Written Answers Nos. 193-212
193. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the BreastCheck annual screening report; the reason a report has not been published since 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7613/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
194. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health if given the population, Athlone is being considered as a location for the provision of a hospital. [7622/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
195. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when capital funding will be made available for the provision of long-term day care services in Carndonagh, County Donegal [7632/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
196. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health if he will make provision for the allocation of funds to be made available directly to families to allow them to source the care required given the failure by the HSE to deliver home help hours due to the lack of availability of staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7633/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
197. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if the paediatric care for a child (details supplied) can transfer to another hospital closer to their new home having moved address; the process to apply for such a transfer of care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7638/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
198. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if Cork University Hospital has engaged a substantial number of management consultants to work with the management team there; if so, the number of management consultants engaged by the hospital; and the estimated cost of these consultants. [7641/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
199. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an electric mobility scooter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7644/23]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive (HSE) have responsibility for the provision of aids and appliances, under the Community Funded Schemes, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
200. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the number of healthcare workers known to be currently out of work due to long-Covid symptoms; his plans to devise a scheme that would grant financial security to those healthcare workers with long-Covid who contracted the virus in the workplace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7690/23]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in respect of numbers absent.
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform have provided for Special Leave with Pay (SLWP) for the recommended isolation period (currently 7 days), for civil and public servants nationally who contract Covid. SLWP provides for paid leave, including full pay, any fixed allowances payable as well as premium payments. For certain employees who remain unfit to attend the workplace and are suffering from long-Covid, a temporary scheme, specific to the public health service was introduced to provide for Paid Leave for Public Health Service Employees unfit for work post Covid infection. The full details of the Scheme and associated criteria for eligibility is available to view online here www.hse.ie/eng/staff/resources/hr-circulars/hr-circular-022-2022-temporary-scheme-of-paid-leave-for-public-health-service-employees-unfit-for-work-post-c-19-infection-updated.html. Employees who met the eligibility criteria for the Scheme will have transferred to the Scheme retrospectively from 1st July 2022. For those who do not meet the criteria for the temporary Scheme but remain unwell, the provisions of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme may be utilised.
201. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1410 of 18 January 2023, the reason resident numbers in a centre (details supplied) continue to reduce following a move to single-room occupancy in the facility during the Covid emergency; the reason vacated placements in the centre are not being taken up by other service-users; if the HSE plans to wind down the service by gradually reducing the provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7691/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
202. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if the closure of a centre (details supplied) is related to the decision made by the HSE in 2022, and currently under review, to close another centre from the point of view of the HSEs or his Department’s national service-plan for mental health services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7692/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
203. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of any contracts granted by the HSE for building and maintenance works on St. Finbarr's Hospital, Cork since January 2019; the number of companies in each case that tendered for the works; the cost in each case for the works; the name of the company that was granted the contract in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7695/23]
View answerAs 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.
204. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 638 of 5 October 2021, 691 of 29 November 2022 and 1553 of 18 January 2023, the reason that the HSE is not yet clear if a property that it is purchasing in Midleton, County Cork, for the purpose of residential mental health placements will accommodate three or four residents even at the sale agreed stage of the purchase; if he will provide the total cost of this house purchase and any projected costs of further works that may need to be carried out on the house or grounds; whether planning permission will be required for its use as a mental health facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7696/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
205. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will seek an update on future development plans for the St. Marys Hospital site on the Dublin Road, Drogheda following completion of the new 30 bed community nursing units due for completion in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7701/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
206. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the date in Q2 2018 that his Department was informed by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform that the business case for a national electronic health record proposal was rejected. [7704/23]
View answerIn early 2018, the Department of Health received an Acute Hospitals Electronic Health Record system (EHR) business case from the Health Service Executive (HSE) and this was submitted to Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) in April 2018. Following further engagement with the DPER during 2018, an additional separate business case for an EHR system for the new National Children’s Hospital (NCH) was requested by DPER, and subsequent discussions took place to consider the option of decoupling the procurement of an EHR system for NCH, considering that this project was under construction, from the broader and more complex National Acute Hospitals EHR system being proposed.
In December 2018, on request from DPER, an Acute EHR Implementation Plan for deployment into the new National Children’s Hospital was submitted to the DPER. Following further engagement in January and February 2019 between the Department of Health and DPER and based on an assessment of estimated costs and likely risks, it was agreed that government approval for an EHR deployment in the NCH only would be sought, before seeking further approval for a National Acute EHR system. Whilst the opportunities presented by electronic health records were acknowledged as self-evident, it was also recognised that the deployment of a single, national, enterprise EHR system represented significant challenge, and it was on that basis that a stepwise approach was pursued.
The provision of an EHR System at the new National Children’s Hospital is currently underway with a vendor contracted and staff being recruited to support its roll-out. When complete, this will be the most extensive EHR deployment in Ireland to date.
The Department of Health is working closely with the HSE, given the emergence of the Regional Health Areas, to develop a procurement approach, a phased deployment plan and a hosting model, suitable for the deployment of EHRs on a much broader basis, to enable reform of the health service, and to meet the needs and expectations of patients and healthcare professionals. This approach is also taking cognisance of the investment and the time required need to deploy these systems.
207. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent of the network of primary care centres throughout County Kildare in existence, proposed or at planning stage; the extent to which replacement of previous facilities is anticipated; if new centres will reflect the population increases in such a way as to ensure that a modern efficient network is available in County Kildare and throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7707/23]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive (HSE) holds responsibility for the provision, along with the maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres and other Primary Care facilities, I have asked the HSE to reply to the deputy as soon as possible.
208. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7722/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
209. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of the pandemic payment for persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7730/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
210. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to ensure that SouthDoc out-of-hours GP service is operating in Castletownbere, County Cork. [7749/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
211. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health his plans to reopen a South Doc Service in Kinsale, County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7750/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible
212. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health to provide details on the number of rapid response vehicles operating in the Cork south-west area each day, including the number of hours each vehicle is available for. [7751/23]
View answerAs this is a service related matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
