Written Answers Nos. 1275-1290
1275. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health if he will detail the budget allocated to each hospital in the Saolta Hospital Group in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [28283/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
1276. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health the voluntary mental health/counselling service organisations that are receiving funding from his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28311/23]
View answerThe HSE has previously advised my Department that more than €80m a year is provided to Section 38 and Section 39 agencies to provide mental health services on behalf of the HSE.
Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with agencies are negotiated each year by the HSE. All such funding is provided for specific purposes which are agreed annually. The process of negotiating and agreeing SLAs with an organisation includes an ongoing and regular assessment of service activity levels against agreed schedules, and developing an understanding of associated costs, be they anticipated, or unanticipated, is a matter for the HSE.
Other factors considered during this process include research and evidence of need, quality and safety, insurance, spending, performance monitoring, staffing and change control.
In relation to a more specific breakdown of this funding, as requested by the Deputy, as this is a service issue I have referred your question to the HSE who are best placed to provide this level of detail.
1277. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health what voluntary mental health/counselling service organisations are receiving funding from the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28312/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1278. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the reason court safety orders or court barring orders older than 12 months are not accepted as proof of relationship estrangement by the medical card assessment unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28317/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1279. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will account for the reason that a medical card was withdrawn from a person (details supplied) in five successive months, and had to be reinstated in each of the five months before being withdrawn entirely, prior to the expiry of the three-year term of their medical card. [28318/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1280. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Health his views on reinstating genetic clinician satellite clinics in each of the regions by the national genetic services in Crumlin as national genetic resources are being ramped up, given the immense efficiencies that a timely diagnosis of genetic disease can bring; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28321/23]
View answerThe Government and I are fully committed to improving genetics services in Ireland. One of the key ambitions the National Strategy for Accelerating Genetics and Genomics Medicine in Ireland, launched in December 2022, is to build a strong national genetics service. This will be a patient and family-centred service that can be accessed equitably across the country and throughout the lifespan of patients.
The Strategy outlines a plan to achieve this ambition by improving the evidence-base and infrastructure supporting genetic testing in Ireland. While this work is underway there is currently no plan to establish genetic satellite clinics.
The immediate priority is to prioritise the recruitment of key National Office staff and front-line staff to support the expansion of this service. In line with Sláintecare, the allocation of these resources will be across the Health Regions.
Recruitment
To accelerate the establishment of the National Office, interim appointments have been made for senior positions in the first instance. To date the following positions have been appointed to the National Office:
• An Interim National Director
• An Interim National Clinical Director
• An Interim National Clinical Laboratory Director
• An Interim National Bioinformatics Director
• A Business Co-ordinator (Grade VI)
• A Communications Co-ordinator (Grade VI)
The allocation of front-line staff will be determined by an operating model for genetics and genomics. The Interim Director and Interim National Clinical Director will be responsible for progressing this. However, to address current demand, some front-line posts have been progressed ahead of the completion of this operating model. Recruitment for the following positions in currently underway:
• Consultant Clinical Geneticist at Galway University Hospital
• Genetic Counsellor at Galway University Hospital
• Genetic Counsellor at Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin
• Genetic Counsellor at Beaumont Hospital
• Genetic Counsellor at St James/St Vincent’s
• 2 Genomic Resource Associates (Grave V) at Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin
The operating model, once developed, will support equitable allocation of the remaining resources.
A National Laboratory for Bioinformatics
A review of current national laboratory capacity is currently underway. This review will be completed by Q3 and outcomes will be used to inform the establishment of a National Bioinformatics Lab. This Lab, once established, will help increase Irish genetic testing capacity, reduce the number of tests that need to be sent abroad for analysis and reduce wait times for genetic testing results. An interim appointment for a National Bioinformatics Director has already been made to help progress the evidence base required for this work as the National Bioinformatics Lab is being established.
The National Testing Directory for Genetics and Genomics
A key ambition of the first-year implementation plan is the development of a National Testing Directory for genetics and genomics. This Directory will map current genetic tests conducted across Ireland and provide a more transparent process to referrals. This development, therefore, will be a key steppingstone to improving national genetic testing and ultimately help reduce wait times. Progression of a National Testing Directory of Genetics and Genomics is currently being supported by one of the workstream’s of the Implementation Steering Group. After a successful submission to the Sláintecare Integration Innovation Fund, a call for the development of this Directory will be advertised in Q3.
1281. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal can expect an appointment from Sligo University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28342/23]
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.
1282. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration would be given to implementing a bursary of €5,000 per annum for the training of radiation therapists, similar to the scheme which is currently in place at UCC for the training of diagnostic radiography students and where the participants are required to work for a period of two years after graduation with the HSE South/Southwest Hospital Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28369/23]
View answerIn 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.
1283. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the action being taken by his Department to increase the number of training places that can be allocated to radiation therapy students in the HSE, in view of the current crisis in recruitment and retention of radiation therapists in the health sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28370/23]
View answer1284. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the action being taken by his Department to increase the number of training places that are allocated to radiation therapy students in each of the HSE hospitals where radiation treatment is being provided for cancer patients, in view of the current crisis in recruitment and retention of radiation therapists in the health sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28371/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1283 and 1284 together.
Health and Social Care workforce planning and ensuring an appropriate pipeline of suitably qualified healthcare professionals in Ireland is a top priority for the Government.
My department is committed to ensuring that there is an adequate number of health professionals to meet demand within the health service. As part of this commitment, the department is heavily invested in the ongoing education of healthcare staff, including radiation therapists, to support recruitment and retention.
Department of Health officials engage on an ongoing basis with colleagues in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Higher Education Institutions to ensure that we train enough graduates with the skills necessary to support the delivery of health and social care services and to develop a strategic approach to workforce planning for the health sector.
The HSE is focused on retention of existing HSE staff and maximising the number of health care graduates from Irish colleges entering the public health services. Over the past 3 years the HSE has increased its overall numbers by over 20,500 and this trajectory will continue in order to meet the healthcare needs of our growing and aging population. In recognition of the challenge of attracting and retaining health care workers, the HSE has recently established a National Programme which aims at adopting a strategic health service response to recruitment and retention.
The National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) are also continuing to progress recruitment campaigns and efforts are also being made to secure students as they graduate.
An independent radiation therapist review was agreed under the auspices of the WRC and began in December 2022 with representatives from SIPTU, the Department of Health, the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) and the radiation oncology services. This review is ongoing, and the group is meeting with staff and management at each of the radiotherapy centres. Radiation therapy staff in public services have been offered additional hours, which will enable patients to be seen more quickly.
1286. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health what is required by a county to apply for a JIGSAW project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28382/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1287. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the provision of respite care for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28388/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1288. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health what plans he has to address hospital parking charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28393/23]
View answer1289. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health what plans he has to address the high cost of parking near a Dublin hospital (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28394/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1288 and 1289 together.
I am aware that hospitals that charge parking fees are very cognisant of the financial implications of parking costs for patients and their families, particularly for those with long-term illnesses.
Consequently, many hospitals have introduced a maximum daily fixed parking charge and reduced rate parking for long-term patients and visitors for whom the payment of the full rate would cause hardship.
The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future, makes a commitment to introduce a maximum daily car parking charge for patients and visitors at all public hospitals, where possible, and to introduce flexible passes in all public hospitals for patients and their families. This is a reflection of the Government’s appreciation of the financial challenge that can be faced by people in meeting these expenses, in particular where they are frequent users of hospital services. Accordingly, my Department and the HSE are currently examining the issue.
1290. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health if a pharmacy will be located in the new primary healthcare centre in Roscrea, County Tipperary; if so, if a contract has already been agreed with a provider; if the position has not yet been filled, if the position will be going to tender; if so, when; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28396/23]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive (HSE) holds responsibility for the provision, along with the maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
