Written Answers Nos. 460-479
460. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that appropriate treatment is made available for children suffering with ailments (details supplied) as is provided in other countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20653/23]
View answerAs the matter raised is a service delivery matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
461. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he has plans to introduce legislation in the area of safeguarding for vulnerable adults; the status of the legislation; when it will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20654/23]
View answerThe Government takes the protection of adults at risk of abuse very seriously. There are various structures and processes currently in place to protect against abuse in the health and social care sector and to ensure prompt action. My Department is at an advanced stage of developing a national policy on adult safeguarding in the health and social care sector. Subject to Government approval, this policy will further strengthen the sector’s adult safeguarding framework and will apply to all public, voluntary and private healthcare and social care settings and agencies under my Department’s remit. In the event that the Government approves this sectoral policy, legislation as required to underpin it will then be prepared.
Separately, the independent Law Reform Commission is undertaking a review on A Regulatory Framework for Adult Safeguarding (across all sectors). Upon completion, this Department will consider any recommendations the Commission may make regarding legislation relevant to its functions and anticipates that other Departments will do the same.
462. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will engage with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland regarding a nursing licence for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20655/23]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for bringing this matter to my attention. I understand that the issue is now substantially resolved.
However, as the maintenance of the register of Nurses and Midwives is an operational matter for the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), I have also referred the question to the NMBI for its attention and direct response to the Deputy.
463. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health when his Department will conduct a full review of the Tobacco Free Ireland programme; and if there will be public consultation on the programme. [20659/23]
View answerMy Department has undertaken an interim review of the Tobacco Free Ireland policy which is currently being finalised; a consultation with stakeholders was undertaken as part of that interim review. The current policy runs until 2025 and preparations for the development of a policy to succeed Tobacco Free Ireland will begin in 2024.
464. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE paediatric speech and language therapists working in each primary care centre within CHO 5 in each of the years 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [20672/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
465. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a list of public health nurses operating in the relevant areas in counties Carlow and Kilkenny; the locations in which vacancies exist at present; and when these vacancies will be filled, in tabular form. [20673/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
466. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE advanced nurse practitioners in older persons’ services in CHO 5 in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [20674/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
468. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the action that is being taken to expedite the processing of applications for medical card holders in the south-east CH05 area who require care under the HSE community ophthalmic services scheme for persons who require eye examination and optical appliances, in view of the fact that the processing of these applications is taking anything up to eight weeks and persons are being denied access to ophthalmic services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20686/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
469. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Health when the 2% pay increase for staff working in the health sector, which was due to come into effect on 1 March 2023, will be paid to staff (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20687/23]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
470. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) cannot get their appointment in Cavan General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20696/23]
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.
471. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when an application for the special recognition pandemic payment will be processed for staff at a nursing home (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20703/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
472. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the timeline he is working towards for recruitment of chief executives for the new regional health areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20707/23]
View answer473. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he intends to publish a plan in relation to the role of the HSE centre following implementation of regional health areas; the timeline he is working towards for publication; if this plan will include provisions for voluntary redundancy or other exit routes, in view of recent comments from the CEO of the Health Service Executive (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20708/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 472 and 473 together.
The Government is committed to the implementation of Regional Health Areas (RHAs), as outlined in the Programme for Government. It is intended that RHAs will commence operation from 2024 and that further reforms and devolution of authority will take place on a phased basis through 2024 and 2025.
As the Deputy is aware, a Memorandum on next steps, the programme of work, and timelines for RHA implementation was approved by Government in April 2022. This included a commitment to develop an RHA Implementation Plan, which is currently being finalised following feedback from stakeholders and direct input from the new CEO of the Health Service Executive (HSE).
While finalisation of the implementation plan has been progressed, other important pieces of work have also been developed. This includes work on the development of a population-based approach to service planning and resource allocation, and preparation for the new governance arrangements and leadership teams.
The RHA Implementation Plan will outline the approach to RHA planning and design in line with the overall design principles and objectives of Sláintecare, and will set out a high-level programme of work for 2023, with a view to RHAs commencing operation in 2024.
To this end, the planned realignment of Hospital Groups and Community Healthcare Organisations to RHA geographies will be a priority. The new geographic teams will continue to progress integrated care pathways and improved ways of working between hospitals and communities in 2023 and 2024.
Contingent on Government approval of the RHA Implementation Plan, proposed next steps for RHA implementation through Q3/Q4 2023 include:
• aligning geographies and moving the management of particular Hospitals or Local Health Offices (LHOs) to other existing Community Healthcare Organisations or Hospital Group as appropriate;
• merging the teams in new geographies and implementing new integrated care pathways and improved ways of working between hospitals and communities;
• developing, agreeing, and implementing a transition strategy for staff, as well as any required exit mechanisms, as the HSE Centre is being scaled back and regional entities are resourced and operationalised; and
• appointing new leadership teams (including chief executives for the new RHAs).
474. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of complaints made to the HSE in relation to breaches of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2008, and to which sections of the Act they refer to, in tabular form. [20709/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention anddirect reply to the Deputy.
475. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he plans to increase the budget for the HSE Environmental Health Service for monitoring and enforcement of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20710/23]
View answerThe funding of the Environmental Health Service is determined as part of a wider estimates process carried out with my Department and the Health Services Executive. With regard to the allocation of possible future funding, as the Deputy will appreciate, I cannot comment at this stage on the outcome of the estimates process, or matters which will be the subject of national service planning.
476. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1768 of 18 April 2023, if a healthcare award at level 6,7, or 8 instead of the QQI healthcare support level 5 award will be accepted for employment permit purposes for healthcare assistants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20711/23]
View answerThe Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment provided access to the General Employment Permit for the role of Health Care Assistant in June 2021. The framework agreed with the Department of Health included the requirement for the permit holder to achieve a relevant Level 5 Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) qualification after two years employment in the State.
Responding to the need whereby some Health Care Assistant staff who are availing of the employment permits framework have other qualifications, at Levels 6, 7 or 8, aligned to the care industry but not as Health Care Assistants it was decided that a comparable healthcare qualification as outlined in the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) NARIC Ireland framework would be acceptable for employment permit purposes if the clinical lead in the organisation or the employer provides assurances that the staff member has demonstrated the skills, experience, and knowledge to carry out the role competently as compared to those staff members with the QQI L5 qualification. A “sign-off” from the clinical lead in the organisation or employer is required. The Department of Health is engaging with the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment on the development of an appropriate form for submission to Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment to accompany applications for renewals of health care assistant employment permits. The standard form and further information will be available soon.
477. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if patients on waiting lists will be encouraged to opt for the treatment abroad scheme where appropriate; and if the scheme can be streamlined in order to make it more efficient and user friendly. [20714/23]
View answerThe HSE operates the EU Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS), for persons entitled under EU Regulation 883/04. The TAS is a consultant-led scheme and allows for an Ireland-based public consultant to refer a public patient who is normally resident in Ireland for treatment in the public healthcare system of another EU member state, the UK or Switzerland.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
478. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if the use of the cross-border directive will be proactively encouraged by the HSE to try to reduce waiting lists where appropriate for patients. [20716/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
479. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health the progress on the provision of an MRI scanner at Mullingar hospital; the timeline for the provision of this service; the budget allowed for the staffing of this facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20758/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
