Written Answers Nos. 1701-1715
1701. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health for an update on the co-location of Limerick Maternity Hospital to the main UHL campus at Dooradoyle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17846/23]
View answerThe HSE is currently progressing a Strategic Assessment Report (SAR) and Feasibility Study for the relocation of the University Maternity Hospital, Limerick (UMHL).
On 29 March 2023, the Public Spending Code (PSC) was updated by means of Circular 06/2023 from Department of Public Expenditure and NDP Delivery and Reform (D/PENDPDR). Among other things, this increased the thresholds for the classification of major projects at which full PSC scrutiny is required and reduced the number of steps for proposals to travel through before approval to proceed.
The proposed co-location of UMHL with the main University Hospital Limerick campus is a proposal of significant scale and will be subject to the requirements for major capital projects under the updated PSC. This will ensure maximum value for money for the taxpayer can be achieved through disciplined project evaluation, preparation and implementation.
The Department and the HSE are still reflecting on the how best to align the significant number of major capital proposals at various stages of development with the new, shortened PSC life cycle. Under the 2023 PSC update, the SAR for UMHL will be subsumed into the Preliminary Business Case (PBC) and will form a single SAR/PBC document. The work undertaken to date on the SAR for the LMH will be leveraged to progress the proposal in the form of a SAR/ PBC for Stage 1 of the shortened PSC process. The SAR/PBC will then be subject to review by the Department of Health including External Assurance Process and Major Projects Advisory Group, as required under the updated PSC requirements.
As with any proposal of this scale, the final decision to proceed with the construction, and therefore to estimate the timeline, cannot be made until the completion of the Final Business Case, completion of the tender process, and determination that the proposal remains affordable and continues to represent value for money.
1702. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the Programme for Government commitment to "create and implement a general health policy for Trans people, based on a best-practice model for care, in line with the World Professional Association of Transgender Healthcare (WPATH) and deliver a framework for the development of National Gender Clinics and Multidisciplinary Teams for children and adults"; the steps being taken to honour this commitment; the timeline he is working towards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17850/23]
View answerIn 2020, a steering committee was established 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 Health 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.
The Minister for Health has meet with the national gender service to hear it views and proposals for service design and delivery and I understand that the HSE chief clinical officer has also engaged with the service as part of the development of a new model of care.
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.
1703. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the new home care tender to replace the existing tender which is due to expire on 30 April 2023; when he expects this new tender to be agreed; if this new tender will include recommendations for the Report of the Strategic Workforce Advisory Group on Home Carers and Nursing Home Health Care Assistants, in particular recommendation six which states that home care workers should, at a minimum, receive the national living wage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17851/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly as soon as possible.
1704. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for home care packages; the number of persons experiencing delayed discharge from hospital due to a delay accessing home care; and the waiting lists for home care packages by CHO and LHO, in tabular form. [17852/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly as soon as possible.
1705. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if matters in relation to Lyme's disease (details supplied) will be examined and addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17856/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1706. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has been waiting five years on a hospital appointment in Cavan General Hospital with a person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17858/23]
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.
1707. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the regional eye care and surgical centre in the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital; the date this opened, or will open; and the number of patients seen to date. [17860/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1708. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health the number of days per year that the full capacity protocol has been utilised at University Hospital Limerick for the period 2011 to 2023, tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17878/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy directly with the requested information.
1710. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health the reason a surgical procedure for a person (details supplied) has been cancelled on three occasions; when this surgery will proceed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17887/23]
View answerI fully acknowledge the distress and inconvenience for patients and their families when elective procedures are cancelled, particularly for clinically urgent procedures. While every effort is made to avoid cancellation or postponement of planned procedures, the HSE has advised that planned procedures and operations can be postponed or cancelled for a variety of reasons including capacity issues due to increased scheduled and unscheduled care demand.
Patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.
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.
1711. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health if the enhanced home care package scheme is available in every county in Ireland (details supplied); if it is not, if he will list the counties that the scheme is available in, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17915/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly as soon as possible.
1712. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time to admit patients from ambulances to the ED at Letterkenny University Hospital in each month of 2022 and in January, February and March 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17917/23]
View answer1713. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the longest waiting time to admit patients from ambulances to the ED at Letterkenny University Hospital in each month of 2022 and in January, February and March 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17918/23]
View answer1714. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the longest waiting time to admit a patient from ambulances to the ED at Letterkenny University Hospital for each month of 2022 and in January, February and March 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17919/23]
View answer1715. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of times ambulances in each ambulance station in County Donegal were unable to leave Letterkenny University Hospital due to delays in admitting patients to the ED, or when patients were using an ambulance trolley inside the hospital, for each month of 2022 and in January, February and March 2023, in tabular form. [17920/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1712 to 1715, inclusive, together.
As these are service matters I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
