Written Answers Nos. 853-872
853. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the funding that has been made available to the Healthy Ireland fund each year since its establishment; if the funding for each of those years was spent in its entirety; the eligibility criteria for availing of the funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18028/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Healthy Ireland Fund was established in 2017 and has an allocation of €6m in 2020. The majority of the Fund is managed by Pobal on behalf of the Department to fund Local Authorities and Children and Young Persons Services Committees to deliver local actions in key national policy areas such as obesity, physical activity, healthy eating, sexual health, mental health and smoking cessation, with a particular focus on disadvantaged communities, and strengthening the Healthy Cities and Counties Network nationwide. The Fund also supports a number of key national initiatives, including the Active School Flag, a ‘Healthy Ireland at Your Library’ initiative, Age-Friendly Ireland, and strategies for the development of walking, swimming, cycling and running, in partnership with Sport Ireland. The Healthy Ireland communications campaign is also funded from this allocation.
The Fund uses a non-competitive approach to support the building of capacity for partnership action at local level, and to strengthen implementation of both national policy and locally-identified needs and actions.
While delivery of some planned actions in 2020 have been impacted by Covid-19, local authorities have been enabled to review and update programmes of work to deliver actions through alternative mechanisms or re-purpose plans to meet current local needs.
The funding that has been made available to the Healthy Ireland Fund since it was established in 2017 and the out-turn for each year is provided in the table below.
|
Year |
Budget |
Out-turn |
|
2017 |
€5,000,000 |
€5,000,000 |
|
2018 |
€5,000,000 |
€4,994,990 |
|
2019 |
€6,000,000 |
€5,936,379 |
|
2020 |
€6,000,000 |
Expect Full Expenditure |
854. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the average cost of keeping a stroke patient in long-term care assuming a mean three-year survival; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18029/20]
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.
855. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the recommended staffing per early supported discharge, ESD, team under the national stroke programme; the cost of staff; the estimated cost of an ESD team here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18030/20]
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.
856. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the status of the provision of early supported discharge here; the number of operational ESD teams; the number of teams that have the recommended staffing levels of an ESD; the staffing deficits that exist in each of the teams; the full year costs of the staffing required to fully staff the teams; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18031/20]
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.
857. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the estimated costs of a national roll-out of early supported discharge for stroke patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18032/20]
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.
858. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if a new FAST media campaign will be established to ensure nationwide awareness of stroke symptoms among adults and ensure more persons get to hospital for treatment early thereby reducing disability after stroke and associated care required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18033/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe selection, prioritisation and decisions on resource allocation associated with any media campaigns associated with a clinical condition is a service matter and as such is within the remit of the HSE. The PQ has therefore been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
859. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the costs associated with the implementation plan for the national neuro-rehabilitation strategy, which outlines a ten-step plan to develop neuro-rehabilitation services at hospital and community level nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18034/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government includes a commitment to advance neuro-rehabilitation services in the community.
The focus of the Neuro-Rehabilitation Strategy is on achieving best outcomes for people, by providing safe, high quality, person-centred care at the lowest appropriate level of complexity. This must be integrated across the care pathway and provided as close to home as possible or in specialist centres, where necessary.
The framework will guide the reconfiguration and development of neuro-rehabilitation structures and services at national and local level, through a 10-step Framework.
It proposes the formation of Managed Clinical Rehabilitation Networks (MCRNs), with the set-up of one demonstration MCRN suggested as the first step.
The ultimate goal of this approach is to put in place a national framework of acute, inpatient and specialist community services.
The Managed Clinical Rehabilitation Network (MCRN) model acknowledges that different service users need different input and different levels of expertise and specialisation at different stages in their rehabilitation journey.
The critical point of this model is that, although service users may need to access different services as they progress, the transition between services should be facilitated by appropriate communication and sharing of information between services so that they progress in a seamless continuum of care through the different stages:
- Acute hospital;
- Complex specialist rehabilitation services;
- Post-acute specialist inpatient rehabilitation services;
- Community based specialist rehabilitation services;
- Primary care; and
- Voluntary organisations.
This National Implementation Framework is evidence-based and informed by population needs. It addresses the continuum of care for those in need of neurological rehabilitation services. It describes the requirement for a whole system approach and provides the blueprint for how we should deliver care and services for those who suffer from neurological conditions who require individualised, goal focused rehabilitation
The implementation framework covers an initial period from 2019 into 2021. However, it is recognised that continued investment in and development of neuro-rehabilitation services will need to be prioritised beyond the three-year implementation period of this Implementation Framework.
As the question is a service related matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
860. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of establishing a heart failure unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18035/20]
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.
861. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the status of the planned review of the model of heart failure care; if an audit of existing service levels has been conducted; if there has been a service gap analysis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18036/20]
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.
862. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the geographical gaps that exist in heart failure services; the costs associated with addressing the disparity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18037/20]
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.
863. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the costs associated with the national roll-out of heart failure integrated care projects in the community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18038/20]
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.
864. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the rehabilitation needs being met by cardiac rehabilitation services; the geographical disparities that exist with cardiac rehabilitation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18039/20]
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.
865. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the costs associated with providing national capacity for cardiac rehabilitation for persons for whom cardiac rehabilitation is recommended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18040/20]
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.
866. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the estimated annual additional cost in each of the next five years of allowing medical card holders in receipt of disability allowance who move into work and potentially off disability allowance, partially or completely, to hold onto their medical cards permanently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18041/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraEligibility for a medical card remains primarily on the basis of financial assessment. The HSE's Expert Group on Medical Needs and Medical Card Eligibility examined the issue of awarding medical cards on the basis of illness or a disability and concluded that it was not feasible, desirable nor ethically justifiable to list medical conditions in priority order for medical card eligibility. The Expert Group also concluded that a persons means should remain the main qualifier for a medical card. This remains unchanged.
In relation to the cost of providing a permanent medical card to people with disabilities regardless of their work status, the data required to model this is not readily available and it is therefore not possible to provide an estimate of the cost of the proposal.
However, it should be noted that since 1st December 2018, the medical card earnings disregard for persons in receipt of Disability Allowance was increased from €120 to €427 per week and applies to the assessment process for both single persons and to family assessments. This measure gave effect to one of the key recommendations of the Make Work Pay for Persons with Disabilities Report.
867. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of allocating the remainder of the capital expenditure identified as necessary by the HSE to complete the process of decongregation. [18042/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing a submission to the Department of Health in June 2015, €100m, cashflowed over 5 years, was ringfenced in the Capital Plan to provide residential accommodation in the community for residents of institutional congregated settings. The submission was in response to the Department of Health’s 2011 policy document “The Congregated Settings Report – A Time to Move On” and HIQA’s “National Standards for Residential Services with Disabilities 2013”.
Over the 5 year timeframe of the programme (2016 to 2021) it is planned to relocate 800 residents with a priority focus on those sites with the greatest non-compliance issues. The priority to-date has been on the purchase of houses in the community and the adaptation of these houses to suit the requirements of the new residents. This will continue in 2020 with an added goal of working closer with Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies to avail of other Government funding through the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS).
To-date 85 houses in the community have been provided through this programme and 300 residents have been relocated from congregated settings. The construction and/or purchase and adaptation of a further 30 houses are currently being progressed.
870. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the estimated capital costs of providing 100 additional hospital beds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18045/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraSeveral factors determine the capital cost of a hospital bed. These include the nature of the bed (day case, in-patient/overnight, intensive/critical care, etc.), and the bed’s location (within an existing hospital, within a new extension to an existing hospital or through the development of a new hospital, etc.)
As such, there is no one capital cost for providing an additional hospital bed. The impacts of COVID-19 and the new recommendations on distance requirements are yet to be determined but could significantly increase the overall costs of beds while revising down the numbers of beds that can safely occupy any given location.
A pre-Covid review of acute hospital beds being constructed or following completion determined an average capital cost per bed of €375,000, including some enabling costs. ICU/HDU beds can cost up to €1million per bed. These figures are drawn from an HSE Estates survey of active and recently completed projects. They do not represent a universal capital cost for hospital beds.
Larger projects will require additional developments and equipment needs on acute hospital sites (e.g. the installation of bigger kitchens, OPD, utility enhancements, relocation of services, etc.) which would incur further additional costs.
871. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the fully absorbed cost of running a hospital bed per day and per annum. [18046/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe average daily running cost of a hospital bed includes clinical staffing, theatres, laboratories, non-clinical staffing and cleaning, maintenance and other running costs. The cost includes critical care and ward beds but they are not separately identifiable. The fully absorbed cost, includes treatment and care costs (such as diagnostics and theatres) as well as the running costs such as heating, lighting and servicing equipment, but excludes capital and depreciation. In addition, this figure does not include other associated hospital costs such as day-case, outpatient and emergency department costs.
In relation to the Deputy's specific question on the estimated cost of acute hospital beds, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
872. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the estimated savings if the full economic cost for the use of beds in public and voluntary hospitals for the purposes of private medical practice were paid for by private insurance operators. [18047/20]
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.
