Written Answers Nos. 1492-1501
1492. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost to increase the general practitioner trainee intake to 250; the number of places provided for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43134/21]
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.
1496. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the occupancy rates of both inpatient acute and ICU beds for each hospital group on 1 July 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43138/21]
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.
1497. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of establishing a permanent Covid-19 testing and tracing unit with the capacity to manage 500 cases a day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43139/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe cost of establishing a stand alone testing and tracing facility of the type described is estimated to be €18.6 million per annum.
However, caution should be used in interpreting this estimate as it should be seen within the context of providing a national testing and tracing programme that has regard to regional demand and variation in the scale of response. This estimate also assumes a full year testing and tracing programme of the type that currently exists and does not take in to account any changes which might arise in adapting the programme to expected changing circumstances (such as, for example, as might be expected over the course of the evolving and changing pandemic and considerations such as the broader management of other infectious diseases.) The estimate assumes a consistent rate of testing over the full year period although this is unlikely (and depends on future epidemiological situation, transmissibility of the dominant variant, the nature and location of infections, the effectiveness of vaccines in reducing transmission, public health guidance and measures in place etc). The estimate also assumes that variable costs are consistent across the period although this is also unlikely (e.g. staffing, transport, rent and fit-out, procurement costs etc). Fixed costs are assumed to be similar to present and no estimate of any changes is included and, again, it is likely that maintenance and location of testing centres will evolve over the coming year.
In keeping with the evolving nature of the pandemic, the Deputy may also wish to note the transitionary approach to testing and tracing highlighted in the Government's recently published plan for the next phase of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, "COVID-19: Reframing the challenge, Continuing our recovery and reconnecting”.
1498. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the all-in revenue cost of an acute inpatient bed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43140/21]
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.
1499. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the total cost of delivering the new 26 critical care beds in the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Tallaght University Hospital and University Hospital Limerick; the cost per stage and across cost types for each project; the length of time each project will take to fully complete for each stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43141/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe cost of a critical care bed has several determining factors. The HSE has advised that a new critical care bed will typically cost between €1m and €1.5m, depending on a variety of factors, including design, construction, equipping and all other associated capital costs. The HSE has advised that the average annual cost of running a critical care bed is estimated to be €747k, based on 2018 data. However, it should be noted that this figure includes costs for both ICU and HDU beds, with the ICU beds the more expensive of the two.
A Strategic Plan for Critical Care was noted by Government in December 2020. This Plan aims to increase capacity from a baseline of 255 to 446 over time, fully addressing the recommendations of the Health Service Capacity Review. As the first phase of implementation, funding of €52m was provided in 2021 to allow for the permanent retention of the 40 beds temporarily funded in 2020, plus an additional 26 beds as referenced by the Deputy. Of these, the HSE has advised that the six beds in UHL were opened in the first half of this year, with the beds at the Mater and Tallaght hospitals due to open in Q42021/Q12022 on completion of capital works. I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in regard to the specific detail requested on these projects.
1501. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of acute inpatient beds funded in budget 2021 that have been delivered and that are expected to be delivered by year end. [43143/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Health is working with the HSE to increase acute capacity in hospitals throughout the country. The Government allocated €236 million revenue and €40 million capital expenditure as part of Budget 2021 to fund 1,146 additional acute beds on a permanent basis by the end of 2021 (excluding critical care beds).
As of 6 May, the HSE has reported that 834 of these beds had opened. This represents a significant step towards achieving the recommendations in the 2018 Health Service Capacity Review.
With regard to the number of beds that have opened since, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
