Written Answers Nos. 235-256
235. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of vacant consultant posts, by speciality, at St. Vincent's University Hospital; and when each of these vacancies will be filled, in tabular form. [23424/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
236. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of heart/lung machines in use in Beaumont Hospital. [23425/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
237. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE staff vacancies, by job title, currently in the accident and emergency department at Connolly Hospital; and when these vacancies will be filled, in tabular form. [23426/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
238. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify as to the reason the HSE has not allocated additional nursing support in order that children with complex medical issues can attend school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23434/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
239. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the provision of residential care service for adults with disabilities; the number of persons currently waiting for this service, by county, in tabular form; if his Department is looking at opportunities for developing new residential facilities for adults with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23436/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
240. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if he intends to instruct the HSE national estates to appoint one design team to deliver the model 4 hospital to UHG, to include the ED department, maternity unit, paediatric unit, cancer care centre and bedroom block; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23466/23]
View answerDesign teams have already been appointed for the majority of significant investment proposals at University Hospital Galway (UHG). At any one time there are multiple capital investment projects underway on the UHG campus involving different design teams and different works contractors. It is normal practice for there to be different design teams in place to deliver different projects on a single site. This is especially true for proposals such as the new Emergency Department (ED), Women and Children’s block, replacement laboratories and regional cancer centre at UHG given the scale and complexity of these proposals.
Overall co-ordination for all works / projects on the campus is achieved through close working relationships locally between HSE Capital & Estates, Saolta Hospital Group and management at Galway University Hospitals.
Strategies to mitigate any potential disruption to services while delivering capital works projects on a live, and extremely busy, hospital site are developed in advance of construction works and during the project lifecycle as part of an overall risk assessment.
241. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if a new wheelchair will be supplied to a person (details supplied) with many medical needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23488/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
242. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the reason people with life-long disabilities are asked to submit reviews for their medical cards (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23503/23]
View answerUnder the Health Act 1970, eligibility for a medical card is based primarily on means. The Act obliges the HSE to assess whether a person is unable, without undue hardship, to arrange general practitioner services for himself or herself and his or her family, having regard to his or her overall financial position and reasonable expenditure.
The issue of granting medical or GP visit cards based on having a particular disease or illness was previously examined in 2014 by the HSE Expert Panel on Medical Need and Medical Card Eligibility. The Group concluded that it was not feasible, desirable, nor ethically justifiable to list medical conditions in priority order for medical card eligibility. In following the Expert Group’s advice, a person’s means remains the main qualifier for a medical card.
However, every effort is made by the HSE, within the framework of the legislation, to support applicants in applying for a medical card and, in particular, to take full account of the difficult circumstances in the case of applicants who may be in excess of the income guidelines. The HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card, even though an applicant exceeds the income threshold where they face difficult financial circumstances, such as extra costs arising from an illness. Social and medical issues are also considered when determining whether undue hardship exists for an individual accessing general practitioner or other medical services.
I can assure the Deputy that, to ensure the medical card system is responsive and sensitive to people's needs, my Department keeps medical card issues under review and any changes are considered in the context of Government policy and other issues which may be relevant.
243. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of people on CAMHS waiting lists by CHO and length of wait for April, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23533/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
244. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health given a report (details supplied) which outlined that over 37% of 15-to-24-year-olds have an alcohol use disorder, the plans in place to combat this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23538/23]
View answerThe aim of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 is to reduce consumption, the harms caused by consumption and to delay the initiation of alcohol consumption by children and young people. The Act provides a suite of measures to achieve this aim.
To date, the provisions covering the following areas have been implemented: minimum unit pricing aimed at removing alcohol products from the pocket-money price range of children; the regulation of alcohol sponsorship at certain events involving children; the regulation of advertising and marketing in certain public areas, including on public transport, within 200 metres of schools, creches and public authority parks.
Provisions governing a broadcast watershed, health warnings on labels of alcohol products and the content of advertising are currently being progressed.a
245. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health when an appointment will be scheduled for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23555/23]
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.
246. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a schedule of the amount of funds, beneficiary of funds and use of funds released by his Department under the per cent for art scheme in each of the past five years to date in 2023, in tabular form. [23584/23]
View answerI have asked the HSE to reply directly with this information.
247. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of patients referred from emergency departments to community mental health teams in the past 12 months per hospital, and the average wait time for an appointment with the community mental health teams, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23596/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
248. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health the reason there is not a day care health facility in County Kerry for those who have mental health issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23598/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
249. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health the timeline involved in delivering the capital project to be financed from the recent €75 million funding allocation for Tipperary University Hospital; if he will provide a breakdown of how this funding will be used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23620/23]
View answerThe HSE Capital Programme identifies the proposed new 68-bed ward block at Tipperary University Hospital as one of a number of hospital capacity projects to advance.
At this point in the early definition stage of the project, the estimated capital cost of the project is circa €75m. I can confirm that funding (€50k) has been allocated by the HSE to progress this project in 2023 to next phase in its development.
It is important to recognise that all capital development proposals must progress through a number of approval stages and statutory processes, and in line with the Public Spending Code where appropriate, including detailed appraisal, planning, design and procurement, before a firm timeline or funding requirement can be confirmed. Approval at any stage in the project life cycle constitutes approval to the next stage rather than overall project approval.
250. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if the Mater Misericordia University Hospital, Dublin 7, has or intends to close any old buildings on site; if so, the total loss of beds which this would entail; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23621/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
251. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his views on whether the rate of €28.50 per hour that has reportedly been offered for homecare services under a prospective new authorisation scheme is sufficient to implement all of the recommendations of the cross-departmental Strategic Workforce Advisory Group; if the HSE had sought a higher hourly rate from his Department; if so, the reason this was not accepted by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23623/23]
View answerGovernment is committed to promoting care in the community for older people so that they can continue to live in their own homes for as long as possible. Home support is an increasingly important part of the supports we offer to older people and will continue to increase in importance into the future, as our ageing population grows.
The Home Support Service is funded by Government to deliver a volume of service each year as approved in the HSE National Service Plan. It is a non-statutory service and access to the current service is based on assessment of the person’s care needs by the HSE, having regard to the available resources and competing demands for services. Home Support services are provided by both directly employed Healthcare Support Assistants and Approved Providers with service arrangements with the HSE through the tender.
The process of developing the new tender is at an advanced stage. Officials in the Department of Health are engaging at a senior level with the HSE and the HSE has ongoing engagements with home care providers to progress the new tender. No final decisions on the tender content have been reached. As a strict communication protocol applies in all phases of the procurement process it is not possible to discuss specific funding proposals or rates at this time.
252. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health when a service (details supplied) will be restored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23631/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
253. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health further to your reply to my previous question confirming there are no mental health services for lorry drivers whose mental health has been badly affected by other drivers committing suicide by crashing into them, if he envisages any future grants or resources being put in place to assist the Irish Road Haulage Association in helping their members who have been so affected to safeguard and promote their mental health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23689/23]
View answerThe previous parliamentary question referenced by the Deputy was not answered by the Minister for Health. However, the following response may be of some interest to the Deputy.
The Government’s clear commitment to enhancing mental health services is reflected by significant mental health funding increases in recent years. Budget 2023 delivered record funding of over €1.2 billion to underpin implementation of Sharing the Vision, the national mental health strategy, and Connecting for Life, the national suicide reduction strategy.
This included €61 million in additional funding, which comprises €14 million for new developments and €43.8 million for existing levels of service, along with once off funding for essential minor capital works.
These funding increases support agreed mental health priorities under the HSE Service Plan 2023 which include, for example, enhancement of CAMHS, improvement of adult services, better prevention and early intervention supports and expansion of digital technologies.
There have been significant improvements in the delivery of our mental health services over the past number of years and the Government is committed to ensuring continued development throughout this year and into the future.
Sharing the Vision aims to enhance the provision of mental health services and supports across a broad continuum, from mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention to acute and specialist mental health service delivery during the period 2020-2030.
Connecting for Life, our national strategy to reduce suicide, has been extended by the Government for a further four years to 2024. This demonstrates our commitment to addressing suicide and self-harm in our communities.
Since 2015, Connecting for Life has provided a comprehensive plan, based on the best international evidence, for how we can reduce levels of suicide. Evidence and experience from around the world shows that measurable improvements in suicide prevention and self-harm can be made by involving both a community and a Whole of Government approach.
The extension of the national strategy to 2024 provides an opportunity to continue to reduce the suicide and self-harm rates in the whole population and among priority groups, including members of the Traveller community, people experiencing homelessness and LGBTQ+ people.
A wide range of mental health supports are available:
• National Counselling Service
• The HSE National Counselling Service (NCS), established in 2000, provides counselling and medium and long-term psychotherapy to adults who experienced childhood abuse. There are 2,500 referrals per year on average, with over 40,000 referrals received since it started.
• Counselling in Primary Care Service (CIPC)
• CIPC is a mental health service provided in a primary care setting. This service is available to adults with medical cards who are experiencing mild to moderate psychological and emotional difficulties, such as depression, anxiety, panic reactions, relationship problems, loss issues and stress. The CIPC model of service is aimed at providing early access to counselling. Clients generally begin counselling immediately following their assessment. In some situations this may not be possible and in these cases a small number of people are put on the waiting list for ongoing counselling. CIPC provides up to 8 one-to-one time limited counselling/ psychotherapy sessions.
• SilverCloud
• The HSE has partnered with SilverCloud, on a national roll out of digital cognitive behaviour therapy. Referrals can be made from Primary Care Psychology, the National Counselling Service, Jigsaw and GPs across Ireland, enabling individuals to access essential supports within 24 hours of referral.
• Text50808
• The HSE funds the Text50808 service which provides emotional support to anyone experiencing a crisis, through engagement in a text message ‘conversation’ with a trained and supervised volunteer.
• Telehealth services are fully established including YourMentalHealth.ie; the information line 1800 111 888, and NGO online supports. These include youth specific supports, such as those provided through Jigsaw, SpunOut, and Turn2Me. The majority of telehealth supports are available seven days per week, with some providing 24hour support.
• HSE also funds Samaritans and Pieta’s helplines and support groups offered in the community by GROW.
• MyMind
• With funding from both the HSE and Sláintecare, MyMind has delivered 42,610 online and face-to-face counselling sessions from January 2022-December 2022. Of these, 28,817 online counselling sessions (phone and video) were delivered.
• Aware
The HSE provides ongoing funding to Aware to support adults with depression and mood related conditions by offering free evidence-based programmes based on the principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in their local communities (via Silvercloud).
The various supports provided by or on behalf of the HSE are not specific to any business sector but are accessible to all the population. However, should the Irish Road Haulage Association want to examine the development a specific initiative, the HSE would be in a position to offer professional advice, as appropriate .
254. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify the expected date for completion of the homecare tender 2023 process; the reason behind the delay in its publication to date; whether or not it contains provisions for funding a new rate to account for the increased costs of care , and to allow homecare providers to provide living wages to their employees, taking into consideration travel time and fuel costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23692/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
255. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health if he can investigate the refusal of a medical card and mobility aids to a person (details supplied). [23693/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
256. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on a report (details supplied) which highlighted that one in four employees stating they suffered from moderate levels of burnout, vicarious trauma and moderate or high levels of “compassion fatigue”; if he will acknowledge the disparity between contracts for teachers and coordinators and managers of the organisation, with the former having clearly defined roles in terms of time, pay and conditions, while the organisation’s coordinators’ work is not specified in their contracts and their pay is lower; if he plans to examine this with a view to recognising the diversity of work that the organisation’s workers carry out; if he will consider establishing equivalent levels of pay, conditions and status as their secondary education, further education and training sector colleagues; if he will outline a timeframe for such a review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23383/23]
View answerI am aware of the research report independently published by Maynooth University in January 2023, which found Youthreach employees reporting higher levels of positive emotions and relationships in work than those in school sector studies while also finding 25% reporting moderate levels of burnout.
Youthreach is a further education and training programme for early school leavers which aims to provide young people with the knowledge, skills and confidence to participate fully in society and progress to further education, training and employment. The Youthreach programme is staffed by Co-ordinators, Resource Persons and teachers with nationally agreed terms and conditions of employment. They have specific, clearly defined job descriptions. which were designed very much with the programmes structure in mind. Template contracts of employment for Youthreach were negotiated and agreed by all stakeholders.
A union representing Youthreach Coordinators and Resource Persons has submitted a claim in respect of both grades. Officials from my Department and the Department of Education have been engaging with the union on the matter under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission.
