Michael Healy-Rae
Question:155. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a primary medical certificate for a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31456/23]
View answerPrimary Medical Certificates
Questions (155)
Written answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Health Services Staff
Questions (156)
Mark Ward
Question:156. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of cognitive behavioural therapist positions funded through the HSE, by CHO area; for a breakdown of vacant positions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31466/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Health Services Staff
Questions (157)
Darren O'Rourke
Question:157. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE paediatric audiologists working in each health centre and primary care centre within CHO8 in 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [31476/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible
Health Services Waiting Lists
Questions (158)
Darren O'Rourke
Question:158. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the waiting lists for eye care with the HSE, by age cohort and length of wait, in tabular form. [31477/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Question No. 159 answered with Question No. 134.
Question No. 160 answered with Question No. 135.
Family Reunification
Questions (161)
Brendan Howlin
Question:161. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the difficulties being experienced by non-EEA health care assistants in getting permission to have close family members join them in Ireland, and the impact this is having on the recruitment and retention of health care assistants; if he has raised this matter with Government colleagues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31514/23]
View answerWritten answers
Access to the General Employment Permit for non-EEA nationals wishing to take up employment in the role of health care assistant was announced in June 2021 to address skills and labour shortages in the healthcare and nursing home sector. The framework agreed following constructive engagement between my Department and the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment, provided a salary of at least €27,000 for the role and the requirement for the permit holder to attain a relevant qualification at least QQI Level 5 after 2 years employment in the State.
Remuneration for employment permit purposes is a labour market policy instrument in which setting minimum remuneration thresholds is a delicate balancing act. Economic migration seeks to serve the skills needs of the economy without impacting the wider labour market. Therefore, being cognisant that there are a range of remuneration levels in the sector (€24,000 - €32,000) and recognising the need to be able to recruit staff while ensuring that there is no disruption to the domestic labour market, a minimum annual remuneration threshold of €27,000 has been set for this occupation.
The conditions governing the eligibility requirements for family reunification and the granting of Stamp 1G visas for spouses and/or dependents of employment permit holders are a matter for the Minister for Justice. The Department of Justice policy requires that the sponsor demonstrate their capacity to provide for their family member(s) if they are to be granted a permission to come to Ireland. The policy sets out the rationale for applying resource requirements as part of the overall assessment of whether to approve an application for family reunification and the conditions attaching to permissions issued to family members. The Policy, which was last amended in 2016, is currently under review.
Department of Health officials engage regularly with relevant government departments and other stakeholders to address any issues which may be impacting the recruitment and retention of health care workers. The cross-departmental Strategic Workforce Advisory Group was established in March 2022 by Minister Butler to examine strategic workforce challenges in publicly and privately provided frontline carer roles in home support and long-term residential care for older people. The Group’s report provides a comprehensive overview of the complex and inter-related challenges that are affecting the recruitment and retention of care workers. It makes 16 wide-ranging recommendations to urgently address these, spanning the areas of recruitment, pay and conditions, barriers to employment, and training and professional development, as well as sectoral reform. The implementation of the Advisory Group’s recommendations has commenced and is closely monitored by the Implementation Group that has been established by the Department of Health.
Question No. 162 answered with Question No. 139.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (163)
Michael Ring
Question:163. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health the reason an elderly person (details supplied) from County Mayo would be offered hospital appointments in Kildare and Derry, rather than Galway University Hospital, in light of their advanced age and medical condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31518/23]
View answerWritten answers
Under 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.
Mental Health Services
Questions (164)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:164. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on CAMHS services (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31524/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Health Services Staff
Questions (165)
Jim O'Callaghan
Question:165. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if the funding for counselling trainees will be equivalent to the amount offered to educational psychology trainees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31525/23]
View answerWritten answers
As 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.
Dental Services
Questions (166)
Michael Ring
Question:166. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health the reason that a medical card holder (details supplied) cannot obtain dental services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31528/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Departmental Correspondence
Questions (167)
Róisín Shortall
Question:167. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to respond to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31550/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) is the independent, statutory organisation which regulates the nursing and midwifery professions in Ireland. It maintains the Register of Nurses and Midwives. Ensuring patient safety and protecting the public is a core function of the NMBI and therefore rigorous evaluation of information and thorough regulatory checks are required when processing applications from all of those who want to practise as nurses and midwives in Ireland.
To register to become a nurse or midwife, all applicants need to complete a two-stage process:??
1. Recognition of qualifications
2. Registration.?
In the first stage, recognition of qualifications, an Education Assessor will assess evidence of education, qualifications and credentials; usually evidenced in the applicant’s transcripts of the education programme undertaken. The Assessor will examine in detail whether the qualifications' clinical and theory content demonstrates the competency level set out to meet the NMBI standards and requirements to practice in Ireland. If relevant, courses additional to the applicant’s graduate qualifications, post-graduate qualifications and post-qualification work experience will be considered in the demonstration of nursing or midwifery competency. Once an applicant’s qualifications have been assessed as satisfactory, a decision letter will issue from the NMBI.
Often, a decision letter will inform an applicant that their qualifications have been provisionally recognised and there is a requirement to complete a ‘compensation measure’ to address the identified gap between the qualifications provided and the NMBI Standards and Requirements. These compensation measures are either a paid period of adaptation or an aptitude test; these are mechanisms which allow an applicant to demonstrate their competency to meet the NMBI standards.
The compensation measures are undertaken in Ireland, either an adaptation programme for assessment, which is a paid period in an approved hospital or community centre (a minimum of six weeks, to a maximum of twelve) or by undertaking an aptitude test comprising multiple-choice questions and practical examinations over one /two weekends. Once the applicant has completed the compensation measure successfully, the recognition process is complete, and they can apply for registration.
As part of the second stage, all registration applicants must satisfy the NMBI that they have the necessary knowledge and competency in English to communicate effectively and safely in their practice. Communication is defined as speaking, reading, listening and writing, and the applicant must provide evidence demonstrating that they have met the required level of competence in these four mandatory skills. For many overseas educated applicants, this means taking an English language test and submitting a certificate of test results. The NMBI recognises both the International English Language Test System (IELTS) and Occupational English Test (OET) and verified test providers. IELTS and OET are valid for two years across all Irish regulators and Canadian, Australian, American and UK regulators. This is also the standard validation period across immigration services internationally.
These language tests are carried out by independent third parties, internationally recognised for providing rigorous and evidence-based professional or occupational English testing, especially for healthcare professionals. Tests can be taken in Ireland, or nearly all other countries.
The NMBI, citing the level of responsibility and clinical competence required to work as a registered nurse or midwife, has informed my Department that accepting a letter from an employer as a means of verification of competency in the English language would not be acceptable regulatory practice.
Healthcare Policy
Questions (168)
Róisín Shortall
Question:168. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1117 of 13 June 2023, if he can provide a copy of this new policy with specific details in relation to it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31551/23]
View answerWritten answers
As stated previously, the Government takes the closure of nursing homes very seriously. Ensuring that the welfare and safety of residents is secured when nursing homes close is of the utmost importance. It is essential that when nursing homes are intending to close or cease participating in the Nursing Home Support Scheme, that residents and their families must be consulted with, and given appropriate notice so that new homes can be found and residents can move in a safe, planned way.
There is a legal requirement that providers must give at least six months’ notice to the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) if they intend to close. This provides residents, families and public health authorities appropriate time to respond effectively. It became apparent in late August last year that a small number of active nursing homes had chosen, or were seriously considering, to convert into accommodation centres for beneficiaries of temporary protection. Other active nursing homes were known to be in official negotiations or to be considering this approach.Given the challenges currently being faced in the nursing home sector and noticing a small trend emerging, Minister Donnelly and I agreed with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman TD, to change the procurement guidelines around accommodation for persons under temporary protection in order to remove from consideration active nursing homes that were still registered operators with HIQA on or after the date of 1 September 2022.
The Department of Health developed this policy in response to legitimate concerns for the welfare and safety of nursing home residents, with responsibility for implementing this policy lying exclusively with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth as the procurement of accommodation for beneficiaries of temporary protection falls under their remit. Neither I nor Minister Donnelly, nor the Department of Health for that matter, has any role in the procurement of accommodation for beneficiaries of temporary protection. Questions in respect of the legal basis for the procurement of accommodation should be directed to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
The intention behind this position has been to avoid unintentionally incentivising active nursing homes to leave the market. Former nursing homes that had already ceased operation and were deregistered prior to this date remained unaffected if they wished to enter into contracts as accommodation providers.Following review of the policy at the end of April, the decision has been made to adopt a more flexible approach and to allow the conversion of nursing homes into accommodation centres for international protection applicants and/or beneficiaries of temporary protection after 18 months following deregistration from the Health Information and Quality Agency Chief Inspector’s register.This allows for an appropriate closure process for residents and staff of nursing homes, while preventing facilities from being empty indefinitely where they might provide a source of accommodation for international protection applicants and/or beneficiaries of temporary protection. The Government continues to prioritise the best interests of nursing home residents to ensure that their welfare, care and well-being is ensured whilst simultaneously ensuring that nursing home care is accessible and affordable for everyone and that people are cared for in the most appropriate settings.
Question No. 169 answered with Question No. 134.