Written Answers Nos. 951-969
951. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health further to his acknowledgement of the findings of recent UCC research which indicated that babies may have survived abortions performed under the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, if such incidences occurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52637/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy's question relates to a service area, I have referred it to the HSE for response.
952. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the number of patients who have been prescribed an approved MCAP medical cannabis product since the commencement of the MCAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52639/21]
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.
953. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health when a date for a consultant appointment for assessment of cataracts will be given to a person (details supplied). [52644/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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.
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.
954. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health when a date for an osteo consultant appointment will be given to a person (details supplied). [52645/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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.
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.
955. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time for an appointment in Jigsaw Tipperary for video and phone support appointments and face-to-face appointments. [52660/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
956. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the number of homecare hours he is budgeting for in 2022; the standards that will be applied to new providers before they are approved for service delivery; and when the emerging features of the new statutory scheme will come into effect. [52665/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraEnabling people with care-needs to continue to live independently at home for as long as possible is a priority for the Government. To advance this, the Government is committed to establishing a new, statutory scheme for the financing and regulation of home-support services. It is intended that the new scheme will provide equitable and transparent access to high-quality services based on a person’s assessed care-needs.
Work is on-going within the Department to progress the development of the new scheme within the broader context of the Sláintecare reforms. This work encompasses the development of the regulatory framework for the new scheme; the examination of the options for the financing model for the scheme; and the development of a reformed model of service delivery.
With the aim of ensuring that all service-users are provided with a standard, high-quality level of care which is safe, effective, and person-centred, it is envisaged that the regulatory framework will comprise (i) primary legislation for the licensing of public and private home support providers; (ii) minimum requirements (regulations); and HIQA National Standards for Home Support Services.
Earlier this year, Government gave approval to draft a General Scheme and Heads of a Bill to establish a licensing framework for home support providers. This is being progressed by the Department with a view to bringing it through the Houses of the Oireachtas at the earliest opportunity. It is expected that the primary legislation will give the Minister for Health the power to make regulations in respect of minimum requirements which will form the criteria against which a provider’s eligibility to hold a licence will be determined. The Department recently commenced a targeted stakeholder consultation on these draft minimum requirements. In addition, HIQA recently ran a public scoping consultation to inform the development of their National Standards for Home Support Services.
In parallel to this, work is ongoing in relation to the development of a reformed model of service delivery for home support. Within this context, funding was secured in 2021 for the HSE to progress the roll-out of interRAI as the standard assessment tool for care-needs in the community; the pilot of a reformed model of service delivery for home-support; and the establishment of a National Office for Home Support Services.
The testing of the reformed model of service delivery for home support is scheduled to commence in November 2021 in CHO 8 (Longford / West Meath). Recruitment issues associated with backfilling of posts has impacted on release of interRAI Care Coordinators in CHO 2 (Galway), 4 (South Lee) and 7 (Dublin West). This has necessitated phased introduction of pilot sites however it is expected that all will be fully operational by January 2022. A comprehensive and robust operational model for the roll-out of the interRAI has been developed which will facilitate effective, efficient, fair and transparent care needs assessment and planning and appropriate service delivery. The interRAI outputs and pilot site evaluation will be critical to inform legislative and funding decisions in relation to the statutory home support scheme.
Recruitment of the 130 posts funded for the national rollout of interRAI as the standard assessment tool for care-needs is scheduled to commence in this quarter. In addition, a National Home Support Office will be established before the end of the year.
The Sláintecare Implementation Strategy and Action Plan 2021–2023 commits to the advancement of the development of the new home-support scheme in 2021 and to the commencement of its implementation in 2022. While the new home-support scheme is under development, the Government is prioritising improving access to home-support services. Budget 2021 and the subsequent Health Service Executive National Service Plan allowed for an unprecedented increase in investment in home care and intermediate care to be delivered in the community. This high level of investment is being maintained into 2022. Details of how this will be delivered in 2022, including the additional 5 million home support hours provided for in Budget 2021, to be maintained in 2022, will be finalised as part of the National Service Plan process. In addition the proportion of hours ringfenced for people with dementia will more than double, from 5% in 2021 to 11% in 2022.
959. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he has consulted with or has plans to meet and invite input into the draft legislation from Irish families through surrogacy; his views on the fact that these families are dealing with the daily implications of the legal limbo they are living through in the absence of any legislation and are best placed to help inform legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52674/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra980. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if in relation to the assisted human reproduction Bill, it is intended to legislate for international surrogacy; when legislation recognising international surrogacy and retrospective declaration of parentage will be complete; and if his Department will engage with an organisation (details supplied) on this proposed legislation. [52746/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra1018. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify recent reports that international surrogacy will be excluded from the upcoming assisted human reproduction Bill (details supplied); when legislation recognising international surrogacy alongside retrospective declaration of parentage will be published; if a group will have input into the draft legislation to ensure no child is left behind; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52915/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra1104. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 356 of 21 October 2021, the timeframe for publication of the Bill on assisted human reproduction; the steps he has taken to consult with stakeholders including the AHR community regarding the Bill; if the Bill will encompass international surrogacy; if not, the reason; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53285/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra1157. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will address matters raised in correspondence (details supplied). [53395/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 959, 980, 1018, 1104 and 1157 together.
As the Deputies will be aware, drafting of a bill on assisted human reproduction (AHR) and associated areas of research is ongoing by officials in my Department, in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General. This legislation encompasses the regulation for the first time of a wide range of practices undertaken in this jurisdiction, including domestic altruistic surrogacy. The surrogacy provisions of the Bill outline the specific conditions under which surrogacy in Ireland will be permitted, including a requirement for all surrogacy agreements to be pre-authorised by the new AHR Regulatory Authority. The legislation also sets out a court-based mechanism through which the parentage of a child born through surrogacy may be transferred from the surrogate to the intending parent(s). Publication of the AHR Bill is a priority for my Department and the Government, and a commitment to enact this legislation is included in the Programme for Government, “Our Shared Future”. This Department will continue to engage intensively with the Office of the Attorney General in order to finalise this complex legislation. The draft Bill does not contain provisions to regulate surrogacy arrangements undertaken in other jurisdictions, nor does it provide for retrospective declarations of parentage. Issues which arise from the undertaking of surrogacy arrangements in other jurisdictions and the assignment of retrospective parentage concern areas of law that intersect across the remits of several Government Departments and require detailed examination. My Department is engaging with the Department of Justice and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in respect of these matters. On my request officials in my Department met with the stakeholders to which you refer.
962. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the number of general practitioners that are in practice in each county in each of the years 2017 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [52685/21]
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.
963. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health if there has been engagement between his Department and an organisation (details supplied) pertaining to the growing concerns expressed by general practitioners regarding the falling numbers in general practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52686/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is ongoing engagement between officials from my Department and the HSE and the organisation in question in relation to a wide range of issues, including the number of doctors working in general practice.
While no central register exists specifically for GPs working in Ireland, all doctors in practice in Ireland must be registered with the Medical Council. The number of GPs on the specialist register continues to increase, up from 2,270 in 2010 to 4,224 in September 2021. However, holding registration does not necessarily mean that a medical practitioner is active in general practice at this time, nor does it equate to full time practitioners. The number of GPs contracted to provide services to GMS patients has increased in the past 10 years from 2,258 to 2,531, an increase of 12%.
Nonetheless, I am very aware of the workforce issues facing general practice, including changing demographics, the number of GPs nearing retirement, the difficulties in filling a small number of GMS vacancies, and the impact of the shift towards care centred in the community on general practice.
Several efforts to increase the number of practising GPs have been undertaken in recent years. In addition to the increases in the number of GP training places, changes have been made to the entry provisions to the GMS scheme to facilitate more flexible/shared GMS contracts, and to the retirement provisions for GPs under the GMS scheme. An enhanced supports package for rural GP practices was also introduced.
Recent developments in relation to general practice, in particular the 2019 Agreement on Contractual Reform and Service Development, have helped to re-establish general practice in Ireland as an attractive career choice. The additional investment, which will amount to €210 million annually once the Agreement is fully implemented, provides for an increase in capitation fees, improved maternity and paternity arrangements as well as enhanced supports for rural practices. In addition, targeted funding of €2 million will also be set aside to provide additional support to practices in deprived urban areas. The wider reforms in the health service will also help to provide an atmosphere in which the practice of medicine in Ireland will remain attractive. The additional investment in general practice provides a sound basis for ensuring that GPs have access to a credible and rewarding career path in Ireland.
In addition, the recent transfer of responsibility for GP training to the Irish College of General Practitioners will bring GP training in line with other medical specialties where responsibility for training lies with the respective vocational bodies. This transfer will allow for a further expansion in the number of training places.
966. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to countries setting expiry dates on Covid-19 vaccines and the impact this could have on Irish Travellers should they not be offered booster jabs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52697/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe EU Digital COVID Certificate is a document which is issued to help facilitate enable the safe and free international movement of people across the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the EU Digital COVID Certificate Regulation individual Member States are responsible for deciding how to utilise these certificates as part of their travel measures.
Individuals travelling within the EU are advised to check what restrictions are in place in the country of destination on the ReOpenEU website in advance.
It is important to note that the possession of an EU Digital COVID Certificate is not a pre-condition to travel.
967. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the reason podiatry services are no longer available for residents in Ashbourne and Dunshaughlin, County Meath, given that now the closest primary care centre offering podiatry services is 28 kilometres away in Trim; his views on whether this presents enormous challenges for residents who have limited physical mobility and no means of transportation such as a person (details supplied); if it will be ensured podiatry services will resume in these locations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52698/21]
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.
968. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to delays in obtaining an appointment with the HSE civil registration service for the purpose of acquiring a marriage licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52702/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter for the HSE, who provide this service on behalf of the Department of Social Protection, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
969. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to have pharmacies administer Covid-19 booster vaccinations in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52703/21]
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.
