Written Answers Nos. 696-711
697. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 203 of 10 May 2023, if he will ensure that a child (details supplied) is referred for orthodontic treatment before she completes second-level education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22998/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
698. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if a comprehensive assessment will be undertaken as a matter of urgency by the public health nurse of the homecare needs and supports required by a person (details supplied). [23003/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
699. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health when retired HSE employees can expect to receive increases in their pension in accordance with terms and conditions of their retirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23004/23]
View answerAs this is an administrative matter for the Health Service Executive, the HSE has been asked to reply directly to the Deputy.
700. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will provide data regarding the number of deaths recorded as prescription related overdose from 2011 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23005/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
701. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health what engagement has taken place with the HSE with regard to providing additional financial supports for patients requiring a higher level of care in private nursing homes, and in particular where these patients are being discharged from HSE hospitals and where there is no HSE community hospital beds available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23006/23]
View answerI recognise that private and voluntary nursing homes deliver very complex levels of care to residents in many cases.
In December 2021, the Department of Health published the independently chaired Value for Money (VFM) review on nursing home costs. The VFM Review sought to identify, quantify and analyse the in reasons for any cost differential between private/voluntary and public nursing homes and, following analysis, to make recommendations for improving the value for money obtained by the Health sector.
Among the issues raised were the pay costs of staff in nursing homes, the dependency levels of residents, energy costs, and medical supplies charges to the NHSS. The report found that the cost differential is largely driven by variances in staff-to-resident ratios and the skill mix in public and private nursing homes. However, the review also found that establishing like-for-like comparisons was complex and not always possible, especially when considering differences in dependency levels.
Regarding the compilation of the VFM review it should be understood that, as outlined by the review, the study ‘would not be statistically representative, the Steering Committee were of the view that it would provide useful insight on a micro level into the care needs of residents in nursing homes, and whether any preliminary findings would highlight differences in care needs that would explain cost differentials.’ The VFM review goes further and states that it ‘must also be reiterated that this data cannot be interpreted as being a representative sample of either a public or private provision, as the sample included in this study is extremely small (<1%) and is not statistically relevant.’ Therefore, whilst the information gleaned by the VFM review provides a valuable snapshot of dependency levels across public, private and voluntary nursing homes, a clear picture of the actual differing dependency levels remains uncertain.
Regarding any existing disparity in dependency levels, it is anticipated that the rollout of the InterRAI Single Assessment Tool in the community will provide data sufficient to draw more accurate conclusions. This rollout has already commenced and is fully operational across four sites. In addition, funding has been approved for 128 InterRAI care needs facilitators and the Department intends that InterRAI will be rolled out to long-term residential care.
Existing disparities in dependencies notwithstanding, the HSE has a statutory responsibility to act as operator of last resort and will assist residents to find alternative facilities.
Funding to support people to access services in the sector continues to be provided in line with the long-established statutory mechanisms under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009. This is the mechanism established by the Oireachtas to provide for the processes relating to funding under the NHSS and the negotiation of prices for services for private and voluntary providers with the designated State agency, the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF). Maximum prices for individual nursing homes are agreed with the NTPF following negotiations and based on the NTPF’s cost criteria. These criteria include costs reasonably incurred by the nursing home, local market prices, historic prices and overall budgetary capacity.
The NTPF carry out this role independently under the NHSS Act 2009. The NTPF has statutory independence, and there is no role for Ministers or the Department of Health in these negotiations. The Department of Health published a review of the NTPF pricing system in June 2021 and continues to work on bringing forward the recommendations that emerged from this review.
A steering group has been established to oversee the delivery of the recommendations; this group has met on a regular basis since publication of the review and continues to work on taking these recommendations forward.
The Government remains committed to ensuring that long-term residential care for older people continues to place residents’ care, wellbeing, standards and best interests at the centre of development.
The Department of Health continues to engage with the NTPF to examine ways in which funding can be used to provide support to nursing homes. In addition, the NTPF will shortly be seeking up-to-date financial & operational information from nursing homes to inform further analysis and considerations of measures to support the sector. NTPF have engaged with NHI on the matter.
Budget 2023 also saw over €40 million in additional funding for the Nursing Home Support Scheme (NHSS) which has already provided an uplift in the maximum prices chargeable by private and voluntary nursing homes, as negotiated.
As part of your question relates to operational matters, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to you.
702. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on waiting times for gynaecological outpatient waiting lists in hospitals nationwide of the conditions the referrals relate including chronic pelvic pain, urinary incontinence and endometriosis for 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 30 April 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23007/23]
View answerIt is recognised that waiting times for many scheduled appointments and procedures were too long before and have been made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Department of Health continues to work with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to identify ways to improve access to care.
On the 7th March, I published the 2023 Waiting List Action Plan, which is the next stage of a new multi-annual approach to sustainably reduce and reform hospital waiting lists, and builds on the foundational work done through the short-term Waiting List Action Plan between September and December 2021, which was followed by the first full year Waiting List Action Plan for 2022, both having reversed the annual trend of rising waiting lists.
The 2023 Plan sets out the priorities to continue to address waiting lists this year. The 30 actions in the Plan, which are governed by the Waiting List Task Force, focus on delivering capacity, reforming scheduled care and enabling scheduled care reform.
For 2023, funding totalling €443 million is being allocated to tackle Waiting Lists with €363 million of this being allocated to the 2023 Waiting List Action Plan, to implement longer term reforms and provide additional public and private activity to clear backlogs exacerbated during the pandemic. This will reduce hospital waiting lists by 10% in 2023 as well as continuing to significantly reduce waiting times in line with Sláintecare recommendations. The remaining €80 million of the €443 million is being targeted at various measures to alleviate community/primary care waiting lists.
With this ambitious 2023 Waiting List Action Plan, my Department, the HSE and the NTPF are taking the next steps in the multi-annual approach towards achieving our vision of a world-class public healthcare system in which everyone has timely and transparent access to high-quality scheduled care, where and when they need it, in line with Sláintecare reforms.
In relation to the particular waiting list query raised by the Deputy concerning waiting times for gynaecological outpatient waiting lists in hospitals nationwide, adult and child waiting list information by hospital and specialty is published monthly and is available on the NTPF website at: www.ntpf.ie/home/nwld.htm.
In relation to the referrals that relate to chronic pelvic pain, urinary incontinence and endometriosis for 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 30 April 2023, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
703. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the number of women on waiting lists for excision surgery for endometriosis, in tabular form; the length of the waiting times in view of the fact that any undue delay to this type of surgery may impact severely on women's reproductive health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23008/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
704. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to provide an update as to when specialist endometriosis services located at Tallaght University Hospital and Cork University Maternity Hospital will begin to accept patient referrals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23009/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
705. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to provide an update in respect of his Department's plans to give additional training to general practitioners to enable them to diagnose women with endometriosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23010/23]
View answerThe Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) is the body responsible for education and training in general practice. In relation to endometriosis care, the ICGP has been delivering education around endometriosis to its members including for example a webinar on endometriosis in June 2021 which was attended by 1,567 GPs and a course in community gynaecology, which included the topic of endometriosis in 2022. Over 200 GPs attended this education module. Endometriosis is included in the curriculum for all GP trainees in the ICGP.
In addition, the HSE's National Women & Infants Health Programme (NWIHP) is progressing the development of a National Endometriosis Framework. This Framework will identify how care for women in this area needs to be delivered, with this care spanning primary care to local hospital care to specialist complex care. It should be noted that this Framework was developed in conjunction with endometriosis specialists and gynaecologists.
To support the implementation of the Framework, the NWIHP has established an Endometriosis Professional Network to help drive a standardised approach to endometriosis service delivery and care.
The NWIHP has also advised that an Endometriosis Quick Reference Guide (QRG) is currently in development by the ICGP. Once developed this QRG will be disseminated amongst GPs to promote awareness of endometriosis and the increase the ability of GPs to recognise endometriosis.
A HSE National Clinical Guideline for Management of Endometriosis is also in development and is due for completion in the coming months. The availability of this evidence-based guidance will support the management of endometriosis in both the primary and acute sector.
706. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the additional revenue cost of staffing and servicing the additional acute inpatient beds added to the health service in each of the years 2019 to 2022. [23012/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter we have forwarded to the HSE for a response.
707. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the percentage of social media posts made on each of his Departmental social media accounts or the social media accounts of public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit that were exclusively in Irish between 1 May 2022 and 30 April 2023, inclusive; the percentage of same that feature bilingual translations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23032/23]
View answerThe Department of Health operates social media accounts under the names "Department of Health/An Roinn Slainte", "Healthy Ireland" "National Patient Safety Office (NPSO)" and "Sláintecare" brandings.
|
Account |
Twitter In Irish |
Bi-Lingual |
Instagram Irish |
Instagram Bi-lingual |
Facebook Irish |
Facebook Bi-lingual |
|
Department of Health |
9.95% |
0% |
14.7% |
0% |
16.6% |
0% |
|
Sláintecare |
0% |
0% |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Healthy Ireland |
11.4% |
0% |
11.4% |
0% |
11.4% |
0% |
|
NPSO |
0% |
0% |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
The Department remains committed to meeting all its obligations under the Official Languages Act and to providing timely and meaningful information and guidance through Irish.
Links shared by the Department of Health on social media direct to the Department's website, gov.ie/health, which is consistently managed to ensure a high level of content available in both English and Irish
I have also referred the Deputy's question to the HSE to allow them to respond directly regarding the HSE social media accounts.
708. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health how his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit meet their obligations for reasonable accommodation under the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015. [23050/23]
View answerMy Department uses the services of the Public Appointments Service (PAS) when recruiting new staff. As part of that process, PAS engage with candidates on any reasonable accommodations they may require and this information is provided to the Department when the candidate is assigned as an employee.
My Department's Strategic HR Unit engages directly with individual employees (whether new recruits or existing staff) about any reasonable accommodation needs they may require. The HR team adopts a positive, facilitative and constructive approach to ensure that all accommodations that can reasonably be put in place are met. This ensures that the individual employee can engage with their work and carry out their duties effectively and efficiently. Accommodations can take many different forms, including the use of assistive or adapted technology, a change in a working pattern or attendance arrangement, the provision of equipment including specialist ergonomically designed furniture or other aids.
The Department has a Disability Liaison Officer and a Disability Access Officer who are available to and engage regularly with employees with a disability. The Department also avails of the Occupational Health services provided by the Chief Medical Officer for the Civil Service who advises on these matters.
The results of these engagements can be seen in the number of staff within my Department who have declared a disability (6.25%) which is well in excess of the target for the employment of people with a disability.
I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in respect of this matter. I will collect and collate the responses from the Non Commercial State Agencies under the aegis of the Department and will provide that response by way of a separate letter to the Deputy.
709. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if a medical card review can be expedited for a person (details supplied). [23060/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
710. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of consultant paediatric vascular surgeons working in the public health service; his plans to expand this number; and the international recommended best-practice ratio for paediatric vascular surgeons to population and current ratio. [23089/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have referred to the Health Service Executive
711. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the names of for-profit, voluntary and not-for-profit companies that provided home care support to persons on behalf of the HSE within CHO7 in the years of 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; and the amount paid by the HSE for such works in the years in question, in tabular form. [23090/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
