Written Answers Nos. 1332-1351
1332. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will ringfence dedicated funding for the purposes of recruiting additional respiratory physiologists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48596/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1333. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will give due consideration to expanding the National Fund for Biologic Medication for severe asthma (to include Anti-igE and Anti-il-4il-1 3 biologic treatment); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48597/23]
View answerImproving outcomes for patients with Severe Refractory Eosinophilic Asthma remains a priority for the HSE. The Severe Asthma Advisory Group (SAAG) under the clinical governance of the National Clinical Programme for Respiratory has developed and approved Managed Access Protocols (MAPs) for each Anti-IL5 (benralizumab, mepolizumab, and reslizumab) which can be viewed here: www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/acute-hospitals-division/drugs-management-programme/protocols/severe-refractory-eosinophilic-asthma.html.
Applications from SAAG designated severe asthma centres for patients who meet the eligibility criteria of the respective MAPs are approved for central funding. The Acute Hospital Drug Management Programme in Acute Operations operationalise this process.
1334. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will give due consideration to expanding the number of advanced nurse practitioners WTE posts by 112 in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48598/23]
View answerI am hugely committed to supporting the career pathways for the nursing and midwifery workforce. As the Deputy may be aware, in November 2021, I increased the target for the number of nurses and midwives practicing at advanced level from 2% of the nursing and midwifery workforce to 3% and I allocated additional funding of €11 million to support this. With this funding, 149 additional WTE Advanced Nurse/ Midwifery Practitioners (ANMP) were recruited in 2022. Budget 2023 provided funding to recruit an additional 80 WTE ANMPs during 2023 and as of August 2023, the total number of both registered and candidate advanced nursing and midwifery practitioners ANMPs was 1,004 WTE.
Between the Budget 2024 allocation and conversion of agency costs I intend on supporting recruitment of more than two thousand more healthcare workers in 2024. This includes additional ANMP posts to make further progress towards reaching the target of 3% of the nursing and midwifery workforce practicing at advanced level. Specific details on allocation for 2024 will form part of the Letter of Determination and National Service Planning process between the HSE and my Department.
1335. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that the Caredoc phone services for St. Dymphna's Hospital, Carlow is run out of Dublin, and not locally in Carlow, and as a consequence, the phones are not being answered all the time, nor are calls being returned in an efficient manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48600/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1338. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health if he has any plans to change guidelines (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48614/23]
View answerIt became apparent in late August 2022 that a small number of active nursing homes had chosen, or were seriously considering, to convert into accommodation centres for beneficiaries of temporary protection. Other active nursing homes were known to be in official negotiations or to be considering this approach. The Government continues to prioritise the best interests of nursing home residents to ensure that their welfare, care and well-being is ensured. Given the challenges currently being faced in the nursing home sector, and noticing a small trend emerging, Minister Donnelly and I agreed with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman TD, to change the procurement guidelines around accommodation for persons under temporary protection in order to remove from consideration active nursing homes that were still registered operators with HIQA on or after the date of 1 September 2022. Due consideration was given to the potential options, outcomes and unintended consequences of the Department of Health’s position, in response to legitimate concerns for the welfare and safety of nursing home residents. The intention behind this position has been to avoid unintentionally incentivising active nursing homes to leave the market. Former nursing homes that had already ceased operation and were deregistered prior to this date remain unaffected if they wish to enter into contracts as accommodation providers. Following review of the policy at the end of April 2023, the decision has been made to adopt a more flexible approach and to allow the conversion of nursing homes into accommodation centres for international protection applicants and/or beneficiaries of temporary protection after 18 months following deregistration from the Health Information and Quality Agency Chief Inspector’s register. This allows for an appropriate closure process for residents and staff of nursing homes, while preventing facilities from being empty indefinitely where they might provide a source of accommodation for international protection applicants and/or beneficiaries of temporary protection. The Department of Health currently has no plans to review this policy.
1339. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE staff currently on secondment to universities in Ireland; how the policy on secondment will be impacted by the recent embargo on recruitment of certain grades in the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48615/23]
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.
1340. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if, further to World Stroke Day, he will provide a full update on the funding requirements and overall implementation plans for the National Stroke Strategy; if he will respond to the concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48622/23]
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 ELS/New Development expenditure will be available.
To address emerging healthcare needs of our population the HSEs National Stroke Strategy (2022-2027) underpins the work of the National Stroke Programme.
In 2020/2021, the National Stroke Strategy was developed by the multi-disciplinary Clinical Advisory Group (CAG) under the clinical governance and leadership of the National Clinical Programme for Stroke and underwent extensive consultation with internal and external stakeholders. The remit of the CAG was to produce a number of key objectives for the Stroke Strategy over the next 4 years that were; of high impact for patient care, realistic to achieve and required to ensure stroke services were adequately resourced to provide safe and effective urgent stroke care and prevention.
The HSE National Stroke Strategy was published on the HSE’s website on World Stroke Day 2022 (29th October). The strategy includes the right goals and targets and improved outcomes for patients including survival, reduced disability and the delivery of efficient and effective services that support people to live longer and in their own communities. It recommends the strategic development of the service over 5-year period 2022-2027. Four key pillars for stroke care outlined in the strategy are: 1. Stroke Prevention 2. Acute Care and Cure 3. Rehabilitation and Restoration to Life 4. Education and Research.
The recent Irish National Audit of Stroke (INAS) Report - A critical review of national stroke data for Ireland from 2013 to 2021 by the National Centre of Clinical Audit (NOCA) provides an overview of key trends in stroke care from 2013 to 2021.
The INAS is a clinically led, web-based audit that measures the care provided in hospital with a stroke against Irish and UK guidelines. The Report highlights the many positive changes in stroke care nationally. Our emergency care processes have improved considerably during the reporting period (2013 to 2021), mortality for patients with ischaemic stroke has decreased by 29%, median total hospital length of stay decreased from 11 days to 8 days and the proportion of patients seen by a medical team within 10 minutes of hospital arrival has more than doubled. Moreover, the median time to patient assessment decreased from 2.5 hours to 12 minutes so patients are being seen much faster and the thrombectomy (mechanical removal of the blood clot contributing to the stroke) rate increased from 4.8% in 2016 to 9.5% in 2021.
The report also highlights some challenges; an increase in delay from stroke onset to hospital presentation was found, therefore there is the consequent importance of highlighting public education regarding the symptoms of stroke.
INAS allows hospitals to examine their own data and promotes continuous quality improvement. Such an approach is at the heart of the delivery of safe, high-quality care. It demonstrates a commitment by hospitals to using and analysing available data, such that individual hospitals, through their clinical governance or quality and risk processes, can identify areas of concern that warrant improvement or review.
This report provides evidence of year-on-year performance improvement in our hospitals, and I look forward to this continuing into the future.
1341. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will engage with the HSE in order to prevent total blindness from occurring in a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48635/23]
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.
1342. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm when a child who has been fostered (details supplied) will receive an appointment for a speech and language therapist, considering that this service is urgently needed by the child given their circumstances and that their foster guardians have been informed that it could take up to 18 months for this service to be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48642/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1343. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 548 of 10 October 2023, the status of an application for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48646/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1344. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Health if he has considered positive organisational scholarship as a possible intervention in healthcare settings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48667/23]
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.
1345. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm whether individuals with type 1 diabetes who are public patients can access insulin pump technology and continuous glucose monitoring equipment through the EU Treatment Abroad Scheme in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48669/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1346. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health if, regarding the availability of treatment for type 1 diabetes in Ireland, he will explain the role of the EU Cross Border Directive in facilitating reimbursements for patients seeking automatic insulin pump technology treatment abroad, especially when such treatment is available in their home Member State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48670/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1348. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health to outline what vouchers or grants are in place to support parents with the cost of new glasses for their children; if this voucher scheme applies only up to the age of eight years; if he will confirm if there is a standard voucher amount in place across the country or if the level of support varies by geographic area; to outline, in tabular form, the amount payable by each CHO or former health board area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48677/23]
View answerSight testing, eye examinations and optical appliances are provided to medical card holders by ophthalmologists, optometrists and dispensing opticians through the Community Ophthalmic Services Schemes (COSS). Patients may access these services following a referral by a healthcare professional such as their general practitioner.
All children, including those not covered by a medical card, receive a vision screen while in national school from a Public Health Nurse. The Health Service Executive (HSE) provides optical services free of charge to pre-school children and national school children referred from child health service and school health service examinations who are discovered to have sight problems. These children are referred to the appropriate consultant for treatment. In such circumstances, these services will continue to be provided until the child has reached the age of 16.
As this also involves a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly in regards to progress made, as soon as possible.
1349. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health what changes have been made to the system for reimbursing dispensing opticians for vouchers issued by the HSE for the glasses of children; if he will provide a list of the type of payments available for each type of glasses or prescription; what rules apply; up until what age payments are made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48678/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1350. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of an open letter to the HSE regarding trans healthcare, to which 20 national and international organisations signed; if he agrees with the points raised in the letter that trans healthcare in Ireland should adhere to human rights principles, align with evidence-based international standards, and include the trans community at all stages (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48729/23]
View answerThe HSE’s Chief Clinical Officer (CCO) requested the National Quality and Patient Safety Directorate to review the interim Cass report and how it applies to clinical pathways from Ireland.
The Department welcomed this thorough, consultative and clinical review of the interim Cass report, and has considered its implications. The Department also understands that based on the recommendations of this report, the HSE has identified the need to develop an updated and integrated Model of Care for transgender services in Ireland, informed by the best evidence-based clinical care for individuals who express gender incongruence or dysphoria.
The HSE is establishing a team to lead the development an updated model of care for the treatment of gender dysphoria. As an initial step, the HSE has recently advertised for the post of Clinical Lead for Transgender Services, this has been done through the standard recruitment procedure within the HSE. This person will be the Model of Care and Implementation Plan Development Lead for Transgender Care. The recruitment campaign closed on Thursday, 12th October 2023 at 3pm.
Throughout this process, the HSE will address the waiting times faced by those who wish to access care for gender dysphoria. The HSE has committed that a key part of this work will see the HSE consulting with a wide range of stakeholders in the development of the new model of care. Including those who provide and use these services, and advocacy groups.
I understand that the HSE is also working to identify an alternative pathway for children/young people experiencing protracted waiting times. Discussions are underway with the paediatric endocrinology service at Children's Health Ireland and also with a psychology service to work on an interim solution until a full dedicated multidisciplinary service is established. As the international evidence base is continually evolving on this matter, decisions regarding treatment of children and young people are a clinical matter for the treating clinician, the patient and their family.
I am committed to the development by the HSE of a well-governed and patient-centered health care service for adults and children in the transgender community, in line with the Programme for Government, and informed by consultation with the transgender community.
1351. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant psychiatrists and senior psychologists in each of the CAMHS teams based in CHO9 in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [48750/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
