Written Answers Nos. 664-683
664. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated amount of additional funding that will be allocated to the resumption of day services for persons with a disability as a result of budget 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31412/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the Programme for Government, we made extensive commitments to improve the lives of people with disabilities and in doing so, we signalled to those with a disability that we are serious about making a difference. In the first budget of this government, I am pleased that we have secured significant additional funding to start delivering on those commitments.
We will be investing an additional €100 million in new initiatives in 2021, bringing the total disabilities budget to around €2.2 billion. The increased level of funding in 2021 will build on initiatives currently underway, as well as introducing new ones.
I will be targeting the new funding at five key areas: children’s services, day services, community supports, residential services, and integration. In addition to the investment outlined in Budget 2021, €20 million is being made available on a once off basis in the current year to support voluntary disability service providers engaged in the Transforming Lives Reform programme. Criteria for disbursement of this funding will be available in due course
I will now ask the HSE, in preparing its National Service Plan, to examine how these key priorities can be progressed in 2021 within the overall increased envelope of funding for disability services
665. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated amount of additional funding that will be made available for progressing disability services and promoting disability integration as a result of budget 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31413/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the Programme for Government, we made extensive commitments to improve the lives of people with disabilities and in doing so, we signalled to those with a disability that we are serious about making a difference. In the first budget of this government, I am pleased that we have secured significant additional funding to start delivering on those commitments.
We will be investing an additional €100 million in new initiatives in 2021, bringing the total disabilities budget to around €2.2 billion. The increased level of funding in 2021 will build on initiatives currently underway, as well as introducing new ones.
I will be targeting the new funding at five key areas: children’s services, day services, community supports, residential services, and integration. In addition to the investment outlined in Budget 2021, €20 million is being made available on a once off basis in the current year to support voluntary disability service providers engaged in the Transforming Lives Reform programme. Criteria for disbursement of this funding will be available in due course
I will now ask the HSE, in preparing its National Service Plan, to examine how these key priorities can be progressed in 2021 within the overall increased envelope of funding for disability services
666. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated amount of additional funding that will be made available for respite services under disability services as a result of Budget 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31414/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the Programme for Government, we made extensive commitments to improve the lives of people with disabilities and in doing so, we signalled to those with a disability that we are serious about making a difference. In the first budget of this government, I am pleased that we have secured significant additional funding to start delivering on those commitments.
We will be investing an additional €100 million in new initiatives in 2021, bringing the total disabilities budget to around €2.2 billion. The increased level of funding in 2021 will build on initiatives currently underway, as well as introducing new ones.
I will be targeting the new funding at five key areas: children’s services, day services, community supports, residential services, and integration. In addition to the investment outlined in Budget 2021, €20 million is being made available on a once off basis in the current year to support voluntary disability service providers engaged in the Transforming Lives Reform programme. Criteria for disbursement of this funding will be available in due course
I will now ask the HSE, in preparing its National Service Plan, to examine how these key priorities can be progressed in 2021 within the overall increased envelope of funding for disability services.
667. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated amount of additional funding that will be made available for support residential services under disability services as a result of budget 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31415/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the Programme for Government, we made extensive commitments to improve the lives of people with disabilities and in doing so, we signalled to those with a disability that we are serious about making a difference. In the first budget of this government, I am pleased that we have secured significant additional funding to start delivering on those commitments.
We will be investing an additional €100 million in new initiatives in 2021, bringing the total disabilities budget to around €2.2 billion. The increased level of funding in 2021 will build on initiatives currently underway, as well as introducing new ones.
I will be targeting the new funding at five key areas: children’s services, day services, community supports, residential services, and integration. In addition to the investment outlined in Budget 2021, €20 million is being made available on a once off basis in the current year to support voluntary disability service providers engaged in the Transforming Lives Reform programme. Criteria for disbursement of this funding will be available in due course
I will now ask the HSE, in preparing its National Service Plan, to examine how these key priorities can be progressed in 2021 within the overall increased envelope of funding for disability services
668. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated amount of additional personal assistant hours that will be made available under disability services as a result of budget 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31416/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe area of disability services is a priority area for this Government. To support people with a disability, significant resources have been invested by the health sector in disability services, and the Government has ensured that an additional €100 million is being provided for new disability measures next year under Budget 2021. These measures will include an additional 80,000 personal assistant hours. The 2020 national service plan details that the HSE is seeking to deliver 1.67 million hours of Personal Assistant Hours to over 2,550 people.
The Government is working to ensure that People with Disabilities be allowed to live an independent life of their own choosing, the same as any other person, and this is consistent with the disability reform policy - “transforming lives”.
The HSE provides a range of assisted living services including Personal Assistant (PA) services to support individuals to maximise their capacity to live full and independent lives.
Personal Assistance Services are accessed through an application process or through referrals from public health nurses or other community based staff. Individual’s needs are evaluated against the criteria for prioritisation for the particular services and then decisions are made in relation to the allocation of resources.
Resource allocation is determined by the needs of the individual, compliance with prioritisation criteria, and the level of resources available. It is important to note that the level of service delivered is varied to ensure that each client’s needs are reflected. Therefore there is no average agreed number of PA hours per person.
PA and Home Support Services are provided either directly by the HSE or through a range of voluntary service providers. The majority of specialised disability provision (80%) is delivered through non-statutory sector service providers.
669. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated amount of additional funding that will be made available to progress de-congregation and assist persons with disabilities who are inappropriately living in nursing home settings to move to more suitable accommodation as announced in budget 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31417/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAlmost nine years ago, the Time to Move on from Congregated Settings Report identified approximately 4,000 people with disabilities living in congregated type settings. Many were old style institutions, with ten or more people. Some living in hospital ward or dormitory settings.
It’s also important to note that Article 19(a) of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ratified in 2018 by the Irish Government, states that people with disabilities should be able to choose where, and with whom, they live.
Time to move on is the governing strategy that seeks to ensure housing arrangements, including those moving from congregated settings, should be in ordinary neighbourhoods (dispersed housing) in the community, with individualised supports (supported living) designed to meet their individual needs and wishes.
It is about enabling people to “live ordinary lives in ordinary places”. At the end of 2019, there were circa 2,000 people remaining in congregated settings, while the majority 6,400 live in group homes in the community. 52 people have completed their transition so far this year, however It is likely that the impact of COVID-19 will be reflected in the year-end total.
Today, people are being supported to live lives of their choice out in the community. Several congregated settings have closed fully and many more have closed specific units within the centres.
Thoughtful planning, capacity building work with stakeholders and sharing the learning across services is enabling meaningful person-centred planning and transitions that are sustainable.
As the numbers in the large settings continues to fall, the people still remaining in these services have access to better living conditions and share with fewer people
While the pace of change has been slow in some services, there is momentum and progress is being made.
The Programme for Government – Our Shared Future’, commits to continue with the successful decongregation programme and complete a further move of more people with disabilities from congregated settings to homes in the community, with the necessary supports. It is only fair and right for the remaining residents that people achieve independent and community living.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
670. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated amount of additional funding allocated to each of the national strategies and expert reviews as announced in budget 2021 broken down by amount for each strategy and review in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31418/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraBudget 2021 provides for an unprecedented strategic investment in healthcare which will significantly improve patient experiences and clinical outcomes. The funding provides the opportunity to deliver real and permanent improvements to acute healthcare provision.
The funding will serve to accelerate the implementation of a number of key national strategies, including the National Cancer Strategy, the National Maternity Strategy, the Trauma Strategy, the new Pædiatric Model of Care, the National Ambulance Service Strategic Plan and will provide for further development of organ donation and transplant services. This funding allocation is detailed in the table below. Through the implementation of these strategies and plans, we will fundamentally reform health service delivery and ensure that services are timely, responsive and patient centred and are developed in line with the Sláintecare vision.
The COVID-19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel as a matter of urgency have identified about 55 recommendations. These recommendations will have significant cost implications for the HSE and HIQA and nursing home providers, including the HSE. These agencies have highlighted difficulty in accurately costing some recommendations in the short-term as greater detail on operationalisation and policy direction of the recommendations will need to be developed further over the coming months. Given the wide-ranging nature of the recommendations and noting the requirement in some instances for considerable policy work to be advanced, €40 million is being provided in 2021 to deliver on the implementation commitments.
|
Implementation of the national strategies & Expert Reviews |
New Measures 2021 €m |
|
National Cancer Strategy |
20 |
|
National Maternity Strategy |
12 |
|
Trauma Strategy |
6 |
|
New Pædiatric Model of Care |
6 |
|
National Ambulance Service Strategic Plan |
5 |
|
Organ Donation Transplant Ireland Strategy |
1 |
|
National Dementia Strategy |
5 |
|
Palliative Care |
2 |
|
National Carer’s Strategy |
2 |
|
National Positive Ageing Strategy |
1 |
|
Nursing Home Expert Review - COVID-19 |
40 |
|
Other areas of strategy development incl. Sláintecare and Women's Health |
47 |
|
Total |
147 |
671. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent nurse posts in the public system at the end of 2018, 2019 and projected for the end of 2020 and 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31419/20]
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.
672. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent hospital consultant posts in the public system at the end of 2018, 2019 and projected for the end of 2020 and 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31420/20]
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.
673. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the €210 million access to care fund in budget 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31421/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra€210 m has been provided in Budget 2021 for an access fund which will be allocated as required to the HSE for provision of treatment in both private and public hospitals in order to address capacity issues in acute hospitals.
Further details of the breakdown of funds will be agreed as part of the HSE's National Service Plan 2021.
674. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated amount of additional funding provided for cancer screening services in budget 2021; the way in which the funding will be spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31422/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraBudget 2021 provides for the continuation of the extraordinary public health measures and health and social care service supports and capacity introduced in 2020, measures that are essential to protect health care workers, vulnerable groups and the wider public from the worst impacts of COVID-19. This budget is not just about the response to COVID-19, it is also about building positive permanent change into our health service.
We know the importance of population screening programmes in that early detection can saves lives. The Government is committed to supporting the National Screening Service to ensure that we have world class screening programmes that the people of Ireland can have confidence in.
I am pleased to announce the approval of €10 million in funding for Cancer Screening in 2021. This funding will go a long way in supporting new developments within the screening services, including increasing capacity for screening and related services, and improving patient information and engagement. This investment represents a real commitment to improving healthcare for the women of Ireland. Details of the specific service improvements and investments will be set out in the HSE National Service Plan 2021.
I am committed to maximising the resumption of screening services in 2021, subject to the impact that COVID-19 may have in providing these services safely. I would re-iterate the important message that anyone who has concerns about symptoms to contact their GP.
675. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the areas for the €58 million allocated under e-health in budget 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31423/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraOf the €58 million allocated under e-Health in Budget 2021, €25 million is ring-fenced for COVID-19 action plan measures carried forward due to the pandemic. This includes continued work on projects such as the COVID Care Tracker, (the system that supports the management of the patient pathway through the Covid-19 journey, including triage, registration, assessment, testing ,result notification, contact tracing and surveillance) the contact tracing app, on line appointment systems (to avoid congregation of patients at test facilities and healthcare settings) and systems that support the collection and reporting of Covid statistics. A further €25 million will be applied to eHealth projects and programmes including service continuity and transformation programmes and eHealth and ICT solutions supporting community and social care services. Finally, an €8 million investment will provide some of the key skills and resources required to deliver the ICT and eHealth technical components that are required to deliver interoperability between systems and services.
This important investment will progress Sláintecare reforms including integrated care and supports the eHealth strategy including important technical enablers that span across multiple systems and health facilities nationwide. It provides funding for key ICT infrastructure and the continued digitisation of health care services with improved patient experience and patient care pathways that are the result of a joined-up integrated health service.
676. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the funding allocated for PPE in budget 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31424/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra677. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the funding allocated for testing and tracing in budget 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31425/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 676 and 677 together.
Budget 2021 saw an extra €4 billion added to the health budget. This unprecedented additional amount of money signals our determination in government to fund an expansion of, and improvements in, our health and social care services. Included in the extra money is €650m for testing and tracing and €650m for provision of PPE. And in the coming year, a robust and comprehensive testing and tracing system will be critical to the effective functioning of our health services and the broader economy.
These additional resources will provide capacity for over 100,000 tests per week, supply PPE where needed and continue into 2021 all of the necessary Covid-19 action plan measures that have been put in place since March.
Testing and contact tracing continues to be a key component of the Government’s response to the pandemic, and to ensure we have a comprehensive, reliable and responsive testing and tracing operation, central to our public health strategy for containing and slowing the spread of COVID-19, a provision of €650m has been made in Budget 2021. This relates to all associated costs – swabbing, laboratory tests, contact tracing and relevant logistics. Some of this funding is held centrally by Government in the contingency fund.
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a worldwide shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and the health service responded quickly and developed guaranteed supply lines to ensure adequate PPE was available in 2020, along with ensuring the stock levels were increased.
Recognising the unprecedented uncertainty faced by policy-makers in planning for the progression of COVID-19, a PPE Estimation Model was developed to provide for a transparent, dynamic, evidence-based estimate of required PPE for the Irish healthcare system. €650m has been provided in 2021 to meet the costs associated with maintaining appropriate levels of PPE stock to ensure all healthcare professionals have the protection they need. In addition, investment in indigenous manufacturing and supply will have wider economic benefits for the country.
678. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of additional staff for testing and tracing that will be provided as a consequence of budget 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31426/20]
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.
679. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he has made provision for extending medical card eligibility for patients with a terminal illness in budget 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31427/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health Act 1970, eligibility for a medical card is based primarily on means. The issue of granting medical cards based on having a particular disease or illness was previously examined in 2014 by the HSE Expert Panel on Medical Need and Medical Card Eligibility. The Group concluded that it was not feasible, desirable, nor ethically justifiable to list medical conditions in priority order for medical card eligibility. In following the Expert Group’s advice, a person’s means remains the main qualifier for a medical card.
However, the HSE does have a compassionate system in place for the provision of medical cards when it is informed that a patient is receiving end of life treatment – that is when patients’ unfortunately have a prognosis of less than 12 months. These applications do not require a means assessment nor are they reassessed. Individuals may also qualify for a medical card through the means assessment process. Where such individuals might be in excess of the income guidelines every effort is made by the HSE, within the framework of the Health Act 1970, to support applicants in applying to take full account of the difficult circumstances, such as extra costs arising from an illness. In such circumstances the HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card.
Furthermore, since 2015 medical cards are awarded without the need of a financial assessment to all children under 18 years of age with a diagnosis of cancer.
The HSE Clinical Advisory Group (CAG) was established in December 2019 to review eligibility for medical cards in cases of terminal illness. The work of the CAG group has concluded and a Report was submitted recently to my Department which I intend to publish shortly.
I am committed to ensuring that terminally ill patients have access to the services they need. In that regard, my officials are reviewing the CAG Report and will be giving detailed policy consideration to the issues identified in the Report, in order to determine how the needs of these patients can be best addressed.
680. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of acute beds in the system, excluding critical care, at the end of 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31428/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the information sought relates to operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
681. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of acute beds in the system excluding critical care on 22 June 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31429/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the information sought relates to operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
682. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of acute beds in the system excluding critical care on 13 October 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31430/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the information sought relates to operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
683. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated number of acute beds excluding critical care projected to be in the system at the end of 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31431/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, commits to continuing investment in our health care services in line with the recommendations of the Health Service Capacity Review and the commitments in Project Ireland 2040.
The Health Service Capacity Review 2018 found that the net requirement in combination with health system reform is for an additional 2,590 hospital beds by 2031 (2,100 inpatient, 300 day case and 190 critical care). The National Development Plan provides for the addition of the full 2,590 beds by 2027.
This winter is expected to be particularly challenging due to the presence of Covid-19 and the uncertainty around the level of Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 healthcare demands. The Department of Health is working with the HSE to increase acute capacity in hospitals throughout the country to meet this and other health demands. Government allocated €236 million revenue and €40 million capital expenditure as part of Budget 2021 to fund additional acute beds on a permanent basis. This funding will provide, by the end of 2021, an additional 1,146 acute beds.
A proportion of these beds will be funded as part of the HSE’s Winter Plan 2020/21. The Winter Plan aims to provide additional health service capacity across a range of services. Initiatives comprise additional acute and community beds to increase acute capacity, help reduce admissions and facilitate egress.
This represents a significant step towards achieving the recommendations in the 2018 Health Service Capacity Review which found that an additional 2,100 inpatient acute beds were required, in a reform scenario, by 2031.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
