Written Answers Nos. 615-636
615. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health with regard to dentists who are not taking medical card patients, how is the Minister and the HSE going to resolve this issue that is having an adverse impact on people's oral health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9955/24]
View answerThe Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides dental care, free of charge, to medical card holders aged 16 and over. Services available annually and on demand include an examination including preventative elements, two fillings, emergency extractions, and a scale and polish. More complex care, such as dentures, and a broader range of treatments for patients with additional needs and high-risk patients, are available subject to the approval of the local HSE Principal Dental Surgeon.
To support practitioners to provide care under the Scheme, I approved and funded a range of measures that were put in place on 1 May 2022 to introduce and reintroduce elements of preventative care and increase the fees paid to dental contractors for most treatment items by 40-60%. In 2023, 154,864 additional treatments were provided under the DTSS, with over 26,700 extra patients treated when compared with 2022.
In the longer term, the Government is committed to reforming dental services, including the DTSS, through the implementation of the National Oral Health Policy (NOHP), Smile agus Sláinte. The HSE's Strategic Reform Lead is driving policy implementation across the organisation and moving forward with developing new services for both adults and children in line with the Policy.
The Policy also contains a range of strategic workforce planning actions to increase workforce capacity, in support of improving patient's access to care. To support this work, my Department is currently finalising a workforce census for oral healthcare.
618. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if he will consider reinstating HSE funding for the understanding and managing adult ADHD programme (UMAAP) which has ceased operating following a decision to cut funding for 2024; if he will reinstate HSE funding for St. Johns of Gods hospital which has stated they will have to close some facilities due to funding cuts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9966/24]
View answerADHD has long been recognised as one of the most common psychiatric disorders in children and it is now known to persist into adulthood. Core symptoms include inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.
It can cause many issues in areas such as personal and social relations, education and occupation, managing money and organising life in general. There is also an increased risk of having other mental health difficulties with it such as anxiety and depression.
Children can access ADHD assessments through the National Educational Psychological Service. In addition to this, as per the CAMHS Operational Guidelines, CAMHS take referrals for children and adolescents up to age 18 with moderate to severe ADHD.
I am aware that prior to the inception of the National Clinical Programme for Adults with ADHD which I launched in 2021, there were no specific ADHD public services available for Adults in Ireland.
The National Clinical Programme for ADHD is delivered as part of the HSE’s mental health service provision to ensure an integrated, person-centred response to adults with ADHD. The programme includes both assessment and treatment of the disorder and works collaboratively with voluntary agencies. It envisages a national service of ADHD teams, with each Team comprised of Consultant Psychiatrist, Senior Psychologist, Senior Occupational Therapist, Clinical Nurse Specialist Mental Health, and an administrator.
Enhancement of specialist mental health services such as ADHD is a key priority for myself as a Minister, the Government as a whole and the HSE. Since 2021, over €3 million has been made available for funding ADHD posts from Programme for Government funding. This has enabled the set-up of 5 ADHD Teams with recruitment of over 25 posts, and two more teams are currently in development with posts funded for them.
In addition, as part of the National Clinical Programme adults funding of €150,000 was allocated to facilitate a collaboration with ADHD Ireland and the UCD School of Psychology to develop an ADHD app and the UMAAP Programme (Understanding and Managing Adult ADHD Programme). Both the ADHD App and the UMAAP Programme have proven to be two very positive resources for people with ADHD. The UMAAP Programme is delivered as a 5-week workshop, and its aim is to provide education and tools for adults on how to manage ADHD.
I am pleased to confirm that further to recent discussions between the Department of Health and the HSE to finalise 2024 mental health funding, ADHD Ireland will be provided with funding for provision of the UMAAP Programme in 2024 and beyond. I look forward to launching the UMAAP Programme in April as agreed with ADHD Ireland.
With regards to the issue at St. John of Gods services, l have welcomed last week's joint statement (28th February) from the Health Service Executive (HSE) and St John of God Community Services regarding the agreement they have reached to allow the Service to continue to provide its full range of publicly funded supports at all existing locations. To note, St John of Gods Hospital is a separate entity from St. John of Gods Community Services, and so was unaffected by the issue.
619. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health the number of patients on trollies per day from December 2023 to date at University Hospital Limerick, in tabular form. [9970/24]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly with the requested information.
620. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment with a consultant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9972/24]
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.
621. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will urgently re-instate home help hours for a person (details supplied). [9973/24]
View answerAs 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.
622. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the need for a task force to address the care and treatment of children with conditions such as spina bifida and scoliosis; if he can provide an update on the current policies in place to ensure timely treatment for these children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9981/24]
View answerFirstly, I want to acknowledge that waiting lists for scoliosis and spina bifida services are unacceptably long. I am acutely conscious of the burden that this places on patients and their families.
I committed €19 million under the 2022 and 2023 Waiting List Action Plans to tackle these waiting lists. This investment has supported an increase in the number of spinal procedures undertaken in both 2022 and 2023, with 509 and 464 procedures carried out respectively, compared to 380 in 2019.
Progress is being made on the waiting lists for spinal procedures, despite the significant increase in demands and referrals compared to previous years. At the end of December 2023 there were 231 children on the waiting for spinal procedures (excluding suspensions), which is a 5% reduction compared to the end of 2022, and 78 active patients waiting over 4 months, which is a 13% reduction compared to the end of 2022. I had hoped, and expected, to see more significant reductions to the waiting lists given the funding that was allocated. However, despite undertaking a record number of spinal procedures over the last two years, the expected reductions in the waiting list were offset by a significant increase in demand and referrals compared to previous years.
At my request, a dedicated Paediatric Spinal Surgery Management Unit has been established in Children's Health Ireland and the Clinical Specialty Lead for Spinal Surgery commenced in post in January 2024. This Unit, which is coordinated cross-city, is focusing on the management and delivery of spinal surgery, including reform of the waiting lists. I have met the clinical lead who is now building up a team around him.
I also intend to convene a dedicated stakeholder taskforce, with an independent chair, for these services. This Taskforce will include all stakeholders, including patient representatives and clinicians. I met with some patient advocacy groups on the 19th of February to discuss the terms of reference for this taskforce. Patient advocates were clear about what they want this new Taskforce to do and, in collaboration with the advocacy groups, work is progressing on drafting these terms of reference.
I will continue to drive progress on Scoliosis and Spina Bifida services as priority areas under the Waiting List Action Plan 2024.
623. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health to outline in tabular form the name of organisations providing addiction and recovery services in Waterford; the nature of the services they provide; and the funding they were provided in 2023 including primary, secondary and community services. [9983/24]
View answerAs this refers to a service matter, I have sent this PQ to the HSE for direct response. 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.
624. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health if he will give a commitment to extend the special pay with leave long-Covid scheme for healthcare workers past 31 March 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9984/24]
View answerIn the public health sector, a temporary Special Scheme has been in place since July 2022 to provide special leave with pay for eligible staff in respect of Long Covid. This Special Scheme has been extended a number of times, however it will conclude as planned on 31st March 2024 and no further extensions will be granted. Employees impacted by the conclusion of the Special Scheme will receive an individual notification of this from their employer this week.
Any employee of the public health sector remaining unwell after that date, may utilise the full provisions of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme which will provide further support.
The sick leave scheme provides full pay for three months, followed by half pay for three months, and after that, Temporary Rehabilitative Remuneration may be applied for, which, if granted, provides up to a further 547 days of paid leave. The Critical Illness Protocol that forms part of the sick leave scheme may also provide additional supports if granted.
625. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health further to a previous Parliamentary Question, if the case of a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if this charge can be made against them. [9991/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
626. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will receive an MRI appointment as a matter of urgency in UHL or the Bon Secours Limerick as outlined in correspondence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9996/24]
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.
627. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will consider reimbursement for a procedure (details supplied). [9997/24]
View answerThe HSE funds and operates the public healthcare system in Ireland. Private Hospitals and healthcare providers are independent organisations. In general, patients use their private health insurance when accessing healthcare in the private sector, while some patients who do not have private health insurance may opt to pay privately for the treatment.
Treatment accessed in the independent private healthcare system is not eligible for reimbursement by the HSE or the Department of Health.
628. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied) and their chosen care facility. [10001/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
629. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if he can provide information on the rate of referral to cardiac rehabilitation phase 3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10011/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
630. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the cost of extending the chronic disease management programme to all heart failure patients; the current number of heart failure patients on the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10012/24]
View answerUnder the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. 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 over a 4-year period. 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).
The CDM programme is an entirely new healthcare service in Ireland that has brought the care for chronic disease further into the community and it aims to reduce hospital attendance by patients with one or more of these specified conditions.
Further expansion of the programme, to include additional conditions or to include non-GMS patients heart failure patients, would require rigorous clinical assessment and engagement with stakeholders, including the GPs delivering the service. The cost of extending the service to those not currently eligible would depend on the outcome of those considerations.
With respect to the current number of heart failure patients on the programme, as 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.
631. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the resources and funding that is required to ensure that all hospitals are able to participate fully in the Irish National Audit of Stroke; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10013/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
632. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the resources and funding that is required to enable opportunistic screening for atrial fibrillation for all people aged 65 years and over; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10014/24]
View answerUnder the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. 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 over a 4-year period. 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 Opportunistic case finding programme, cases are identified on an opportunistic basis i.e. when a patient attends for another issue, risk criteria are applied and appropriate tests/assessments carried out to identify those with chronic disease or those at high risk of chronic disease. The Opportunistic Case Finding Programme identifies those at high risk of cardiovascular disease or diabetes for entry to the Preventive Programme and those with previously undiagnosed chronic disease(s) are enrolled under the Treatment Programme.
The CDM programme is an entirely new healthcare service in Ireland that has brought the care for chronic disease further into the community and it aims to reduce hospital attendance by patients with one or more of these specified conditions.
Further expansion of the programme, to include additional conditions or to include non-GMS patients with atrial fibrillation, would require rigorous clinical assessment and engagement with stakeholders, including the GPs delivering the service. The additional cost of implementing the CDM Programme for all of those aged over 65 and not currently eligible would depend on the outcome of the relevant clinical assessment and engagement with stakeholders.
633. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health how many hospitals have access to a clinical psychologist as part of stroke unit care; if he can provide an update on the funding and staffing of clinical psychology posts in stroke unit care; the costing and funding requirements for clinical psychology posts as part of the National Stroke Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10015/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
634. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the cost of abolishing prescription charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10016/24]
View answerPrescription charges were introduced in the Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2010. On 1 November 2020, prescription charges were reduced as follows:
• For those aged over 70, €1 per item with a maximum charge of €10 per month.
• For those aged under 70, €1.50 per item with a maximum charge of €15 per month.
On the basis that the prescription charge income for 2023 was €91.8m, the abolition of prescription charges would be expected to cost in excess of that.
This costing does not take account of changes in demographics or in eligibility numbers (i.e., changes in the number of medical card holders). It also does not take account of how the abolition of prescription charges may impact on claimant behaviour.
635. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health what consideration has been given to the development of a programme like the healthy start and best start programme in the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10017/24]
View answerThank you for your query on the Healthy Start Campaign in the UK whereby the NHS provides advice and guidance during pregnancy, birth and early parenthood. Vouchers are available for pregnant women and young children for food groups such as fruit & vegetables and milk.
In Ireland, the vision in “Healthy Ireland- a framework for health and wellbeing”, is for everyone to enjoy physical and mental health and wellbeing to their full potential, where wellbeing is valued and supported at every level of society and is everyone’s responsibility. The framework adopts a life- course approach to promoting health and wellbeing for everyone. Under the auspice of the Obesity Policy and Action Plan 2015- 2025 and the First 5 strategy, many integrated, cross-sectoral and high-quality supports and services for an effective early childhood system have been developed.
Set out below are a number of relevant resources, initiatives and supports:
- Healthy Ireland with First 5 has published guidelines for parents of young children. “Healthy Eating for 1 to 4 Year Olds” includes the Children’s Food Pyramid which can help parents decide which and how much of each food they should offer their child.
-START is the public health campaign from Safefood, the Departments of Health in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, Healthy Ireland, the Health Service Executive and the Public Health Agency. The START campaign aims to support families to take small steps to eating healthier food and becoming more active. This campaign and a wide range of resources can be accessed on the Safefood website.
-The recently published Nutrition Standards for Early Learning and Care Services and implementation plan for early years educators and aim is to inform the development and implementation of Healthy Eating Policy and Practice in Early Learning and Care Services.
-Like the Healthy Start UK campaign, the mychild.ie website provides information to parents-to-be and parents of young children on a range of topics with a significant focus on infant feeding.
-The Sláintecare Healthy Communities Programme (SHCP), led by Healthy Ireland in the Department of Health, in partnership with cross-sectoral, national and local stakeholders, aims to address health inequalities and improve health and well-being. Nineteen community food and nutrition workers have been recruited to build capacity, knowledge and skills across SHCP communities. They are tasked with working with local statutory and voluntary partners to improve the food environment and address food poverty and activate agreed national campaigns.
-The Hot School Meals Programme, funded by the Department of Social Protection, aims to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The Programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. The Department of Social Protection is continuing to expand the School Meals Programme. The Nutrition Standards for Hot School Meals were established by Healthy Ireland and are designed to guide school meals suppliers in creating suitable menu options to meet healthy eating guidelines (FSAI 2016) for children in primary school.
-The School Fruit and Vegetables Scheme (Food Dudes, Ireland) promotes science-based healthy eating by encouraging primary school children to increase fruit and vegetables intake. In 2017, the School Milk Scheme merged with the School Fruit and Vegetables Scheme (Food Dudes) and offers participating schools access to 250ml of milk per day, free-of-charge for children up to 18 years of age and is funded by the Department of Agriculture and Marine.
Difficulty in meeting food costs and other regular ongoing needs may result from a family encountering exceptional expenditure. In this regard, Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, may be provided for people who have essential expenses, which they cannot meet from their own resources.
Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office. In addition, applications can be made online via MyWelfare.ie.
In summary, I have referred to a range of multi- sectoral initiatives that this Department collaborates on across Government to promote health and well-being in young children. Any future fiscal measures to support healthy eating in the young is a matter for the Department of Finance.
636. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health what measures his Department is undertaking to assist members of the public (details supplied) in accessing GP care in Kildare, where there is a difficulty for patients in securing a place on a GP client list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10018/24]
View answerGPs are private practitioners, most of whom hold a GMS contract with the HSE for the provision of medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders.
Where a GMS patient, a person that holds a medical card or GP visit card, experiences difficulty in finding a GP to accept them as a patient, the person concerned having unsuccessfully applied to at least three GPs in the area (or fewer if there are fewer GPs in the area) can apply to the HSE National Medical Card Unit which has the power to assign a GMS patient to a GP's GMS patient list, in accordance with the GMS contract.
Furthermore, GMS patients who are assigned to a GP's GMS panel and wish to change their GMS GP can do so via the “Change of GP form” available from the HSE website. The GMS scheme operates under a choice of doctor principle, meaning that patients who hold a medical or GP visit card have the freedom to choose their GP, or move from one GP to another, provided the new GP is willing to accept the patient to their panel, and that the GP concerned holds a GMS contract.
People who do not hold a medical card or GP visit card access GP services on a private basis and can make enquiries directly to any GP practice they wish to register with. As private practitioners, it is a matter for each individual GP to decide whether to accept additional private patients. Neither my department nor the HSE have a role in assigning patients who do not hold a medical card or a GP visit card to a GP's patient list.
