Written Answers Nos. 1545-1566
1545. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Health for waiting times for the school dental programme in Wicklow, including details of how frequently a child currently receives a dental check-up under the programme during their time in primary school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1383/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
1546. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Health for details of wait times for CAMHS services in Wicklow for Q3 and Q4 of 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1387/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
1547. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health if he will respond to correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1399/25]
View answerUndergraduate nursing and midwifery programmes are 4 years in duration, with the exception of the Children’s and General Integrated Programme which is 4.5 years.
Mandatory supernumerary clinical placements occur for 45 weeks from year 1 of the programme right through to the first semester of year 4. Allocation to a clinical placement is driven by educational needs enabling the student to achieve stated learning outcomes. Clinical placements are generally between 12 to 15 weeks per year.
During years 1 – 3 of the programmes, and for a part of year 4, undergraduate student nurses and midwives complete clinical placements as supernumerary students; meaning their status as students is protected and they are not subject to missing essential learning time through working status. These students are not employees and are additional to the workforce in a learning capacity and are therefore not paid.
The final year internship placement for student nurses and midwives consists of a continual 36-week rostered clinical placement, including annual leave. The internship placement is a paid placement and individual student nurses and midwives are considered as 0.5 WTE of the workforce. This ensures reduced supervision remains in place to support final learning weeks. As these intern students receive a paid salary, they are not eligible for the travel and subsistence scheme which is designed specifically to support student nurses and midwives undertaking supernumerary clinical placements.
The enhanced travel and subsistence scheme for student nurses and midwives undertaking supernumerary clinical placement arose following recommendation from the McHugh Report, which was an examination of the existing arrangements regarding additional travel, subsistence and accommodation requirements of student nurses and midwives on clinical placement specifically. It is governed by the Department of Health Circular 4/2023: Payment of Clinical Placement Allowances to Undergraduate Supernumerary Nursing and Midwifery Students.
Under this circular the enhanced scheme allows for students required to travel or avail of overnight accommodation to attend supernumerary placements to be reimbursed for these expenses. It also provides for an allowance of €500 per year during years 1-3 of the undergraduate programme as a targeted measure to contribute towards meeting the extra costs of meals associated with practice placements outside the student’s core placement site
Additional supports are also provided for students beginning their internships such as, the provision of two extra uniforms, a uniform laundry allowance where required, and re-instated pay at 80% of first year staff nurse/midwife pay scale.
In relation to the specific case referred to 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.
1548. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the estimated current costs that would be required to extend the opening hours of the urgent care centre at CHI in Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown from 8am-9pm, seven days a week. [1410/25]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1549. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of house calls that were carried out by doctors from each treatment centre of D-Doc services during each day of the recent Christmas-New Year period, in tabular form. [1411/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1550. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health the position on medical cards for individuals with a diagnosed lifelong condition, that will not improve or change (details supplied); the reason new GP reports are required for medical card reviews given the nature of this diagnosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1421/25]
View answerMedical Card provision is primarily based on financial assessment. In accordance with the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is determined by the HSE, which assesses each application on a qualifying financial threshold.
The issue of granting medical or GP visit cards based on having a particular disease or illness was previously examined in 2014 by the HSE Expert Panel on Medical Need and Medical Card Eligibility. The Group concluded that it was not feasible, desirable, nor ethically justifiable to list medical conditions in priority order for medical card eligibility. In following the Expert Group’s advice, a person’s means remains the main qualifier for a medical card.
Every effort is made by the HSE, within the framework of the legislation, to support applicants in applying for a medical card and, in particular, to take full account of the difficult circumstances in the case of applicants who may be in excess of the income guidelines. The HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card, even though an applicant exceeds the income threshold where they face difficult financial circumstances, such as extra costs arising from an illness. Social and medical issues are also considered when determining whether undue hardship exists for an individual accessing general practitioner or other medical services.
The HSE also has a compassionate system in place for the efficient provision of medical cards in response to emergency situations i.e., where persons are in need of urgent ongoing medical care or when a patient is receiving end of life treatment. In these cases, a medical card is issued within 24 hours of receipt of the required patient details and completed medical report by a healthcare professional. In addition, since March 2021, persons who have been certified by their treating Consultant as having a prognosis of 24 months or less are now also awarded a medical card on an administrative basis. Medical cards awarded on end of life grounds are never re-assessed by the HSE thereby providing reassurance and comfort to patients and their families.
Separately, I can advise the Deputy that, since 2015, medical cards are awarded without the need of a financial assessment to all children under 18 years of age with a diagnosis of cancer. Further information can be found on the HSE’s website at www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/medical-cards/other-types-of-medical-card/emergency-medical-cards/.
I can assure the Deputy that, in order to ensure the medical card system is responsive and sensitive to people's needs, my Department keeps medical card issues under review and any proposals are considered in the context of any potential broader implications for Government policy, the annual budgetary estimates process and legislative requirements arising.
Regarding the reason new GP reports are required for medical card reviews, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1551. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Health if an appointment for a primary medical certificate for a person (details supplied) will be expedited. [1425/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1553. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health the current policy in relation to mixed-sex wards in Irish hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1448/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
1554. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if an appointment in Beaumont for a person (details supplied) will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1451/25]
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.
1555. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health when knee surgery for a person (details supplied) will be appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1453/25]
View answerThe query raised by the Deputy would appear to relate to private appointment in a private hospital. Private health care providers are independent organisations and the range of services available, and the criteria for access to those services does not fall under the remit of the Department of Health.
1556. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health to review the case of a person (details supplied) needing advice on obtaining a GP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1458/25]
View answerGPs are private practitioners, most of whom hold a GMS contract with the HSE for the provision of GP services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. Eligibility for a medical card, or a GP visit card for those aged between 8 and 69 years of age, is primarily based on means testing. All children under 8 years of age and all those aged 70 years and over are eligible for a GP visit card.
Where a person that holds a medical card or GP visit card, or a person eligible for either 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. Likewise, a parent on behalf of an eligible child who experiences difficulty in finding a GP that will accept their child as a patient can apply to the HSE National Medical Card Unit also.
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.
A number of measures have been taken in recent years to increase the number of GPs practicing in the State and thereby improve access to GP services for all patients across the country.
Under the 2019 GP Agreement additional annual expenditure provided for general practice was increased by €211.6m. This provided for significant increases in capitation fees for participating GMS GPs, and new fees for additional services and increased practice supports. The GP Agreement 2023 further increased GP capitation fees, increased the existing subsidy rates for practice staff, and introduced a grant support for additional staff capacity as well a practice staff maternity leave support. These measures make general practice in Ireland a more attractive career choice for doctors.
Annual intake to the GP training scheme has been increased by approximately 80% from 2019 to 2024, with 350 new entrant training places made available from 2024. 346 new entrants commenced training last year, a 21% increase on the previous year’s intake of 286.
Furthermore, the recruitment of GPs from abroad is ongoing under the International Medical Graduate (IMG) Rural GP Programme. 114 IMG GPs were in practice as of October last and funding has been provided to recruit up to 250 more GPs from outside Ireland to the country this year.
1557. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Health the amount expended on home help and home care, by month in 2024; the amount paid to private agencies for the provision of these services; and if he will provide the company name of the top five beneficiaries of payment. [1468/25]
View answerAs this is an operational matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1558. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Health the current number of referrals for support services to Kildare CAMHS service currently awaiting assessment. [1474/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1559. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Health the budget allocation towards National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders in 2023, 2024 and 2025, in tabular form. [1475/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
1560. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant rheumatologist attached to Naas General Hospital in the years of 2023 and 2024, in tabular form. [1476/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1561. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health his views on whether it is acceptable to wait on an ambulance for almost six hours, especially for an 84-year-old person; if he will address the matters raised on this issue in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1478/25]
View answer1564. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the number of 24-7 ambulances based in both counties Carlow and Kilkenny as of 1 January 2023, 1 January 2024 and 1 January 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1497/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1561 and 1564 together.
As these are service matters I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1562. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the number of resuscitation bays in the accident and emergency department of St. Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1495/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly.
1563. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm the value of contracts awarded to companies for the provision of home care services in each of the past three years and the names of the successful companies; if robust due diligence is carried on each company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1496/25]
View answerAs this is an operational matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1565. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the number of GMS-registered dentists based in Carlow in the years of 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1498/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
1566. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Health the measures that are being taken to reduce the waiting list for orthodontic treatment for children in Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1500/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
