Written Answers Nos. 560-575
560. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of respite beds available to disability services in Leitrim in the years of 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [42726/23]
View answerAs the query refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
561. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he expects the mother and baby institutions payment scheme to open for applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42754/23]
View answerI am acutely aware of the sense of urgency surrounding the establishment of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme and I am focused on delivering the Scheme as soon as possible. To that end, a significant milestone was achieved on 11 July with the enactment of the underpinning legislation - the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Act 2023.
This Act allows for the establishment of an Executive Office in my Department to administer the Scheme and the appointment of the Chief Deciding Officer to head up that office. It also allows for the making of the necessary regulations which must be in place prior to the Scheme opening and provides a lawful basis for access to records and other information which are essential to processing of applications.
Intensive work is underway to conclude the work on the administrative structures in as timely a manner as possible in order to transition to a live Scheme.
562. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department has a policy on the use of artificial intelligence; and if any Departmental functions are assisted by language model-based chatbots (details supplied). [42810/23]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) does not have a policy on the use of artificial intelligence; and that no Departmental functions are assisted by language model-based chatbots (details supplied). DCEDIY is guided by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer and by the National Cyber Security Centre on ICT policy and security matters.
563. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of respite beds available to older persons’ services in County Leitrim in the years of 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [42726/23]
View answerAs the query refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
564. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if funding to a charity (details supplied) will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42767/23]
View answerI am familiar with the charity organisation referred to by the Deputy and I have recently met with them in the context of preparatory work for the ongoing Estimates process 2024. The Deputy can rest assured that I, in consultation with the HSE, will bear this organisation in mind, in the overall context of competing demands under the upcoming Budget 2024.
The Department of Health is currently engaging in dialogue with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and the HSE in relation to the 2024 Estimates. Until these discussions are concluded it would not be appropriate for me to comment on this matter. However, I am committed to ensuring the continued enhancement of mental health services through the allocation of additional funding for mental health in 2024.
The Government’s clear commitment to enhancing mental health services is shown by significant mental health funding increases in recent years. I would note that 2023 saw a record budget for mental health of €1.2bn. Budget 2023 delivered almost €58m in additional funding, and a further €10m in once-off funding for much needed minor capital works across the mental health system.
Funding allocated to mental health services in recent years has allowed for the continued investment in the mental health national clinical programmes and models of care, which has led to significant service improvements, including the full implementation of specialist perinatal mental health network provided for and the on-going expansion of specialist mental health teams for eating disorders, ADHD in adults, and dual diagnosis. In fact, since coming into Government I have secured almost 800 additional posts for Mental Health services in this country, and I am pleased to see that continued recruitment for these posts has remained a priority for the HSE.
Importantly, as budgets increase, we need to ensure that we have plans and strategies in place so that those resources are used effectively and efficiently to the benefit of people using our mental health services. All aspects of mental health services are being improved and developed, through Sharing the Vision in the short to longer term. Sharing the Vision aims to enhance the provision of mental health services and supports across a broad continuum, from mental health promotion, prevention, and early intervention to acute and specialist mental health service delivery, during the period 2020-2030.
565. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that home help support is urgently put in place for a person (details supplied). [42108/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
566. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the reason that a young child who suffered a complicated fracture at a sports ground in Castleblayney, County Monaghan, on Saturday, 23 September was left awaiting an ambulance from 12.29pm until 3.17pm; and his proposals to improve the service. [42109/23]
View answer567. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the number of calls to the National Ambulance Service in County Monaghan during 2023; the number therein in which an ambulance arrived within 15 minutes, over 15 minutes and within 30 minutes, over 30 minutes and within 45 minutes, over 45 minutes and within 60 minutes, over 60 minutes and within 90 minutes, over 90 minutes and within 120 minutes and over 120 minutes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42110/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 566 and 567 together.
Regarding the incident outlined by the Deputy, I can confirm that the HSE National Ambulance Service (NAS) is liaising closely with both the family of the patient and the sports club concerned.
I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly with any further pertinent information it may have, both in regard to the specific incident and on recent NAS response time performance in the Co. Monaghan region more generally.
568. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on a person receiving further home help (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42146/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
569. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health what provisions his Department has in place in regard to medical card applicants in County Wexford who are unable to provide a GP acceptance form due to the chronic shortage of GPs, resulting in GP practices operating at full capacity, with the majority unable to accept new patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42159/23]
View answerGPs are self-employed practitioners and therefore may establish practices at a place of their own choosing. There is no prescribed ratio of GPs to patients and the State does not regulate the number of GPs that can set up in a town or community.
Under the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. Currently, there are 2,538 GPs contracted to provide services under the GMS Scheme. Where a vacancy arises in a practice with a GMS contract, the HSE becomes actively involved in the recruitment process to find a replacement GP.
For GMS patients unable to locate a GP themselves, the Health Service Executive may assign an eligible person to be included on a medical practitioner's GMS list, in accordance with the GMS contract.
The Government is aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice, including the limited access to GP services in certain areas, and is working to ensure that general practice is sustainable in all areas into the future.
Under the 2019 GP Agreement additional annual expenditure provided for general practice has been increased now by €211.6m. This provides for significant increases in capitation fees for participating GMS GPs, and new fees and subsidies for additional services. Improvements to GP’s maternity and paternity leave arrangements and a support for GPs in disadvantaged urban areas, have also been provided for. In addition, the enhanced supports package for rural GP practices was increased by 10%.
The recent GP Agreement 2023 announced in July, which provides for the expansions of GP care without charges to those who earn up to the median household income and to children aged 6 & 7, includes additional capacity supports to enable the expansion and retention of staffing within general practice. It includes additional supports for GP Out of Hours services also.
These measures will make general practice in Ireland a more attractive career choice and will see an increase in the number of GPs working in the State, improving access to GP services for patients throughout the country.
The number of doctors entering GP training has been increased in recent years, with 287 new entrants for this year and 350 places for new entrants planned for next year. Annual intake to the GP training scheme has been increased by over 80% since 2015. Furthermore, the joint HSE and ICGP programme underway to bring up to 100 non-EU GPs to Ireland in 2023 will help to quickly improve access to GP services, particularly in areas with limited access. It is planned to bring to Ireland up to 250 more non-EU GPs by the end of 2024.
Lastly, my Department and the HSE have commenced a Strategic Review of General Practice. The review, with input from key stakeholders, will examine the broad range of issues affecting general practice, including issues related to GP capacity, and will set out the measures necessary to deliver a more sustainable general practice into the future.
570. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an update from the State Claims Agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42163/23]
View answerThe State Claims Agency (SCA) has a statutory remit to manage personal injury claims on behalf of Delegated State Authorities including the Health Service Executive. I have no role in determining how claims/cases are conducted and it is not appropriate for me to comment on individual cases. Accordingly, my Officials had sought to have the Deputy's question disallowed.
571. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Health if the HSE is sponsoring a vaccination campaign for a vaccination against shingles; if so, if the vaccination is available on the medical card and or drug payment scheme; and if not, if he will consider adding it to those schemes. [42173/23]
View answerThe immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practice in relation to immunisation.NIAC continues to revise recommendations to allow for the introduction of new vaccines in Ireland and to keep abreast of changes in the patterns of disease. Therefore, the immunisation schedule will continue to be amended over time.Shingles vaccination is not currently provided as part of the national immunisation programme. The vaccine is not available through the medical card or drug payment schemes. Further information is available here:www2.hse.ie/conditions/shingles/
Those aged 50 years and older who wish to receive the vaccine should consult with their GP or pharmacist.
It may be of interest to note that the Health Information and Quality Authority are currently carrying out a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) on the herpes zoster vaccine which protects against shingles. A HTA is a multidisciplinary research process that collects and summarises information about a health technology. The information can cover a range of fields, including clinical effectiveness and safety, cost-effectiveness and budget impact, organisational and social aspects, and ethical and legal issues. The information is collected and presented in a systematic, unbiased and transparent manner.The outcome of the HTA, once it is complete, will inform future decision making on this matter in relation to whether or not any amendments are required to the National Immunisation Programme.
572. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health when a vaccine compensation scheme will be introduced in this country to fast-track compensation for people who have been damaged as a result of taking Covid vaccines and other vaccines, as recommended by a committee (details supplied); if the recommendations of the committee are acceptable to the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42180/23]
View answerMy Department and the HSE work continuously to monitor and improve patient safety, reduce incidents of harm and to minimise risk.
Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD and I received government approval in December 2020 to publish the Final Report of the Expert Group to review the law of torts and the current systems for the management of clinical negligence claims. Government noted the contents and recommendations of the Report.
Regarding a vaccine damage compensation scheme, during the pandemic, all available Department of Health resources were devoted to the Public Health response. This meant that work in this area could not be progressed. My Department is now actively pursuing the establishment of a Vaccine Damage Compensation Scheme. However, further scoping work and detailed consideration is required to inform decision-making in this area.
573. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the protocol in place for the investigation of adverse incidents in labour; the criteria which determine whether a concise or comprehensive incident review is carried out; if it is the case that a comprehensive review is carried out in all cases of maternal death but not in the case of the death of a baby; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42186/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter for the Health Service Executive, I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy.
574. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the HSE’s obstetric event support team within the National Women and Infant Health Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42187/23]
View answerAs the National Women and Infants Health Programme leads on the management, organisation and delivery of maternity, gynaecological and neonatal services, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
575. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health to include the drug ketamine, used for cerebral palsy patients, in the long-term illness scheme. [42197/23]
View answerThe Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for pricing and reimbursement decisions under the community schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. Therefore, this matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
