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Tuesday, 11 Jun 2019

Written Answers Nos. 562-575

Abortion Services Provision

Ceisteanna (562)

Catherine Martin

Ceist:

562. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Health the number of medical and surgical abortions that have been provided by the HSE to date in 2019, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23871/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Under section 20 of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, a notification of each termination of pregnancy carried out under the legislation must be notified to the Minister for Health within 28 days of it being carried out.

The Minister must prepare a report on the notifications received in a given year not later than 30 June the following year, and lay it before the Houses of the Oireachtas. This report may then be published.

Therefore, no information on notifications received under the Act will be released until after the annual report for 2019 has been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on or before 30 June 2020.

Medical Aids and Appliances Provision

Ceisteanna (563)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

563. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a request for glasses by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23873/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.

Disability Services Funding

Ceisteanna (564)

Mary Butler

Ceist:

564. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the status of an application for funding by a group (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23874/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

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 question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.

Hospital Acquired Infections

Ceisteanna (565)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

565. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 629 of 26 March 2019 and 685 of 8 May 2019, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that HSE hospitals do not follow the control checklist 1.0 for an outbreak of carbapenemase producing enterobacterales, CPE, during CPE outbreaks; his views on whether the failure by hospitals to use the tool custom designed to manage CPE outbreaks is contributing to the spread of such outbreaks in hospitals here; and the steps he will take to remedy the matter. [23876/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is an operational matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the HSE for direct reply. The situation regarding CPE continues to be monitored closely and the Department receives a monthly report on this matter.

Hospital Beds Data

Ceisteanna (566)

Stephen Donnelly

Ceist:

566. Deputy Stephen Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of beds and wards in all public and voluntary acute hospitals that were closed on 31 May 2019, or the latest date on which data for validated bed closures at hospital and ward level are available, in tabular form. [23903/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The Open Beds Report, published by my Department monthly, provides a summary of the average numbers of open inpatient beds and day beds/places in the acute hospital system based on data provided by the HSE. It can be found here: https://health.gov.ie/blog/publications/department-of-health-open-beds-report-march-2019/.

According to provisional data received from the HSE Acute Business Information Unit, there were on average 10,984 inpatient beds and 2,233 day case beds/places available nationally in April 2019.

Information relating to closed beds is collated at a particular date in time. The number of beds closed can fluctuate greatly from day to day for a variety of reasons, including on-going refurbishment, maintenance work, and infection control measures.

In relation to the specific data requested, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.

Hospitals Discharges

Ceisteanna (567)

Stephen Donnelly

Ceist:

567. Deputy Stephen Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of delayed discharges in each public and voluntary hospital at the end of May 2019, in tabular form. [23904/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly as soon as possible.

Hospital Beds Data

Ceisteanna (568)

Stephen Donnelly

Ceist:

568. Deputy Stephen Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of bed days lost through delayed discharges in May 2019 in each public and voluntary hospital in tabular form. [23905/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly with the requested information.

Emergency Services Data

Ceisteanna (569)

Stephen Donnelly

Ceist:

569. Deputy Stephen Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the percentage of clinical status 1 ECHO incidents responded to by first responders in seven minutes and 59 seconds or less in each ambulance station in each month in 2019 to the end of May or the latest date available; and the percentage of clinical status 1 DELTA incidents responded to by a patient carrying vehicle in seven minutes and 59 seconds or less in tabular form. [23906/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.

Emergency Departments Waiting Times

Ceisteanna (570)

Stephen Donnelly

Ceist:

570. Deputy Stephen Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of patients aged 75 years or over who experienced an emergency department wait time of more than 24 hours during May 2019; and the hospitals in which the wait occurred. [23907/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I wish to acknowledge the distress overcrowded Emergency Departments cause to patients, their families, and frontline staff working in very challenging working conditions in hospitals throughout the country.

The hospital system is currently operating at close to full capacity. The number of patients attending Emergency Departments continues to increase year on year, with approximately 1.3 million attendances in 2018, up 3.5% on 2017. For the first four months of 2019, the number of patients attending hospital EDs increased by 6.5%, and the number of ED admissions increased by 4.4% compared to the same period last year. This reflects increasing demand for unscheduled care, especially by patients in the 75 years and over age group.

However, the National Service Plan 2019 includes an expected activity target that 99% of patients aged 75 and over attending at an Emergency Department are discharged or admitted within 24 hours. Therefore, any breach of this target in respect of patients in this age cohort is unacceptable.

With regard to the specific question the Deputy has asked, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly.

Home Care Packages Data

Ceisteanna (571)

Stephen Donnelly

Ceist:

571. Deputy Stephen Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of home support hours being provided in each local health office, LHO, area to the end of May 2019; the number of persons on the waiting list for home support hours in each LHO area; and the number waiting zero to three, three to six, six to 12 and 12 months plus, respectively, in tabular form. [23908/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible

Ambulance Service Data

Ceisteanna (572)

Stephen Donnelly

Ceist:

572. Deputy Stephen Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of ambulance attendances at each emergency department nationwide in May 2018; the number of ambulances that waited longer than 20 minutes to hand over patients, get their trolleys back and return to responding to calls; and the number that waited longer than 40, 60, 90, 120 and 180 minutes for same, respectively, in tabular form. [23909/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Ceisteanna (573)

Stephen Donnelly

Ceist:

573. Deputy Stephen Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of spinal fusion patients waiting less than four months for treatment in Our Lady’s Children's Hospital, Crumlin, and Temple Street Children’s University Hospital at the end of May 2019 or the latest date available; the number waiting four to eight months and more than eight months, respectively; and if the same information will be provided for other spinal patients in tabular form. [23910/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.

Health Services Data

Ceisteanna (574)

Stephen Donnelly

Ceist:

574. Deputy Stephen Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in each local health office, LHO, area waiting for a podiatry appointment in primary care at the end of May 2019 or the latest date available; and the number waiting zero to 12, 12 to 26, 26 to 52 and more than 52 weeks, respectively. [23911/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Health Services Data

Ceisteanna (575)

Stephen Donnelly

Ceist:

575. Deputy Stephen Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in each local health office, LHO, area waiting for an ophthalmology appointment in primary care at the end of May 2019 or the latest date available; and the number waiting zero to 12, 12 to 26, 26 to 52 and more than 52 weeks, respectively. [23912/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.

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