Written Answers Nos. 785-799
785. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he will meet with the NCCP Alliance of Community Cancer Support Centres, CCSCs, to discuss the ongoing shortage in funding to the sector, which is having a knock-on effect on cancer patients, their families and the wider HSE acute hospital service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35247/23]
View answerThe National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 recognises the important role played by Cancer Support Centres throughout the country in meeting the needs of cancer patients and their families.
The HSE's National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) works closely with a network of Community Cancer Support Centres, particularly in regard to the psycho-oncology model of care and the implementation of survivorship programmes for those living with and beyond cancer.
The NCCP Revised Best Practice Guidance for community cancer support centres was officially launched last May, as well as the Alliance of Community Cancer Support Centres which is a network of cancer support centres to advance the role of community cancer support.
The organisation in question has submitted a request to meet to my office. As with all requests submitted to my office, my officials will consider the appropriateness of meeting with them and I will revert to the organisation after considering the many competing demands on my diary.
786. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health why (details supplied) cannot get an answer on whether the funding she requested months ago has been announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35248/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
787. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the progress in developing a national home care scheme; whether it envisages a uniform standard for access to care in all parts of the country; whether new oversight of the various private providers of home care is envisaged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35272/23]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to ‘Introduce a statutory scheme to support people to live in their own homes, which will provide equitable access to high-quality, regulated home care’. The new scheme aims to provide equitable, transparent access to home support services based on their assessed care needs. It is InterRAI standardised outputs that will be used to determine prioritisation and levels of care required. The HSE Home Support Steering Group identified the requirement to focus InterRAI implementation across home support services and have begun recruitment process for 128 interRAI Care Needs Facilitators. The development of a reformed model of service delivery for home support and the testing of this across four pilot sites has concluded. 592 InterRAI assessments have been completed as part of the home support pilot. A draft evaluation of the pilot, produced by the Centre for Effective Services, has been completed.
Regarding oversight, the Department of Health is currently developing a regulatory framework for home-support providers with the aim of ensuring that all service-users are provided with high-quality care. This will comprise of (i) primary legislation for the licensing of home support providers, (ii) regulations for home support which will set out the minimum requirements that a provider must meet to obtain a licence, and (iii) HIQA national standards. The legislation and regulations will apply to home support providers including the community, voluntary and the private sector. Primary Legislation is currently entering into final stages of the drafting process. It is intended to bring this legislation through the Houses of the Oireachtas at the earliest opportunity. This will ensure that all service users are provided with regulated, high quality home care.
788. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to develop the terms and conditions under which home care workers are employed, in order that more people could be attracted to this work. [35273/23]
View answerAddressing the shortage of care workers in Ireland is a priority for the Government.
To this end, the cross-departmental Strategic Workforce Advisory Group was established in March 2022 to examine, and formulate recommendations to address, the challenges in front-line carer roles in the home-support and long-term residential care sectors.
The group was chaired by the Department of Health and comprised representatives from seven government departments (Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Health; Higher and Further Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Justice; Public Expenditure and Reform; and Social Protection), the HSE, HIQA and SOLAS.
The report of the Strategic Workforce Advisory Group on Home Carers and Nursing Home Healthcare Assistants was published on 15th October 2022. Providing an overview of the work of the group and its key findings, the report presents a suite of 16 recommendations spanning the areas of areas of recruitment, pay and conditions of employment, barriers to employment, training and professional development and sectoral reform.
Implementation of the 16 recommendations is underway and is being overseen by a cross departmental implementation group, chaired by the Department of Health. Recommendation 9 has been fully implemented. The statutory instrument authorising the issuance of 1,000 employment permits for homecare workers was signed on 16th December 2022. As recommended by the advisory group, these permits will be for full-time positions with a minimum salary of €27,000 per year. Work is underway on all recommendations with a further four at an advanced stage.
The Department is engaging with recommendation owners to finalise an implementation plan. A meeting of the implementation group took place on 29th June 2023. The implementation plan will be published in due course. It is envisaged that the implementation group will meet quarterly and publish progress reports thereafter.
Furthermore, state funded home support is delivered directly by the HSE and also by service providers in the community and voluntary, and private sectors. Services not provided directly by the HSE are procured through a tender. The process of finalising the new home support tender is at an advanced stage and it is expected to be in place in August. An increased rate has been secured and new arrangements will deliver significant sectoral reform incorporating travel time for home support workers, ensuring home support workers earn at a minimum the living wage and the reform of legacy rates, as recommended by the strategic workforce advisory group.
789. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the number of active age groups and the number of day centres for persons being cared for at home that his Department supports through the HSE or other funding routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35274/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
790. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health to outline the process by which HIQA decides and identifies those residential care centres that are deemed to be of serious concern to them regarding the care and welfare of patients, subsequent to the increased inspection of these seriously non-compliant homes; the way in which HIQA decides to ensure compliance and the internal reporting within HIQA to ensure full compliance as per regulations; if there is a risk register of these homes; if his Department is informed of these serious concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35295/23]
View answerThe Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is collating the information the Deputy has requested and I will arrange to have the information forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
791. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health how many people applied for a position and how many were called for interview in respect of a position in the HSE (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35297/23]
View answerAs the Deputy’s question relates to a service matter, I have referred it to the HSE for direct response.
792. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of people on CAMHS waiting lists, by CHO and length of wait, for May 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35305/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
793. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of people on CAMHS waiting lists, by CHO and length of wait, for June 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35306/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
794. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of CAMHS teams per CHO area; if there are any additional CAMHS teams in development; if there is a target number for CAMHS teams nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35307/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
795. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the level of staffing in the 73 CAMHS teams; the vacant positions per team; the recruitment campaigns per team; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35308/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
796. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health for an update on extending CAMHS to cover up to 25-year-olds; what additional training will be provided for staff in this roll-out; the expected timeline for this to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35309/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
797. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if additional infrastructure will be required to extend CAMHS to cover up to 25-year-olds; which of the CAMHS teams are currently able to accommodate this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35310/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
798. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of CAMHS teams currently using Healthlink for referrals; the policy for its use by services; if other online referral systems are being used or considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35311/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
799. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health for an update on waiting times for Jigsaw services, by area; what additional supports have been provided by Jigsaw to reduce these waiting times; the plans to extend Jigsaw teams nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35312/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
