Written Answers Nos. 754-773
754. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of homecare hours provided by each voluntary NGO provider in the years 2021 and 2022; the costs of this provision per provider for the years 2021 and 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31288/23]
View answerAs these are operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
755. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of homecare hours provided by each private for-profit provider in the years 2021 and 2022; the costs of this provision per provider for the years 2021 and 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31289/23]
View answerAs these are operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
756. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of homecare hours provided directly by the State in the years 2021 and 2022; the costs of this provision for the years 2021 and 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31290/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
757. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the number of nursing homes currently in negotiations on funding issues with the NTPF, by county, in tabular form. [31292/23]
View answerThe long-established statutory mechanism through which private and voluntary nursing homes are funded was established by the Oireachtas under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009. This legislation outlines the process for private and voluntary providers to negotiate the prices for their services with the designated State agency, the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF). Maximum prices for individual nursing homes are agreed with the NTPF following these negotiations and are based on the NTPF’s cost criteria, such as costs reasonably incurred by the nursing home, local market prices, historic prices and overall budgetary capacity. Under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009 the NTPF has statutory independence, and there is no role for Ministers or the Department of Health in negotiations with individual nursing homes.
I cannot comment on individual NTPF negotiations and it must be appreciated that this is a matter for each individual nursing home and the NTPF. Nevertheless, it is important that lines of communication are at all times maintained during the negotiation process. Overall, approximately 425 private nursing homes negotiate with the NTPF. The Department of Health and I have regular interaction with the NTPF and met them recently to discuss ways to support the sector, where necessary and appropriate, to complement the normal process of negotiating rate increases when contracts are renewed. Budget 2023 saw an over €40 million in additional funding for the Nursing Home Support Scheme (NHSS) which will provide for an uplift in the maximum prices chargeable by private and voluntary nursing homes, as negotiated. Anyone who has had a scheduled renegotiation of their Deed of Agreement this year with the NTPF has seen a significant uplift. In addition, other options to support nursing homes are also being explored, such as to help with the often costly nature of compliance for nursing homes under necessary HIQA regulations. I am conscious of private and voluntary nursing homes that are not scheduled to renegotiate their Deed of Agreement in 2023 and other options are being considered. One of the options under consideration is for nursing home providers to agree to a shorter contract duration with the NTPF.
The only mechanism for funding from the public purse for nursing home residents is Fair Deal and it is really important that private and voluntary providers continue to engage in the process as set out in the Nursing Home Support Scheme Act 2009.
758. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the progress he is making on expanding the national heel-prick test, given that 28 June is International Neonatal Screening Day; how many diseases babies born today in Ireland are currently being tested for; when he will decide on including spinal muscular atrophy in newborn screening; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31297/23]
View answer763. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health the progress he is making on expanding the national heel-prick test, given that 28 June is International Neonatal Screening Day; how many diseases babies born today in Ireland are currently being tested for; when he will decide on including spinal muscular atrophy in newborn screening; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31309/23]
View answer769. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Health the progress he is making on expanding the national heel prick test; the number of diseases that babies born today in Ireland are currently being tested for; when a decision will be made to include spinal muscular atrophy in newborn screening (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31338/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 758, 763 and 769 together.
The expansion of the National Newborn Bloodspot (NBS) Programme is a priority for me, and the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) has been progressing work on this expansion.
This independent expert group considers and assesses evidence in a robust and transparent manner, and against internationally accepted criteria. It is important we have rigorous processes in place to ensure our screening programmes are effective, quality assured and operating to safe standards, and that the benefits of screening outweigh the harms. As you will appreciate, these are lengthy and complex processes.
However, I am glad to note that significant progress has been made on expansion over the past year. Since May 2022, babies are now screened for nine conditions following a recommendation from the NSAC to add ADA-SCID to the Programme.
In January 2023, I approved a recommendation from the Committee for the addition of T-cell receptor excision circle (TREC)-based screening for all types of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) to the NBS programme. The Committee made its recommendation to me based on their consideration of a comprehensive Health Technology Assessment report from HIQA.
The HSE is now undertaking an extensive body of work to prepare for implementation. Provision for this addition will be included in the relevant HSE service planning processes in line with HSE budgeting procedures.
A Health Technology Assessment (HTA) on the addition of an eleventh condition to the NBS programme, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, is now underway by HIQA. I am advised that the NSAC expect HIQA to complete this process over the coming months and that the HTA will be presented to and considered by the Committee at a meeting before the end of this year.
I look forward to receiving a recommendation from the Committee following their consideration of the HTA once it is available.
759. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health for details of any engagement his Department and the HSE has had with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform with regard to the recent changes to the public spending code, and in particular the introduction of a three stage approvals process, and the impacts of these changes on an ongoing project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31302/23]
View answerIn 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 Public Spending Code (PSC) scrutiny is required and reduced the number of steps for proposals to travel through before approval to proceed.
The updates to the Public Spending Code were implemented after a high-level review among Secretaries General in key capital spending departments was commenced in April 2022 to review the requirements of the Code. The Department of Health was represented on this group. Following a series of meetings, this Secretaries General group set out a series of six key principles and referred these to a practitioner group of experienced public servants from across Government departments. The practitioner group was tasked with considering the principles and returning to the Secretaries General group with recommendations as to how the PSC could operate in a more streamlined manner and take account of the appropriate legal responsibilities of Accounting Officers. The Department of Health was also represented at this Practitioner Group level.
These welcome PSC reforms can have a positive impact on the timeline for major capital projects, including the proposed Emergency Department, Women & Children’s block at University Hospital Galway (UHG), to proceed through the stages of the project lifecycle in a timely and efficient manner. In line with the updates to the PSC, the Strategic Assessment Report (SAR) stage has now been subsumed into a single SAR/Preliminary Business Case (PBC) document.
I am pleased to confirm that the SAR reviews by my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Review and Reform, for the proposed Emergency Department, Women & Children’s block at UHG, have been completed. Despite the updates to the PSC, since the SAR review for the Galway proposal has already been completed, the output of the reviews has been shared with the HSE to ensure that the new SAR/PBC is as robust as possible.
The HSE has undertaken work in parallel to the SAR to support the expedient development of the PBC and is now considering the implications of the recent PSC changes.
The timeline for the completion of the SAR/PBC cannot yet be estimated as the outputs of the SAR review and PSC changes will have to be incorporated by the HSE.
When the new SAR/PBC is finalised it will be subject to further review and Government consent before it can proceed to the pre-tender stage.
760. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a full breakdown of the hospitals in Ireland that offer and provide a cold cap machine to patients undergoing intravenous chemotherapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31306/23]
View answer761. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Health if there is a national protocol on the provision of the service of a cold cap machine to patients undergoing intravenous chemotherapy treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31307/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 760 and 761 together.
The HSE's National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) advise that the provision of systemic anti-cancer therapies (SACT) for patients with cancer can include many other additional elements to support the patient in the management of adverse effects associated with their treatment. Scalp cooling is an example of one such supportive care measure. There are 26 public hospitals providing SACT in Ireland. A patient’s consultant will consider each patient’s supportive care requirements, taking into account the individual patient, their treatment, and the evidence relating to the supportive care measure.
There is no clinical consensus on the use of scalp cooling as a supportive care measure for patients with cancer undergoing SACT. It is made available in some of the public hospitals providing SACT, based on suitability of the patient, local availability of equipment, service needs and capacity.
A scalp cooling service is provided in seven hospitals nationally. These include St Vincent’s University Hospital, University Hospital Limerick, Cork University Hospital, Tallaght University Hospital, St. Luke’s General Hospital Carlow/Kilkenny, Sligo University Hospital, Cavan General Hospital. The Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore had previously provided this service, but the service was paused during the pandemic and has not yet resumed.
762. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Health the capital cost of cold cap machines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31308/23]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the management of healthcare equipment, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
764. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the complications, if any, that have been associated with the use of MAGEC rods in Crumlin Hospital, specifically related to end cap separation as well as metalosis. [31321/23]
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.
765. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health to outline the complication and re-operation rate for spinal operations performed in Temple Street of patients with spinal muscle atrophy; if this is implant-dependent; if all implants used in these cases are licensed for this use; and which medical supplier or distribution company these implants have been purchased from. [31322/23]
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.
766. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health what consent processes regarding spinal operation cases are followed at Crumlin Hospital and Temple Street. [31323/23]
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.
767. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health if trainee counselling psychologists will receive an equivalent conditional funding increase and three-year fee freeze to that which will now be offered to trainee educational psychology in return for three years’ work with the National Educational Psychological Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31327/23]
View answerAs you will be aware, €750,000 has been provided in Budget 2023 to support counselling psychology training places. This funding demonstrates the Government’s commitment to strengthen access to psychology training.
I am focused on supporting counselling psychology students in an equitable way and that delivers value for money. The structure of this funding is still being finalised by officials in the Department. The approach will be based on best practice and knowledge gained from other health and social care funded training models.
Further detailed discussions are required between the Department and HSE to progress this. I hope to be in a position to announce the details shortly for academic year 2023-2024.
768. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on the pre-Budget 2024 submission of by organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31330/23]
View answerThe Health Service Executive (HSE) provides a wide range of medical and surgical aids and appliances, free of charge to eligible people following assessment by a relevant health professional. These are provided through community services known as Community Funded Schemes and play a key role in assisting and supporting people with diverse medical conditions to maintain everyday functioning, and to remain living in their homes and local community.
I welcome the submission that has been made and note that many of the recommendations included would be for other Government Departments to progress. Any health measures announced in budget 2024 will be in the context of the implementation of the health commitments in the Programme for Government and the funding available.
773. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 242 of 24 June 2023, to provide an update on plans to expand eligibility for GP visit cards to people who earn the median household income or less; the status of discussions with an organisation (details supplied); the timeline he is working towards in honouring this budget 2023 commitment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31356/23]
View answerThe Government is committed to the extension of GP visit card eligibility to those who earn the median household income or less, as announced in Budget 2023. The Department of Health and the Health Service Executive (HSE) are engaged in intensive discussions with the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), representing GPs, in relation to concerns they have expressed around the roll-out of this increase in eligibility with the intention of securing an agreed pathway to implementation. Information in relation to the commencement of the expansion will be provided when available.
