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Gnáthamharc

Thursday, 21 Jan 2021

Written Answers Nos. 330-346

Vaccination Programme

Ceisteanna (330, 332, 333, 334, 353, 354, 356, 363, 381)

Thomas Pringle

Ceist:

330. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the vaccination strategy for healthcare workers; the priority for management levels, front-line healthcare workers and ancillary staff in healthcare settings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3016/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Joan Collins

Ceist:

332. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health if family carers are categorised as front-line health workers (details supplied). [3027/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Seán Crowe

Ceist:

333. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to adding full-time carers to the vaccination schedule; and the reason for their initial exclusion given the vulnerable persons who rely on them. [3034/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

334. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health if carers and family carers will be prioritised in the Covid-19 vaccination roll-out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3038/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

353. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will consider including the parents and carers of persons with particular underlying conditions (details supplied) who are especially vulnerable to Covid-19 and any person in receipt of family, carer’s allowance or benefit in the Covid-19 vaccination category of front-line healthcare workers given their essential role in the care of particularly vulnerable persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3067/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Neasa Hourigan

Ceist:

354. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health his plans to include family carers as a priority group for vaccination against Covid-19; the timeline for which family carers will be vaccinated against Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3069/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Kathleen Funchion

Ceist:

356. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he will consider prioritising family carers on the vaccine priority list. [3081/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Michael Ring

Ceist:

363. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health if a sector (details supplied) will be prioritised in the strategy for Covid-19 vaccines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3114/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Holly Cairns

Ceist:

381. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health his views on prioritising families caring for vulnerable and medically at-risk children for the Covid-19 vaccination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3178/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 330, 332 to 334, inclusive, 353, 354, 356, 363 and 381 together.

The COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy sets out a provisional list of groups for vaccination. The Strategy was developed by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) and my Department, endorsed by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), and approved by Government on 8 December 2020.

Vaccine allocation is a matter for my Department and further information is available here: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/39038-provisional-vaccine-allocation-groups/.

The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme is the responsibility of the HSE.

The aim of the COVID-19 vaccination programme is to ensure, over time, that vaccine will become available to vaccinate all of those for whom the vaccine is indicated. Given that there will be initially limited vaccines available, it will take some time for all to receive those vaccines and that has necessitated an allocation strategy to ensure that those most at risk of death and serious illness receive the vaccine first.

The priority is to first vaccinate and protect directly the most vulnerable amongst us, that is, those most likely to have a poor outcome if they contract the virus. The priority is to directly use vaccines to save lives and reduce serious illness, hence the focus on the over 65 year old cohort in long term residential care facilities, and healthcare workers in frontline services often caring for the most vulnerable.

Frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) in direct patient contact roles will be vaccinated in Group 2. This includes HCWs working in public, private, and voluntary settings. Other HCWs, not in direct patient contact, will be vaccinated in Group 4.

Family carers are a diverse group, therefore, each individual will be vaccinated in the group that is appropriate to them.

All of the groups will be covered as further vaccine supplies become available and the immunisation programme is rolled out nationally.

The evidence will be kept under review and the allocation groups may be updated, where necessary, in light of new evidence.

Health Services Provision

Ceisteanna (331)

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

331. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health his plans to offer endocrinology services at Roscommon University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3021/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Roscommon University Hospital currently offers a Consultant-led Outpatient Diabetes & Endocrinology service one day per week. The service is led by two Consultants, one of whom is based in Sligo University Hospital, and the other in University Hospital Galway.

Roscommon University Hospital has a full-time Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Diabetes who works independently four days per week, and alongside the Consultant service on the fifth day. The hospital also has a Podiatrist who provides a Diabetic Foot service 2 days per week.

There are no plans to expand on the service currently offered.

Questions Nos. 332 to 334, inclusive, answered with Question No. 330.

Podiatry Services

Ceisteanna (335)

John Lahart

Ceist:

335. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in each local health office, LHO, area waiting for a podiatry appointment in primary care as of 31 December 2020 or the latest date available; and the numbers waiting less than to 12, 12 to 26, 26 to 52 and more than 52 weeks. [3047/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

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

Ophthalmology Services

Ceisteanna (336)

John Lahart

Ceist:

336. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in each LHO area waiting for an ophthalmology appointment in primary care as of 31 December 2020 or the latest date available; and the numbers waiting less than 12, 12 to 26, 26 to 52 and more than 52 weeks. [3048/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

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

Audiology Services

Ceisteanna (337)

John Lahart

Ceist:

337. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in each LHO area waiting for an audiology appointment in primary care as of 31 December 2020 or the latest date available; and the numbers waiting less than 12, 12 to 26, 26 to 52 and more than 52 weeks. [3049/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

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

Primary Care Services

Ceisteanna (338)

John Lahart

Ceist:

338. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in each LHO area waiting for a dietetics appointment in primary care as of 31 December 2020 or the latest date available; and the numbers waiting less than 12, 12 to 26, 26 to 52 and more than 52 weeks. [3050/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

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

Mental Health Services

Ceisteanna (339)

John Lahart

Ceist:

339. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in each LHO area waiting for a psychology appointment in primary care as of 31 December 2020 or the latest date available; and the numbers waiting less than 12, 12 to 26, 26 to 52 and more than 52 weeks. [3051/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

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

Counselling Services

Ceisteanna (340)

John Lahart

Ceist:

340. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in each LHO area waiting for a counselling appointment in primary care as of 31 December 2020 or the latest date available; and the numbers waiting less than 12, 12 to 26, 26 to 52 and more than 52 weeks. [3052/21]

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.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

Ceisteanna (341)

John Lahart

Ceist:

341. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in each LHO area waiting for a child and adolescent mental health services appointment in primary care as of 31 December 2020 or the latest date available; and the numbers waiting less than 12, 12 to 26, 26 to 52 and more than 52 weeks. [3053/21]

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.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

Ceisteanna (342)

John Lahart

Ceist:

342. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the number of children admitted to adult mental health units in 2020. [3054/21]

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.

Home Help Service

Ceisteanna (343)

John Lahart

Ceist:

343. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the number of home support hours being provided in each LHO area as of 31 December 2020 or the latest date available; the way that this compares with the target in each LHO for the same period; the number of persons on the waiting list for home support hours in each LHO area, in tabular form; and the number waiting less than three, three to six, six to 12 and more than 12 months. [3055/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As these are operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Nursing Homes Support Scheme

Ceisteanna (344)

John Lahart

Ceist:

344. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the number of persons awaiting placement under the fair deal scheme as of 31 December 2020 or the latest date available; the average waiting time; the numbers of persons awaiting placement under the scheme by LHO area and the length of time waiting, in tabular form. [3056/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As these are operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly and as soon as possible.

Hospital Data

Ceisteanna (345)

John Lahart

Ceist:

345. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the number of public patients who have been removed from outpatient lists in 2020 as a result of a validation exercise and not as a result of having an appointment with a consultant for each public and voluntary hospital, in tabular form. [3057/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

In order to ensure the accuracy of waiting lists, good practice around the management of hospital waiting lists recommends periodic validation of waiting lists. Validation is the process whereby hospital administration contacts patients on waiting lists at pre-planned intervals during the year to ensure that patients are ready, willing, suitable and available to attend a hospital appointment or wish to be removed from the waiting list.

For a number of years validation was conducted at individual hospital level in Ireland but in 2018 the Minister for Health approved the establishment of the National Centralised Validation Unit (NCVU) within the NTPF. The establishment of a centralised function has facilitated the introduction of a standardised approach to validation of waiting lists across hospitals and across IPDC and OPD waiting lists.

The NCVU advised my Department that the validation of the waiting list process, which had been suspended at the end of March due to COVID-19, recommenced on 7th August. Between 1st January and the end of December 2020 a total of 29,479 patients were removed from the Outpatient waiting list as a result of validation.

In relation to the data requested by the Deputy, the NCVU provided my Department with the document below which outlines outpatient validation figures by hospital from 1st January to end December. 2020.

Validation by Hospital

Medical Cards

Ceisteanna (346)

John Lahart

Ceist:

346. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the number of medical cards as of 3 December 2020; the number of general practitioner cards on the same date; and the number for each type of card issued on a discretionary basis on that date. [3058/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

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

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