Written Answers Nos. 349-363
349. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health to provide further detail on the internal HSE TAPS audit; the date it was received by the HSE, Minister and Department; to make a full copy of the results and recommendations of this audit available; when he intends to publish the final audit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45927/23]
View answerAs these are operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
350. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an annual breakdown of the number of reimbursements made via the primary care reimbursement scheme for first consultations for abortion care from 2019 to 2022, inclusive. [45928/23]
View answer351. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an annual breakdown of the number of reimbursements made via the primary care reimbursement scheme for second consultations for abortion care from 2019 to 2022, inclusive. [45929/23]
View answer352. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an annual breakdown of the number of reimbursements made via the primary care reimbursement scheme for third consultations for abortion care from 2019 to 2022, inclusive. [45930/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 350 to 352, inclusive, together.
As the Deputy's questions relate to service matters, they have been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
353. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an annual breakdown of the number of abortions provided in hospital-based abortion services under Section 12 of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 from 2019 to 2022, inclusive. [45931/23]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to a service matter, we have referred it to the HSE for answer.
354. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an annual breakdown of the number of abortions provided by the community-based healthcare providers such as GPs, family planning clinics, women’s health clinics, student health services under Section 12 of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 from 2019 to 2022, inclusive. [45932/23]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to a service matter, we have referred it to the HSE for answer.
355. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health to provide a breakdown of what the non-core current allocation of €1.032 billion will be used for in 2024; to which programmes or uses this will be applied; a breakdown of the €13 million in non-core capital spending; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45938/23]
View answerFollowing the announcement of the budget allocation for the Health Sector, I will issue a Letter of Determination to the HSE outlining my priorities and funding levels for 2024. This will be the basis on which the HSE will draw up its National Service Plan (NSP) for 2024. Once this process is concluded a detailed breakdown of non-core expenditure will be available.
356. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health how much has been spent on agency staff in 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45939/23]
View answerAs this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently not in a position to answer PQs due to industrial action. It is hoped that normal services will resume soon. In the meantime, this Department will continue to refer PQs to HSE for their direct reply as soon as possible.
357. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health how many additional acute hospital beds have been delivered in 2022 and 2023 to date; how many he expects for 2023 in total; what is the expected target in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45940/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
358. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the provision of the 1,500 rapid-build hospital beds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45941/23]
View answerGiven the pressures experienced by healthcare services and the need to ensure sufficient capacity to meet urgent and emergency patient demand, it is recognised that there are a number of acute hospitals where additional in-patient accommodation can provide improved patient flow.
In order to help address the above issues, I have asked the HSE to put into action a plan to expedite the rapid construction and delivery of 1,500 additional acute beds across the country. The HSE will be in a position to provide more detail in response to your query. Therefore, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
359. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health how much has been spent on the NTPF in 2022 and to date in 2023; what is the expected spend for 2023; what the allocation is now for 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45942/23]
View answerIn 2022 the NTPF drew down €125 million of its total allocation. Year to date in 2023 it has drawn down €120 million and is confident that it will use its full allocation of €150 million.
Addressing waiting lists has been prioritised again in Budget 2024 with €407m allocated for this purpose. With this funding we are taking the next steps in the multi-annual approach towards achieving the targets set out in the Sláintecare report. The exact allocation of this funding, including monies to be allocated to the NTPF, is currently under consideration by the Department.
360. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health how much has been spent on leasing capacity in private hospitals in 2022 and 2023, respectively; the projected spend in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45943/23]
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.
362. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health to provide a breakdown of allocations of spending under the waiting list action plan to date in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45945/23]
View answerFor 2023, funding of €363 million was allocated to the 2023 Waiting List Action Plan, comprising €150m for the NPTF, €90m for the HSE and NTPF for additional short-term measures of a once-off nature and €123m to progress longer-term reforms to sustainably enhance capacity.
As at the end of August,
• the NTPF had drawn down €90m out of its €150m budget allocated to procure additional capacity to reduce waiting lists.
• c.€53m had been spent on providing additional activity in Acute hospitals and €16m has been spent to reduce Community waiting lists from the €90m provided for short term measures.
• c. €28m of the recurrent funding had been spent on enhancing hospital group capacity, modernised care pathway and priority areas. The approved funding associated with the longer-term measures takes account of the full year costs associated with the additional staffing required for these reforms. This recruitment will take place across a 1-2 year period and as such, the full €123m would never be required in Year 1.
363. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health whether it is intended to officially recognise centres for ambulatory surgery which are carrying out work on contract for the HSE on, for example, patients who need hand surgery, so that the anaesthetic consultants in them do not face large increases in insurance premiums that would make such work prohibitively expensive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45962/23]
View answerClarification on this question was sought from the Deputy by my officials. The Deputy revised the wording of the question, as follows:
To ask the Minister for Health whether it is intended to extend the Clinical Indemnity Caps Scheme to centres for ambulatory surgery which are carrying out work on contract for the HSE on, for example, patients who need hand surgery, so that the anaesthetic consultants in them do not face large increases in insurance premiums that would make such work prohibitively expensive; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Response:
The Caps scheme is a non-statutory scheme that was established in 2004 on foot of a Government decision. The current scheme operates on the basis that the State’s Clinical Indemnity Scheme would cover claims over a certain cap (amount) against private consultants arising from adverse clinical events occurring after 1st February 2004 for work undertaken in private hospitals.
I do not have any current plans to extend the Clinical Indemnity Caps Scheme, referred to by the Deputy, beyond the existing arrangements. However, my Department will continue to keep the matter under review.
