Written Answers Nos. 1108-1127
1108. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health if he will outline what measure will be provided in Budget 2024 for trainee educational psychologist completing a doctorate who are currently on placement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47355/23]
View answerFollowing the announcement of the budget allocation for my Department, I will shortly be issuing 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. It is not until the conclusion of this process that a detailed breakdown of new development expenditure will be available
1109. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health whether paired-organ donations will be permitted under the Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Bill 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47357/23]
View answerPaired organ donations are an important part of the Living Donor Programme in this country and there will be no change to this after the the Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Bill 2022 is enacted.
The paired kidney exchange programme is directly under the governance of the National Kidney Transplant Centre at Beaumont Hospital. A Memorandum of Understanding has been in place since March 2020 between Beaumont Hospital and Belfast City Hospital in relation to the delivery of paired living donor kidney transplantation services in Belfast for patients referred through the National Kidney Transplant Centre.
1110. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if patient records from prior to 2001 are available from Merlin Park Hospital, Galway, and University Hospital, Galway; and if so, whether those records can be released to a patient (details supplied). [47358/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1111. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health to expedite a medical appointment for a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47360/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1112. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the number of sonographers working in Cavan General Hospital; the number of sonographers that work at the weekend, Saturday and Sunday in CGH; the days each week that patients can access an ultrasound scan in CGH.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47370/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1113. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health if community counselling services could be expanded from ten sessions per client to that which is necessary depending on client needs; if he aware that ten sessions may not enough and that critical developments during these sessions are often interrupted for patients who then have to look for and wait for further counselling help; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47373/23]
View answerSharing the Vision 2020-2030, our national mental health policy, and its associated Implementation Plan 2022-2024 recognises that talk therapies should be available as a first-line treatment option for most people who experience mental health difficulties.
Counselling in Primary Care (CIPC) is an effective service which achieves positive outcomes for clients with additional benefits for overall physical and mental health. The model of service provides for up to 8 sessions in addition to the initial assessment appointment with a professionally qualified and accredited Counsellor/Therapist for adults 18+ with a medical card.
Findings from the CIPC National Evaluation Study published in 2022 found positive outcomes for clients with additional benefits for overall physical and mental health identified by direct client feedback and endorsed by GPs.
The service is generally offered for a maximum of 8 sessions. However, the evaluation study found that participants attended an average of 7 sessions ranging from 1 to 23 sessions, reflecting how counsellors/therapists tailored counselling to the needs of the client. Some clients who were referred to CIPC required more intensive intervention than is appropriate for a short-term counselling service.
CIPC offers a positive therapeutic experience which facilitates many of these clients to subsequently engage with other mental health services which they may not have accessed otherwise. Counsellors/therapists actively support such individuals to seek onward referral to other secondary or specialist services where appropriate.
Further information on the findings of the review is available www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/4/mental-health-services/counsellingpc/cipc-national-evaluation/changing-lives-for-the-better-exec-summary-june-2022.pdf.
1114. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of people on waiting lists for a dermatologist in the north west broken down into whether they have been waiting for 6-12, 12-18, 8-24 and over 24 months; how these figures compare with last years, in tabular form; if he is concerned about the fact that a consultant dermatologist has said in a letter to GPs that dermatology provision in the north west is on the brink of collapse and that they are only able to take on urgent cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47374/23]
View answerIt is recognised that waiting times for many scheduled appointments and procedures were too long before and have been made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Department of Health continues to work with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to identify ways to improve access to care.
The 2023 Waiting List Action Plan builds on the foundational work done in the 2021 and 2022 plans, both of which reversed the annual trend of rising waiting lists.
For 2023, funding totalling €443 million is being allocated to tackle Waiting Lists with €363 million of this being allocated to the 2023 Waiting List Action Plan, to reduce hospital waiting lists by implementing longer term reforms and providing additional public and private activity to clear backlogs exacerbated during the pandemic. The remaining €80 million of the €443 million is being targeted at various measures to alleviate community/primary care waiting lists.
With the funding from Budget 2024 (€407 million), we are taking the next steps in the multi-annual approach towards achieving the vision of a world-class public healthcare system in which everyone has timely and transparent access to high-quality scheduled care, where and when they need it, in line with Sláintecare reforms.
In relation to the specific query raised, the attached table shows the number of patients on the Dermatology outpatient waiting list by the requested time bands for the Saolta Hospital Group at the end of September 2023 compared with end September 2022.
Saolta University Health Care Group Dermatology Outpatient waiting list end Sept 23 vs Sept 22
|
- |
6-12Months |
12-18Months |
18-24Months |
24+Months |
|
Sep-23 |
1198 |
1221 |
810 |
2143 |
|
Sep-22 |
1410 |
1182 |
819 |
2990 |
|
Variance |
-212 |
39 |
-9 |
-847 |
|
Variance% |
-15% |
3% |
-1% |
-28% |
In relation to the correspondence referenced, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1115. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if there is a transport budget within the HSE to assist vulnerable patients attend hospital appointments where public transport may not be an option for them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47389/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1116. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if there is a budget within his Department or the NTA to assist vulnerable patients attend hospital appointments where public transport may not be an option for them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47390/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1117. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health if his Department fully respects and understands a Supreme Court judgement (details supplied) which was ruled on in March 2020. [47407/23]
View answerI can confirm that the Department of Health fully respects and understands a Supreme Court judgement in this case which was ruled on in March 2020.
1118. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if the National Stroke Strategy 2022-2027 will be funded in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47410/23]
View answer"Following the announcement of the budget allocation for my Department, I will shortly be issuing 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. It is not until the conclusion of this process that a detailed breakdown of expenditure will be available."
1119. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if Phase 2 of Early Supported Discharge, as planned under the National Stroke Strategy 2022-2027, will happen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47411/23]
View answerReferring to HSE as an operational matter
1120. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if thrombectomy services will be affected by any funding shortfalls or cuts in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47412/23]
View answerReferring to HSE as an operational matter
1121. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if there will be any closure of stroke services in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47413/23]
View answerReferring to HSE as an operational matter
1122. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that failure to fund stroke services in 2024 as part of the National Stroke Strategy 2022-2027 will result in greater numbers of patients remaining in hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47414/23]
View answerReferring to HSE as an operational matter
1123. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health when a decision will be made on an application for a nursing home support scheme package in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47415/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1124. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the status of the stepdown unit in Monaghan General Hospital; if it is fully operational; how many beds are operational; and how many patients have stayed in beds in the hospital for each month of the past five years. [47419/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1125. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health to expedite surgery for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47427/23]
View answerUnder 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.
1126. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health whether the standard of care in private care homes, as well as the standard of training and vetting of staff, are the same as the standards employed in HSE-run care homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47428/23]
View answerThe Chief Inspector of Social Services in the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, is the statutory independent regulator in place for the nursing home sector, whether a HSE managed or a private nursing home. The Chief Inspector, established under the Health Act 2007, has significant and wide-ranging powers up to and including withdrawing the registration of a nursing home facility, which means that it can no longer operate as a service provider.
This responsibility is underpinned by a comprehensive quality framework comprising of Registration Regulations, Care and Welfare Regulations and National Quality Standards for older people and national standards for infection prevention and control. The Regulations contain provisions for the purposes of ensuring proper standards for designated centres for older people. These include provisions in respect of staff training and Garda Vetting. In addition, the registered provider must ensure that the designated centre has written policies and procedures in relation to staff training and development and the recruitment, selection and vetting of staff.
The Chief Inspector, in discharging her duties determines, through examination of all information available to her, including site inspections, whether a nursing home meets the regulations in order to achieve and maintain its registration status.
1127. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health for clarification on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47451/23]
View answerThe Minister of Health, Stephen Donnelly T.D., thanks for the Deputy for their question.
The Minister is precluded, under section 6 of the HSE Governance Act, from directing the HSE to provide a personal service to any individual and therefore it is not possible for the Minister to get involved in individual cases.
Ireland has a voluntary private health insurance market which operates under the principles of community rating (including lifetime community rating), open enrolment, lifetime cover and minimum benefits. The Minister for Health regulates the Private Health Insurance Market in Ireland. The Health Insurance Act 1994 (Minimum Benefit) Regulations 1996 require insurers to offer a minimum level of cover to every insured person.
The Minister does not have a role in the commercial decision-making of any private health insurer. Private Health Insurance companies, including the Vhi, operate as commercial entities in a competitive private health insurance market. Beyond prescribing under the Regulations the minimum level of coverage that health insurers must provide, the Minister is not in a position to direct any insurer to provide cover for any particular procedure or service, or direct how that cover is to be provided.
The Minister recommends that individuals seeking to utilize their health insurance, check with the relevant insurance company in advance of using a service. This is to ensure that their policy provides sufficient cover prior to using a service in case they are not covered.
