Paul Kehoe
Ceist:371. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health the status of an application by a centre (details supplied) in County Wexford for a section 39 grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15531/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraHealth Services
Ceisteanna (371)
Freagraí scríofa
The funding of voluntary organisations through Section 39 is administered by the HSE. As such, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (372)
Pádraig MacLochlainn
Ceist:372. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) from County Donegal will receive an appointment from Galway University Hospital; if the person will be considered for any cancellations that might occur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15535/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under 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.
Vaccination Programme
Ceisteanna (373)
Emer Higgins
Ceist:373. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health if he will consider the roll-out of a specific vaccine campaign in the Ukrainian language aimed at offering Covid-19 vaccines to new residents that are being welcomed here for a better, safer life. [15536/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
Hospital Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (374)
Robert Troy
Ceist:374. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if a speech therapy appointment for a person (details supplied) will be expedited. [15545/22]
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.
Health Services
Ceisteanna (375)
Michael Lowry
Ceist:375. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health the reason that staff working in the HSE medical cards service were unable to access or reply to enquiries submitted to dedicated Oireachtas email oireachtas.pcrs@hse.ie between approximately 15 February 2022 and 9 March 2022; the reason that Oireachtas members were not notified of issues with this dedicated email account; when it is envisaged that staff in the HSE medical cards service will be able regain full access to emails sent by Oireachtas members to this dedicated email account; if applications which may now be closed due to this issue will be given sympathetic consideration and reactivated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15547/22]
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 (376)
Brendan Howlin
Ceist:376. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that a certificate of vaccination for the booster vaccine will be issued to a person (details supplied) via email which was requested of his Department in February 2022 and which is required for travel purposes. [15560/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Digital COVID Certificates for booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered in Ireland are currently being issued.
Any persons who continue to wish to update their Digital COVID Certificate may contact the DCC helpline directly for urgent assistance. The DCC Service Centre can be contacted on 1800 807 008 or +353 1 903 6437 from outside Ireland. The helpline opening hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6:30pm.
The details of the individuals in question have been forwarded to confirm that all the necessary details are available to issue a Digital COVID Certificate. If any further details are required for the certificate, the HSE may contact the person directly.
Health Services Staff
Ceisteanna (377)
Claire Kerrane
Ceist:377. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if home care workers are being hired by the HSE in CHO2; if so, the number that are being hired; and the timeline for same. [15603/22]
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.
Home Care Packages
Ceisteanna (378)
Claire Kerrane
Ceist:378. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in counties Roscommon and Galway that are approved for home care hours and are not yet receiving them. [15604/22]
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.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Ceisteanna (379)
Claire Kerrane
Ceist:379. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with an address in counties Roscommon and Galway that are on outpatient waiting lists for procedures. [15605/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. While significant work continues to positively impact on waiting times and improve pathways to elective care, acute hospitals have been impacted by operational challenges arising from surges in cases related to the Delta and Omicron variants.
The HSE has confirmed to the Department that patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.
The Department of Health continues to work with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to identify ways to improve access to care, including through increased use of private hospitals, funding weekend and evening work in public hospitals, funding “see and treat” services, providing virtual clinics, and increasing capacity in the public hospital system.
The 2022 Waiting List Action Plan, which was launched on the 26th of February, allocates €350 million to the HSE and NTPF to reduce waiting lists. Under this plan the Department, HSE, and NTPF will deliver urgent additional capacity for the treatment of patients, as well as investing in longer term reforms to bring sustained reductions in waiting lists.
The plan builds on the successes of the short-term 2021 plan that ran from September to December last year. The 2021 plan was developed by the Department of Health, the HSE and the NTPF and was driven and overseen by a senior governance group co-chaired by the Secretary General of the Department of Health and the CEO of the HSE and met fortnightly.
This rigorous level of governance and scrutiny of waiting lists has continued into this year with the oversight group evolving into the Waiting List Task Force. The Task Force will meet regularly to drive progress of the 2022 plan.
This is the first stage of an ambitious multi-annual waiting list plan, which is currently under development in the Department of Health. Between them, these plans will work to support short, medium, and long term initiatives to reduce waiting times and provide the activity needed in years to come.
The data requested by the Deputy regarding the number of persons on the outpatient waiting list with an address in counties Roscommon and Galway is outlined in the attached document and was provided to my department by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF).
Health Services Staff
Ceisteanna (380)
Claire Kerrane
Ceist:380. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the vacancies that remain at the new E-mental health hub in Castlerea, County Roscommon. [15606/22]
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.
Home Care Packages
Ceisteanna (381)
Claire Kerrane
Ceist:381. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the status of the plans to regulate the home care sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15607/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Programme for Government agreed in 2020 commits the government to ‘Introduce a statutory scheme to support people to live in their own homes, which will provide equitable access to high-quality, regulated home care’.
Consequently, work is on-going within the Department of Health to progress the development of the new statutory scheme for the financing and regulation of home-support services. Taking place 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.
In relation to the regulatory framework, Government gave approval to draft a General Scheme and Heads of a Bill to establish a licensing framework for homecare and support providers in April 2021. The framework will comprise: (i) primary legislation for the licensing of public and private home-support providers; (ii) minimum requirements (i.e., regulations); and (iii) HIQA National Standards for Home Support Services. 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. A regulatory impact analysis will be undertaken by the Department in 2022 to ensure effectiveness and mitigate risks.
The regulations being drawn up by the Department and the standards being drafted by the HIQA both take cognisance of the diverse and often complex needs of those who require homecare and support. The aim is to ensure that service-users are safe-guarded and protected, and a responsive, person-centred, quality-driven home-support service is provided. This is central to the Sláintecare objective of providing ‘right care, in the right place at the right time’.
The development of regulations and quality standards are at an advanced level. HIQA ran a public scoping consultation in September to inform the development of National Standards for Home Support Services. HIQA has convened an Advisory Group, with representation from the Department of Health, to assist in the process of developing the Draft National Standards.
In collaboration with HIQA and in consultation with the Health Service Executive and other key informants, the Department developed draft regulations and a targeted stakeholder consultation was undertaken in January 2022. Evaluating the feedback of this consultation is informing amendments in the draft regulations in advance of a public consultation planned in Q2 2022.