Carol Nolan
Ceist:759. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will support the recruitment of 50 additional ophthalmologists at a cost of €10.3 million; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46481/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 28 September 2021
Ceisteanna (759)
Freagraí scríofa
The HSE Primary Care Eye Services Review Group (PCESRG) Report was launched in June 2017. The Report sets out current levels of service, models of service provision and the consultation process undertaken with patients, advocates, ophthalmic staff and representative bodies.
It also highlights the limitations of the current model of service delivery and sets out the way forward for a significant amount of eye services to be delivered in a primary care setting.
The Report estimates that 60% of existing outpatient activity could be moved to primary care thus enabling hospital services to focus on patients who require more specialist diagnostics or treatments.
The National Clinical Programme for Ophthalmology has developed a model of care which details how the realignment of eye services from the acute hospitals to the community will be undertaken. The recommendations from the PCESRG Report also complement the Model of Care.
The PCESRG Report remains current and the HSE is implementing a number of measures. Included in current priorities is transferring the care of children aged 8+ years to the care of local private optometrists, creating a new role of Consultant Medical Ophthalmologist, and recruiting additional Consultant Medical Ophthalmologists to other CHOs.
Specific proposed recruitment campaigns linked to primary eye services will be considered in the context of the PCESRG Report, subject to existing recruitment processes.
The 2021 National Service Plan recognised the need for an unprecedented expansion of the permanent health workforce through permanent appointments. There is significant workforce recruitment underway to support this.