Written Answers Nos. 564-583
564. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients on community healthcare waiting lists, for each care service, for December 2022, in tabular form; the breakdown by length of wait and by age; the number waiting for initial assessment, initial therapy, intervention and follow up therapy and intervention for each specialty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2940/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
565. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients on community healthcare waiting lists, for each care service, for December 2021, in tabular form; the breakdown by length of wait and by age; the number waiting for initial assessment, initial therapy, intervention and follow up therapy and intervention for each specialty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2941/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
566. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients on community healthcare waiting lists, for each care service, for December 2020, in tabular form; the breakdown by length of wait and by age; the numbers waiting for initial assessment, initial therapy, intervention and follow up therapy and intervention for each specialty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2942/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
567. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients on community healthcare waiting lists, for each care service, for December 2019, in tabular form; the breakdown by length of wait and by age; the numbers waiting for initial assessment, initial therapy, intervention and follow up therapy and intervention for each specialty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2943/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
568. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients on community healthcare waiting lists, for each care service, for December 2018, in tabular form; the breakdown by length of wait and by age; the numbers waiting for initial assessment, initial therapy, intervention and follow up therapy and intervention for each specialty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2944/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
569. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health the status of the outstanding Covid pandemic recognition payments for persons working with private healthcare providers who have submitted self-assessment forms as far back as November 2022; the delay on this payment; when it is expected that all payments for eligible persons will be finalised and processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2948/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
570. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the reason discussions have taken place with a nursing home (details supplied) in Roscrea regarding possible integration into the public nursing home network; the meetings that have taken place with the nursing home; the dates of these meetings; and the persons from the HSE who attended on each occasion. [2952/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
571. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health when the process of bringing in an employment regulation order will commence for home care workers, given the recent confirmation by the Taoiseach. [2954/23]
View answerThe Government is committed to addressing the workforce challenges which are negatively affecting the recruitment and retention of home support workers. For this reason, I established the cross departmental Strategic Workforce Advisory Group in March 2022 to examine, and formulate recommendations to address, the challenges in frontline carer roles in the home support and long term residential care sectors.
The Report of the Strategic Workforce Advisory Group on Home Carers and Nursing Home Healthcare Assistants was published on 15th October 2022. Providing an overview of the work of the Group and its key findings, the report presents a suite of 16 recommendations spanning the areas of areas of recruitment, pay and conditions of employment, barriers to employment, training and professional development, sectoral reform, and monitoring and implementation. I have strongly endorsed all of the Advisory Group’s recommendations and I am committed to their full implementation as a priority. Implementation of the recommendations will be overseen by a cross departmental Implementation Group, chaired by the Department of Health.
One of the Advisory Group’s recommendations is for an appropriate mechanism to reach agreement in the private and voluntary sector in respect of pay and pensions for home support workers and healthcare assistants to be investigated and reported on by an Expert Working Group. The Department of Health has ownership of this recommendation, which will be progressed as a priority. It is envisaged that the implementation of this recommendation will be informed by the lessons learnt from the establishment of a Joint Labour Committee for the early years’ service sector and the subsequent introduction of Employment Regulation Orders in this sector.
The Implementation Group will provide timelines for the implementation of each recommendation as soon as possible.
572. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 417 of 24 February 2022, the bed occupancy rates of each public and public voluntary hospital, by hospital group, for each quarter in each of the years 2017 to 2022, in tabular form; the national average for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2956/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
573. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the bed-occupancy rates of each public and public voluntary hospital, by hospital group, for each day in December 2022 in tabular form; the national average for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2957/23]
View answerThis PQ relates to operational matters and has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
574. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the bed-occupancy rates of each public and public voluntary hospital, by hospital group, for each day in January 2023 in tabular form; the national average for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2958/23]
View answerThis PQ relates to operational matters and has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
575. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health if a home care package for a person (details supplied) can be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2964/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
576. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an endocrinology appointment in Letterkenny University Hospital; if they are on the routine or urgent waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2966/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
577. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Health the financial amount that was allocated by his Department for the purposes of carrying out an ESRI report into the costs of extending GP care to the whole population; the number of GPs that were contacted as part of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2983/23]
View answerThe recent publication by the ESRI, ‘Extending eligibility for general practice care in Ireland: cost implications’ is part of the Joint Research Programme in Healthcare Reform is a programme agreed between the Department of Health and the ESRI which commenced in July 2014.
The Research Programme in Healthcare Reform seeks to use economic analysis to explore issues in relation to health services and health spending as well as population health. The intention of this programme is to undertake research in health economics and policy which contributes to the evidence base needed for the reform and development of healthcare policy in Ireland. This programme follows a model used by the ESRI in a range of research areas, where experienced researchers undertake research of the highest academic quality that is focused on current policy challenges.
The programme was recently renewed for three-years, commencing on January 1st, 2022. The Department contributes a grant of €547,500 per annum for three years, with €60,000 of this earmarked for the ‘Behavioural workstream’ of the programme. Since January 2022 four reports have been developed as part of this programme with an additional report partly funded by the programme. In addition to reports and papers, the development of a healthcare demand and expenditure model, Hippocrates, is a major focus and output of the Joint Research Programme.
The ESRI provide the following comment on the research process for the paper, including consultation:
“The Department of Health/ESRI Research Programme in Healthcare Reform is overseen by a steering group that consists of ESRI, Department of Health, and external members. On an annual basis, the steering group agrees on a programme of work for the upcoming year. Costing an extension to eligibility for general practitioner care (GP) in Ireland was identified as one of the research questions for 2022 by the research team and steering group.
Engagement with policymakers, practitioners and stakeholders is an on-going feature of ESRI work across all research areas, including discussion with GPs and other healthcare professionals about aspects of the healthcare system. However, GPs were not involved in the development of the specific research question or methods in this report.
The aim of this research was to estimate the cost implications of extending eligibility for GP services to the whole population, a key recommendation of Sláintecare.
In the analysis, projections of the cost associated with increasing eligibility for GP care were estimated using the ESRI’s healthcare projection model, the Hippocrates Model. The Hippocrates model is a macro-simulation model which has previously been used to project demand and expenditure for health and social care services, as well as acute hospital bed capacity and workforce. National and international evidence underlies the assumptions in the model. In addition to the cost of extending eligibility, the analysis incorporated other cost drivers including population growth and ageing, and growth in the cost of care delivery over time.
All published ESRI reports are subject to an extensive peer review process. Research series reports (including the current report) are peer reviewed by two internal ESRI staff members, as well as one external reviewer. In addition, the draft report was sent to the steering group members for comment.
The ESRI is an independent research institute, and the research is free of any expressed ideology or political position. Independence is maintained through the publication of all research reaching the appropriate academic standard, irrespective of its findings or who funds the research.”
The Department of Health welcomes the key findings of the paper on the cost implications of gradually increasing eligibility and access to GP services. The ESRI shows that universal expansion of GP visit cards could reduce household spending on GP services by €372m annually.
The Strategic Review of general practice, which will commence shortly, will examine the steps necessary to ensure that general practice is properly structured and resourced in the context of implementing the Sláintecare vision. The Terms of Reference for this Department led Strategic Review will be published shortly .
The Government will consider future eligibility to GP services, including timelines, in the context of ongoing wider policy and health service planning considerations and will be informed by evidence and the Strategic Review.
578. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health when he will publish the national review of cardiac services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2987/23]
View answerThe National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services commenced in January 2018 under the Chairmanship of Professor Phillip Nolan and a Steering Group formed from nominations of interested stakeholders representing medical, professional/technical staff, nursing and patient representatives.
The aim of the Cardiac Services Review is to recommend configuration for a national adult cardiac service to achieve optimal patient outcomes at population level with particular emphasis on the safety, quality and sustainability of the services that patients receive. This aligns with the Sláintecare reform programme. In terms of scope, the National Review covers scheduled and unscheduled hospital-based services for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease in adults and considers cardiac diagnostic procedures such as echocardiogram.
The COVID-19 Pandemic impacted on the progress of the review during 2020 and into 2021 as the Chair of the Cardiac Services Review has played a key role in the national COVID-19 response.
Substantial progress has been made on the National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services since the Steering Group reconvened in September 2021 and it is currently in its concluding stages. The final Steering Group meeting was held in October and recommendations are now finalised. The Report is being prepared to be sent to the Minister for his consideration.
579. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if he will fully resource existing community neuro-rehabilitation teams, such as the one in Limerick; if he will set up a community neuro-rehabilitation team in every community healthcare organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2992/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
580. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant orthopaedic surgeons based at Mayo University Hospital in each of the years 2020, 2021 and 2022, in tabular form. [3004/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
581. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE midwives working in the maternity department of Mayo University Hospital in 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if this number will be further increased. [3005/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
582. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health the breakdown of the number of orthodontists employed by the HSE for primary care orthodontic services in County Mayo by year from 2018 to date in 2023, in tabular form. [3006/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
583. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to open a walk-in warfarin clinic in County Mayo. [3007/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
