Written Answers Nos. 429-440
429. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a delay of up to two months for children’s blood tests at Children’s Health Ireland hospitals; his plans to rectify this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17310/22]
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.
430. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 751 of 1 March 2022, the consideration he has given to the need for an additional 100 neurology nurse specialists; the timescale for approval of these posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17346/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 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.
431. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if, in view of the substantial increase in Covid 19 cases, mandatory mask wearing in certain settings is being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17347/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department, through the Office of the Chief Medical Officer, together with colleagues in the HSE and the National Virus Reference Laboratory, continues to monitor the epidemiological profile carefully, and will provide public health advice to me as required for consideration. At present mask wearing is advised based on individual risk assessment, particularly while disease incidence is high. Anyone who wishes to wear a mask should not be discouraged from doing so. Individuals who are vulnerable to COVID-19 are further advised to be aware of the risk associated with activities they may choose to engage in and to take measures to optimally protect themselves. Vulnerable individuals are advised to consider wearing masks in crowded indoor settings, such as may relate, for example, to social gatherings or other activities and events.
432. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to identify and address gender pay disparity in his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17360/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraRates of remuneration for all public health service grades are set out within the Department of Health's Consolidated Salary Scales which are available to view online here: www.gov.ie/en/publication/b556a-application-of-1-october-2021-pay-adjustments/. All rates of pay are determined per grade, and are not gender based.
433. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to encourage active travel modes to and from work in his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17379/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn general terms, pre and post pandemic, staff in my Department are encouraged and facilitated to use active travel to commute to work in the following ways:
- The Cycle to Work scheme is available and promoted to staff.
- Miesian Plaza has secure and plentiful bicycle parking and facilities.
- The Travel Pass scheme incentivises staff to use public transport which in turn encourages them to walk or cycle to and from train stations and bus stops.
- When the Department moved to our new headquarters in Miesian Plaza we reduced our available car parking spaces to further encourage staff to cycle or walk to work.
To encourage and facilitate employees to stay active, wellbeing guidance and advice is communicated on a regular basis, and all staff are reminded to take regular breaks.
I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in respect of the staff of the HSE and Section 38 agencies under their remit. The information relating to the Non-Commercial State Agencies under the remit of my Department is being collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy by separate cover.
434. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17393/22]
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.
435. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of the current public patient waiting lists for rheumatology, ophthalmology and neurology in Cork University Hospital in tabular form; and the number of months patients that are waiting. [17399/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt 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 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, the number of the current public patient waiting lists for rheumatology, ophthalmology and neurology in CUH in tabular form including a breakdown of the number of months patients are waiting is outlined in the attached document. The information is provided for In-patient - Daycase (IPDC) and Outpatient (OPD) and shows the number of patients on the neurology, ophthalmology and rheumatology waiting lists by time-band in Cork University Hospital. The OPD information requested by the Deputy is available on the NTPF website at: www.ntpf.ie/home/nwld.htm. The IPDC information is aggregated on the NTPF website to preserve patient confidentiality, given the small numbers involved .
Total Waiters for an Inpatient (IPDC) Neurology, Ophthalmology or Rheumatology Appointment in Cork University Hospital by Wait Time Band as at 24/02/2022
|
Time Band (Months) |
0-6 Months |
Small Volume Time Band |
Grand Total |
|
Cork University Hospital |
23 |
7* |
30 |
|
Neurology |
13 |
13 |
|
|
Ophthalmology |
10 |
10 |
|
|
Small Volume Specialty |
7* |
7 |
*Due to the small volume of patients waiting in certain specialties, to preserve patient confidentiality, when the number of patients is <5, these have been included within broader timebands or aggregated into a 'Small Volume Specialties' cohort.
Total Waiters for an Outpatient Neurology, Ophthalmology or Rheumatology Appointment in Cork University Hospital by Wait Time Band as at 24/02/2022
|
Time-Band (Months) |
0-6 Months |
6-12 Months |
12-18 Months |
18 Months + |
Grand Total |
|
Cork University Hospital |
3,526 |
2,662 |
1,824 |
5,752 |
13,764 |
|
Neurology |
1,182 |
869 |
573 |
383 |
3,007 |
|
Ophthalmology |
1,889 |
1,388 |
945 |
4,244 |
8,466 |
|
Rheumatology |
455 |
405 |
306 |
1,125 |
2,291 |
436. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the remuneration, expenses or other payments made to student nurses, student midwives, student occupational therapists, student speech and language therapists, student audiologists, student psychologists and student dietitians who are on compulsory placement in clinical settings. [17400/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
437. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number and roles of current vacancies for each children's disability network team, in tabular form; the steps he is taking to recruit for these roles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17401/22]
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.
438. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the details of progress made in addressing the National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders goals. [17402/22]
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.
439. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the waiting list for inpatient eating disorder treatment who are ineligible for HSE funding. [17403/22]
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.
440. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of women in adult psychiatric units postnatally in 2021, by each CHO area, in tabular form. [17404/22]
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.
