Tuesday, 21 Mar 2023

Carer's Leave

Questions (1479)

Colm Burke

Question:

1479. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will consider granting young carers a minimum of 20 days respite per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13746/23]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Ireland’s 2012 National Carers' Strategy sets out government policy for those who care for older people, children and adults with an illness, disability, or mental health condition.

The Strategy contains actions to implement the following national goals:

- Recognise the value and contribution of carers and promote their inclusion in decisions relating to the person they are caring for;

- Support carers to manage their physical, mental, and emotional health and wellbeing;

- Support carers to care with confidence through the provision of adequate information, training, services and supports;

- Empower carers to participate as fully as possible in economic and social life.

The National Carers' Strategy covers carers of all ages, including young carers. The Strategy acknowledges that while caring has many positive aspects, in some cases it can have adverse impacts on children and young people's social, educational, emotional and health needs, and on their future life opportunities.

One of the priority action areas in the Strategy is to enable carers of all ages to access respite. Respite care enables carers to access employment, education, leisure and training opportunities. Very importantly, a break from caring can lessen the psychological and emotional stress that can be experienced by family carers and can enable family carers to continue in their caring role.

The Strategy recommends that family carers have access to a range of respite services to meet their needs including in-home, residential and emergency respite services. The provision of regular respite care has been shown to delay or prevent the admission of service users to long term care residential facilities while also supporting hospital avoidance. Access to respite care is based on both the needs of the service user and their carer and can take place within the home, in daycare or extended daycare, or in a residential care unit managed by the HSE, voluntary agencies or private providers.

The HSE's older persons' and disability services provide a range of respite care services for service users and their carers. This includes both planned and emergency respite. While the HSE endeavours to support people as much as possible, the resource is subject to availability and is prioritised based on need. The resource is not allocated based on the age of the family carer but on the need identified.

Granting carers of any age a minimum of 20 days respite per year would be subject to a variety of considerations and limitations, including resource availability, the availability of appropriately trained staff and respite facilities, and the assessed needs of the service user and their carer(s). There are no plans to consider such provision at present.

Care Services

Questions (1480)

Colm Burke

Question:

1480. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will include young carers in the National Care Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13747/23]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Ireland’s 2012 National Carers' Strategy is a cross-departmental strategy which sets out government policy for those who care for older people, children and adults with an illness, disability, or mental health condition.

The Strategy contains actions to implement the following national goals:

- Recognise the value and contribution of carers and promote their inclusion in decisions relating to the person they are caring for;

- Support carers to manage their physical, mental, and emotional health and wellbeing;

- Support carers to care with confidence through the provision of adequate information, training, services and supports;

- Empower carers to participate as fully as possible in economic and social life.

The Department of Health coordinates the implementation of the Strategy, while relevant Government Departments are responsible for actions that fall under their remit.

The National Carers' Strategy covers carers of all ages, including young carers. The Strategy acknowledges that while caring has many positive aspects, in some cases it can have adverse impacts on children and young people's social, educational, emotional and health needs, and on their future life opportunities. Objective 2.2 of the National Carers Strategy contains a number of actions to support children and young people with caring responsibilities and protect them from adverse impacts of caring. The actions include awareness raising among statutory agencies and education providers of the needs of young carers and the identification of support services.

The 2020 Programme for Government contains specific commitments in recognition of the contribution of Family Carers to care provision in Ireland. One of these is to develop a ‘Carers Guarantee’ proposal that will provide a core basket of services to carers across the country regardless of where they live.

The Government provided new funding of €2 million in Budget 2021, contributing substantially towards delivering the Carers’ Guarantee by providing a more standard package of supports to family carers in every region, in tandem with the community and voluntary sector. €1.9 million of this funding is being channelled through Family Carers Ireland, while the remaining €100,000 is supporting the delivery of online supports for family carers through Care Alliance Ireland by means of an online support group. Family Carers Ireland's individual and community supports, both online and in person, are not limited to carers of a particular age, and therefore include young carers. The supports provided include peer support, education and training, and counselling.

Departmental Records

Questions (1481)

Patrick Costello

Question:

1481. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if he will release all his Departmental files to the National Archives regarding the High Court, Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights cases in relation to proposals for gay law reform which resulted in a landmark judgement and decriminalisation thirty years ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13752/23]

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Awaiting reply from Department.

Health Services

Questions (1482)

Danny Healy-Rae

Question:

1482. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the options available for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13756/23]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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 (1483)

Danny Healy-Rae

Question:

1483. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if the case of a person (details supplied) will be examined and an update provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13759/23]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.

Mental Health Services

Questions (1484)

Neasa Hourigan

Question:

1484. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will identify the placement alternatives for the client group under the care of the Laois/Offaly mental health services who either currently reside at a facility (details supplied), or for whom the facility is their nearest 24-hour staffed facility; the distance from Rathdowney of each of these facilities; if he will provide details on how each of these facilities meet the requirements of the HSE Design for Mental Health Guidelines, by which the facility was recently judged in an architect's report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13762/23]

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Written answers

Written answers

Minister for Health

The National Immunisation Programme in Ireland, which includes the influenza immunisation programme, is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practice in relation to immunisation. NIAC make recommendations on vaccination policy to the Department of Health.

NIAC continue to revise recommendations to allow for the introduction of new vaccines in Ireland and to keep abreast of changes in the patterns of disease. Therefore, the immunisation schedule will continue to be amended over time.

For the 2022/2023 flu season, the flu vaccine is available free of charge to adults over 65 years, individuals in specified at-risk groups and children aged from 2 to 17 years. This approach ensures that those most vulnerable to the effects of influenza will have access to the flu vaccination without a charge.

To inform decision making in relation to the current immunisation programme, HIQA has been asked to include a Health technology assessment (HTA) in its work programme, in relation to vaccination with an enhanced quadrivalent influenza vaccine, that is, adjuvanted QIV (aQIV) or high dose QIV in those aged 65 and older.

A HTA is a multidisciplinary research process that collects and summarises information about a health technology to provide information regarding clinical effectiveness and safety, cost-effectiveness and budget impact, organisational and social aspects, and ethical and legal issues. The information is collected and presented in a systematic, unbiased and transparent manner to inform policy decision making.

Departmental Data

Questions (1490, 1491)

Alan Kelly

Question:

1490. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the total compliment of long-stay beds HIQA approved in a nursing home (details supplied) in Roscrea in each of the years 2016 to 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [13773/23]

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Alan Kelly

Question:

1491. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the total compliment of long-stay beds HIQA approved in a nursing home (details supplied) in each of the years 2016 to 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [13774/23]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1490 and 1491 together.

The information in this table sets out the total number of registered beds in the designated centres in question at the end of each year and to date in 2023.

	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
The Dean Maxwell Community Nursing Unit	30	27	27	27	28	28	27	27
Mount Carmel Nursing Home (Roscrea)	29	29	31	31	31	31	31	31

All registered beds may be used to accommodate residents as set out in the Statement of Purpose. With respect to both of the above centres, all beds may be used for residents who require long-term care. However, a registered provider may choose to use some of these beds to accommodate residents other than long-term care residents. For example, the registered providers may have a number of beds allocated for residents who require respite care, end of life care or transitional care.

These are decisions registered providers make on a day to day basis and which are not required to be notified to the Chief Inspector.

Question No. 1491 answered with Question No. 1490.

Health Services Staff

Questions (1492)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

1492. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made on implementing the enhanced travel and subsistence scheme for student nurses and midwives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13780/23]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Following approval by Government on 13 December 2022, I was pleased to announce €9 million in additional supports for student nurses and midwives. €5.4m will be used to introduce an enhanced Travel and Subsistence Scheme for eligible students while attending their supernumerary clinical practice placements. This scheme will provide a targeted and more equitable approach to supporting these students and its main features are set out under:

Eligible student nurses and midwives in years 1 to 3 of their studies will see each receive €500 per year as a targeted measure to contribute towards meeting the extra costs of meals associated with practice placements outside the student’s core placement site. A new rate of €80 for overnight accommodation is being introduced, along with an increased weekly cap of €300, for those eligible students who require accommodation away from their normal place of residence while attending practice placements. This weekly cap is three times the cap introduced on 1st January 2022, and almost six times the previous cap;

Student requiring overnight accommodation can also avail of, on a vouched basis, the reasonable cost of uniform laundry services.

The enhanced Travel and Subsistence Scheme will be backdated to the start of the current academic year, September 2022.

For student nurses and midwives on their final year internship, I am ensuring that their salary is set in line with the relevant recommendation in the McHugh Report, by increasing their rate of pay to 80% of Point 1 of the Staff Nurse/Midwife pay scale. This measure, worth €3.6 million, demonstrates further the Government's commitment to retaining talent throughout our nursing and midwifery degree programmes and our appreciation for the efforts and dedication shown by students during their crucial final-year internships. Finally, students will also be provided with two additional uniforms at the start of their internship.

My Department issued a letter of sanction to the HSE on 15 February, 2023, requesting that payments due to eligible student nurses and midwives be prioritised.

Departmental Contracts

Questions (1493)

Alan Kelly

Question:

1493. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the date the agreement was made by the HSE to purchase of a facility (details supplied); when the contract was signed and by whom for both parties; and the amount of the purchase price. [13795/23]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As these are operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Departmental Data

Questions (1494)

Alan Kelly

Question:

1494. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the number of new patients the gender clinic in Crumlin Hospital have taken in from 2018 to date in 2023, in tabular form. [13796/23]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Departmental Data

Questions (1495)

Alan Kelly

Question:

1495. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the number of new patients the National Gender Service in Loughlinstown Hospital have taken in from 2018 to date in 2023, in tabular form. [13797/23]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Nursing Homes

Questions (1496)

Alan Kelly

Question:

1496. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the guidelines regarding value for money and risks that they have in place for the purchase of private nursing homes. [13798/23]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As these are operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Health Services

Questions (1497)

Michael Lowry

Question:

1497. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 281 of 20 January 2022, 532 of 13 December 2022 and 528 of 5 December 2022, if he will confirm that the review and service demand need analysis which have been carried out in part to identify the allocation of long-stay, respite, palliative care beds in St. Antony's unit Clonmel can be made available to myself and the Hospital Palliative care Tipperary Group (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13799/23]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter for the HSE, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Questions (1498)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

1498. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health the status of surgery for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13807/23]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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 Facilities

Questions (1499)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

1499. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the reason MRI scans are performed in St. Vincent’s Hospital only between 9am and 5pm on Monday to Friday; if steps will be taken to ensure that MRI scans are available seven days a week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13812/23]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.