David Cullinane
Ceist:859. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health when the report of the national safeguarding committee will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52231/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraDepartmental Reports
Ceisteanna (859)
Freagraí scríofa
I understand that the question refers to the publication of the annual report of the Health Service Executive’s (HSE's) National Safeguarding Office and I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Ceisteanna (860)
Rose Conway-Walsh
Ceist:860. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health if as part of the commitment to expand jigsaw services in the Programme for Government he plans to provide a jigsaw centre in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52236/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Hospital Inspections
Ceisteanna (861)
Rose Conway-Walsh
Ceist:861. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health the number of HIQA site inspections that were carried out to date in 2021 in Belmullet Community Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52237/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has advised the Department that Belmullet Community Hospital is registered as an acute and community centre with 39 step-down/convalescence beds. It was last inspected in July 2020 and the report can be found on the HIQA website. Aras Deirbhle, Community Nursing Unit, Belmullet, which is a registered designated centre with 37 long stay beds, was last inspected in December 2019 and that report is also available on the HIQA website.
Medical Aids and Appliances
Ceisteanna (862)
Seán Fleming
Ceist:862. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the reason the FreeStyle Libre sensor is not available for persons with diabetes who have a long-term illness card given many persons have to use this as a finger blood prick test which is not suitable for all persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52247/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Vaccination Programme
Ceisteanna (863)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:863. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the status of booster vaccines; and when he expects all over 70s in Dublin to be offered a booster vaccine. [52256/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
On 8 September, I announced an update to the Covid-19 vaccination programme following advice from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC).The NIAC has recommended a booster dose of an mRNA vaccine (irrespective of whether the primary vaccination course was of an mRNA or adenoviral vector) for residents aged 65 years and older living in Long Term Residential Care Facilities and for those aged 80 years and older living in the community. The booster dose can be given after a minimum interval of six months following completion of the primary vaccination schedule. I have accepted this advice and the HSE has made the necessary arrangements to operationalise these recommendations with the booster rollout now underway.The NIAC has now recommended that a booster dose of Pfizer/BioNTech should be offered to all those aged 60-79 who have completed their primary vaccination course with any Covid-19 vaccination. The booster dose should be ideally given 6 months following completion of the primary vaccination schedule (with a minimum interval of 5 months).
The HSE has developed an operational plan for the vaccination of this cohort with the programme expected to commence on the week of 1 November. The timeframe for an individual to be offered a booster vaccination is dependent on their primary vaccination completion date.
Disability Services
Ceisteanna (864)
Neale Richmond
Ceist:864. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) will receive formal intervention from the progressing disabilities network team; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52257/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Disability Services
Ceisteanna (865)
Michael Fitzmaurice
Ceist:865. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health the ten disability service providers that received the highest amount of funding in 2020; the amount each of these disability service providers received in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52273/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy's question relates to a service matter, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Question No. 866 answered with Question No. 803.
Covid-19 Pandemic
Ceisteanna (867)
Mattie McGrath
Ceist:867. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of deaths by Covid-19 each month to date in 2021; the vaccination status of all of the deceased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52279/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Covid-19 Pandemic
Ceisteanna (868)
Mattie McGrath
Ceist:868. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of patients hospitalised in each month to date in 2021 with Covid-19; the vaccination status of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52280/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí 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 (869)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Ceist:869. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the number of children that are receiving psychiatric medication in the Puffin Ward in CUH. [52284/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí 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 (870)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Ceist:870. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the number of children that have been referred to CAMHS from the Puffin Ward in CUH. [52285/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí 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 (871)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Ceist:871. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the number of referrals from the Puffin Ward in CUH that have been accepted by CAMHS. [52286/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí 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 (872)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Ceist:872. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the average stay of a child suffering with their mental health in the Puffin Ward in CUH. [52287/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí 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 (873)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Ceist:873. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the mental health support available to the children suffering with mental health disorders in the Puffin Ward in CUH; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52288/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
General Practitioner Services
Ceisteanna (874)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Ceist:874. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health if he plans to reopen the SouthDoc service in Kinsale, County Cork which was closed in 2014 due to the population increase in the area. [52289/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
SouthDoc Out of Hours GP service provides urgent general practice out of hours care in Cork and Kerry with a membership of over 500 GPs and a network of 26 treatment centres across both counties. The HSE have advised that following a review of service provision across Cork and Kerry in 2013 changes were made to service delivery in a number of areas, including Kinsale, with SouthDoc establishing the main centre for the area in Bandon. As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy with details on this matter.
Covid-19 Tests
Ceisteanna (875)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:875. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if an analysis of the effectiveness of rapid antigen testing for Covid-19 in children has been carried out by his Department; if so, the evidence that is available in relation to the effectiveness of rapid antigen testing for Covid-19 in children; if his Department will consider the use of rapid antigen testing for young children in view of reports that many children cannot get an appointment to see a general practitioner until they return a negative Covid-19 PCR test result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52290/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Access to timely and accurate COVID-19 testing is an essential component to support clinical management of cases, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, and disease surveillance. Currently, PCR testing is the gold standard for diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the HSE has developed and maintained a robust and agile testing programme, providing capacity for more than 175,000 PCR tests per week.
While there is significant capacity for COVID-19 PCR testing provided by the HSE as part of the public response to the pandemic, rapid antigen testing does have a role to play as another tool in Ireland’s response to COVID-19 and I have been clear in my support for their wider use. My Department, NPHET and the HSE are continually monitoring their potential utility, with pilot schemes and deployment underway in a number of sectors where appropriate. As case numbers increase in younger age groups, the situation in our schools continues to be monitored closely, and in consultation with the Department of Education, we are reviewing all available options for the further protection of children in our schools, including the possible use of antigen testing in certain situations.
Rapid antigen tests are an additional tool and not a substitute for existing public health measures, and it is essential that anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 should immediately self-isolate and book an appointment for a PCR test through the HSE. Current advice on testing of children can be found on the HSE website at www2.hse.ie/conditions/covid19/testing/testing-for-children/.
Home Care Packages
Ceisteanna (876)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:876. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 339 of 23 September 2021, when a reply to the question referred to the HSE will issue; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52295/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I have been advised by the HSE that a reply issued to the Deputy on Tuesday 26 October 2021.