to those nursing homes who are not scheduled to renegotiate their Deeds of Agreement this year. This includes an expected extension of the Temporary Inflation Payment Scheme into 2023.
1218. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he will conduct an independent review of the national gender service and of related healthcare capacity in the State to unwind the reliance on outsourcing to gender health services in Britain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63466/22]
View answerA model of care for transgender children, adolescents and adults was developed by the HSE Quality Improvement Division. The HSE model of care is underpinned by a local response model including general practice, psychology and CAMHS, working with specialist mental health and endocrinology services. Complex cases would be referred onto tertiary specialist care. The model of care is partly implemented within community services. The model of care deals with services for children and adults. Children can be referred to paediatric up until the age of 18 years. An adult service is provided by the national gender service in St Colmcille’s Hospital.
A steering committee which was established to examine the development of the HSE transgender identity services produced a report in 2020. This committee included representatives of all stakeholders, including advocacy representatives, and was chaired by Dr Siobhan Ni Bhriain on behalf of the chief clinical officer. The report acknowledged the additional funding made available to develop services in recent years. It also advised on the development of seamless interfaces between agencies providing gender services. The committee agreed a job description for a consultant psychiatrist in child and adolescent psychiatry in CHO 7 and CHI to develop the service for those aged under 18 (and to replace the current system of psychological support provided by the Tavistock Clinic). This consultant psychiatrist would develop and lead a multi-disciplinary team to support the delivery of gender identity services for those under 18. This position has been advertised twice but is not yet filled.
The Minister for Health and the Minister for Mental Health and Older People held a constructive meeting with a number of clinicians from the National Gender Service. The Minister for Health also held a subsequent meeting with TENI. It is intended that a number of other meetings clinicians and stakeholders in this area will be held to hear the range of views and proposals.
I am committed to the development by the HSE of a well-governed and patient-centred health care service for adults and children in the transgender community, in line with the Programme for Government.
1219. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of children currently waiting for an appointment in CAMHS; the number waiting circa July 2020; the average waiting times per CHO, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63467/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1220. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of young people currently waiting for an appointment with an organisation (details supplied); the number waiting circa July 2020; the average waiting times per CHO, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63468/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1221. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of children currently waiting for an appointment in primary care psychology; the number waiting circa July 2020; the average waiting times per CHO, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63469/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1222. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of adults currently waiting on an appointment in primary care psychology; the number waiting circa July 2020; the average waiting times per CHO, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63470/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1223. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health the avenues that are available to qualified non-EEA citizens to apply for roles in the HSE in order to apply for a critical skills work permit; if non-EEA applicants can contact the HSE for extra support and advice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63473/22]
View answerThe employment permits system is operated by the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment. Ireland operates a vacancy-led employment permits system, which is designed to accommodate the arrival of non-EEA nationals to fill skills and labour gaps for the benefit of our economy in the short to medium term and is managed through the operation of the Critical Skills and Ineligible Occupations Lists. These lists determine roles that are either highly skilled professional roles in critical short supply or roles that are ineligible for an employment permit where evidence suggests there is sufficient availability of those skills in the domestic and EEA labour market.
All applications for employment permits are processed in line with the Employment Permits Act 2006, as amended, and are dependent on a job offer from a Irish registered employer for an eligible occupation. An application for an Employment Permit may be submitted once an offer of employment is secured, subject to relevant criteria such as minimum remuneration, eligible roles and the skills or experience of the non-EEA national.
Full information on the current eligibility criteria in relation to employment permits can be found on the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment’s website at www.dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/
In June 2021 a number of health roles were removed from the Ineligible Occupations List, including that of health care assistant, to allow applications for General Employment Permits to be made.
In June 2022 changes were made to provide access to the Critical Skills Employment Permit for non-EEA nationals wishing to take up employment in the State in the broader health sector for the following roles: cardiac physiologist, medical scientist, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, podiatrist, chiropodist, psychologist, speech and language therapist and pharmacist.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment continues to keep the employment permits system under review in light of changing labour market circumstances, with a quota of 1,000 General Employment Permits for the role of care workers and home carers announced in December 2022. See: www.enterprise.gov.ie/en/news-and-events/department-news/2022/december/202212171.html
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has a Frequently Asked Questions section on its website which is available at www.dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/FAQs/.
1224. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Health the reason that a child (details supplied) has waited for 24 months for their developmental check; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63474/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1225. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the current situation regarding the HPV vaccination programme and in particular catch-up clinics that specifically target males under 25 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63475/22]
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 ages at which vaccines are recommended in the immunisation schedule are chosen by the NIAC in order to give each child the best possible protection against vaccine preventable diseases. As the HPV vaccine is preventative it is intended to be administered, if possible, before a person becomes exposed to HPV infection.
Therefore, the gender-neutral HPV vaccination programme targets all girls and boys in first year of secondary school to provide maximum coverage.
In October 2021, my Department asked the National Immunisation Advisory Committee to consider the clinical effectiveness of providing the HPV vaccine to:
- girls and boys in secondary school who were eligible to receive HPV vaccine in 1st year but who did not receive it; and
- women up to the age of 25 years who have left secondary school and who did not receive the vaccine when eligible.
The NIAC submitted advices in relation to the HPV Vaccination Programme to my Department which noted that HPV vaccination should be prioritised for unvaccinated second level students and females under the age of 25 years.
In line with the NIAC's advice, I have asked the HSE to facilitate and operationalise the Laura Brennan HPV Vaccine Catch-Up Programme.
This programme offers a free HPV vaccines to all boys and girls in second level education who were previously eligible to receive the HPV vaccine and who have not yet, for whatever reason, received it.
Young women, up to the age of 25, who have now left secondary school, and who did not receive the vaccine, are also eligible to receive the vaccine as part of the catch-up programme.
Eligible young people and their parents can register their interest in receiving the vaccine on www.hpv.ie This link also contains detailed information about the HPV vaccine.
1226. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health the method used to decide the discretionary medical card applications that are assessed before others; if applications for patients with conditions that require intensive and immediate treatment, such as cancer, are being prioritised by the primary care reimbursement service; and, if not, if they could be in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63481/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
