Written Answers Nos. 163-183
163. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the status of the promised surgical hub in Galway; to provide details on the project; the timeline for when the surgical hub will be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9577/24]
View answerI have asked the HSE, as Sponsoring Agency with day-to-day responsibility for the delivery of the Surgical Hubs to respond to you directly in relation to the matters raised.
164. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No, 1922 of 11 September 2023, the status of the proposed primary care centre for Galway City West; the expected timeline for the delivery of the centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9578/24]
View answerAs 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 to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
165. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No, 1279 of 11 July 2023, the status of the development of a primary care centre on Inisbofin; the status of the land transfer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9579/24]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday 6th October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
166. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health to review a case (details supplied); if this child can be seen within the public dental system to rectify this issue; how this parent goes about same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9602/24]
View answer167. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health to give a breakdown of public health nurses by year 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 in Dublin South City (details supplied) with details on each health centre they are assigned to, and the areas they each cover to further detail how many public health nurse roles are unfilled in each district either though people leaving or temporarily due to career break or maternity leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9604/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
168. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 600 of 13 February 2024, if he expects an interim report into spinal surgeries at Temple Street Children's Hospital to be published in the coming weeks, as previously committed to; the timeline for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9606/24]
View answerThe Independent External Reviewer finalised the terms of reference of the review in November 2023. The terms of reference state that a final report will be submitted to the Commissioner at the conclusion of the Independent Review and published thereafter. Therefore, I do not expect any interim reports.
This first phase of the review is expected to be completed in April 2024, after which the timeline for completion of the review and publication of the final report will become clearer. It is essential that the recommendations and learnings from this review are adopted and fully implemented.
169. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if the proposal to allow community pharmacists to dispense prescription-free oral contraceptives will be considered by the Women’s Health Taskforce as part of the Women’s Health Action Plan 2024-2025; the timeline for publication of the updated plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9607/24]
View answerThe free contraception scheme for women aged 17 -25, ordinarily resident in Ireland, was launched on 14th September, 2022. Its remit has been expanded gradually to include women aged from 17 to 31 inclusive, from January 1st, 2024. Approximately €43.9m has been allocated to support the scheme in 2024 and approximately 2,400 GPs, primary care, family planning and student health centres and 2,050 community pharmacies have contracts with the HSE to provide services under the scheme.
The scheme covers the cost of consultations with GPs, primary care, student health and family planning centres and prescriptions for the wide range of contraceptive options available on the HSE Re-Imbursement List, including long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs: injections, intra-uterine devices and systems (coils) and implants) and emergency contraception in addition to the contraceptive Pill, patch and ring. LARC fittings, removals, injections and check-ups are also free of charge under the scheme.
Women who have had coils, IUDs, IUSs or implants inserted while eligible under the scheme will remain eligible for subsequent checks and free removal of any devices inserted prior to their 32nd birthday, to ensure continuity of care.
It is important to note that prescription contraception, while being very effective at preventing unplanned pregnancy, does not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The National Condom Distribution Scheme supports both STI prevention and accessible contraception for men and their partners. Free condoms can be accessed through the national network of STI clinics, participating charities and NGO partners and on participating 3rd level campuses. Since 2023, free condoms have also been supplied with orders for free home STI testing kits.
The Women’s Health Action Plan 2022-23 was published on 8 March 2022, marking International Women’s Day. The Action Plan identified key actions to improve health outcomes and experiences for women in Ireland; including the introduction of a Free Contraception Scheme. It provides the foundation to address women’s whole health and help ensure that action on women’s health looks beyond reproductive health to make a real difference to women’s lives.
The Minister for Health remains committed to working with the Taskforce and all stakeholders in continuing to drive progress in this space and to give women and girls the health services they deserve. The free contraception scheme is an integral part of the Women’s Health Action Plan (WHAP) and will also be included in the forthcoming Second National Sexual Health Strategy (NSHS).
Supports for free contraception will be a key priority for the WHAP and for the NSHS. It is envisaged that the next iteration of the National Sexual Health Strategy will be published in mid-2024.
The Minister for Health is committed to expanding the role that pharmacists play in our health services, and established the Expert Taskforce on the Expansion of Pharmacy to make recommendations as to the way forward.
The Minister is pleased to progress the Health Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2024, which has passed Second Stage in the Dáil. This legislation will lay the ground for an enhanced role for pharmacists in Ireland, with further developments to follow via secondary legislation.
The Bill intends to amend the 1995 Irish Medicines Board Act to enable pharmacists to sell and supply certain approved medicines without the need for a prescription, subject to appropriate regulation and controls to be set out in secondary legislation.
This aligns with and supports the current practice of pharmacists supplying and administering vaccinations, both privately and on behalf of the HSE. This amendment may also enable regulations to allow pharmacists to supply Oral Contraceptive Pills without prescription, to support the Free Contraception Scheme, subject to further clarification and consultation with stakeholders.
170. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of his Department’s review of the pharmacy fee structure under section 42(14) of the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017; the timeline for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9608/24]
View answerI recognise the significant role community pharmacists play in the delivery of patient care and acknowledge the potential for this role to be developed further in the context of healthcare service reform.
In that regard, various approaches to extending the scope of practice of community pharmacists are being progressed by my Department. The implementation of these necessitates engagement with a range of stakeholders and full consideration of all the relevant legislative and operational issues involved. The establishment of the Expert Taskforce to support the expansion of the role of pharmacists in Ireland is evidence of my commitment to that aim.
The regulations governing the pharmacy fee structure are set out in the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 (No. 34 of 2017) and in S.I. No. 639 of 2019, the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 (Payments to Community Pharmacy Contractors) Regulations 2019, which put the current fee structure in place, with effect from 1 January 2020.
Under Section 42(14) of the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 the pharmacy fee structure must be reviewed every third year after 2020. My Department is carrying out a comprehensive review.
There has been constructive engagement between Department officials and the Irish Pharmacy Union to advance consideration of a range of initiatives to support an enhanced role of pharmacy, and this engagement is continuing.
I believe that there is a real opportunity to work collaboratively with community pharmacists, and with other healthcare providers, to make a significant difference to patient outcomes. Of course, any publicly funded pharmacy service expansion should address unmet public healthcare needs, improve access to existing public health services, and provide better value for money.
171. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the total allocations for the chronic disease management programme since its establishment. [9610/24]
View answerAs this is a service 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 commenced industrial action on Friday, 6 October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
172. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the number of patients currently being treated through the chronic disease management programme. [9611/24]
View answerAs this is a service 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 commenced industrial action on Friday, 6 October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
173. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the number of GPs contracted to work through the chronic disease management programme. [9612/24]
View answerAs this is a service 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 commenced industrial action on Friday, 6 October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
174. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the number of nurses contracted to work through the chronic disease management programme. [9613/24]
View answerPractice nurses are not contracted with the HSE to work under the General Practitioner (GP) Chronic Disease Management (CDM) programme.
GPs are private practitioners and as such, privately employ practice staff as they see fit and as suitable to the particular needs of their practice. Under the GMS scheme, GPs are paid a subsidy towards the cost of employing a practice nurse and/or a practice administrator. GPs participating in the CDM programme receive a practice nurse grant per CDM patient in respect of the services provided by practice nurses under the programme.
In regards to chronic disease related community services, funding provided under the Enhanced Community Care (ECC) programme facilitates, amongst other initiatives, the development of 30 Community Specialist Teams for the Management of Chronic Diseases as well as 30 Community Specialist Teams for Older Persons. To date, 54 of these teams are operational, with over 2,800 staff recruited to the ECC Programme.
I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly in relation to the number of nurses providing chronic disease services through the Community Specialist Teams.
175. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he would consider including other conditions to the chronic disease management programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9614/24]
View answerAs provided for under the 2019 GP Agreement, the General Practitioner (GP) Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Programme commenced in 2020 and has been rolled out on a phased basis to adult GMS (Medical Card and GP Visit Card) patients from 2020 to 2023.
The specified chronic conditions included in the Programme are Type 2 Diabetes; Asthma; Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Cardiovascular Disease (including Heart Failure, Ischaemic Heart Disease, Cerebrovascular Disease (Stroke/Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), Atrial Fibrillation).
Under the GP Agreement of 2023, agreement was secured to include hypertension, and women who have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes or pre-eclampsia since January 2023 in the CDM Preventative Programme. The latter service commenced in November 2023.
Further expansion of the programme to include additional conditions would require rigorous clinical assessment and engagement with stakeholders, including the GPs delivering the service.
176. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if orthodontic treatments (details supplied) can be funded through the Northern Ireland planned healthcare scheme for a minor. [9621/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
177. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of any new dental patients who are medical card holders finding it difficult to locate a dentist in the Cork area who will accept them as patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9628/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
178. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of people on the waiting list for long term stay in a community hospital in Donegal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9630/24]
View answer179. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of respite beds in a community hospital in Donegal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9631/24]
View answer180. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health what the long term stay capacity will be post refurbishment in a community hospital in Donegal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9632/24]
View answer181. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of people waiting on a respite bed in a community hospital in Donegal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9633/24]
View answer182. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if respite beds have been reinstated after refurbishment in a community hospital in Donegal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9634/24]
View answer183. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of long-term stay beds to be retained after refurbishment in a community hospital in Donegal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9635/24]
View answer186. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the waiting time for a respite bed in a community hospital in Donegal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9667/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183 and 186 together.
As these are operational matters, 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 questions asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
