Written Answers Nos. 545-559
545. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of adults currently waiting on a spinal surgery in Tallaght University Hospital; the length of waits endured thus far; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32018/23]
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.
546. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of completed spinal surgeries in the years 2020, 2022, 2023 in Tallaght University Hospital, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32019/23]
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.
547. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if spinal surgeries will continue to be carried out in Tallaght University Hospital going forward; how many surgeons are currently undertaking spinal fusions and spinal surgery in the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32020/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to reply to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
548. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health to outline the current adult services available for spinal patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32021/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
549. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of adults waiting on spinal fusion in this State and the time waiting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32022/23]
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.
550. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health to outline what clinical pathways are available for those transitioning from children spinal service to adult spinal services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32023/23]
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.
551. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the number of new insulin pump starts done in all hospitals within the RCSI Hospital Group in people aged between 0-17 years and those aged 18 years or greater for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32024/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
552. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health when the review of moneys paid to community pharmacies is due to commence; if he will engage with an organisation (details supplied) as a matter of urgency in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32025/23]
View answer561. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if he intends to establish a review of pharmacy dispensing fees and the extent of service provision by community pharmacists; and if he will engage directly with an organisation (details supplied) on the matter. [32054/23]
View answer567. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Health if he will engage with an organisation (details supplied) to discuss its concerns in relation to the shortage of community pharmacists, dispensing fees and other related matters. [32098/23]
View answer577. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health what the outcome of the recent meeting between his Department officials and an organisation (details supplied) was; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32158/23]
View answer617. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to the restoration of pharmacy fees slashed under FEMPI; if he will acknowledge that pharmacies are under threat as a result of the failure to restore fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32379/23]
View answer619. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health if he will restore the dispensing fee model to €6.50 per medicine considering the current crisis in community pharmacies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32383/23]
View answer620. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health if he will engage with a representative body of a sector (details supplied) prior to reviewing the nature of community pharmacies services under the Public Pay and Pensions Act legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32384/23]
View answer638. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health whether, given the criticality of our pharmacies to community health, he has or will conduct a review of pharmacy dispensing fees and the extent of service provision by community pharmacists; if he has or will engage with an organisaion (details supplied) on the matter, and the dates on which he has or will engage; if he will establish a review which encompasses the scope of services provided or which could be provided by community pharmacy; if he will include scoping of a minor ailments or minor illness scheme in community pharmacy in the terms of reference of the aforementioned review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32511/23]
View answer650. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the last date which there was a review of pharmacy dispensing fees and pharmacy contracts; when a further review will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32599/23]
View answer651. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health when he last met with (details supplied) in respect of dispensing fees and contracts, and the scope of services permitted by pharmacies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32600/23]
View answer652. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if he proposes to conduct a review of the scope of services provided within community pharmacies; if such a review will include consideration that minor ailments and minor illnesses be included within the scope of pharmacies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32601/23]
View answer653. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he is considering a proposal from an organisation (details supplied); if he intends to review the dispensing fee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32605/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 552, 561, 567, 577, 617, 619, 620, 638, 650, 651, 652 and 653 together.
I recognise the significant role community pharmacists play in the delivery of patient care and acknowledge the potential for this role to be developed further in the context of healthcare service reform.
In that regard, various approaches to extending the scope of practice of community pharmacists are being progressed by my Department. The implementation of these necessitates engagement with a range of stakeholders and full consideration of all the relevant legislative and operational issues involved.
The regulations governing the pharmacy fee structure are set out in the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 (No. 34 of 2017) and in S.I. No. 639 of 2019, the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 (Payments to Community Pharmacy Contractors) Regulations 2019, which put the current fee structure in place, with effect from 1 January 2020.
Under Section 42(14) of the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 the pharmacy fee structure must be reviewed every third year after 2020. My Department is currently carrying out a review and Department officials have held a productive meeting with the Irish Pharmacy Union in that regard. Another meeting is scheduled to take place in July.
I believe that there is a real opportunity to work collaboratively with community pharmacists, and with other healthcare providers, to make a significant difference to patient outcomes. Of course, any publicly funded pharmacy service expansion should address unmet public healthcare needs, improve access to existing public health services, and provide better value for money.
553. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health to provide, in tabular form, the number of HSE psychology posts that remained unfilled after being advertised since January 2022, by CHO and by service type, i.e. child disability, adult disability, adult mental health, child and adolescent mental health, primary care psychology and hospital services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32028/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
554. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will seek to address the lengthy delays in the process of accreditation of psychologists who trained and qualified overseas and who wish to work in Ireland; what steps he may take to this end; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32029/23]
View answerUnder the EU Professional Qualifications Directive (Directive 2005/36/EC), I, as Minister for Health, am the competent authority for several health and social care professions. This includes those with clinical, counselling or educational psychology qualifications who wish to practise their profession in the publicly funded health sector in Ireland.
The Department of Health, through the Validation Unit, administers the process on my behalf. The assessment processes of the Directive are also applied to qualifications which are outside the Directive’s scope (i.e. non-EEA qualifications or EEA qualifications of non-EEA nationals). The Department is advised in the process by the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI). The PSI has established an Expert Validation Committee (EVC) to assess applications and make recommendations to the Department.
Under the general system of the EU Professional Qualifications Directive, applications must be acknowledged within one month of receipt and applicants notified of any missing documents. Decisions on applications falling under the Directive should be made within 4 months of the date a completed application is acknowledged. Decisions on applications which are outside the scope of the Directive are issued within 6 months .
In many cases, decisions can be made more quickly than the Directive timelines. However, in some instances, timelines are paused where it is necessary to seek clarifications from applicants in relation to their qualifications and experience. It should however be noted that this is not only to maximise public safety but also in an effort to ensure a complete and accurate application so as to reduce the likelihood of a negative decision or a requirement for compensation measures to be completed where this is not warranted.
555. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the rationale for working off a clinical-population based framework of accreditation for psychologists who have trained overseas rather than a competencies-based framework, as is preferred in other countries; if he sees this as a barrier to the efficient accreditation of those psychologists who could take up positions in the Irish health system but who are prevented from doing so through not having had clinical placement experience with a particular care group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32030/23]
View answerUnder the EU Professional Qualifications Directive (Directive 2005/36/EC), I, as Minister for Health, am the competent authority for several health and social care professions. This includes those with clinical, counselling or educational psychology qualifications who wish to practise their profession in the publicly funded health sector in Ireland.
The Department of Health, through the Validation Unit, administers the process on my behalf. The assessment processes of the Directive are also applied to qualifications which are outside the Directive’s scope (i.e. non-EEA qualifications or EEA qualifications of non-EEA nationals).
The Department is advised in the process by the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI). The PSI has established an Expert Validation Committee (EVC) to assess applications and make recommendations to the Department.
The general system of the EU Professional Qualifications Directive provides for an assessment, on a case-by-case basis, of the qualifications of an applicant against those required to practise in the host member state (i.e. Ireland). This assessment examines whether an applicant’s qualifications have ensured they have developed the required clinical/counselling/educational psychology competencies.
If the activities covered by the profession in the home and the host member state are not comparable, then the qualifications cannot be recognised. If the activities are comparable but deficits in the qualifications are identified, subsequent post-qualification professional experience of the applicant must be considered. If deficits still remain, the host country (Ireland) may require an applicant to complete a compensation measure.
556. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health for an update on the funding of counselling psychology and educational psychology training courses as part of a move towards equity of training for psychologists, as well as a means to address difficulties with recruitment and retention of psychologists in particular service areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32031/23]
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.
With regard to recruitment and retention of psychologists, the Deputy will also be aware of the recruitment and retention difficulties across our health services, as well as for mental health professionals generally.
The Department of Health is developing a Health and Social Care Workforce Planning Strategy and Workforce Planning Projection Model based on international best practice which will result in rolling health and social care workforce planning action plans and the implementation of targeted policy measures for health and social care workforce reform. This has the potential to significantly optimise future recruitment in to CAMHS and other mental health services, as outlined in Sharing the Vision , and reflective of population demand.
557. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the number of nursing homes that had unannounced HIQA inspections after hours or and on weekends for each year since 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32041/23]
View answerThe Health Information and Quality Authority has advised my Department that it requires some additional time to compile the information sought by the Deputy. I will write to the Deputy directly when this information is supplied.
558. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on a fair deal application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32047/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
559. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if his Department might be in a position to sell any older ambulance vehicles that are no longer in use, or in limited use, to a charitable fund (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32048/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter for the National Ambulance Service to consider, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
