Tuesday, 27 Feb 2024

Written Answers Nos. 593-612

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (593)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

593. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health when a person can expect an appointment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9182/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Medicinal Products

Questions (594)

Aindrias Moynihan

Question:

594. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health if the new drug Veoza will be available in Ireland on the drugs payment scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9188/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

General Practitioner Services

Questions (595)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

595. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if a process is under way to replace a GP who is leaving an area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9196/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (596)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

596. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) can expect to receive an appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9200/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

General Practitioner Services

Questions (597)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Question:

597. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when the HSE will reinstate the five-days-a-week doctor-GP service at the Churchill Health Centre, County Donegal. [9203/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Question No. 598 answered with Question No. 469.

Health Services Staff

Questions (599)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

599. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health whether the recent decision in the parity claim of medical scientists with biochemists, which has put both categories on the same payscales from January 2024, will also apply to recent retiree medical scientists; and whether their pensions will also be brought to parity, particularly given the attempts to secure parity have been ongoing since 2002. [9212/24]

Written answers

Minister for Health (Deputy Stephen Donnelly)

Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the dedication, professionalism, and commitment of all Medical Scientists throughout the country.

Following talks at the Workplace Relations Commission back in May and June of 2022, agreement was reached to conduct an independent assessment of the role, responsibilities and pay of medical laboratory scientist grades. This assessment was undertaken by an independent assessor and the final report issued in January 2023.It was confirmed that medical laboratory scientists were performing the same duties as biochemists.

  This long-standing matter has now been resolved with the intervention of the Labour Court, who examined all relevant issues including the review of the grades involved. The Labour Court determination was explicit that the claim was effective from January 2024 making no determination of monies outside of this.

The binding determination of the Labour Court has now been incorporated into the presently proposed pay agreement negotiated in January 2024.

Mental Health Services

Questions (600)

John McGuinness

Question:

600. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health further to a previous parliamentary question, if he will provide a comprehensive update on the need for an immediate appointment with CAMHS for a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9213/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Health Services Staff

Questions (601)

Sean Fleming

Question:

601. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health when nursing and midwife staff will be excluded from the employment embargo in the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9215/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Health Services Staff

Questions (602)

Paul Kehoe

Question:

602. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health if the HSE recruitment embargo applies to an organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9220/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Cancer Services

Questions (603)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

603. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of individuals who received an invitation to take part in BowelScreen on a quarterly basis from quarter 1 2016 to the end of 2023; and the absolute number and percentage of individuals who accepted an invitation and subsequently attended a screening appointment in each of the specified months, in tabular form. [9225/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Cancer Services

Questions (604)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

604. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of individuals who received an invitation to take part in CervicalCheck on a quarterly basis from quarter 1 2016 to the end of 2023; and the absolute number and percentage of individuals who accepted an invitation and subsequently attended a screening appointment in each of the specified months, in tabular form. [9226/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Cancer Services

Questions (605)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

605. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of individuals who received an invitation to take part in BreastCheck on a quarterly basis from quarter 1 2016 to the end of 2023; and the absolute number and percentage of individuals who accepted an invitation and subsequently attended a screening appointment in each of the specified months, in tabular form. [9227/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Cancer Services

Questions (606)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

606. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reasons the BowelScreen programme has yet to be expanded to all people aged 55 to 74 years; the measures taken to date to expand the screening age; and the timeframe by which the programme will be expanded to these age groups. [9228/24]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I am fully committed to supporting our population screening programmes, which are a valuable part of our health service, enabling early treatment and care for many people, and improving the overall health of our population.

Any decisions about further changes or expansion of our screening programmes, will be made on the advice of the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC). This independent expert group considers and assesses evidence in a robust and transparent manner, and against internationally accepted criteria. It is important that we have rigorous processes in place to ensure our screening programmes are effective, quality assured and operating to safe standards and that the benefits of screening outweigh the harms.

The Programme for Government commits to expanding the age range for BowelScreen to those aged 55 to 74. Progress continues to be made in this regard, with the HSE offering screening to people aged 59 since October 2023, bringing the age range for bowel screening to 59 to 69. BowelScreen plans to next offer screening to people aged 70. However, further extending the age range eligibility for BowelScreen will need to give due consideration to balanced capacity in endoscopy facilities.

I would stress to the Deputy that careful consideration must be given to any proposed expansion of Ireland’s screening programmes and that this process must be afforded the necessary amount of time to complete. In this regard, I am pleased to report that NSAC is already progressing work to consider the further expansion of our cancer screening programmes and has asked HIQA to evaluate the evidence for the further expansion of the age range eligibility for the BowelScreen programme.

Cancer Services

Questions (607)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

607. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the total number of people who received a diagnosis of breast cancer on a national basis after referral to the "urgent" symptomatic breast disease clinic cancer in each quarter from 2016 to 2023, in tabular form. [9229/24]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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

Cancer Services

Questions (608)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

608. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the total number of people who received a diagnosis of breast cancer on a national basis after referral to the "non-urgent" symptomatic breast disease clinic cancer in each quarter from 2016 to 2023, in tabular form. [9230/24]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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

Cancer Services

Questions (609)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

609. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the total number of people who received a diagnosis of lung cancer on a national basis after referral to the lung rapid access clinic cancer in each quarter from 2016 to 2023, in tabular form. [9231/24]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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

Cancer Services

Questions (610)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

610. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the total number of people who received a diagnosis of prostate cancer on a national basis after referral to the prostate rapid access clinic cancer in each quarter from 2016 to 2023, in tabular form. [9232/24]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (611)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

611. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health when a bed for further testing and procedures can be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9236/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Questions (612)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Question:

612. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if he will ask the HSE or Saolta University Health Care Group to commence the process of identifying a site in Letterkenny, County Donegal, for a two-theatre elective surgery hospital to support the team of surgeons at Letterkenny University Hospital and to reduce waiting lists for patients in Donegal. [9239/24]

Awaiting reply from Department.