Duncan Smith
Question:1250. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of ICU beds at St. Vincent's University Hospital in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [48177/23]
View answerHospital Facilities
Questions (1250)
Written answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (1251)
Duncan Smith
Question:1251. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the out-of-hours mental health services that are currently available in County Roscommon. [48178/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Hospital Staff
Questions (1252)
Duncan Smith
Question:1252. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE clinical nurse manager 2 in pre-exposure prophylaxis services in Galway University Hospital in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [48179/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Staff
Questions (1253)
Duncan Smith
Question:1253. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant dermatologist and dermatology registrars at Letterkenny University Hospital in 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [48180/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Staff
Questions (1254)
Duncan Smith
Question:1254. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE scrub nurses working in Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [48181/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Services
Questions (1255)
Duncan Smith
Question:1255. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the average wait time from check in to seeing a clinician at Tallaght University Hospital Emergency Department. [48182/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (1256)
Peter Burke
Question:1256. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will advise on an appointment for a person (details supplied). [48185/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Medical Cards
Questions (1257)
Sean Fleming
Question:1257. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health to outline the ceiling a single person can earn as of now to get a GP medical card (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48188/23]
View answerWritten answers
As provided for under the GP Agreement 2023, the expansion of GP visit card eligibility to all children aged 6 and 7 years commenced from the 11th of August, and the expansion of GP visit card eligibility to all people who earn the median household income or less is underway. The expansion to the median household income will be completed in two phases, the 11th of September 2023, now commenced, and the 13th of November 2023.
Following the recent commencement of the first phase of the median income expansion, the current qualifying weekly financial thresholds for a GP visit card are as follows:
• Single person living alone aged up to 69: €361
• Single person living with family: €322
• Married or cohabiting couple with or without dependents: €524
• Lone parent: €524
After the commencement of the second phase of the median income expansion from the 13th of November, the qualifying weekly financial thresholds for a GP visit card will expand further to:
• Single person living alone aged up to 69: €418
• Single person living with family: €373
• Married or cohabiting couple with or without dependents: €607
• Lone parent: €607
These thresholds represent approximately a 37.5% increase on the basic rates applied prior to the commencement of the expansion.
An individual’s qualifying financial threshold for a GP visit card is calculated by adding together three factors:
• a basic rate - an amount of money based on your age and household, as set out above;
• an amount allocated for each dependant; and
• an amount allocated for allowable expenses (for example, rent, mortgage payments, childcare costs, etc.).
The published income thresholds are the thresholds which apply before the allowable amounts for dependents and allowable expenses are factored in.
Health Services
Questions (1258)
Bernard Durkan
Question:1258. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if an urgent stepdown bed can be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied); if all efforts can be made to ensure that proper provision for this patient is put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48201/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Departmental Communications
Questions (1259)
Duncan Smith
Question:1259. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health what efforts were made to contact individuals and families who were victims of medical negligence to make them aware of the public consultation on health claims costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48219/23]
View answerWritten answers
As previously outlined to the Deputy, Government at its meeting on the 31st January 2023, approved the establishment of an Interdepartmental Working Group to examine the rising cost of health-related claims and consider mechanisms to reduce costs and approved the Terms of Reference and membership of the Group.
The Group is chaired independently by an expert healthcare professional, Dr Rhona Mahony and is comprised of membership from across relevant Government Departments and Agencies (Departments of Health, Justice, An Taoiseach, Finance, Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform, Office of the Attorney General, the State Claims Agency and the Health Service Executive).
In fulfilling its terms of reference as approved by Government, the Group may consult with a range of relevant parties. It is considered that securing the views of patients, the legal profession and others will be of enormous value to the deliberations of the Group, and accordingly, the Group is engaged in a schedule of work and consultations with relevant parties.
As it would not be possible for the Group to consult with every individual or representative group who might have an interest in the matter, a notice was placed in the Irish Times and the Irish Independent on 6th June 2023, inviting submissions from interested parties. The invitation to make a submission was also published on the consultation section of the Government website.
Health Services Staff
Questions (1260)
Patrick Costello
Question:1260. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health when the vacant positions of chair and co-ordinator at the Canal Communities Local Drug & Alcohol Task Force will be filled. [48232/23]
View answerWritten answers
I have been informed by Canal Communities Local Drug & Alcohol Task Force that the new Chairperson, Aoife Bairéad and interim Coordinator, Dr Ger Doherty, took up their roles in September 2023.
Medical Aids and Appliances
Questions (1261)
Richard O'Donoghue
Question:1261. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health the specific policy in relation to prosthetic funding for each community healthcare organisation area; the reason for such disparities in each of the CHO areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48244/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Medical Aids and Appliances
Questions (1262)
Richard O'Donoghue
Question:1262. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health the funding allocated to each community health organisation for prosthetics, in tabular form. [48245/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Nursing Homes
Questions (1263)
Ruairí Ó Murchú
Question:1263. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health if he will outline under what circumstances the HSE ordered the gathering of information in relation to a nursing home (details supplied) in Dundalk, County Louth in May 2020 during the first phase of the Covid-19 pandemic; who ordered that this material was gathered and centralised in the HSE; what was the purpose of this information being gathered; if he is aware of other similar information gathering exercises carried out by the HSE in relation to private nursing homes at this time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48247/23]
View answerWritten answers
As these are operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Health Services
Questions (1264)
Michael McNamara
Question:1264. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the average and median time that elapses between the receipt of a complaint by the Medical Council and the making of an initial determination by the PPC or CEO, respectively; and following such initial determination, the average and median length of time that the FTPC stage takes; if he will provide such figures for complaints received in 1992, 2002, 2012 and each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48265/23]
View answerWritten answers
The information requested by the Deputy is not immediately available. The Medical Council is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Healthcare Infrastructure Provision
Questions (1265)
Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:1265. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the progress made in providing a new primary care centre for An Spidéal, Contae na Gaillimhe; the next steps proposed in progressing this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48270/23]
View answerWritten answers
As the Health Service Executive (HSE) holds responsibility for the provision, along with the maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (1266)
Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:1266. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the number of prisoners, by gender with acute mental health issue on the waiting list for transfer from prisons to the Central Mental Hospital for treatment; the length the longest person on the waiting list is waiting for such a transfer; the reason for the delay in providing this urgent medical care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48275/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Policy
Questions (1267)
Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:1267. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health when a prisoner (details supplied) will be transferred from a prison to the Central Mental Hospital; the length of time they have been the waiting list for treatment in the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48276/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (1268)
Maurice Quinlivan
Question:1268. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied) who, having been referred to a doctor in February 2023, has yet to receive an appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48318/23]
View answerWritten answers
Under 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.
Ambulance Service
Questions (1269)
Darren O'Rourke
Question:1269. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE critical care ambulances, by location, in use in the years of 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [48323/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.