Written Answers Nos. 304-313
304. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the amount of revenue raised in 2018, 2019 and 2020 through road traffic accident charges by each hospital in tabular form; the number of patients this was raised from; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51771/21]
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.
305. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the amount of fees charged for the National Ambulance Service and Dublin Fire Brigade ambulance services in 2018, 2019 and 2020 by region, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51772/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) falls under the aegis of Dublin City Council. The question of revenue raised through chargeable services delivered by the DFB ambulance service should be directed to my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
Quantification of National Ambulance Service fees is an operational matter and I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
306. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the total amount outstanding from patient debtors for private facilities in public hospitals; the reason for this sum; the amount which the HSE considers to be bad and or doubtful in terms of repayment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51773/21]
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.
307. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the total amount outstanding to HSE creditors in August 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51774/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter for the HSE, I have asked them to respond to you directly on this question.
308. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the total value of consultancy costs for his Department and the HSE in the year to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51775/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department's total expenditure in the A7 subhead consultancy for the year 2021 to date is as per the table attached. It is the policy in my Department only to engage the services of external consultants where highly specialised skills are not available within the Department and, in particular, when such an approach is felt to be more appropriate and cost-effective.
The tables outlines the total amount spent on external consultants to 20th October 2021. While some contacts are negotiated on the basis of a daily and hourly rate, others are paid a fee on the basis of reaching a number of milestones during the process and in some case producing a report. I have asked the HSE to revert to you in relation to its consultancy spend.
|
Consultant |
Brief description |
Expenditure 2021 € |
|
Ms. Eithne Fitzgerald |
Provision of disability policy analysis expertise and advisory services |
32,375 |
|
Mazars |
Actuarial, accounting, insurance, and economic advice on Private Health Insurance |
78,035 |
|
Mazars |
Embedding Risk Management |
7,021 |
|
Crowe Advisory Services |
Independent Patient Safety Council Project on Open Disclosure Policy |
35,589 |
|
Conor Feeney Barrister at Law |
Legal Advice re Disability Services Transfer of Functions to DCYA |
1,845 |
|
Crowe Advisory Services |
Review of Patient Advocacy Services |
43,012 |
|
Grant Thornton |
Provision of Data Protection Advisory and Support Services to ensure ongoing compliance with Data Protection obligations |
8,143 |
|
Trinity College |
Evaluation of the 2001 Report of the National Advisory Committee on Palliative Care |
25,256 |
|
TOTAL |
231,376 |
309. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter regarding section 39 pay restoration (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51777/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 39 agencies are agencies under Section 39 of the Health Act 2004 where the HSE provides a grant to allow the agency to provide services similar or ancillary to the HSE. They were not and are not party to the Public Service Agreements and are therefore not covered by the pay restoration provided for in these Agreements.
In October 2018, an agreement was reached by the parties at the Workplace Relations Commission in relation to a process of pay restoration for staff employed in a pilot group of 50 section 39 organisations who are funded by way of a Service Level Agreement (SLA). A further WRC engagement followed in December 2020 in relation to a final phase of 250 SLA funded organisations who were identified as part of the earlier agreement. Pay restoration was applicable to Section 39 organisations who met certain criteria. Organisations in receipt of funding through the Nursing Home Support Scheme were not included in this process. As Valentia Community Hospital is in receipt of the Nursing Home Support Scheme, they were not eligible and were not included.
310. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter regarding the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51781/21]
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.
311. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a shortage of neurology nurse specialists in St. Vincent’s University Hospital; the steps he is taking to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51785/21]
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.
312. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken towards allowing those with epilepsy to access the medical cannabis access programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51786/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Medical Cannabis Access Programme (MCAP) will make it possible for a medical consultant registered with the Irish Medical Council to prescribe a listed cannabis-based treatment for a patient under his or her care for the three conditions covered by the programme, where the patient has failed to respond to standard treatments:
The three specified therapeutic indications covered by the programme:
- Spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis resistant to all standard therapies and interventions.
- Intractable nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, despite the use of standard anti-emetic regimes.
- Severe, refractory epilepsy that has failed to respond to standard anticonvulsant medications.
The (MCAP) is a 5-year pilot programme. The purpose of the programme is to facilitate access to acceptable cannabis-based products for medical use that are of a standardised quality and which meet the requirements outlined in the Misuse of Drugs (Prescription and Control of Supply of Cannabis for Medical Use) Regulations 2019 (as amended).
There are currently 4 products assessed by the HPRA for inclusion in Schedule 1 of the Regulations, more products are currently being assessed by the HPRA.
On the 19th July, I announced that the MCAP was now open for medical consultants to make an application for themselves and their patients to be registered for the programme.
Registration by consultants and their patients on the Cannabis for Medical use Register, to be operated by the HSE, is required for the prescribing of cannabis-based products under the MCAP.
313. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his plans to expand the rollout of free contraception to those persons over the age of 25; the timeline for such a rollout; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51788/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government commits to providing free contraception for women, starting with the 17-25 age cohort.
Accordingly, funding for free contraception, starting with women aged 17-25, has been allocated in 2022. The initiative is gradually being introduced by age cohort, starting with younger women who are least likely to be financially independent and where cost has been shown to be a greater barrier to access contraception.
The scheme will provide for:
- The cost of prescription contraception;
- The cost of fitting and/or removal of various types of long-acting reversible contraception and administration of contraceptive injections plus any necessary checks, by medical professionals certified to fit/remove same;
- The cost of training and certifying additional medical professionals to fit and remove long-acting reversible contraception;
- The cost of a maximum of two consultations per annum with GPs and other doctors to discuss forms of contraception suitable for individual patients and to enable prescription of same.
- Training and certification of additional GPs to fit long-acting reversible contraception
It is envisaged that a wide range of contraceptive options, currently available to medical card holders, will be made available through this scheme. This includes contraceptive injections, implants, various types of intrauterine system (IUS) or device (IUD; commonly known as the coil), the contraceptive patch and ring, and various forms of oral contraceptive pill.
Funding for free contraception in Budget 2022 also includes an allocation for training of additional GPs in fitting and removal of various forms of long-acting reversible contraception (e.g. various forms of the coil and contraceptive implant). It is envisaged that this will commence in 2022.
In order to give time to bring forward the necessary legislative proposals and ensure the implementation of service delivery arrangements through the appropriate areas of the healthcare system, it is envisaged that the scheme will commence in August 2022, but this is dependent on legislative timelines.
In the meantime, it should be noted that those with a medical card already have access to most forms of contraception at minimal cost (subject only to the prescription charge), while those with a GP visit card are also supported to some extent as the clinical cost element of contraception is reduced. Furthermore, the Drugs Payment Scheme, for which anyone ordinarily resident in Ireland is eligible, covers the cost of prescription items, if these exceed the monthly limit, which will be reduced from €114 to €100 through measures included in Budget 2022.
Some access to free contraception is already enabled in some contexts. the National Condom Distribution Service (NCDS), which was established by the HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme (SHCPP) in October 2015, functions as a central point for distributing free condoms and lubricant sachets to HSE services and other organisations working with individuals and groups at increased risk of negative sexual health outcomes. The NCDS currently distributes free condoms through 25 HSE locations, 27 higher education institutions and 44 non-government agencies.
It should be noted that, while oral contraception and various forms of long-acting reversible contraception can be more effective at preventing pregnancy, condoms provide protection against STIs that is not provided by non-barrier forms of contraception.
It is envisaged that continued expansion of the NCDS will be facilitated in line with demand, in order to support the STI prevention and sexual health promotion needs of people living in Ireland
