Written Answers Nos. 749-769
749. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which it is proposed to offer a national hearing care plan to facilitate those suffering from hearing loss; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10603/24]
View answerThe World Health Organisation’s World Report on Hearing published in March 2021 recommends, among other things, that governments develop a comprehensive people-centred hearing care plan within their national health care plan.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) published revised Best Practice Guidelines for the Provision of Hearing Aid Services for Adults in Ireland on the 7 February 2023. The HSE also published Quality Standards for Paediatric Community Audiology Services on the 13 October 2022. These standards are sequenced to reflect the patient pathway. In addition, the rollout of a National Audiology Clinical Management system in 2020 is facilitating accurate data collection in respect of community audiology services.
In light of these recent developments, the Department had engaged with the HSE regarding the need for an additional hearing care plan.
The Department and the HSE agree that there is such a need. The Department will lead on the development of such a plan, with considerable input from the HSE. Other relevant stakeholders will also be invited to provide input as needed.
The hearing care plan will consider the appropriate linkage between public and private provision of care to support improved access to services. This work will take place in tandem with other efforts to improve health outcomes for all those suffering from hearing loss.
750. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health the reason student nurses subsistence payments of €500 per year promised for 2023 onwards, have still not been received leaving a current shortfall of €1,000 per student and leading to additional financial pressure for these students; if there is a current schedule to provide these payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10617/24]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, following approval by Government on 13 December 2022, I was pleased to announce €9 million in additional supports for student nurses and midwives. €5.4m of this funding provides for an enhanced Travel and Subsistence Scheme for eligible students in publicly funded undergraduate nursing and midwifery courses while attending their supernumerary clinical practice placements. Supernumerary students in midwifery, general, combined children's and general, intellectual disability and psychiatric nursing all have the same entitlement.
The Department of Health Circular 4/2023 issued to the HSE on 27 February 2023, set out revised arrangements to apply. This scheme provides a targeted and more equitable approach to supporting these students and its main features are set out hereunder: -
• Eligible student nurses and midwives in years 1 to 3 of their studies will each receive €500 per year as a targeted measure to contribute towards meeting the extra costs of meals associated with practice placements outside the student’s core placement site;
• a new rate of €80 for overnight accommodation along with an increased weekly cap of €300, (for those eligible supernumerary students who require accommodation away from their normal place of residence while attending practice placements). This weekly cap is almost six times the previous cap and three times the cap introduced on 1st January 2022;
• supernumerary students requiring overnight accommodation will also be able to avail of, on a vouched basis, the reasonable cost of uniform laundry services;
• supernumerary students on the undergraduate nursing/midwifery programme continue to be entitled to claim for payment of travel expenses necessarily incurred while attending placements, on the basis of receipts provided by the student and certified by the Student Allocation Liaison Officer (SALO) in the clinical partner site. Public transport should be used wherever possible. Where public transport is not available and the use of private transport is necessary to attend placements, a supernumerary student is entitled to claim for payment of these necessarily incurred travel expenses. These should be paid on the same basis as that which applies generally in the public sector.
• the enhanced Travel and Subsistence Scheme is backdated to the start of the 2022/2023 academic year, and additional once off funding of €2.4m was allocated to cover arrears arising from September to December 2022.
Payment of allowances to eligible students is a priority for me. I would like these payments to students, particularly those in respect of the 2022/2023 academic year, to have been made long ago. While the HSE has advised that payments have commenced in a number of areas, I remain concerned at the slow pace of payments. I have therefore asked my Department to pursue the matter with the HSE and keep me informed.
As details around the number of payments made to date are the responsibility of the HSE, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on these matters.
751. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which treatment is planned for those that suffer with epidermolysis bullosa; the extent to which plans are in hand to provide these people access to the support required, including homecare support and mental health support, with particular reference to addressing their quality of life; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10635/24]
View answerAs the matter raised is a service delivery matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
752. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health in light of the Department of Health Circular 4/2023 issued to the HSE on 27 February 2023, if a case for student accommodation (details supplied) will be refunded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10636/24]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, following approval by Government on 13 December 2022, I was pleased to announce €9 million in additional supports for student nurses and midwives. €5.4m of this funding provides for an enhanced Travel and Subsistence Scheme for eligible students in publicly funded undergraduate nursing and midwifery courses while attending their supernumerary clinical practice placements. Supernumerary students in midwifery, general, combined children's and general, intellectual disability and psychiatric nursing all have the same entitlement.
The Department of Health Circular 4/2023 issued to the HSE on 27 February 2023, set out revised arrangements to apply. This scheme provides a targeted and more equitable approach to supporting these students and its main features are set out hereunder: -
• Eligible student nurses and midwives in years 1 to 3 of their studies will each receive €500 per year as a targeted measure to contribute towards meeting the extra costs of meals associated with practice placements outside the student’s core placement site;
• a new rate of €80 for overnight accommodation along with an increased weekly cap of €300, (for those eligible supernumerary students who require accommodation away from their normal place of residence while attending practice placements). This weekly cap is almost six times the previous cap and three times the cap introduced on 1st January 2022;
• supernumerary students requiring overnight accommodation will also be able to avail of, on a vouched basis, the reasonable cost of uniform laundry services;
• supernumerary students on the undergraduate nursing/midwifery programme continue to be entitled to claim for payment of travel expenses necessarily incurred while attending placements, on the basis of receipts provided by the student and certified by the Student Allocation Liaison Officer (SALO) in the clinical partner site. Public transport should be used wherever possible. Where public transport is not available and the use of private transport is necessary to attend placements, a supernumerary student is entitled to claim for payment of these necessarily incurred travel expenses. These should be paid on the same basis as that which applies generally in the public sector.
• the enhanced Travel and Subsistence Scheme is backdated to the start of the 2022/2023 academic year, and additional once off funding of €2.4m was allocated to cover arrears arising from September to December 2022.
Payment of allowances to eligible students is a priority for me. I would like these payments to students, particularly those in respect of the 2022/2023 academic year, to have been made long ago. While the HSE has advised that payments have commenced in a number of areas, I remain concerned at the slow pace of payments. I have therefore asked my Department to pursue the matter with the HSE and keep me informed.
In relation to the question asked by the Deputy, payments to eligible students covered by Circular 4/2023 are a matter for the HSE and individual hospitals and I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this issue.
753. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of child psychologists employed in Wexford; how many vacant positions there are; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10640/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
754. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health about mental health funding for voluntary mental health organisations in Wexford, and how much was allocated from 2020 to the present; how groups can apply for funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10641/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
755. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health to review correspondence in relation to the case of a child (details supplied); the status of a dental appointment for them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10666/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
756. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if the recommendation contained within the HIQA report resulting from the unannounced inspection of the emergency department at University Hospital Limerick (details supplied) has been acted upon; if so, the details of when it was started and when it will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10668/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
758. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health when an audiologist will be appointed for Midlands Regional Hospital, Mullingar, County Westmeath. [10680/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
759. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health his plans to remove prescription fees for medical card holders; and his views on the affordability of prescription medications for medical card holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10683/24]
View answerPrescription charges were introduced in the Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2010. On 1 November 2020, prescription charges under the General Medical Services (GMS) scheme were reduced as follows:
• To €1.00 per item for persons over 70, with a maximum monthly charge of €10.00.
• To €1.50 per item for persons under 70, with a maximum monthly charge of €15.00.
Any health measures introduced in the upcoming budget will be in the context of the implementation of the health commitments in the Programme for Government and the funding available to progress healthcare priorities.
760. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health did the HSE provide a taxi transport service for a person in County Donegal (details supplied) to attend Sligo University Hospital for intravitreal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10686/24]
View answer761. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if the HSE had provided a taxi transport service for a person in County Donegal (details supplied) to attend Sligo University Hospital for intravitreal, the reason this service will no longer be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10687/24]
View answer762. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if a person from County Donegal (details supplied) attended Sligo University Hospital for intravitreal; can this person receive this treatment in Letterkenny University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10688/24]
View answer769. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if the HSE had provided a taxi transport service for a person in County Donegal (details supplied) to attend Sligo University Hospital for intravitreal injections, the reason this service will no longer be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10733/24]
View answer770. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if a person from County Donegal (details supplied) attended Sligo University Hospital for intravitreal treatment, can this person receive this treatment in Letterkenny University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10734/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 760, 761, 762, 769 and 770 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
763. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of staff of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland who were requested to sign non disclosure agreements/confidentiality agreements prior to their departure for the period 2016 to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10691/24]
View answerResponsibility for the regulation of nurses and midwives in Ireland rests with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). The NMBI is an independent regulatory body established under the Nurses and Midwives Act, 2011.
As the query raised by the Deputy is a matter for the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), I have referred the question to the NMBI for its attention and direct response to the Deputy.
764. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of staff of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland who were given exit packages from the organisation from 2016 to date in 2024, in tabular form; the total amount paid per year from 2016 to 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10692/24]
View answerResponsibility for the regulation of nurses and midwives in Ireland rests with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). The NMBI is an independent regulatory body established under the Nurses and Midwives Act, 2011.
As the query raised by the Deputy is a matter for the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), I have referred the question to the NMBI for its attention and direct response to the Deputy.
765. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the total cost of payments to legal firms by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland relating to High Court action taken by former employees from 2016 to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10693/24]
View answerResponsibility for the regulation of nurses and midwives in Ireland rests with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). The NMBI is an independent regulatory body established under the Nurses and Midwives Act, 2011.
As the query raised by the Deputy is a matter for the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), I have referred the question to the NMBI for its attention and direct response to the Deputy.
766. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the hospitals which have implemented the health performance visibility platform system, in tabular form; the hospitals which have not; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10712/24]
View answerThe Health Performance Visualisation Platform (HPVP) has been introduced by the HSE to address a gap in the centralised information available to support strategic and operational performance monitoring across acute hospitals. It is being implemented firstly in 28 acute public hospitals across the country.
HPVP is a system for managing acute hospital information, which, by producing timely and meaningful reports and insights, can support hospitals in their daily and longer term decision making and will inform their planning of improvements at hospital level.
20 hospitals have the system in place and HSE are working with the remaining hospitals that are part of phase 1, to conclude the necessary data sharing agreements, with a view to them going live on the system before the end of March 2024.
The Minister has indicated funding for capital proposals will be paused until remaining hospitals demonstrate compliance with the HPVP programme.
The Minister has also asked the Department of Health’s new productivity and savings taskforce to look at using the new HPVP to prioritise where development funding should go next year.
These measures are aligned with the need to ensure we are rewarding success in the health service and meet the expectation for full transparency and engagement in system improvement from organisations that are almost exclusively funded by the Exchequer.
HSE are engaging with Hospital Management to secure confirmation of go-live dates for all remaining sites.
Phase 1 began the process of aggregating data flows from 28 acute hospitals. Phase 2 will continue this work to all remaining acute hospitals.
The following status information is correct as of 1 st March 2024. Sites are listed in no particular order. Sites yet to go live are at various stages of completing data sharing agreements.
|
Sites already live with HPVP |
Sites yet to go Live with HPVP |
|
|
1 |
Sligo |
CHI |
|
2 |
Mayo |
Cappagh |
|
3 |
Letterkenny |
Mater |
|
4 |
Mullingar |
Tallaght |
|
5 |
Portlaoise |
Beaumont |
|
6 |
Cavan |
St. James |
|
7 |
Tullamore |
St. Vincents |
|
8 |
Cork (CUH) |
|
|
9 |
Galway (GUH) |
|
|
10 |
Mercy |
|
|
11 |
Kerry |
|
|
12 |
Drogheda (OLOL) |
|
|
13 |
Tipperary |
|
|
14 |
Limerick |
|
|
15 |
Wexford |
|
|
16 |
Portiuncula |
|
|
17 |
St. Lukes |
|
|
18 |
Navan |
|
|
19 |
Connolly |
|
|
20 |
Naas |
|
|
21 |
Waterford (technically ready, but data validation process still to be completed) |
767. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he will seek to require use of the health performance visibility platform at locations where work is contracted for public patients, such as through the national treatment purchase fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10713/24]
View answerThe HPVP system is contracted for use at hospital level and phase 1 includes 28 public and voluntary hospitals. Private hospitals are not within scope. A real-time daily view of the weekly National Treatment Purchase Fund waiting list will be incorporated into the HPVP platform in 2024. This will enable hospitals to manage NTPF patients more effectively by using analytics available within HPVP.
768. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health to report on the progression of a new emergency department for Beaumont Hospital; the timeline for delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10714/24]
View answerThe proposed new Emergency Department (ED) at Beaumont Hospital (which includes the reconfiguration of the existing ED), is a large and complex capital proposal, which is in the early stages of design development.
The HSE has appointed a design team to progress the proposal for the new ED. The Design Team intend to commence the Planning and Statutory Consents process in Q2 2024, subject to compliance with the HSE Capital Development Procedure and Protocols and Infrastructure Guidelines (which replaced the Public Spending Code in December 2023).
The project team is currently finalising the Preliminary Business Case (PBC) in line with the Infrastructure Guidelines requirements. As a proposal of projected cost less than €200m, the process for the new Beaumont ED proposal will be managed through the HSE capital development process rather than requiring direct submission to the Department or Government for consent.
The final decision to proceed with construction and estimate the timeline to completion, cannot be made until there is a Final Business Case, the tender process is completed, and determination that the proposal remains affordable and continues to represent value for money.
