Written Answers Nos. 1418-1432
1418. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a pathway for hospital staff who applied for the pandemic special recognition payment on appeal, were turned down and have no facility to appeal the decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16649/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
1419. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if he is considering the restoration of self-referral access to primary dental care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16653/23]
View answerThere are currently a range of mechanisms by which patients can access primary oral healthcare services through self-referral.
The Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides dental care, free of charge, to medical card holders aged 16 and over. The DTSS is a “choice of dentist” scheme which does not require the patient to register with a particular dentist and enables medical card holders to attend any DTSS contractor directly, via self-referral, without recourse to the HSE.
The HSE Public Dental Service provides care to several groups of patients. Those with additional needs, who cannot receive care in a general dental practice, may need special care services provided by the HSE Public Dental Services. There are several ways to access this service, including direct referral by a patient or their caregiver.
The HSE Public Dental Service also provides a screening and necessary treatment for children approximating to second and sixth class and, in some cases, fourth class. This does require allocation of an appointment from the HSE. Emergency care is provided by the HSE for children of all ages up to 16 and for those with complex and additional needs, which is accessed by self-referral.
In the longer term, the Government recognises that substantive reform of oral healthcare services is required, as set out in the National Oral Health Policy, Smile agus Sláinte. The Policy will support the provision of all levels of care, by appropriate healthcare professionals and in the most suitable settings, to all children and adults regardless of age. The Policy fundamentally aspires that all Irish people will have their own ‘dental home’ where they build a life-long relationship with a local dental practice or practices of their choosing for continuity of care from birth to old age, reflecting how services are provided in general medical practice. For the majority of the population, this ‘dental home’ will be a local general dental practitioner, and patients will be able to directly self-refer for primary oral healthcare services. Therefore, patients will be able to choose where and when to access crucial, prevention-focused oral healthcare.
€4.75m has been allocated in Budget 2023, as part of an unprecedented additional allocation of €15m for oral healthcare services in 2023, for the development and roll-out of these comprehensive oral healthcare packages to the first cohort of children, aged from birth to 7 years.
1420. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of public health nurses in Dublin mid-west by area; the number of vacancies by area; the recruitment plan for public health nurses in Dublin mid-west; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16656/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
1421. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health in relation to the mobile breast screening units that will not return to Mullingar and Athlone until the end of 2023, the number of women who were scheduled to attend these units for screening who will now have to make the trip to Tullamore to avail of this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16658/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
1422. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the budget allocated by his Department for 2023 to the National Treatment Purchase Fund to provide for the scheme to provide autism assessments for children. [16659/23]
View answerThe National Treatment Purchase Fund was established under the Health (Corporate Bodies) Act 1961, with the function of providing hospital treatment for citizens and the collection and validation of information in relation to waiting lists. Its role was extended in 2009, via the Nursing Home Support Scheme Act 2009, to provide for negotiations with private nursing homes in the context of fees payable for Fair Deal Clients.
As noted above the NTPF’s statutory remit is in respect of the provision of hospital treatment and does not extend to arranging or funding any non-hospital services, including assessments of need.
As outlined in the 2023 Waiting List Action Plan, Budget 2023 included €80 million allocated to various HSE primary and community care-related activity under the area of Waiting Lists. Of this funding, €11.7 million has been allocated to address backlogs in disability services in relation to the Assessments of Need.
1423. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health when a cohort of agency workers (details supplied) can expect to receive their pandemic payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16660/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
1424. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has had representations from an organisation (details supplied) regarding an inquiry into the situation of families affected by a medication, sodium valproate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16664/23]
View answerThe Department of Health has received several representations from OACS Ireland regarding the establishment of an inquiry into the historical use of Sodium Valproate.
The inquiry will be designed to give a voice to patients and their families while looking at the use of sodium valproate in Ireland since it was first licensed. It is important that enough time and resources are invested in completing this work. OACS have contributed and have engaged with the Department throughout the process.
In parallel with the work of establishing the enquiry, a Sodium Valproate Stakeholder Group has been established by the Department to assess current systems in place around valproate use in women of childbearing potential. The most recent meeting of the Sodium Valproate Stakeholder Group was in held in March 2023 with all stakeholders including OACS Ireland.
1425. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied that all HSE psychiatrists are operating on the basis that patients with an ASD diagnosis will be given a timely assessment and treatment of another disorder or disease, their reported symptoms not being automatically attributed, and limited solely, to their ASD diagnosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16665/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1426. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if current trainee counselling psychology students will be funded in line with incoming first year students in the same course; the plans by his Department to expand this funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16674/23]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, €750,000 has been provided in Budget 2023 to support counselling psychology training places. This funding demonstrates the Government’s commitment to strengthen access to psychology training.
I am focussed on supporting counselling psychology students in an equitable way and that delivers value for money. The structure of this funding is currently being finalised by officials in the Department. The approach will be based on best practice and knowledge gained from other health and social care funded training models.
Further detailed discussions are now taking place between the Department and HSE to progress this. I hope to be in a position to announce the details shortly for academic year 2023-2024.
1427. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if funding that will be available for trainee educational psychologists in line with funding allocated for trainee counselling psychologists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16675/23]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, €750,000 has been provided in Budget 2023 to support counselling psychology training places. This funding demonstrates the Government’s commitment to strengthen access to psychology training.
I am focussed on supporting counselling psychology students in an equitable way and that delivers value for money. The structure of this funding is currently being finalised by officials in the Department. The approach will be based on best practice and knowledge gained from other health and social care funded training models.
Further detailed discussions are now taking place between the Department and HSE to progress this. I hope to be in a position to announce the details shortly for academic year 2023-2024.
In relation to the question raised, the Deputy may wish to seek the view of the Minister for Education as regards funding opportunities for educational psychologists.
1428. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the expansion of ambulance services in Athlone, County Westmeath. [16678/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1429. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health when the last HIQA site inspection was carried out at St. Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16683/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1430. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health his plans to appoint a WTE consultant nephrologist with a special interest in glomerulonephritis at University Hospital, Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16684/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1431. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health his plans to appoint additional WTE consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist with a special interest in urogynaecology at the maternity department at St. Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16685/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1432. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the number of paediatric ENT surgeries that were carried out at each of the children's hospitals in the years of 2021, 2022 and to-date in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16686/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
