Written Answers Nos. 172-192
172. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the steps he has taken in response to recommendations contained in the independent rapid review of specific issues in the CervicalCheck screening programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15506/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
173. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to address delays in individuals accessing public transgender healthcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15507/23]
View answer174. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the national gender service engages with patient advocacy groups on matters relating to transgender healthcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15508/23]
View answerI propose to answer Questions Nos. 173 and 174 together.
It is acknowledged that the waiting times facing patients to access transgender healthcare services are too long at the moment, and the Department and HSE are committed to addressing this issue.
In 2020, the HSE established a steering committee to address specific issues in relation to the development of transgender healthcare services. The committee had a wide range of stakeholders from the agencies involved in delivering care, as well as service user representatives, including a representative from TENI. Further to the Cass Interim Report on the Tavistock Clinic, the HSE held an event recently with Dr Hillary Cass, which was attended by a wide range of stakeholders from the HSE, the Department of Health, Children’s Heath Ireland, the Ireland East Hospital Group and others involved in providing services.
The HSE is committed to developing a seamless and integrated service for those with gender identity issues on an ongoing basis, with the support of all relevant stakeholders, and are focused on providing a high quality and safe service to an often extremely vulnerable patient group. Throughout this process, the HSE will be consulting with a wide range of stakeholders in the development of the new model of care. Including those who provide and use these services, and advocacy groups. I am committed to the development by the HSE of a well-governed and patient-centred health care service for adults and children in the transgender community, which can be access in a timely manner.
175. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the estimated annual cost of increasing the current income limit for medical cards, of €184 per week, to the €304 threshold for the GP visit card. [15521/23]
View answer177. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the estimated annual cost of increasing the over-70s medical card income thresholds of €550 for a single person to €700 and of €1,050 for a couple to €1,400. [15523/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 175 and 177 together.
Eligibility for a Medical Card is primarily based on a financial assessment which is conducted by the HSE in accordance with the Health Act 1970 (as amended). The HSE assesses each medical card application on a qualifying financial threshold. This is the amount of money that an individual can earn a week and still qualify for a card. It is specific to the individual’s own financial circumstances.Persons aged 69 and under are assessed under the general means tested medical card thresholds which are based on an applicant’s household income after tax and the deduction of PRSI and the Universal Social Charge. Certain expenses are also taken into account. Examples of allowable expenses include rent, mortgage, certain insurance costs, childcare, maintenance, nursing home net costs which help to increase the amount a person can earn and still qualify for a medical card. Detailed guidelines are available at: Assessment for a medical card - HSE.ie Persons aged 70 or older are assessed under the over 70s medical card income thresholds which are based on gross income. It should be noted that in November 2020, the weekly gross medical card income thresholds for those aged 70 and over were increased to €550 per week for a single person and €1,050 for a couple. This increase ensures that a greater proportion of those aged 70 and over now qualify for a medical card. However, it should be noted that those aged over 70 can also be assessed under the general means tested scheme where there are particularly high costs, e.g., medication, nursing home fees. Furthermore, the Deputy may be aware that, since 2015, every individual aged 70 and over has automatic eligibility for a GP visit card.With regard to the estimated costs of the deputy's proposals, the data required to model these are not readily available and it is therefore not possible to provide an estimate of the associated costs at this time. However, I wish to assure the Deputy that, to ensure the medical card system is responsive and sensitive to people's needs, my Department keeps medical card issues, including the current medical card income thresholds under review and any changes are considered in the context of Government policy, the annual budgetary estimates process and other issues which may be relevant.
176. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the amount budgeted for the planned increase in the income limit for the GP visit card for persons on a median household income of €46,000 or less. [15522/23]
View answerIt was announced in Budget 2023 that eligibility for GP Visit Cards is to be extended to people who earn no more than the median household income. Income thresholds will be adjusted for people living alone and for those with children and further operational details will be made available prior to commencement. It is envisaged that the expansion will be supported by a significant package of additional capacity supports to GP practices.
Funding for the expansion was provided in Budget 2023 within an extensive €107 million package for new cost of living measures. Other measures included within that funding package are the abolition of all inpatient hospital charges from April 2023, the continuation of the reduction in the threshold for the Drug Payment Scheme at €80 per month, and the extension of the free contraception scheme from 1 September 2023 to cover all women aged 17-30 inclusive. Funding was also provided in Budget 2023 to include 16 year-olds in the free contraception scheme however this is subject to consultation, legal advice and legislative amendment.
178. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health whether he will consider lifting the ban on the use of former nursing homes as accommodation for Ukrainian families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15539/23]
View answerThe Department of Health takes the closures of nursing homes very seriously. The closure of nursing homes can put pressure on other local health and social care facilities. It is vital that the welfare of residents is ensured. There are several reasons for nursing home closures each year including retirement, non-compliance with HIQA regulations, financial viability and, in some cases, recognition that the premises would not be compliant with revised regulations. Ensuring the welfare and safety of residents is secured when nursing homes close is the most important thing and work to alleviate the concerns of residents and their families must continue.
It became apparent near the end of August last year that a small number of active nursing homes had chosen to convert into accommodation centres for beneficiaries of temporary protection. Other active nursing homes were known to be in official negotiations or to be considering this approach. In light of the challenges currently being faced in the nursing home sector, Minister Donnelly and I jointly wrote to Minister O’Gorman, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, in November to express our concerns in relation to this matter and to set out the Department’s policy position. Minister Donnelly and I both agreed to request a change to the procurement guidelines around accommodation for persons under temporary protection that would exclude from consideration active nursing homes that were still registered operators with HIQA on or after the date of 1 September 2022. The intention behind this position is to avoid unintentionally incentivising active nursing homes to leave the market. Former nursing homes that had already ceased operation and were deregistered prior to this date would not be affected if they wished to enter into contracts as accommodation providers. Neither Minister Donnelly nor I have any direct role in the procurement process or the approval of any individual accommodation centres for use by displaced persons. Given the changing situation with regard to accommodation for persons under temporary protection, the Department of Health will review this policy before the end of April 2023, with a view to providing longer-term certainty to the nursing home sector and potential providers of temporary accommodation services. The Department of Health and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY), under whose remit procurement and approval of accommodation centres for use by beneficiaries of temporary protection falls, have indicated that they will apply this position. Ministers and the Department of Health are committed to continuing, constructive cross-Government engagement to address the health and social care needs of beneficiaries of temporary protection as well as the identification of appropriate sites for that might be used for accommodation.
179. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health the reason terminally ill young children living in the south east are still being denied community paediatric palliative care services, therefore depriving them of the right to die at home; if immediate steps will be implemented to provide this critical treatment to young children in need of paediatric palliative care services; the reason home palliative care is still being denied to children in the south east; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15549/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
180. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health if the recommendations listed in the Bee Wee report 2020 for the clinical governance and operational arrangements for supporting a model of care for children with life-limiting conditions towards the end of life is being implemented in the south east for paediatric palliative care services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15550/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
182. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the plans, if any, for a minor injuries unit in north County Kildare, with particular reference to rapid population growth in this area, that many GPs are not taking on new patients, and the need to free up the local emergency department services for more urgent cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15576/23]
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.
183. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health the number of people who availed of IVF treatment at private clinics across the country in 2022, and to date in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15579/23]
View answerThe Deputy might be aware that private fertility clinics operating in Ireland are currently not subject to direct regulation but are required to have an Authorised Tissue Establishment licence.
My Department does not hold the information requested by the Deputy, but I understand that the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) requires each fertility clinic operating in Ireland which holds an Authorised Tissue Establishment licence to submit an annual report on the number and types of fertility treatments provided. The number of people who availed of IVF treatment is not reported, however.
184. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health to indicate any outstanding psycho-oncology services posts at this moment in time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15580/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
185. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding allocated to psycho-oncology services in 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15581/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
186. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of expanding the BowelScreen age criteria bracket from 50 to 74 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15582/23]
View answer190. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of expanding the BreastCheck age bracket from 45 to 74 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15586/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 186 and 190 together.
I am fully committed to supporting our population screening programmes which are a valuable part of our health service, enabling early treatment and care for many people, and improving the overall health of our population.
Under commitments in the Programme for Government, BreastCheck eligibility has been expanded to women aged 69 years since 2021. The Programme for Government also commits to expanding the age range for BowelScreen to those aged 55 to 74, and the HSE plans to commence this in 2023 with expansion to those aged 59, in addition to the current age range of 60 to 69.
Any decisions about further changes in cancer screening, including further extension of the age ranges, will be made on the advice of the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC). This independent expert group considers and assesses evidence in a robust and transparent manner, and against internationally accepted criteria. It is important we have rigorous processes in place to ensure our screening programmes are effective, quality assured and operating to safe standards, and that the benefits of screening outweigh the harms.
I am pleased to report that the Committee is already progressing work on the further expansion of the our cancer screening programmes, and has asked HIQA to evaluate the evidence for the further expansion of the age range eligibility for both the BowelScreen and BreastCheck programmes.
An exact costing cannot be provided for expansion at this time, as the financial cost is but one factor that will be considered in the decision-making process. Due to the complex nature of the evaluation process and the criteria against which a decision is made, it would be impossible to accurately quantify the cost of expansion until a full evidential assessment is completed.
Under Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, an updated European Council Recommendation on cancer screening was published in December 2022. The updated Recommendation recommends extended screening for colorectal (bowel) cancer and breast cancer, along with other recommendations in relation to cervical, lung, prostate and gastric cancer screening. The NSAC will consider this Recommendation and advise me and the Department of Health on the evidence as it applies to Ireland.
Ireland will also be actively engaged with the significant ongoing collaborative work at European level to take forward the updated Recommendation on cancer screening.
187. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health to indicate any measures being taken to ensure BowelScreen participation rates reach 60% compliance (2020 target date), as per the National Cancer Strategy targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15583/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
188. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health the total annual spend on BowelScreen in each of the years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15584/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
189. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health the number of individuals who received an invitation to take part in the BowelScreen on a quarterly basis from Q1 2020 and to date in 2023; the percentage of individuals who accepted an invitation and subsequently attended a screening appointment in each of the specified months; and if he will provide that information in tabular form. [15585/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
191. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health the total annual spend on BreastCheck in each of the years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15587/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
192. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health the number of individuals who received an invitation to take part in BreastCheck on a quarterly basis from Q1 2020 and to date in 2023; the percentage of individuals who accepted an invitation and subsequently attended a screening appointment in each of the specified months, in tabular form. [15588/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
