Tuesday, 27 Feb 2024

Written Answers Nos. 573-592

Departmental Data

Questions (573)

Colm Burke

Question:

573. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the estimated annual cost of smoking to the State in terms of health spending; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9097/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Departmental Reports

Questions (574)

Colm Burke

Question:

574. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if his Department will be commissioning an updated 2024 report assessing the economic cost of smoking, following on from the 2016 ICF international report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9098/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Question No. 575 answered with Question No. 469.

Departmental Contracts

Questions (576)

Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

576. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the total amount paid to an out-of-hours GP service by his Department under a service level agreement in each of the past ten years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9120/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Emergency Departments

Questions (577)

Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

577. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied with the current situation where 450,000-plus people in CHO 3 can only avail of one emergency department at UHL Dooradoyle, which is consistently the most overcrowded emergency department in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9122/24]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The Government is committed to improving access to acute services in the Midwest region.

I have provided significant investment to increase capacity and staffing in the region.

Total staffing increased at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) by over 37% since December 2019. Numbers increased from 2,814 to 3,854 by end of November 2023. This represents 146 more doctors, 45 more consultants, 348 more nurses and midwives, and an increase of 84 more health and social care professionals.

Since 2019 the budget for this hospital increased by 45%,from €265 million in 2019 to €383 million last year.

We are also investing in additional bed capacity in the Midwest. 150 additional beds have been opened in the Hospital Group since 2020. 98 of these new beds are in UHL. We are building two new 96-bed inpatient blocks.

Within the region, there are two Model 2 Hospitals, Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals. St John's Hospital is classified as a Model 2S Hospital, i.e. St. John's can carry out intermediate surgery, which requires in-patient stay and accommodation in addition to day case surgery. These hospitals play a pivotal role in the delivery of high-quality patient care within the region. The Model 2 hospitals accept transfers of appropriate patients from UHL on a daily basis. These patients can either be stepped down from an inpatient ward in UHL or they may, where a clinician has decided it is appropriate, transfer to Ennis, Nenagh or St John's directly from the Emergency Department (ED) in UHL.

Funding of €5.2m was allocated this year to the Medical Assessment Units (MAUs) in the three Model 2 hospitals within the UL Hospital Group. As a result, these MAUs are now operating 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The introduction of the MAU pathway development in the Mid-West region for 112/999 patients commenced on January 9th 2023. It allows patients that meet the agreed clinical criteria to be treated in a Model 2 hospital. This pathway will result in patients receiving medical treatment in a hospital closer to their home, will reduce patient presentations to EDs and will release ambulances more quickly to respond to other emergency calls. 112/999 patients that do not meet these clinical criteria will continue to be transported to EDs for assessment and treatment.

These targeted developments will reduce demand on the ED at UHL. They are improving access to health care across the region.

I will continue working with the HSE to improve our overall health system.

Patient Transport

Questions (578)

Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

578. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the cost of transporting patients in CHO 3 to haemodialysis treatment by taxi for each of the past ten years and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9123/24]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Eating Disorders

Questions (579)

Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

579. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health if he will comment on the funding provided for treatment centres and specialist community services to support those with eating disorders in CHO 3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9124/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Health Services Staff

Questions (580)

Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

580. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the number of public health nurses and areas covered by each in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9125/24]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is an administrative matter for the Health Service Executive, the HSE has been asked to respond directly to the Deputy.

Eating Disorders

Questions (581)

Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

581. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the number of specialist dieticians, nutrition specialists and therapists specialising in eating disorders who work out of Ennis General Hospital through the CAMHS services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9126/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Questions (582)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

Question:

582. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Health if he will put in place a scheme for healthcare professionals suffering from ongoing complications from Covid-19 contracted in the course of their work during the pandemic to replace the special leave with pay scheme that is due to end on 31 March 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9134/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Hospital Services

Questions (583)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Question:

583. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when physiotherapy and occupational therapy services will be reinstated for patients and residents at a hospital (details supplied). [9149/24]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE recently ended the industrial action which commenced on 6 October 2023. As a consequence, members in these grades were not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result of the accumulated backlog, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE. 

Departmental Data

Questions (584)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Question:

584. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health to provide the number of patients, both long-term and short-term, who are resident in a hospital (details supplied), in tabular form. [9150/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Dental Services

Questions (585)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Question:

585. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when dental services will be reinstated for patients and residents at a hospital (details supplied). [9151/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Healthcare Policy

Questions (586)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Question:

586. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health to clarify the current policy of step down and convalescent patients being transferred from a hospital (details supplied). [9152/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Hospital Services

Questions (587)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Question:

587. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when the day centre service will be reinstated to a hospital (details supplied). [9153/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Health Services Waiting Lists

Questions (588)

Holly Cairns

Question:

588. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health for a monthly breakdown of waiting list numbers for each discipline and care group across each geographical area of the Cork-Kerry primary care services from January until December 2023, in tabular form. [9166/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Health Services Waiting Lists

Questions (589)

Holly Cairns

Question:

589. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health for monthly details of the longest wait time for each discipline and care group across each geographical area of the Cork-Kerry primary care services from January until December 2023, in tabular form. [9167/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Health Services Staff

Questions (590)

Holly Cairns

Question:

590. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health for monthly details of staffing levels and recruitment for each discipline and within each care group across each geographical area of the Cork-Kerry primary care services from January until December 2023, in tabular form. [9168/24]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is an administrative matter for the Health Service Executive, the HSE has been asked to respond directly to the Deputy.

Health Services Staff

Questions (591)

Bríd Smith

Question:

591. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if any former CEOs, senior management or HR staff from Our Lady's Hospice and Care Services received exit payments on leaving the organisation since January 2019; if the organisation informed him or other Government bodies of such packages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9177/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Hospital Services

Questions (592)

Cathal Crowe

Question:

592. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the reason a foot clinic is no longer held in Tallaght University Hospital; and if there are plans to resume this vital service. [9181/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.