Written Answers Nos. 1349-1373
1349. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in ensuring that the Health Service Executive contact tracing application will be compatible with the application being developed by the Department of Health in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20606/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraOfficials and technical teams in Ireland and Northern Ireland have been working closely together since May to ensure the contact tracing apps deployed in each jurisdiction are compatible with each other. The technology is now built and supporting documentation is currently being updated. This will enable contact tracing apps to work on an all island basis which is crucial given the number of people crossing the border every day and the need for a coordinated response to the pandemic.
1350. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a schedule of advisers, special advisers and seconded civil servants currently working in his Department appointed and or recruited and or in an acting capacity; the roles and responsibilities attributed to each; and the salary scale for the role in tabular form. [20621/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn the commencement of every Dáil, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issues guidelines setting out the arrangements for the staffing of Ministerial Offices. The appointment of Special Advisers is subject to section 11 of the Public Service Management Act 1997.
The Guidelines for the 33rd Dáil, which incorporate the principles of section 11 of the Public Service Management Act, are currently awaiting Government approval.
The appointment of individual Special Advisers is a matter for each Government Minister subject to the terms set out in the aforementioned guidelines, although the appointments are also subject to formal Government approval. At this stage, no Special Advisers have been formally appointed to my Department by the Government.
However, the Deputy may wish to note that I have assigned one person to work with me as Special Adviser and that person will be formally appointed by the Government once the Guidelines have been approved.
The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform must be notified of the rate of salary to be paid in all cases for Special Advisers; These rates will then be published on the website of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
1351. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of persons admitted on a daily basis to the Health Service Executive isolation facility at Citywest. [20630/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1352. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of adults waiting for an outpatient assessment by a consultant psychiatrist each month from June 2019 to date in tabular form. [20633/20]
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.
1353. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of consultant psychiatric posts across the health services; the number filled by permanent consultant, temporarily filled and those currently vacant; and the length of each vacancy. [20634/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1354. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of Health Service Executive community mental health teams operational nationally; the number of consultants employed in these teams, either permanently, temporarily filled or currently vacant; and the period each post has been vacant. [20635/20]
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.
1355. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of Health Service Executive Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services teams established nationwide; the number of consultant psychiatric posts allocated to the teams; the number of posts which are currently permanent, temporary or unfilled; and the period the posts have been vacant. [20636/20]
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.
1356. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of Health Service Executive specialist community mental health services for older adults teams across the health service nationally; the number of consultant psychiatric posts allocated to the teams; the number of posts which are currently permanently, temporarily or unfilled; and the period the respective posts have been vacant. [20637/20]
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.
1357. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the spend on agency staff for mental health services in each of the years 2014 to 2019 and to date in 2020; the original estimate for such expenditure in each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20638/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1358. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the spend on agency staff for mental health services in each of the years 2014 to 2019 and to date in 2020; and the estimated cost if they were permanent positions instead. [20639/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1359. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of mental health whole-time equivalents required to be recruited for the full implementation of A Vision for Change in view of demographic changes; and the teams and specialties in which the additional staff are required by community healthcare organisation area in tabular form. [20640/20]
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.
1360. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of psychiatric nurses that graduated in each of the years 2017 to 2019 and 2020 respectively; the number hired by the Health Service Executive on full-time contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20641/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1361. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the amount expended on mental health in 2019; and the percentage of the overall health budget this amounts to. [20642/20]
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.
1362. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of approved consultant psychiatric posts by speciality; the number of posts filled on a temporary basis; the number of filled by doctors not on the specialist register; the number of posts unfilled, vacant or unmatched; the location of the unfilled, vacant or unmatched posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20643/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1363. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the status of the allocation of the posts from the 2020 budget funding for mental health; the number of posts the allocation supports; the number of posts filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20644/20]
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.
1364. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent posts filled within mental health as of July 2020; and the comparative number for each corresponding period in the previous ten years back to 2009. [20645/20]
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.
1365. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of section 39 providers that hold agreements for providing mental health services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20646/20]
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.
1366. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of approved psychiatric nursing posts by speciality as per A Vision for Change recommendations and demographic changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20647/20]
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.
1367. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of psychiatric nurses entitled to retire as of 17 July 2020; the number of psychiatric nurses entitled to retire within the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20648/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1368. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of mental health inpatient beds here; the number operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20649/20]
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.
1369. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of involuntary admissions in 2019; the percentage of the involuntary admissions following a referral by a family member; the percentage of the involuntary admissions following referral by a member of An Garda Síochána; and the percentage of the involuntary admissions following referral by a doctor. [20650/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Annual Report of the Mental Health Commission includes figures for the number of involuntary admission orders issued each year. It should be noted that the figures published by the Commission relate to the number of admission orders issued rather than the number of people admitted on an involuntary basis.
The number of such orders issued in 2019 was 2,390, of which 34% were by a spouse, civil partner or relative, 28% were by members of An Garda Síochána, 14% were by Authorised Officers of the HSE, and 24% were by other persons. The Deputy should note that 'other persons' may include doctors in an emergency department.
1370. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the amount expended by the Health Service Executive on psychotropic drugs in 2019 and to date in 2020, respectively. [20651/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the pricing and reimbursement of medicines; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
1371. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the amount expended by the Health Service Executive on talk therapies in 2019 and to date in 2020, respectively; and the specifications of the type of talk therapy provided. [20652/20]
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.
1372. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of additional staff appointed to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in each community healthcare organisation, CHO, to date in 2020; the net increase in staff numbers resulting from such recruitment in each CHO to date in 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20653/20]
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.
1373. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of children admitted to adult mental health units to date in 2020, by service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20654/20]
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.
