Written Answers Nos. 399-425
399. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of children and adults, respectively, waiting for initial occupational therapy assessment at 31 March 2019 by CHO and LHO area, in tabular form; the comparative figure as at 31 March 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16465/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
400. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of children and adults, respectively, waiting for initial speech and language therapy assessment at 31 March 2019 by CHO and LHO area, in tabular form; the comparative figure as at 31 March 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16466/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
401. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of older persons waiting for home support packages at 31 March 2018 and 31 March 2019; the waiting lists for homecare packages by CHO and LHO, in tabular form at the same dates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16467/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
402. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of home support packages provided for the first quarter of 2018 compared with the number provided in the first quarter of 2019 by CHO and LHO, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16468/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
403. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of children waiting for a dental appointment at 31 March 2018 and 31 March 2019 by CHO and LHO area, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16469/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
404. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of children waiting for a CAMHS appointment at 31 March 2018 and 31 March 2019 by CHO and LHO area, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16470/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
405. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the communities without a general practitioner in view of the recent action by general practitioner representatives (details supplied); and his plans to address this disparity and deepening general practitioner shortage. [16471/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is aware of workforce issues facing general practice, including the influence of demographic factors, and has implemented a number of measures to improve recruitment and retention in general practice.
These include changes to the entry provisions to the GMS scheme to accommodate more flexible/shared GMS/GP contracts, and to the retirement provisions for GPs under the GMS scheme, allowing GPs to hold GMS contracts until their 72nd birthday. Enhanced supports for rural GP practices have also been introduced. There has also been a huge expansion in the number of training places on GP training programmes in recent years; up from 120 places in 2009 to 193 filled in 2018.
It is acknowledged that there are many challenges in general practice. That is why my Department and the HSE has been engaging with GP representatives on the development of a package of measures and reforms to modernise the current GMS contract.
I am pleased that agreement has now been reached with the Irish Medical Organisation on a major package of GP contractual reforms which will benefit patients and GPs. In return for cooperation with the service developments and reforms, the Government will increase investment in general practice by approximately 40% (€210 million) over the next four years. This will see significant increases in capitation fees for GPs who participate in the reform programme and the introduction of new fees and subsidies for additional services such as the chronic disease programme.
There will be increased support for GPs working in rural practices and for those in disadvantaged urban areas. Improvements in the maternity and paternity leave arrangements have also been agreed, in recognition of the need to ensure that general practice is compatible with doctors’ family friendly commitments.
I am confident that these measures help make general practice more sustainable and help make general practice a more attractive career option for doctors.
406. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the counties that do not have hospice facilities; and the way in which he plans to address this disparity. [16472/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt present, there are 11 specialist inpatient palliative care units or hospices, with four in Dublin and one each in Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Limerick and Sligo. Each inpatient unit has a catchment area covering one or more counties or parts of counties. The number of hospice beds has increased by 44% over the past five years. In addition, every county has a specialist palliative care homecare team. Palliative care is also provided in acute hospitals, community hospitals and through hospice day care services, as well as by GPs and primary care teams.
There are plans to further increase hospice bed numbers nationwide, ensuring that there is a hospice serving every region of the country, in accordance with national palliative care policy. Three new inpatient units are scheduled to open later this year, in Mayo, Waterford and Wicklow. A further three units are planned for development in the coming years, serving people with specialist palliative care needs in counties Louth, Meath, Cavan, Monaghan, Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath. Once these inpatient units are opened, there will be hospice coverage for every county in the country.
407. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of respite care hours provided for the first quarter of 2018 compared with the first quarter of 2019 by CHO and LHO, in tabular form. [16473/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
408. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the communities that are recognised as being a distance that is greater than 90 minutes, by car or by ambulance, from the nearest primary PCI hospital. [16474/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, the question has been referred to the HSE for attention and will reply directly to the Deputy.
409. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital appointments rescheduled by the endocrinology clinic in St. Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown, in each of the years 2014 to 2018, and to date in 2019; the number rescheduled by the patient or clinic, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16475/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraMaintaining scheduled care access for all patients is a key priority for hospitals. I fully acknowledge the distress and inconvenience for patients and their families when appointments are cancelled, particularly for clinically urgent procedures.
While every effort is made to avoid cancellation or postponement of appointments, the HSE advise that appointments can be postponed or cancelled for a variety of reasons including capacity issues due to increased scheduled and unscheduled care demand, medical reasons, and patient choice.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
410. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the preparations undertaken for commencement of Parts 2 and 3 of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 by his Department and the HSE; the outstanding issues that remain; when Parts 2 and 3 will be commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16476/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraOfficials in my Department are working towards putting in place a number of important administrative and operational arrangements that are essential for the implementation of Parts 2 & 3. This includes the establishment of the National Donor-Conceived Person Register (the “Register”), the purpose of which is to vindicate the rights of a donor-conceived child to access information on their genetic heritage. This is based on the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child concerning the right of a child to an identity and internationally regarded as best practice. However, as the Register will contain personal and potentially sensitive information about the various parties to a DAHR procedure, and particularly about the children born as a result of the procedures, robust data protection measures must be put in place prior to the establishment of the Register.
The commencement of Parts 2 & 3 of the Act also requires consent forms relating to the parties to a DAHR procedure (donors and intending parents) to be prescribed by regulations. The Department is liaising with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel in relation to the drafting of those regulations.
In addition, the appointment of authorised persons to ensure compliance of DAHR facilities with their obligations under this Act also needs to be finalised. It is my intention that Parts 2 & 3 of the Act will be commenced as soon as possible.
411. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health that despite funding being included in the 2019 Estimates for speech and language therapy, social work, chaplains and physiotherapy for an area, (details supplied), the reason some of these services are not receiving funding. [16477/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe overall current expenditure allocation provided for Health as part of the Estimates process was €16.050 billion for 2019. Based on this level of funding, the HSE Directorate has prepared the National Service Plan (NSP) for 2019. A key priority underpinning the preparation of the NSP was to ensure that resources were targeted towards providing care and support for those patients and clients most in need, whilst also ensuring that the greatest value possible is achieved from the entirety of the resources available.
In relation to the allocation of funding to specific community services, the HSE are currently preparing Community Healthcare Operational Plans for 2019 having regard to the funding allocations and performance metrics set out in the NSP. I have therefore arranged for the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on the particular issue raised.
412. Deputy Hildegarde Naughton asked the Minister for Health the number of new primary care centres opened since the beginning of 2011, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16478/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the HSE has responsibility for the provision, along with the maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres and other Primary Care facilities, the Executive has been asked to reply directly to the Deputy.
413. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of disability managers allocated to counties Laois and Offaly. [16511/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra414. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of disability manager posts filled in counties Laois and Offaly. [16512/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra415. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of posts allocated to early intervention and school aged 0 to 18 teams in counties Laois and Offaly. [16513/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra416. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of posts filled with regard to to early intervention and school aged 0 to 18 teams in counties Laois and Offaly. [16514/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra417. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the specific posts relating to early intervention and school aged 0 to 18 teams in counties Laois and Offaly that still need to be filled. [16515/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra418. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of permanent posts in respect of early intervention and school aged 0 to 18 teams in counties Laois and Offaly. [16516/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra419. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of temporary posts in respect of early intervention and school aged 0 to 18 teams in counties Laois and Offaly. [16517/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra420. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of agency staff recruited to fill posts in respect of early intervention and school aged 0 to 18 teams in counties Laois and Offaly. [16518/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra421. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of additional therapy staff allocated in counties Laois and Offaly in the context of rolling out the 0 to 18s programme. [16519/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra422. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of psychology posts allocated in counties Laois and Offaly in the context of early intervention and the 0 to 18s programme. [16520/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra423. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of psychology posts vacant in counties Laois and Offaly in the context of early intervention and 0 to 18s programmes. [16521/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra424. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of agency psychologists filling posts in counties Laois and Offaly in respect of the early intervention and 0 to 18s programmes. [16522/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra425. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of private psychologists filling posts in respect of the early intervention and 0 to 18s programme in counties Laois and Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16523/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra427. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the positions both allocated and filled in counties Laois and Offaly in the context of early intervention and school aged 0 to 18s teams in respect of speech and language therapy, social work, physiotherapy and occupational therapy, in tabular form. [16525/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 413 to 425, inclusive, and 427 together.
The Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.
As the Deputy's questions relate to service matters, I have arranged for them to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
