Written Answers Nos. 172-184
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Written Answers Nos. 172-184
172. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health when a decision will be made on a medical card application review for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18151/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
173. Deputy Stephen Donnelly asked the Minister for Health if the case of a person (details supplied) will be reviewed. [18156/19]
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.
174. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to address the situation of persons with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome; if multidisciplinary teams, including cardiologists, neurologists and specialist physiotherapists, and gastroenterology and a dedicated clinic for connective tissue disorders will be provided (details supplied); his views on the recommended pain management which includes medical cannabis and ketamine infusions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18159/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
175. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of rehabilitation for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18162/19]
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.
176. Deputy Stephen Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the funding allocated in 2019 for the development of the new radiation oncology unit in University Hospital Galway; the timeframe for the completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18163/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra177. Deputy Stephen Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the machinery and equipment being used for radiotherapy services in University Hospital Galway; the age of same; if when parts are breaking down they are not replaceable due to their age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18164/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 176 and 177 together.
As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
178. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the progress on meeting the targets as set out in A Healthy Weight for Ireland in regard to a sustained downward trend as measured by a survey (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18166/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2016, under the Healthy Ireland Framework, the Government published Healthy Weight for Ireland: Obesity Policy and Action Plan which sets a clear short-term target for a sustained downward trend in levels of excess weight in children and a reduction in the gap in obesity levels between the highest and lowest socioeconomic groups by 10%. Since 2006, when the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe started a Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative, the Department of Health has participated in this WHO Initiative to collect the measured weights of children aged 7-9 years for 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2015. Over this time-frame, the results have shown a stabilisation in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in both boys and girls.
However, children in disadvantaged schools have a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity in comparison with children in non-disadvantaged schools. In addition, overweight and obesity rates among children older than 8 years in disadvantaged schools seem to increase as they grow up. The next round of the Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative results will be available before the end of 2019.
The annual Healthy Ireland Survey involves in-home, face-to-face interviews with a sample of approximately 7,500 individuals representative of the Irish population aged 15 and over. The Survey collects height, weight, waist circumference and Body Mass Index measurements every second year, which allows calculation of overweight and obesity prevalence across the adult population.
The baseline measurements in 2015 indicated that 37% were overweight and 23% were obese. Overall, 68% of adult men and 53% of adult women were overweight or obese.
Measurements were repeated in 2017 and 39% were overweight and 23% were obese. Overall, 70% of adult men and 53% of adult women were overweight or obese.
The weight measurement module is being repeated in 2019 and results will be available before the end of the year. These findings will form the basis for monitoring the gap in obesity levels between the highest and lowest socioeconomic groups.
179. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the funding being provided to support family food initiatives nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18167/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Healthy Ireland fund was established in 2017 with an allocation of €5 million and with additional allocations of €5 million in 2018 and 2019. The first round of the Fund was distributed through Local Community Development Committees, Children and Young Person’s Services Committees and statutory organisations. The aim of the Fund is to support innovative, cross sectoral, evidence-based projects, programmes and initiatives that support the implementation of key national policies in areas such as Obesity, Healthy Eating, Smoking, Alcohol, Physical Activity and Sexual Health. The Fund is primarily administered by Pobal on behalf of the Department.
A range of community cooking and nutrition programmes have been funded by the Healthy Ireland Fund through allocations to Local Community Development Committees and Children and Young People's Services Committees. This funding amounted to €152,759 in 2017 and €201,597 in 2018.
The HSE Health and Wellbeing Division, through their Health Promotion and Improvement within CHOs, and in association with community partnership organisations provide training on nutrition and cooking to parents/families and other groups in disadvantaged communities through two types of Community Cooking Programmes - Healthy Food Made Easy and the Cook It. Both programmes are managed by Community Dietitians within the HSE.
In addition, Community Food Initiatives funded by Safefood aim to positively influence the eating habits of families with children in low-income communities across the island of Ireland. Safefood recently announced the recipients of funding for the 2019-2021 initiative, investing a total of €630,000 over the next three years to help each of the 14 successful projects set up, manage and sustain their work.
Since first launched in 2010, 30 communities across the island of Ireland have received funding under successive Community Food Initiatives. A key feature of the programme is that learnings and experiences from previous programmes are shared among the new initiatives. New initiatives are also encouraged and supported to enhance the long-term sustainability of their work from the outset.
180. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if a similar initiative to an initiative (details supplied) will be considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18168/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra181. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the costs that would be associated with developing a healthy start programme here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18169/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 180 and 181 together.
Healthy Start is a UK-wide statutory scheme providing a nutritional safety net to pregnant women and children under four in low-income families in receipt of certain benefits or tax credits. Healthy Start supports public health policies by encouraging breastfeeding and a healthy diet. Any costs associated with the development of a similar programme here would be addressed as part of the annual estimates process.
First 5 is the recently published Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families (2019-2028).
As part of this cross-departmental approach, my Department has commenced work with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs on establishing a work programme on food poverty, and this will consider measures such as the one referred to by the Deputy.
183. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the health promotion programmes operational under Healthy Ireland; the funding earmarked for each of the programmes for each of the past five years; if evaluations have been carried out of the programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18171/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraHealthy Ireland is the National Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025. Healthy Ireland is based on evidence and experience from around the world which clearly shows that to create positive changes in health and well-being takes the involvement of the whole of Government and all of society working in unison. There are a number of Health Promotion policies and programmes that fall under the scope of the Healthy Ireland Framework that are being implemented in the Health Services and across several Government Departments, Agencies and settings. A central aim of Healthy Ireland is to ‘create an environment where every individual and sector of society can play their part in achieving a healthy Ireland”. It is therefore extremely difficult to classify and specifically quantify the funding that is being earmarked for each programme and to give an indication if an evaluation has taken place for each over the previous five years.
However, I can give the Deputy information relating to Funds expended by the Department of Health on health promotion programmes. In July 2016, the Government approved the creation of a Healthy Ireland Fund and subsequently provided an initial allocation of €5 million in Budget 2017 to kick-start the establishment of the Fund. The Fund has distributed €10mil from my Department in 2017 and 2018 to all Local Community Development Committees, Children and Young Persons Services Committees and several national statutory organisations for the promotion of health and well-being activity. A further €5mil will be distributed in 2019. The aim of the Healthy Ireland Fund is to stimulate and support innovative, cross-sectoral, evidence-based projects, programmes and initiatives that support the implementation of the key national policies in areas such as Obesity, Smoking, Alcohol, Physical Activity, Healthy Eating and Sexual Health at a local level. In 2017, the results of the first year of the Healthy Ireland Fund have been very encouraging, especially in relation to the targeting of socially disadvantaged communities. Of the 382 actions delivered under strand 1, 2,456 organisations were reported to be involved in the implementation of local priority actions and an estimated 770,000 people were reported to have benefitted. These actions generally targeted health inequality, especially people living in areas of social disadvantage (71% of actions), people with disabilities (45%), people from new communities including refugees and asylum seekers (39%) and members of the Traveller community (36%). Similarly, the total number of people reported as benefiting from national actions under Strand 2 was 130,735. The number of organisations benefiting was reported as 1,785, and almost two thirds of actions (63%) reported a focus on people with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses (including mental health issues) and over half of actions (54%) were focused on people living in areas of social disadvantage.
The HSE provides funding and resources for health promotion programmes under Healthy Ireland and I therefore will refer this PQ to them for further response.
184. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the number of dedicated paediatric dietetic HSCP whole-time equivalents for all acute hospitals; the number for the community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18172/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
