Written Answers Nos. 380-399
380. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm when funding will be made available for a five-storey extension to Cork University Hospital to facilitate additional dedicated paediatric facilities, given that planning permission has already been received for the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20220/23]
View answer381. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that when the new five-storey extension to Cork University Hospital to facilitate additional dedicated paediatric facilities is constructed, it will include an intensive care unit that can take care of very seriously ill children who can be cared for in a timely manner without having to be transported at a crucial time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20221/23]
View answer382. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm when the project for a five-storey extension to Cork University Hospital to facilitate additional dedicated paediatric facilities can proceed to the next stage, given that planning permission has already been received for the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20222/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 380 to 382, inclusive, together.
The Paediatric Department in Cork University Hospital (CUH) provides a comprehensive service for children from general paediatric care up to and including High Dependency Unit requirements. A multi-phase programme of capital investment is underway in CUH to modernise paediatric facilities there.
Phase 1 of the new Paediatric Department at CUH has been delivered and operational since 2017, providing dedicated paediatric outpatient accommodation, including dedicated facilities for paediatric cystic fibrosis outpatients.
Phase 2 proposals will focus on paediatric in-patient accommodation ensuring children are provided with much needed appropriate, compliant accommodation. It is anticipated that this phase of the project will deliver 58 beds and 24 cots, and all associated accommodation.
Phase 3 proposals will focus on dedicated paediatric theatres and associated accommodation.
The HSE National Clinical Programme for Critical Care and National Clinical Programme for Paediatrics Model of Care for Paediatric Critical Care aims to set out what is required to establish safe, effective care for all critically ill children requiring paediatric critical care medicine in Ireland.
Paediatric Critical Care is provided in specialist Critical Care Units (CCUs) or Paediatric High Dependency Units (PHDUs) that have high levels of trained staff, monitoring capability and equipment in line with national and international standards. In line with this national model of care, it is envisaged that the new beds/cots in phase 2 of the CUH paediatric development will include 6 PHDU beds/cots. Paediatric CCUs are centralised in Crumlin and Temple Street at present under the model of care and these will move to the New Children’s Hospital which will house one large, state-of-the-art Paediatric CCU and will eventually be one of the largest in Europe, providing care to children all over Ireland.
In line with the requirements of the Public Spending Code (PSC), Strategic Assessment Reports for Phases 2 and 3 of CUH paediatric developments have been undertaken and are now complete. In parallel, planning permission was sought for the proposed refurbishment of the existing paediatric unit at CUH and, in August 2022, this was granted by Cork County Council.
In March 2023, the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan (NDP) Delivery and Reform informed Government of changes to the capital appraisal guidelines as part of package of significant actions aimed at enhancing delivery of the NDP. 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 Department of Health 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 lifecycle. Under Circular 06/23, the requirement for a separate SAR to be prepared at the start of the PSC process has been removed and the SAR requirements are to be subsumed into a new SAR/Preliminary Business Case (PBC). The HSE are now progressing these for the proposed paediatric phases in CUH. The timeline for the completion of the SAR/PBC cannot yet be estimated as the PSC changes have only recently been announced.
Nevertheless, capital funding continues to be made available to support CUH paediatric proposals as they progress through the various design and approval stages.
As with any proposals of this scale, the final decision to proceed and therefore to estimate the timeline and cost 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.
383. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details on the amount of money spent to date on the design and assessing the suitability of St. Patrick’s Hospital, Cashel, for the development of a community nursing unit in Cashel; if he will outline the source of financing for the proposed new greenfield site if such a site should be selected; if he will provide details surrounding the funding avenues available for such a site if chosen; the timescale that may be involved in securing such funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20231/23]
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.
384. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 24 of 20 April 2023, if he will provide the reports and assessments that determined that the site of St. Patrick’s Hospital, Cashel, is not suitable for the new 60-bedded CNU and which identified challenges regarding the amount of parking space and access to the building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20232/23]
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.
385. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a complete list of the HSE's National Clinical Guidelines programmes, including the names of the members of each National Clinical Guidelines, including all sub-groups within each programme, such as Working Groups, Clinical Advisory Groups and so on, in tabular form. [20254/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
386. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a complete list of each of the HSE's National Framework for developing Policies, Procedures, Protocols and Guidelines, including the names of the members of each PPPG, including all sub-groups within each PPPG, in tabular form. [20255/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
387. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason a young child (details supplied) is waiting so long for surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20278/23]
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.
388. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a hospital appointment for a child (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20280/23]
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.
389. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when the parents of a child (details supplied) in County Donegal can expect to get an appointment with a child psychologist in Letterkenny University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20290/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
390. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health when the roll-out of the National Epilepsy Care Programme will take place; when patients in CHO 8 can expect to see an improvement in epilepsy services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20299/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
391. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has not received their €1,000 pandemic payment from the HSE as announced for care workers in 2022. [20311/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
392. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Health the amounts in grant aid or funding awarded by his Department, or through schemes administered by it, to organisations (details supplied) in each year from 2010 to 2022, and the projected funding for 2023. [20316/23]
View answerAs this question refers to a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct response.
393. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be called for a hip operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20322/23]
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.
394. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has not received reimbursement for a payment made in February 2023 under a scheme in view of the length of time that has passed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20330/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
395. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health if he is personally aware that accounts for inpatient charges in public hospitals are referred to collection services within two months of non-payment from the date of issue of the invoice by the hospital; if this is standard practice; if he considers this appropriate practice (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20337/23]
View answerPatient charges are a key element of the overall funding envelope of the Irish health system and are taken into account when agreeing the Annual Estimates and the subsequent preparation of the HSE’s annual National Service Plan. Non collection of debts owed directly impacts on the affordability of services provided by the Health Service Executive in any year. It is therefore incumbent on the HSE to take all reasonable steps to pursue amounts owed for services delivered. Debt collection agencies are engaged when normal billing arrangements have been unsuccessful.
The operational detail of this question is a matter for the HSE and I have asked them to respond to you directly in relation to that detail.
396. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason for the pay differential between professionals such as occupational therapists and speech and language teachers in an organisation (details supplied) and the HSE; the starting pay for occupational therapists when they enter the HSE and the organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20339/23]
View answerSalary scales for all public health sector grades including those that the Deputy is enquiring after are available to view publicly online here www.gov.ie/en/circular/664e5-department-of-health-consolidated-salary-scales-circular-32023/
Under section 39 of the Health Act 2004, the HSE provides financial assistance to organisations, including Enable Ireland, to provide services similar or supplementary to a service that the HSE may provide.
The Department of Health acknowledges the important role that Section 39 organisations and staff play in our health sector, however these organisations are privately owned and run and their terms and conditions of employment, once in line with employment legislation, are strictly between the employer and the employee.
These organisations were not and are not party to the Public Service Agreements. It is not a matter for the Government to set pay rates in respect of these workers.
397. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the length of time there has been no paediatric neurologist at UHL; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20342/23]
View answer399. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the services that have been provided to patients in need of paediatric neurology care at UHL in the past 12 months; the person or body that is clinically responsible for the care of such patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20344/23]
View answer400. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health when a paediatric neurologist will commence seeing patients at UHL; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20345/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 397, 399 and 400 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
398. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health when the position of paediatric neurologist was advertised at UHL in the past 12 months; the steps that have been taken in the past 12 months to fill the position of paediatric consultant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20343/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly , as soon as possible.
