Written Answers Nos. 1138-1157
1141. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the number of persons that attended the accident and emergency department at St. James's Hospital from the 1 January to the 31 December 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [12292/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1142. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of staffing all emergency departments with liaison psychiatrists for three years, in tabular form. [12295/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1143. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost when he establishes an international expert working group to examine pre-term births to reduce neonatal mortality rates. [12307/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1144. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of running each of the sexual assault treatment units in 2022, in tabular form. [12308/23]
View answerAs the specific issue raised by the Deputy refers to the operational responsibilities of the HSE, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
1145. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if monies were used or transferred from the national maternity strategy to fund abortion services in 2019 or 2020; if so, the amount transferred, in monetary value and as a percentage of the total maternity strategy fund; the date upon which the transfer took place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12309/23]
View answerThe National Maternity Strategy represents a significant development in the delivery of national maternity policy that is fundamentally changing how maternity care is delivered in this country. Implementation of the National Maternity Strategy is continuing, led by the HSE’s National Women and Infants Health Programme (NWIHP). In 2018, maternity developmental funding of €4.15m was provided to the NWIHP so as to enhance and develop the provision of care to women and infants. Funding provided to the NWIHP in 2019 in relation to maternity services was targeted at the full year costs of posts approved in 2018. In 2020, new development funding of €1.5m, was provided for the implementation of the National Maternity Strategy.
The introduction of termination of pregnancy services had no bearing on the funding allocated for the implementation of the National Maternity Strategy. Separate funding was allocated for termination of pregnancy services over the course of 2019 and 2020.
1146. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the total number of adverse incidents reported to the national incident management system which related to termination of pregnancy in each of the past five years and to date in 2023. [12310/23]
View answerAs the Deputy’s question relates to a service matter, I have referred it to the HSE for direct response.
1147. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the total number of adverse incidents reported to the State Claims Agency which related to the Health Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy Act 2018 in each of the past five years, and to date in 2023; if details will be provided of the outcomes of claims taken against the State in relation to the Act; the number of claims settled or ongoing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12311/23]
View answer1515. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who are taking or have taken cases against the State alleging that their unborn baby was wrongfully diagnosed and subsequently aborted; the number of claims notified to the State Claims Agency; and the number of cases ongoing and the number of cases which have been settled. [13932/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1147 and 1515 together.
The State Claims Agency (SCA) has a statutory remit to manage personal injury claims, including claims in respect of clinical negligence, on behalf of Delegated State Authorities (DSA's) including the Health Service Executive.
I have been informed by the Agency that there have been 133 incidents reported to them from 01/01/2018 to 28/02/2023 relating to Termination of Pregnancy.
Table 1 - Termination of Pregnancy Incidents reported per year
|
Incident Reported Year |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 (To end Feb) |
Grand Total |
|
Number of Incidents |
2 |
27 |
36 |
33 |
28 |
7 |
133 |
It is inappropriate to provide the years of claims as to do so could have the effect of identifying individual cases. The SCA has two ongoing claims from persons alleging that their unborn baby was wrongfully diagnosed with a condition sufficient to bring them within the scope of the Health Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy Act 2018.
Notes
The information contained within this report has been extracted from the National Incident Management System (NIMS) as per the below criteria.
There is no specific field for these incidents on NIMS. Therefore, a key word search was completed on relevant text fields on NIMS of potentially relevant incidents reported in the relevant period. Following this, a manual review was completed to identify relevant incidents.
Criteria used
- All Healthcare locations on NIMS - Who was involved = Patient/ Service User.
- Incidents and claims have been identified by searching in the free text fields “Summary of the Incident”, “Type of Injury (Other)” or “Sub hazard type (text)” for the words “TOP” (termination of pregnancy), “STOP” (surgical termination of pregnancy), “MTOP” (medical termination of pregnancy), “Termination”, “Medical termination”, “Abortion”.
- Additional criteria have been used for the incidents as follows:
- Incidents reported since 01/01/2018 to 28/02/2023
- Sub Hazard Type is either “Labour/Delivery”; "Diagnosis”; “Surgical/Medical”; “Care Management”; “Clinical Procedures”; "Medication" or “Birth Specific Procedures”.
- A manual review was carried out on the resulting list of incidents and claims by the relevant SCA unit to determine relevance to the query.
- This report is correct as of 28/02/2023.
Definitions:
National Incident Management System (NIMS)
Incidents (which include claims) are reported using the “National Incident Management System”.
This is hosted by the State Claims Agency (SCA) for the HSE, other Healthcare enterprises and State Authorities. An incident can be a harmful Incident (Adverse Event), no harm incident, near miss, dangerous occurrence (reportable circumstance) or complaint.
Incident Reported Date
The date the incident was created on NIMS
Who Was Involved
Field detailing the type of person involved, e.g. Staff Member, Member of the Public, etc. This is the Highest level of person category on NIMS, as displayed in the three levels below.
Sub Hazard Type
Based on the’ Incident/Hazard Category’, this grouping provides a further breakdown of hazard types. This allows for a more detailed categorisation of the incidents recorded. For example, under the ‘Clinical Care’ hazard category, the sub-hazards include ‘Labour/Delivery’, ‘Diagnosis’,
‘Surgical/Medical Procedures’, etc. Similarly, under ‘Exposure to Physical Hazards’, the sub-hazards include ‘Slips/Trips/Falls’, ‘Fire’, ‘Ergonomics (include manual/people handling)’, ‘Temperature (excluding Fire)’, ‘Radiation’, ‘Non-Mechanical (including Person/Animal)’, ‘Noise’, ‘Vibration’, and ‘Electrical & Mechanical components’.
Sub Hazard Type (text)
A subcategory of "Sub Hazard Type" this allows the user the opportunity to specify the hazard.
Type of Injury Other
A field which records sub categorisation of "Type of Injury". Cites if there are any additional injury suffered by the injured party, e.g. fracture could be cited as the 'Type of Injury', and 'Cut / Laceration', could be added to the 'Other'.
Summary of the Incident
A free text field whereby a description of the incident can be entered by the DSA. It is important that the information provided is factual based on the actual incident that occurred.
1148. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the funding provided by both his Department and the HSE to each of the local drugs and alcohol taskforces in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, in tabular form. [12312/23]
View answerInformation on the funding provided by both his Department and the HSE to the drug and alcohol task forces in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, is attached in tabular form. Note this information does not include additional funding provided for strategic initiatives or the community services enhancement fund.
1149. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if plans exist to remove the temporary prefab buildings of the neurology unit in GUH; the plans that exist to allow neurology consultants to continue to see their patients; where this will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12316/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
1150. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the total amount spent on the purchasing of ventilators which either did not work or were unsuitable, during the pandemic; the name of the companies from which faulty or unsuitable ventilators were purchased; if attempts have been made to recoup the costs and get a refund; if so, if those attempts have been successful; the costs associated with those attempts, including legal costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12336/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1151. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 200 of 15 February 2023, the number of staff directly employed by the HSE and the number of staff employed in Section 39 healthcare facilities known to be on leave from work for more than one year due to long-Covid symptoms, as evidenced by their receipt of special Covid leave with pay for that period of time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12341/23]
View answer1152. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the medical basis on which a decision is being taken to remove special Covid leave with pay entitlements on 30 June 2023 from a large cohort of healthcare staff with severe long-Covid symptoms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12344/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1151 and 1152 together.
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. 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. Employees who met the eligibility criteria for the Scheme will have transferred to the Scheme on 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.It is my understanding that an epidemiological survey is planned by the HSE which will provide insight into the prevalence of long-Covid in the Irish population including risk factors for developing long- Covid. The HSE has also commissioned a review by the Health Information and Quality Authority to assess the latest international evidence on Long Covid.The nature of the health sector specific Special Scheme from the outset was temporary, running for 12 months only, and as such, this Scheme is due to conclude, as the Deputy points out, on 30 June this year. I am acutely aware of the issues experienced by public health employees in relation to Long Covid and am committed to providing support. I have my officials to look at available options.
I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in respect of the HSE absentee numbers sought, however the staff of section 39 bodies are not public servants, and as such I am not in a position to advise the Deputy in respect of staff absences in those bodies.
1153. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 638 of 5 October 2021, 691 of 29 November 2022, 1553 of 18 January 2023 and 204 of 15 February 2023, if he will provide exact details on staffing for a new facility in Midleton, County Cork that will accommodate three residents with severe and enduring mental health difficulties; the number of staff that will be deployed to the service on a day-to-day basis; if those regular staff who are on site daily will include psychiatric nurses or healthcare assistants or both; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12345/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1154. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the workings of the development team, announced by Cork HSE management in May 2022, appointed to conduct an options appraisal for the construction of a new 10-bed mental health rehabilitation residential service in Midleton, County Cork; the name of HSE management staff who have been appointed to the team; the dates of their appointments; the dates of the development team meetings held to date; if minutes are available for those meetings; if he will provide details on progress the development team has made on identifying a site for the service over the past eleven months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12346/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1155. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the total cost of the HSEs use of Garnish House, Cork as a mental health facility since the property was first rented in 2020 to February 28 2023, to include, rent, cleaning, investment in the kitchen, insurance and any other costs covered by the HSE; if he will provide the projected costs for the remainder of 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12347/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1156. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if a new GP can be facilitated in the case of persons (details supplied) who have been unable to source local GP care and require care for repeat prescriptions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12356/23]
View answer1376. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide assistance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13177/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1156 and 1376 together.
GPs are private practitioners, most of whom hold a contract with the HSE for the provision of health services, such as the GMS contract for the provision of GP services to medical card and GP visit card holders.
Where a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card experiences difficulty in finding a GP to accept them as a patient, the person concerned having unsuccessfully applied to at least three GPs in the area (or fewer if there are fewer GPs in the area) can apply to the HSE National Medical Card Unit which has the power to assign that person to a GP's GMS patient list.
People who do not hold a medical card or a GP visit card access GP services on a private basis, in which the Minister has no role, and can make enquiries directly to any GP practice they wish to register with. As private contractors, it is a matter for each individual GP to decide whether to accept additional private patients.
The Government is aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice and is working to ensure patients across the country continue to have access to GP services and that general practice is sustainable in all areas into the future.
Under the 2019 GP Agreement additional annual expenditure provided for general practice has been increased by €211.6m. This provides for significant increases in capitation fees for participating GMS GPs, and new fees and subsidies for additional services. Improvements to GP’s maternity and paternity leave arrangements, increased rural practice supports and a support for GPs in disadvantaged urban areas, have also been provided for.
The number of GPs entering training has increased steadily over the past number of years, rising from 120 in 2009 to 258 in 2022, with a further significant increase planned for this year. The ICGP aims to have 350 training places available for new entrants per year by 2026.
These measures make general practice in Ireland a more attractive career choice and will see an increase in the number of GPs working in the State, improving access to GP services for patients throughout the country.
Furthermore, a strategic review of GP services is to commence shortly and will be completed this year. The review, with input from key stakeholders, will examine the broad range of issues affecting general practice and will set out the measures necessary to deliver a more sustainable general practice into the future.
1157. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if a procedure will be arranged immediately for a person (details supplied); the waiting time for this procedure; and the number of patients waiting. [12372/23]
View answerUnder 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.
