Written Answers Nos. 1494-1514
1494. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the plan to create a population-based community neurorehabilitation team in CHO 2 or the associated new regional health area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1454/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1495. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if he will detail the spending that a hospital made to a company (details supplied) for each month in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1458/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1496. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health if his Department is accepting the recommendations of the Expert Review Body on Nursing and Midwifery; if he will provide a timeline for the implementation of each of those recommendations; and if he will report on the implementation of the recommendation for the extension of the qualification allowance CNM3 grade in particular; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1459/23]
View answer1497. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health his views on the Report of the Expert Review Body on Nursing and Midwifery; if backdated pay will be provided in respect of relevant recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1460/23]
View answer1501. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health when he intends to implement the key recommendations of the Report of the Expert Review Body on Nursing and Midwifery 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1487/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1496, 1497 and 1501 together.
As the Deputy may be aware, I published the Report on the Expert Review Body on Nursing and Midwifery 2022 in March. I have accepted all 47 recommendations and their implementation will support nurses and midwives to continue to learn and develop in professional roles, enabling significant reform and ensuring that critical Sláintecare priorities are realised.
I have committed to establishing a process to oversee the implementation of the 47 recommendations which will be led out by Chief Nursing Officer, Ms Rachel Kenna. The Expert Review Body Implementation Oversight Team with key stakeholder representation has been established and work is progressing accordingly on the many priority recommendations identified.
These priorities include review and reform of the undergraduate training programme to deliver more capacity, alignment of the curriculum with delivering integrated nursing and midwifery care, increasing postgraduate training in community care and increasing care through digital solutions as well as recruitment and retention.
Currently, a process considering implementation of the Expert Review Body's recommendations related to pay is in train between officials from my Department, the HSE, and other relevant stakeholders including trade unions. With these talks ongoing, it would be inappropriate for me to publicly pre-empt any potential outcome.
1498. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health if a community neurorehabilitation team will be provided to HSE area CHO 6; his views on the need for the establishment of community neurorehabilitation teams in each CHO, as recommended in the National Neurorehabilitation Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1461/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1499. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the specific delegated functions that have been transferred to Ministers of State appointed in December 2022, in tabular form; and the date of transfer. [1472/23]
View answerUpon the nomination of the Taoiseach and in exercise of the power conferred by section 1 of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1977 the Taoiseach appointed the following as Ministers of State at the Department of Health.
|
Deputy Name |
Delegated functions |
Date of Transfer |
|
Deputy Hildegarde Naughton |
Public Health, Well Being and National Drugs Strategy |
21st December 2022 |
|
Deputy Anne Rabbitte |
Disability |
21st December 2022 |
|
Deputy Mary Butler |
Mental Health and Older People. |
21st December 2022 |
Work has commenced to assign relevant legislative powers and duties to the Ministers of State.
1500. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the details of the way that the Government is actively addressing the serious shortage of penicillin-based antibiotics along with a significant number of additional high-level drugs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1486/23]
View answer1504. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the work that is being undertaken by his Department with respect to the reported shortage of medicines within the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1498/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1500 and 1504 together.
Due to a combination of factors, including the level of respiratory illnesses in the community, a significant increase in demand for medicines used to treat seasonal conditions such as colds and flu has been observed over recent weeks. In some cases, this demand has been 2-3 times the average level seen during the same period in previous years. The Department of Health has been advised that from discussions with suppliers and regulators in other countries, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) understands that similar trends have been observed in other European countries that have experienced significant demand increases.
The HPRA has been engaging with all stakeholders, including suppliers, to ensure a coordinated response to this increased demand. The key focus at all times has been to ensure that suitable medicines remain available to treat patients.
In the case of medicines used most often in Ireland, there are typically multiple forms, strengths, brands, and generic medicines available from various sources. Where some individual medicines are in short supply, alternative options such as alternative strengths, brands, and generic medicines remain 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. This approach is also consistent with national antimicrobial prescribing guidelines.
Suitable medicines continue to be available to treat respiratory illnesses and their symptoms in both adults and children. Taking into account the wide range of available medicines to treat respiratory illnesses, there is no need for healthcare professionals to order extra quantities of medicines, or for doctors to issue additional prescriptions. Similarly, patients and the general public are asked not to seek supplies of medicines over and above their normal requirements. Doing so will disrupt existing stock levels and hamper the supply of medicines for others.
Further to the HPRA’s regular and ongoing engagement with industry, they have been informed that in a number of instances suppliers have increased production and sourced additional stock to respond to this recent increase in demand. Although the HPRA has no role in procuring medicines, they continue to engage with the suppliers to obtain updates and remain open to expediting regulatory procedures to enable the supply of additional stock, where possible.
Regarding antibiotic supply, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has developed a dedicated webpage providing advice for GPs, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals on managing common respiratory infections during the 2022/2023 winter season. This information, which includes updates on antibiotic supply, will be updated daily by the HSE in consultation with the HPRA based on information from suppliers. For example, in recent days supply has resumed for additional antibiotics and the HSE webpage and the medicines shortages webpage on the HPRA’s website have been updated to reflect this.
The HSE has also issued a memo to healthcare professionals regarding the clinical use of the medicines, including prescribing options. In addition, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) has communicated to pharmacists, updating them on the situation and reminding them about the necessity to ensure the ongoing appropriate, rational and safe use of medicines used to treat respiratory illnesses and their symptoms.
Link to HSE webpage:
Respiratory Infections 2023 Winter Season: Advice & Antibiotic Supply - HSE.ie
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. This information can be found here: www.hpra.ie/homepage/medicines/medicines-information/medicines-shortages
1502. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding allocated to Cork City Council under a funding stream (details supplied); and the way that organisations can apply for same. [1490/23]
View answerThe purpose of the Healthy Ireland Ukrainian Resilience Fund is to promote the health and well-being of Ukrainian Refugees who have sought protection in Ireland, as part of the international humanitarian crisis arising from the war in Ukraine.
The Programme is being delivered through the Community Response Forum established by Cork City Council to assist the people of Ukraine. Building on experience, structures and relationships developed during the community call response to Covid-19, each local authority has repurposed the Community Response Forum with an emphasis on the Ukrainian Response.
The Forums are multi-agency in nature, bringing together representatives from both statutory and voluntary agencies operating in communities across the county, ensuring commitment and consistency in terms of service delivery. Representatives from the Ukrainian community are actively involved in the Forums, acting as a key resource and link between support services and the refugees. The Forums identify the activities locally that are to be funded.
Funding was allocated on the basis of the number of Ukrainian Refugees present in each local authority area as of the 26th of September 2022, utilising CSO data. Cork City Council received €38,100 in funding. This funding has been allocated to a number of health and well-being projects that were identified by Cork City Council and which were approved by the Healthy Ireland team in the Department of Health.
1503. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the case of a child (details supplied) who is awaiting a CAMHS assessment in Limerick for over one year and has been advised that it will be a further year before they are assessed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1493/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1505. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the name of the company, organisation or persons contracted to provide media training to him from 1 January 2021 to date; the costs incurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1509/23]
View answerNeither the Minister for Health or his Department has contracted any company, organisation or persons to provide media training for him from 1 January 2021 to-date.
1506. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the number of eligible front-line workers who have yet to receive the pandemic bonus payment; and the number who have received the payment, in tabular form. [1518/23]
View answerThe Government announced a COVID-19 pandemic recognition payment for certain front-line 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 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 roll-out to these staff. These include eligible staff in:
1. Private sector/independent nursing homes and hospices;
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 front-line 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 roll-out to these eligible staff. As of 13th January , information on the process involved has now been provided by the HSE and KOSI Corp to 862 organisations, and of these, 647 have applied for funding to make the recognition payment. I am pleased to confirm that 347 organisations have already been paid or approved for payments for 27,215 eligible staff, with more due in the coming weeks.
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 approx. €2.1m in funding in early November to the Department of Defence and Dublin City Council to enable payments to these eligible staff. While implementation of the payment at local level is a matter for those bodies, figures from mid-November confirmed that 96% of eligible staff in cohort 6 had been paid.
Finally I would again like to thank all healthcare workers for their extraordinary efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
1507. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if a residential care place will be approved for a person (details supplied). [1519/23]
View answerAs this relates to a service matter, I am referring it to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
1508. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the number of full-time consultant plastic surgeons working in Roscommon University Hospital in each of the years 2020 to 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [1530/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1509. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the funding and staffing resources that would be required to increase the opening hours of the complex menopause clinic at Galway University Hospital from one afternoon per week to three full days per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1531/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1511. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the reason that the dental clinic in Navan is being closed down; the reason that the four dental clinic surgeries in Navan are being replaced with only two surgeries in Dunshaughlin; the reason that there are no special needs dental services in County Meath; and the reason that first, fourth and sixth class children are not being called for dental appointments in the county anymore. [1540/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1512. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a medical appointment for a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1573/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1513. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if his officials have submitted their report regarding the north inner city drug and alcohol task force to him; and when he intends to publish it. [1574/23]
View answerAs previously advised, the Department of Health is committed to addressing the drug and alcohol issues affecting the north inner city in conjunction with community-based service providers and has provided significant additional resources for drug and alcohol services in the area and wider north Dublin region. The Department is continuing to work with stakeholders in the north inner city to establish effective, inclusive, and transparent governance of the task force and of the funding that it allocates.
The Department has concluded a consultation process with members of the task force and other stakeholders on the next steps to establish effective, inclusive and transparent governance of the task force in the north inner city . This involved a series of meetings with public representatives, statutory and non-statutory members of the task force, frontline community and alcohol projects funded under the ambit of the task force, community and service user representatives, staff employed by the task force company and other stakeholders in the North East Inner City. I am committed to establishing effective, inclusive and transparent governance of the task force in the north inner city and I look forward to considering the report on the next steps to achieve this goal.
1514. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health if a full paediatric dental service has been restored at Roscommon University Hospital [1575/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
