Written Answers Nos. 802-821
802. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has been denied the proper examination of their medical card entitlement in view of the fact that they submitted all the requested information even though PCRS is saying it was not received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4202/21]
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.
803. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health the number of cataract surgeries that were carried out at Nenagh Hospital in 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [4210/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn recent years, my Department has worked with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to improve access for patients waiting for high volume procedures, including cataracts. Ophthalmology services are provided throughout all hospital groups in the country, with cataract removal one of the key procedures carried out as part of this specialty.
A key development in improving access to Ophthalmology services was the opening of a stand-alone high-volume consultant-led cataract theatre by the University of Limerick Hospital Group in Nenagh Hospital in 2018, with the intention that it would facilitate patients from surrounding geographical areas to avail of their treatment there. The impact of such initiatives can be seen in the reduction in the waiting times to access cataract procedures since 2018. At the end of November 2020 there were 4,186 patients waiting compared to 6,378 in November 2018.
It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last year as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The HSE is currently recommending that only critical time dependent elective procedures are undertaken at this time due to the on-going and significant increased demand for bed capacity related to Covid-19.
This decision was made arising from the rapid increase in Covid-19 admissions in January and to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related activity and time-critical essential work.
Patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.
In relation to the particular query raised concerning Nenagh Hospital and the number of procedures carried out in 2019 and 2020, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
804. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health his views on easing visiting restrictions in maternity hospitals following the vaccination of staff; if guidelines will be issued in relation to this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4218/21]
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.
805. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health the number of new staff that started in the press and communications unit of his Department between 1 October and 31 December 2020; and the number of those new staff that still work in the unit. [4219/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra806. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health the number of new staff that started in the press and communications unit of his Department between 1 October and 31 December 2020 that came from panels; and the number recruited outside of panels. [4220/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 805 and 806 together.
Between the period 1st October and 31st December 2020 three new staff started working in the Press and Communications Unit who were assigned from various PAS panels. One of the three remains within that Unit.
Separately, the Department intended to appoint a person to a temporary position on secondment from another organisation. For particular reasons it was not possible to proceed with this secondment and the individual remains with their parent organisation.
807. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health the details of the way in which Covid-19 vaccines are distributed among the seven hospital groups and subsequently among the hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4221/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra852. Deputy Kieran O'Donnell asked the Minister for Health the details of the deliveries of a vaccine (details supplied) to each of the seven hospital groups to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4360/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 807 and 852 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
808. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health the steps he has taken or will take to allow medical scientists to achieve pay parity with others who carry out similar work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4226/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra812. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health his plans to review the status of the medical scientist profession; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4235/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 808 and 812 together.
I fully recognise the valuable role performed by Medical Scientists who are one of the health care professions whose work is critical in nature and is at the forefront of Irelands response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
I can confirm that my Department has met with the HSE and the MLSA on a number of occasions in recent months. As the matters raised could not be resolved, the issues were referred to the WRC with a first meeting held on 17 November 2020. This process is ongoing.
Any outcome from conciliation at the WRC will be addressed within the structures provided for by the Public Service Agreement. The upcoming Public Service Agreement, which will be in place until the end of 2022, is currently being balloted on by the unions.
809. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to an offer (details supplied) which may assist the Covid-19 vaccine programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4228/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra
810. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied); if his officials will review the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4233/21]
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.
811. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4234/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last year as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The HSE is currently recommending that only critical time dependent elective procedures are undertaken at this time due to the on-going and significant increased demand for bed capacity related to Covid-19.
This decision was made arising from the rapid increase in Covid-19 admissions and to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related activity and time-critical essential work.
Patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.
Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The National Waiting List Management Policy is a standardised approach used by the HSE to manage scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures. It sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists and was developed in 2014 to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care.
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.
813. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the date on which version 3 of the draft terms of agreement between the Department of Health, the HSE and the IMO regarding GP contractual reform and service development was created; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4243/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra814. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the purpose for which version 3 of the draft terms of agreement between the Department of Health, the HSE and the IMO regarding GP contractual reform and service development was created; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4244/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra815. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the persons or bodies with which version 3 of the draft terms of agreement between the Department of Health, the HSE and the IMO regarding GP contractual reform and service development was created; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4245/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra816. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the date on which he received a copy of version 3 of the draft terms of agreement between the Department of Health, the HSE and the IMO regarding GP contractual reform and service development; the form he received it in, that is, by email, physical copy and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4246/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra817. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the date on which he received a copy of version 2 of the draft terms of agreement between the Department of Health, the HSE and the IMO regarding GP contractual reform and service development; the form he received it in, that is, by email, physical copy and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4247/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra818. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the date on which he shared a copy of version 2 of the draft terms of agreement between the Department of Health, the HSE and the IMO regarding GP contractual reform and service development with the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment; and the form by which it was shared, that is, by email, physical copy and so on. [4248/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 813 to 818, inclusive, together.
The Deputy will appreciate that I did not hold the office of Minister for Health during the period in question and therefore can respond only insofar as the records held in my Department indicate. Following the reaching of agreement on a reform package dealing with a range of GP service and contractual issues, it was necessary to draft a formal and detailed agreement text which would form the basis on which implementation would be progressed and assessed. The HSE managed the preparation of the document text. This process took a number of weeks and a number of drafts were created and circulated between parties for review in this context, before the final text was agreed in all respects between the parties.
Drafts 1 and 2 of the Agreement were circulated by the HSE to the negotiating parties on the 3rd of April 2019, after the parties had reached agreement on all matters of substance. On foot of those documents, additional consultations took place between the parties, and version 4 was circulated on 17 April. My Department has found no records in relation to version 3, which was created by the HSE as a working version to track changes in the text. The Department has found no records relating to the circulation of version 2 other than between the officials involved.
819. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding early intervention. [4252/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, recognises the need to improve services for both children and adults with disabilities through better implementation and by working together across Government in a better way.
The Government commits to prioritising early diagnosis and access to services for children and ensuring that the most effective interventions are provided for each child, to guarantee the best outcomes.
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
820. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to prioritise Traveller primary care workers and persons over 65 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4258/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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.
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.
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.
821. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health the rationale used to determine the allocation of the Covid-19 vaccine for a category of front-line workers (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4264/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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.
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.
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.
