Brian Stanley
Question:1474. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if an assurance will be given that the day care centre at Abbeyleix Hospital will remain on the site where it is operating successfully. [1394/23]
View answerCare Services
Questions (1474)
Written answers
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Medical Aids and Appliances
Questions (1475)
Duncan Smith
Question:1475. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he has examined a submission from Children's Health Ireland to provide a chest-bracing service for children under the public healthcare system as of January 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1397/23]
View answerWritten answers
The planning and management of proposed future health developments is considered as part of the annual estimates and budgetary process.
This process seeks to balance available funding across all service areas to achieve the best possible outcomes for the greatest number of service users and prioritise areas of greatest need.
As part of this process, on an annual basis, the HSE submits its National Service Plan, which sets out the type and volume of new measures to be provided, to my Department for approval.
Hospital Facilities
Questions (1476)
Duncan Smith
Question:1476. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the status on the progress on a new accident and emergency department at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, as of January 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1398/23]
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.
Hospital Services
Questions (1477)
Joe Carey
Question:1477. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Health the number of persons attending the adult diabetes service in the University of Limerick Hospitals Group; and the number who attended more than once in each of the years 2019 to 2022, in tabular form. [1400/23]
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 (1478)
Joe Carey
Question:1478. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Health the frequency with which the adult diabetes clinic in the University of Limerick Hospitals Group is run; the number of speciality diabetes clinics that are run, for example, a young adult clinic, type 1 adult clinic, type 2 clinic, a diabetes podiatry clinic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1401/23]
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 Facilities
Questions (1479)
Denise Mitchell
Question:1479. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the status of the new accident and emergency department for Beaumont Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1406/23]
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 (1480)
James Lawless
Question:1480. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1407/23]
View answerWritten answers
I would like to thank the Deputy for his question. As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
I would also like to advise the Deputy of housing grants that are available from local authorities for older people. For example, the Mobility Aids Grant scheme provides grant aid to cover a basic suite of works to address mobility problems, primarily, but not exclusively, associated with ageing. Further information is available from your local authority Housing Grants - SDCC.
General Practitioner Services
Questions (1481)
Carol Nolan
Question:1481. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if his Department has conducted any analysis with respect to the impact of the roll-out of universal access to GPs for under-sixes and over on the ability of persons to book an appointment with their local GP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1411/23]
View answerWritten answers
Several analyses have been undertaken to estimate the future demands for GP capacity across a number of eligibility for GP care without charges expansion scenarios.
The HSE report on Medical Workforce Planning Future Demand for General Practitioners 2015-2025 provides estimates on the additional demand for GPs and the training numbers necessary to meet that demand under different eligibility scenarios including universal GP care. The report notes that to meet the demand for GPs that may be required by 2025, the State would require significant increases to the annual intake for GP postgraduate specialist training. The report also provides visitation estimates across for different age groups, including those under six years, following the provision of GP care without charges to all persons in said group.
Building on this work, the HSE publication The Demand for Medical Consultants and Specialists to 2028 and the Training Pipeline to Meet Demand provides estimates on the demand for GPs by 2028 based on rolling out GP care without charges to the under 18’s and over 70’s as well as universal free GP care.
The longitudinal study Growing Up in Ireland led by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth examined in their 2017 publication the GP visitation rates of children under 6, specifically at ages 9 months and 3 years of age, across eligibility status and the visitation rate change of those granted a medical card or GP visit card.
Measures taken by the Government to increase GP capacity and the number of GPs in the State are having an impact. There has been a significant increase in the number of GPs entering training in recent years, up from 120 in 2009 to 258 in 2022. Working with the ICGP, which has responsibility for GP training to the ICGP, 350 GP training places for new entrants are planned by 2026.
As announced in Budget 2023, from 1 April 2023, eligibility for GP care without charges will be extended to people who earn the median household income of €46,000 or less. A significant package of additional practice capacity supports will be available to GPs, and engagement with general practice is ongoing to determine how best to target the supports being made available.
Dental Services
Questions (1482)
Carol Nolan
Question:1482. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he has engaged with representatives of an association (details supplied) in an effort to address the crisis in access to dental and orthodontic care that has emerged in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1412/23]
View answerWritten answers
It is a top priority for myself and for the Government to improve patient access to oral healthcare services, both in the short term through a range of interim measures, and in the long term through transformational reform of oral healthcare services in Ireland. This reform will be achieved through implementation of the National Oral Health Policy.
The Chief Dental Officer and other officials in the Department of Health met with the Irish Dental Association (IDA) on 29th July 2022 and 2nd December 2022 to discuss implementation of the Policy. In addition, my Department consulted with the IDA on a package of measures introduced from 1 May 2022, to expand the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) for adult medical card holders and increase the fees paid to contractors for most treatment items by 40-60%. The numbers of patients being seen and the numbers of treatments being provided under the DTSS have all increased in recent months.
Abortion Services
Questions (1483)
Carol Nolan
Question:1483. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health when he expects the three-year review of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 should be completed and published; the engagements that he has had with the independent head of the review during 2022 and to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1413/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Minister for Health commenced the Review of the operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 in line with statutory and Government commitments.
The Review is assessing the effectiveness of the operation of the legislation and will be conducted in a fair and transparent manner.
The Review is being led by an independent Chair Marie O’Shea and comprises of two main phases. As part of the first phase of the review, information, and evidence on the operation of the Act has been collected from women who use the service, and from health professionals that provide the service; the views of the public were also sought.
A very substantial amount of work has been completed to date and very informative data collected, which is feeding into the review.
The Chair is awaiting key research from a study, CORALE, being carried out at Trinity College Dublin, that is examining Section 22 of the Act regarding conscientious objection. This research is underway, with input from lawyers, hospital doctors, GPs and strategic managers. The data will inform the Review. However, as this data will not be available until January 2023, there has been a slight set back in completion time. The opinion of the Chair is that this data is vitally important, given that it will assist in understanding how section 22 is operating.
It is the intention that the review will be made available to the Minister no later than 7 February 2023.
Patient Transport
Questions (1484)
Kathleen Funchion
Question:1484. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm the patient transportation that is available for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1437/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Medical Aids and Appliances
Questions (1485)
Cathal Crowe
Question:1485. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with diabetes who were funded for the Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitoring CGM sensors by the HSE; and the number who were over 21 years of age in 2020 and 2021, in tabular form. [1442/23]
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.
Medical Aids and Appliances
Questions (1486)
Cathal Crowe
Question:1486. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with diabetes who were funded for the Dexcom G7 continuous glucose monitoring CGM sensors by the HSE; and the number who were over 21 years of age in 2020 and 2021, in tabular form. [1443/23]
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.
Medical Aids and Appliances
Questions (1487)
Cathal Crowe
Question:1487. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with diabetes who were funded for the Medtronic continuous glucose monitoring CGM sensors by the HSE; and the number who were over 21 years of age in 2020 and 2021, in tabular form. [1444/23]
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.
Medical Aids and Appliances
Questions (1488)
Cathal Crowe
Question:1488. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with diabetes who were funded for Freestyle Libre flash glucose sensors by the HSE; and the number who were over 21 years of age in 2020 and 2021, in tabular form. [1445/23]
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 Closures
Questions (1489)
Mattie McGrath
Question:1489. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will urgently move to reopen St. Brigid's Hospital, Carrick-on-Suir to reduce pressures from the acute services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1446/23]
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.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (1490)
Niamh Smyth
Question:1490. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason that a person (details supplied) is waiting on a procedure at Beaumont Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1449/23]
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.
Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
Questions (1491)
Robert Troy
Question:1491. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the number of appeals that have been received in his Department for the HSE pandemic bonus payment; the timeline for a decision on these; and the reason that certain grades in the vast majority of CHO areas have received this payment while the same grade in other CHO's have been refused. [1450/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly.
Medical Aids and Appliances
Questions (1492)
Maurice Quinlivan
Question:1492. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health the status of the Freestyle Libre 2 application for HSE reimbursement through the national framework application process; when it will be added to the CGM devices available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1451/23]
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 (1493)
Maurice Quinlivan
Question:1493. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health the number of times that the adult diabetes clinic takes place in University of Limerick Hospitals Groups; the speciality diabetes clinics, such as a young adult diabetes clinic, type 1 adult clinic, type 2 clinic, a diabetes podiatry clinic that take place in the University of Limerick Hospitals Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1452/23]
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.