Niamh Smyth
Question:662. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has to wait until June 2023 for an operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14833/23]
View answerHealth Services Waiting Lists
Questions (662)
Written answers
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 Staff
Questions (663)
Michael Ring
Question:663. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm a hospital's (details supplied) policy regarding medical students' involvement in patient care. [14836/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to reply to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Medical Inquiries
Questions (664)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:664. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if an appointment for a person (details supplied) will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14839/23]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Public Sector Pay
Questions (665)
Duncan Smith
Question:665. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has not received the pandemic bonus payment; the options available to them to secure the payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14866/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
I would also like to remind the Deputy that it is against Department policy to comment on individual cases.
Disability Services
Questions (666)
Holly Cairns
Question:666. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if a person with a disability (details supplied) can apply for a computer with accessible software under the technical aids grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14867/23]
View answerWritten answers
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 (667)
Holly Cairns
Question:667. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to make the medical assessment unit in Bantry General Hospital a 24-hours-a-day service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14869/23]
View answerWritten answers
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 Staff
Questions (668)
Holly Cairns
Question:668. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to provide appropriate levels of staff in the SouthDoc facilities in Castletownbere, Bantry, Skibbereen, Dunmanway, Clonakilty and Bandon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14870/23]
View answerWritten answers
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 (669)
Holly Cairns
Question:669. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that all the details on the SouthDoc website are up-to-date and correct. [14871/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Disability Services
Questions (670)
Holly Cairns
Question:670. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the respite services in each LHO of CHO4 for persons with disabilities and their families; the number of respite facilities available; the capacity of each facility to care for individuals who need one-to-one care; the number of people who have used these facilities annually in 2021 and 2022, inclusive, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14872/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Disability Services
Questions (671)
Holly Cairns
Question:671. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if he will outline his plans for the development of respite services in each LHO of CHO4 for persons with disabilities and their families, including the increase in staffing levels, the facilities that are planned or where works are underway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14873/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Medical Inquiries
Questions (672)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:672. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a surgery appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14897/23]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Health Services Staff
Questions (673)
Verona Murphy
Question:673. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health the plans that are in place to include nurses studying and training under a sponsorship scheme in the travel and subsistence scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14909/23]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy may be aware, the travel and subsistence scheme is applicable to student nurses and midwives on supernumerary placement only. Mandatory supernumerary practice placements occur for 45 weeks from year 1 of the programme right through to the first semester of year 4. These students are not employees and are additional to the workforce in a learning capacity and are therefore not paid.
The enhanced travel and subsistence scheme for student nurses and midwives undertaking supernumerary clinical placement arose following recommendation from the McHugh Report, which was an examination of the existing arrangements regarding additional travel, subsistence and accommodation requirements of student nurses and midwives on clinical placement specifically. It is governed by Circular 4/2023: Payment of Clinical Placement Allowances to Undergraduate Supernumerary Nursing and Midwifery Students.
Student nurses and midwives’ final year internship placement consists of a continual 36-week rostered clinical placement, including annual leave. The internship placement is a paid placement as the student nurses and midwives and are considered as 0.5 WTE of the workforce. As these intern students receive a paid salary, they are not eligible for the travel and subsistence scheme which is designed specifically to support student nurses and midwives undertaking supernumerary clinical placements.
A sponsorship scheme is available from the HSE for public health service employees to train as a nurse or midwife, governed by HR Circular 40/2020: Sponsorship for Public Health Service Employees wishing to train as Nurses/Midwives. This sponsorship scheme is open to support staff in the Irish public health service who want to become nurses or midwives. To be eligible for this scheme, employees must be directly involved in delivering care to patients or clients in a nursing/midwifery context. For example, healthcare assistants and multi-task attendants are eligible for this scheme. Successful applicants under this scheme, remain paid employees for the duration of their nursing or midwifery degree programme, and as such continue to receive their basic salary, in addition to receiving sponsorship of fees for their chosen programme of study. As with nursing and midwifery interns, students on the sponsorship scheme are paid employees and therefore, are not eligible to receive supernumerary clinical placement allowances. There are no plans to change this.
Health Services Staff
Questions (674)
Neasa Hourigan
Question:674. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the dates that meetings were scheduled, since June 2022, between his Department and trade unions representing healthcare workers with long Covid to discuss pay issues relating to this medical condition; the dates of such meetings his Department and trade unions on long Covid and healthcare workers that were cancelled by his Department since June 2022; the reason(s) for these cancellations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14910/23]
View answerWritten answers
I am acutely aware of the issues experienced by public health employees in relation to Long Covid and I am committed to providing support.
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has 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 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.
Department officials are working to establish a process for engagement with multiple stakeholders to analyse how support could be provided going forward for those public health employees suffering from Long Covid. However, as this is an ongoing Industrial Relations matter, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this point.
Health Services Waiting Lists
Questions (675)
Pearse Doherty
Question:675. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an appointment for Sligo University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14919/23]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Health Services
Questions (676)
Michael McNamara
Question:676. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health if a medical appointment for a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14920/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Health Services
Questions (677)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:677. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied) will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14922/23]
View answerWritten answers
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.