Tuesday, 29 Mar 2022

Written Answers Nos. 790-810

Ministerial Responsibilities

Ceisteanna (790)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

790. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of hospitals he has visited since becoming Minister; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16539/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Details of hospital visits by Minister Donnelly are set out below. Please note that due to the cyberattack, data relating to the Minister's diary is inaccessible pre-June 2021.

- 17.09.21 Visit to Tallaght Hospital

- 24.09.21 Our Lady of Lourdes Drogheda

- 05.11.21 Visit to Roscommon University Hospital

- 10.11.21 Officially open the new Emergency Department (refurbished) in the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital

- 15.11.21 Official Opening Paediatric Outpatient and Emergency Care Unit, CHI Tallaght

- 13.12.21 Opening of Rotunda Operating Theatre / Delivery Suite Extension and Ambulatory Gynaecology Unit

- 11.02.22 Photocall: Tallaght Hospital (critical care nurses & new EPR system)

- 11.02.22 Visit to Cappagh Hospital

- 17.02.22 Visit to University Hospital Limerick

- 17.02.22 Visit to Croom Hospital

- 04.03.22 Visit to University Hospital Galway

- 07.03.22 Official opening of newly extended and refurbished Labour & Birthing Unit at The National Maternity Hospital

Hospital Waiting Lists

Ceisteanna (791, 792)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

791. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients waiting for hip replacements, by wait times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16540/22]

David Cullinane

Ceist:

792. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients waiting for knee replacements by wait times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16541/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 791 and 792 together.

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 information requested by the Deputy concerning the number of patients waiting for knee & hip replacements by wait times, is outlined in the table below.

IP Hips and Knees as at 24/02/2022

-	0-6 Mths	6-12 Mths	12-18 Mths	18+ Mths	SmallVolTimeBands	Grand Total
IP Hips & Knees
Hips	1117	235	65	135	17	1569
Beaumont Hospital	12					12
Children's Health Ireland	13		5		6	24
Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown	24					24
Croom Orthopaedic Hospital	90	30				120
Galway University Hospitals	100	49	16	20		185
Kilcreene Regional Orthopaedic Hospital	143	5				148
Letterkenny University Hospital	42	11	12	25		90
Mater Misericordiae University Hospital	8	6				14
Mayo University Hospital	60		6	30		96
Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore	23	9		7		39
National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh	340	47				387
Our Lady's Hospital Navan	69	8		7		84
Sligo University Hospital	33	14	6	9		62
South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital	37				5	42
St. James's Hospital	29	16		15		60
St. Vincent's University Hospital					6	6
Tallaght University Hospital	58	11		5		74
University Hospital Kerry	24	22	13	10		69
University Hospital Waterford	12	7	7	7		33
Knees	917	212	56	127	21	1333
Beaumont Hospital	9	7				16
Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown	9					9
Croom Orthopaedic Hospital	63	40	6			109
Galway University Hospitals	44	22	10	28		104
Kilcreene Regional Orthopaedic Hospital	83	6				89
Letterkenny University Hospital	34	15	9	25		83
Mater Misericordiae University Hospital					10	10
Mayo University Hospital	23	7		23		53
Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore	34	18	6			58
National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh	360	60	5			425
Our Lady's Hospital Navan	70	9		9		88
Sligo University Hospital	18	8	9	7		42
South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital	48					48
St. James's Hospital	15	7	5	15		42
St. Vincent's University Hospital					5	5
Tallaght University Hospital	68	6				74
University Hospital Kerry	33	7	6	10		56
University Hospital Waterford	6			10	6	22
SmallVolProcedures					37	37
Croom Orthopaedic Hospital					7	7
Mayo University Hospital					6	6
SmallVolHospitals					24	24
Grand Total	2034	447	121	262	75	2939

Question No. 792 answered with Question No. 791.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Ceisteanna (793)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

793. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his plans to publish diagnostic and community health waiting lists on a monthly basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16542/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The 2022 Waiting List Action Plan includes actions to address both diagnostic and community waiting lists. Under the Plan, €5 million has been allocated to secure an additional 30,000 acute diagnostics appointments. Waiting list management, processes and systems are also being developed for acute diagnostics as part of the longer-term reform actions. A programme of work is due to commence, subject to my Department’s approval, to deliver full waiting list data collection for all radiology diagnostics as well as a waiting list management protocol for radiology diagnostics, to be developed by the National Treatment Purchase Fund and the HSE. The Plan will also progress towards achievement of the Government maximum waiting time targets. The DoH, in consultation with the HSE, will work with key stakeholders to define the scope of diagnostics, procedures, and related services to be included within the maximum wait time target across acute scheduled care.

Longer-term fundamental reform is dependent on resolving the delivery of integrated care which is patient focused and requires that delays in access to community care are addressed. Therefore, under the Waiting List Action Plan, important exploratory and foundational actions will be undertaken to map out and take short, medium-and long-term action to improve access and address waiting lists and waiting times in the community. These actions include the design and implementation of the Integrated Community Case Management System (ICCMS) as a foundational case management system to support communication between healthcare providers and effective management, planning and delivery of services; and the development of a process to complete a capacity and demand analysis across community waiting lists.

Departmental Offices

Ceisteanna (794)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

794. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his plans to create an office for health and social care professionals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16543/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

There are no plans to establish an office for health and social care professionals within the Department of Health.

My Department is examining its structures at the present time and as part of that, is considering how best to incorporate the expertise of a range of professionals on a multidisciplinary basis.

Departmental Equipment

Ceisteanna (795)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

795. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE or computers used by his Department operating on outdated operating system (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16544/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

My Department has no computers using the detailed operating systems which are outdated or unsupported.In respect of the HSE, as this is a service matter I have asked them to respond directly to the Deputy.

Question No. 796 answered with Question No. 779.

Departmental Legal Cases

Ceisteanna (797)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

797. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of court cases in which he or the HSE was cited in relation to the Disability Act 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16546/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As the Deputy's question relates to a service issue, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Disabilities Assessments

Ceisteanna (798)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

798. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his response to a recent High Court judgment in respect of preliminary team assessments under the standard operating procedure for disability assessments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16547/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I wish to advise that discussions have already taken place in relation to this issue between the Department and the HSE. In addition, my officials have formally written to the HSE seeking clarification on the implications for the Assessment of Need process in light of the recent High Court decision and how it intends to mitigate the risk to service for the children and families concerned.

I also wish to assure the Deputy that I and my officials will also be meeting with the HSE in the very near future to discuss a revised procedure for the carrying out of Assessments of Need.

Disabilities Assessments

Ceisteanna (799)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

799. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of children with a disability who have received a preliminary team assessment but who now require a multidisciplinary assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16548/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Departmental Legal Cases

Ceisteanna (800)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

800. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the total legal cost to the State of all court cases taken in relation to the Disability Act 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16549/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

With regard to legal cases taken in relation to the Disability Act 2005, I can only answer in respect of cases relating to health services and not the State as a whole.

In the context of the Department of Health, the Office of the Disability Appeals Officer has confirmed that the legal costs incurred by from March 2018 to March 2022, the term to date of the current incumbent in the role, totals €45,028.50.

With regard to costs for other cases, this information is held by the Health Service Executive and, as such, I have referred to this PQ to them for direct response to the Deputy, as soon as possible.

Departmental Legal Cases

Ceisteanna (801)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

801. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of legal firms that have received payments from the State in regard to health-related cases since 2010; the number of firms that have received sums greater than €100,000, €500,000, €1 million or €5 million, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16550/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The following link shows the number of firms that have received payments in each category outlined in the question since 2010.

Health-related Legal Cases

Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (802)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

802. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his plans to offer a job guarantee to health graduates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16551/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Recruitment of recently qualified health and social care graduates is a key priority for the Department and the HSE. There is a process in place to offer newly qualified nursing and midwifery graduates permanent positions in the HSE. This process is managed through the Hospital Group and CHO networks. All Nursing and Midwifery graduates were offered permanent contracts in 2020, 2021 and the same is planned for 2022.

In relation to the Health and Social Care Professionals, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that all graduates from Irish Colleges (Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Dieticians and Physiotherapists) from 2021 were given the opportunity to apply for positions in the HSE through a single national process. Most of the Health and Social Care Professional graduates availed of this opportunity. These were all interviewed and placed on a HSE national panel. Each member of the panel was offered multiple job opportunities across the country. It is planned to offer the same opportunities to the Health and Social Care Professional graduates in 2022.

All eligible CAO entrants to Irish Medical Schools who are work permit exempt are guaranteed an internship place in the HSE following completion of their medical degree. It is a priority for CAO graduates to have access to internships in order that they may obtain full registration with the Medical Council of Ireland, and subsequently obtain specialist registration with a view to permanent employment in the Irish health service. This protects the State investment in their undergraduate education. It also supports Ireland's commitment under the World Health Organization’s Global Code on the Recruitment of International Health Personnel to strive for self-sufficiency in the domestic production of doctors.

Applicants for a medical internship are applying for an employment position and are recruited directly by the HSE. The HSE applies the Employment Permits Act in relation to recruitment for intern posts. Irish Medical School CAO entrants who are work permit exempt are guaranteed an intern post in the HSE. Following that, the remaining posts are allocated to all remaining and eligible EEA applicants, followed by all remaining and eligible non-EEA applicants. All eligible CAO applicants have been allocated an intern post since 2016.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Ceisteanna (803)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

803. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the targets that have been set for each individual hospital group and each individual hospital in relation to reducing acute waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16552/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The 2022 Waiting List Action Plan (WLAP), which I launched on 25 February 2022, details 45 actions to reduce and reform waiting lists.

Our immediate priority under the plan is to deliver additional activity and thereby reduce the number of people waiting, with a particular focus on long waiters. Some €263m, of the €350m fund made available via the 2022 WLAP, has been allocated to the HSE and National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) this year to source additional outpatient (OPD), endoscopy (GI Scopes), diagnostics and inpatient daycase (IPDC) activity to achieve this.

A substantial piece of work with Hospital Groups and CHI to identify the specialties and indeed procedures to target is nearing completion. In the meantime, the HSE and NTPF are collaborating to procure as much additional activity as possible using existing arrangements.

The HSE will continue to prioritise the delivery of care based on robust clinical guidance. Ongoing monitoring will take place to identify evidence of unmet historical, clinically urgent demand. To the extent that these demands are displacing non-urgent waiting list activity, further efforts will be made to secure additional capacity.

The 2022 Waiting List Action Plan will also progress work towards the achievement of intermediate waiting time targets this year, as set out in the 2022 National Service Plan (98% of all patients on active waiting list will wait less than 18 months for their first Outpatients appointment and less than 12 months for their procedure).

The 2022 Plan also focuses on 15 high volume inpatient day case procedures, including cataracts and hip and knee replacements, so that every person waiting over 6 months for one of these procedures, and who is clinically ready, will receive an offer of treatment via the NTPF.

Question No. 804 answered with Question No. 779.

Mental Health Services

Ceisteanna (805)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

805. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the position of the person who is responsible for clinical governance in each CAMHS unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16554/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Health Service Executive

Ceisteanna (806)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

806. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of senior HSE clinician and non-clinician officials responsible for clinical governance who have faced sanction following disciplinary procedures from the HSE due to failures in clinical governance or clinical supervision since 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16559/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Health Service Executive

Ceisteanna (807)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

807. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of senior HSE clinicians responsible for clinical governance who have faced sanction following disciplinary procedures from the Medical Council due to failures in clinical governance or clinical supervision since 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16560/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

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 Tests

Ceisteanna (808)

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

808. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if in relation to the HSE website and the instructions for symptomatic persons in relation to ordering antigen tests, his views on whether the phrasing (details supplied) is discouraging for persons with symptoms to order a test; and if his Department will consider updating this. [16561/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Changes to public health advice in relation to testing for COVID-19 were approved by Government and came into effect on Monday, 28th February 2022.

Testing for SARS-Cov-2 is now progressively moving from extensive case finding and tracing of infection to reduce transmission, towards a focus on mitigation of the severe impacts of COVID-19 for those most vulnerable to the severe effects of the disease and those with risk factors for severe disease who may benefit from specific interventions.

As part of these changes, PCR testing for public health purposes is now advised for those most vulnerable to the effects of the disease. This includes those aged 55 years and older who have not received a booster vaccination, those with a high-risk medical condition, those who are immunocompromised, those who provide care or support for a person they know to be immunocompromised and those who are pregnant.

Antigen testing is recommended for use by asymptomatic healthcare workers identified as close contacts, and to facilitate social welfare claims related to a person’s absence from work.

These changes have been facilitated by the high level of vaccine-induced and naturally acquired population immunity in Ireland, which is mitigating the worst impacts of infection. The evolving epidemiological situation, and approach to the public health management of the pandemic, remains under continuing review.

The HSE will continue to provide access to testing according to the prevailing public health guidance in place at any particular time. Individuals who are concerned about an underlying condition and/or their level of risk in relation to COVID-19 should continue to seek advice from their GP or treating clinician.

Health Services

Ceisteanna (809)

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Ceist:

809. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the opening date for a facility (details supplied) in County Cork; and the way the application process for jobs at this facility will be advertised. [16562/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

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 (810)

Pa Daly

Ceist:

810. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment for CAMHS. [16563/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.