Danny Healy-Rae
Question:1373. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the projected completion date for the Killarney Community Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63980/22]
View answerHealthcare Infrastructure Provision
Questions (1373)
Written answers
As 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.
Healthcare Infrastructure Provision
Questions (1374)
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:1374. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the status of the development of a helipad (details supplied); if there is a timeline for completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63981/22]
View answerWritten answers
As 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.
Health Services
Questions (1375)
Niall Collins
Question:1375. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on a case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63993/22]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Health Services
Questions (1376)
Seán Haughey
Question:1376. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health his future plans for the provision of private maternity care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64001/22]
View answerWritten answers
The Government has agreed to the introduction of a public only Consultant contract, initially moving towards and in due course removing private care from public hospitals. The new Contract is a key deliverable of the Sláintecare Report. Over time, it will ensure that public healthcare facilities are used for public patients only, and that public patients can access public hospitals based only on clinical need and not ability to pay.
The transition applies to all private care, including maternity. This will occur gradually over time and therefore, the immediate impact on private maternity care will be minimal, reflecting the fact that most serving consultants who specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology hold contracts that allow them to engage in on-site private practice. While maternity care is not currently available in private hospitals, like the NHS, all consultants who hold the contract, including those who specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology, will be entitled to treat private patients off-site in their own time, subject to the primacy of their public contract and meeting their commitments under it.
Personal Injury Claims
Questions (1377)
John McGuinness
Question:1377. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the number of cases and the total amount paid out in compensation for screening errors, perceived and actual, relative to the CervicalCheck screening programme in each of the years 2017 to 2022 and to date in 2023; the number of women who were successfully treated having been identified through the screening programme; if he will provide figures for the reduction of cervical cancer since the programme began; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64003/22]
View answerWritten answers
The State Claims Agency (SCA) has a statutory remit to manage personal injury claims on behalf of Delegated State Authorities including the Health Service Executive.
The information contained in this report has been extracted from the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
The State Claims Agency (SCA) has received 381 CervicalCheck claims as at 8 January 2023, including psychological claims brought by family members. In relation to the 381 claims received, set out by year in the table below, 212 are active and not yet concluded, 169 have concluded.
|
Year Claim Created |
Number of Claims |
|
Pre - 2017 |
3 |
|
2017 |
1 |
|
2018 |
86 |
|
2019 |
52 |
|
2020 |
95 |
|
2021 |
103 |
|
2022 |
39 |
|
2023 |
2 |
|
Total |
381 |
Table1 CervicalCheck Claims, by Claim Create Year
The SCA cannot give a definite figure for CervicalCheck cases settled given the nature of the cases, some may be resolved by the laboratories or other third party and the SCA may not be privy to the outcome. Claims can be concluded by a number of means; including case settled, court award, indemnity received (from co-defendant or third party), claim discontinued or statute barred, and claim intimated but not pursued.
It should be noted that most of the claims have been settled by the laboratories involved in the individual claims and, accordingly, the Agency does not, in all instances, have details of settlement payments made by those laboratories.
Please note the additional queries raised are a service matter and have been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to you.
Definitions:
National Incident Management System (NIMS) : Incidents (which include claims) are reported using the “National Incident Management System”. This is hosted by the State Claims Agency (SCA) for the HSE, other Healthcare enterprises and State Authorities. An incident can be a harmful Incident (Adverse Event), no harm incident, near miss, dangerous occurrence (reportable circumstance) or complaint.
Claim: A claim refers to notification of intention to seek compensation for personal injury and/or property damage where it is alleged the State was negligent. The application may be in the form of a letter of claim, an InjuriesBoard.ie application, or a written/oral request.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (1378)
Pa Daly
Question:1378. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health when an appointment will issue for surgery for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1000/23]
View answerWritten answers
Under 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.
Hospital Services
Questions (1379, 1380)
Michael McNamara
Question:1379. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health his plans to integrate any planned virtual home hospital services with community care services and GP services to facilitate supported early hospital discharge of patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1018/23]
View answerMichael McNamara
Question:1380. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health his plans to develop and scale up virtual home hospital services within the HSE for early supported discharge, particularly for respiratory illness in order to relieve winter stress on the hospital services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1019/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1379 and 1380 together.
The Community Virtual Ward (CVW) concept has been developed and a proof of the concept tested by my department as a solution for delivery of sub acute care and supporting integrated care in line with the shift in care to the community. The model brings care closer to home and focuses on delivering sub acute care for older patients or patients with chronic diseases.
The expansion of the Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) role, funded by my department, is a key enabler for the scaling up the Community Virtual Ward model of care providing nurse-led care across acute and community services facilitated by remote monitoring technology and appropriate clinical and digital governance systems.
The CVW has been developed and adapted to meet the needs of various populations, including chronic disease management, older persons care and in response to COVID-19, with many positive outcomes demonstrated. Pathways of care are provided directly from GPs following a comprehensive assessment that meets specific criteria, and also on discharge from hospital to reduce the risk of a hospital re-admission and ED attendance. The CVW project has expanded to several Community Health Organisations (CHOs) providing care for individuals in the community. The HSE have begun implementing this model across the system.
Question No. 1380 answered with Question No. 1379.
Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
Questions (1381, 1421)
Brendan Howlin
Question:1381. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if he will set out a clear timeframe for the payment of the pandemic bonus to all eligible front-line healthcare workers, both in the public and private sectors, who faced additional risks in the performance of their duties during the pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1020/23]
View answer
Cathal Crowe
Question:1421. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the issuing of the final pandemic bonus payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1185/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1381 and 1421 together.
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, payments have been made in respect of over 138,000 eligible HSE and Section 38 staff, with appeals from other HSE and Section 38 staff are due to be adjudicated by an independently Chaired appeals board within weeks.
Certain non-HSE/Section 38 healthcare employees are covered by the Government Decision, and efforts are underway to complete an efficient and expeditious rollout to these staff. 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.
Regarding cohorts 1-4 above, the HSE and an external contractor, KOSI Corp, are currently progressing the rollout to these eligible staff. As of 23 December, information on the process involved has now been provided by the HSE and KOSI Corp to 862 organisations, and of these, 637 have applied for funding to make the recognition payment. I am pleased to confirm that 286 organisations have already been paid or approved for payments for 22,690 eligible staff, with more due in the coming weeks.
While the HSE and KOSI Corp are processing applications as quickly as possible, they are also undertaking important work to validate applications as they come in, to improve accuracy and ensure taxpayer money is handled appropriately. Thus far this has identified errors in approximately 90% of organisations' applications, and has prevented €552,000 in potential overpayments.
As this information is being collected, validated, corrected, and acted on in real-time in a self-assessment manner, it is not possible to estimate exactly how many individuals have yet to be paid nor when the remaining employers will have applied for funding.
Regarding cohorts 5 and 6 above, the Department of Health has transferred funding in early November to the Department of Defence and Dublin City Council to enable payments to these eligible staff.
Finally I would again like to thank all healthcare workers for their extraordinary efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Medicinal Products
Questions (1382, 1404, 1624)
Joe Carey
Question:1382. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the health technology assessment dossier covering kaftrio in combination with ivacaftor for the cohort of 35 children aged 6 to 11 years with certain mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene which was submitted to the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics on 21 December 2022 moves as expeditiously as possible, with appropriate input from the patient community thereby giving access to this life changing drug for these vulnerable children at the earliest opportunity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1024/23]
View answer
Paul Kehoe
Question:1404. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the position of access to kaftrio for the 35 excluded children with cystic fibrosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1134/23]
View answer
Johnny Guirke
Question:1624. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update in relation to drug reimbursement for the lifesaving cystic fibrosis drug kaftrio; the reason that some young patients aged six to 11 years are still excluded from the reimbursement scheme; if he will intervene at this stage to ensure that the drug is made available to all cystic fibrosis patients currently in urgent need of it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1867/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1382, 1404 and 1624 together.
Kaftrio has been a life changing drug for Cystic Fibrosis sufferers, and I want to see it made available to everyone who needs it. This Government wants to ensure greater access to new and innovative medicines and has allocated significant additional funding for new medicines in recent Budgets. Since the beginning of 2021, 99 new medicines, or expanded uses of existing medicines, have been funded. This has included 27 for the treatment of rare diseases, including Cystic Fibrosis.
The HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
I am grateful to Cystic Fibrosis Ireland (CFI) for meeting with me recently, and outlining the concerns of the Cystic Fibrosis community. We discussed the recent statement from the Consultants providing care for these children, with all parties aligning in the view that the approach taken by the manufacturer, Vertex, is unfair to these children. I reassured CFI of the urgency with which the Government and the HSE are approaching the current situation.
As Vertex are seeking additional funds to cover this group, a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) must be completed by the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE). Vertex has now submitted the required materials to the NCPE. The assessment is underway in accordance with the commitments made jointly by the HSE and NCPE to undertake a priority assessment of this application.
I am glad to see progress on this issue, and hope that it can be quickly brought to a satisfactory conclusion for everyone.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (1383)
Chris Andrews
Question:1383. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) will be given a date for an operation in Beaumont Hospital given that they have been waiting for five years for this operation and their mobility has deteriorated. [1025/23]
View answerWritten answers
Under 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.
Health Service Executive
Questions (1384)
Michael Ring
Question:1384. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health the steps that are being taken by the HSE to ensure that there is no loss of accreditation of a facility (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1031/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible
Health Services Staff
Questions (1385)
Michael Ring
Question:1385. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health when approval of posts at a location (details supplied) will be forthcoming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1032/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
Health Services Staff
Questions (1386)
Michael Ring
Question:1386. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a review (details supplied); if he will outline the requirements identified for a facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1033/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
Hospital Services
Questions (1387)
Denis Naughten
Question:1387. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the steps which are being taken to decant services from the St. Brigid's Hospital Campus in Ballinasloe; if he will outline the remaining services on the site; the steps that are being taken to relocate such services; the timeline involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1066/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Covid-19 Tests
Questions (1388)
Neale Richmond
Question:1388. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health if he has considered implementing mandatory Covid-19 tests for inward visitors from China to Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1076/23]
View answerWritten answers
The international epidemiological situation in relation to COVID-19 and travel is closely monitored, including collaboratively with EU partners.
EU Member States have agreed a package of measures around travel from China. On this basis we have issued enhanced travel advice for people travelling to and from China including that facemasks be worn for the duration of journeys from China to Ireland.
A focus of our this EU collaboration has been how Member States can cooperate to improve surveillance of any potential variants emerging. Waste waters stemming from airports with international flights are currently subject to testing and sequencing. Preparations for wastewater surveillance of direct flights from any given risk area have been advanced in light of the EU recommendations.
Consideration of any additional measures is being given within the context of ongoing risk assessments.
Up-to-date information for people travelling to Ireland is available on gov.ie.
Departmental Reviews
Questions (1389)
Joe Carey
Question:1389. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the review of the framework for smaller hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1084/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Smaller Hospitals Framework which was published in 2013 included a list of nine designated Model 2 Hospitals, including Our Lady’s Hospital Navan.
As the Deputy will be aware, the HSE has proposed a process of planned service changes at Our Lady's Hospital Navan and has advised that these changes are necessary to support safe service delivery on a sustained basis and are driven first and foremost by patient safety considerations.
No decision regarding the HSE’s proposal for the transition of the Emergency Department at Navan has been agreed by me or by government.
While recognising the very real clinical concerns identified, the Government is clear that several important issues, including additional capacity in other hospitals impacted and the continued ability of people in the Navan area to access emergency and urgent care, would need to be fully addressed before any proposed transition by the HSE.
For this reason, I have asked the HSE to undertake a review of capacity. The review has been received and is currently under consideration.
Ambulance Service
Questions (1390)
Joe Carey
Question:1390. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the pilot project involving Mallow General Hospital whereby some ambulance patients are treated in Mallow General Hospital instead of at an emergency department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1085/23]
View answerWritten answers
In September 2022, the National Ambulance Service (NAS) commenced a pilot project involving the transportation of certain patients to Mallow General Hospital for treatment instead of patients being directly conveyed to an emergency department. The pilot project operated according to clinical and other criteria being met before patients were transported to Mallow General Hospital.
I am advised that the pilot project was successful and that this alternative care pathway is now in operation.
I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter with any further information it may have on this project.
Primary Care Centres
Questions (1391)
Emer Higgins
Question:1391. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the progress in delivering the primary care centre in Lucan; the services that may be provided there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1087/23]
View answerWritten answers
As the Health Service Executive (HSE) holds responsibility for the provision, along with the maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres, I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Primary Care Centres
Questions (1392)
Emer Higgins
Question:1392. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the progress in delivering the primary care centre in Clondalkin; the services that may be provided there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1088/23]
View answerWritten answers
As the Health Service Executive (HSE) holds responsibility for the provision, along with the maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres, I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.