Written Answers Nos. 413-426
413. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the findings related to the provision of telemedicine abortion in the HSEs recent review of the Revised Model of Care for Termination of Pregnancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19067/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to protect public health and limit the spread of Covid-19, the Department of Health and the HSE worked together in 2020 to put arrangements in place to allow termination of pregnancy services in early pregnancy to be provided remotely. For the duration of the Covid-19 public health emergency, where the need for social distancing, reducing personal contacts and reducing the burden on medical practitioners are paramount, it became possible for a woman to access a termination under section 12 of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 (i.e., before 12 weeks) from her medical practitioner by telephone or video conference consultation.
There is ongoing engagement between the Department of Health and the HSE to monitor service provision, facilitate the smooth-running of the service and resolve any issues that may arise. However, with restrictions eased, the Department is currently reviewing whether remote consultation as part of a blended approach to termination of pregnancy care should be continued post the COVID-19 public health emergency period.
At the request of the Department, the HSE conducted a review of the Revised Model of Care for Termination of Pregnancy. The findings of this review are currently being examined. The findings of this review are currently being examined as part of a deliberative process. The consideration of appropriate next steps will form part of this process.
It is important to reflect that COVID-19 is still with us and Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) guidance on Managing Risk of Transmission of Respiratory Viruses including COVID-19, continues to advise, amongst other things, to limit footfall in General Practice settings and support telephone consultations where care that meets the needs of the patient can be delivered - this helps to eliminate the risk of transmission of viral infection. As such the arrangements for remote access to this service in the context of COVID-19 remain in place.
414. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the reason that a tender application (details supplied) has been declined for a private facility. [19074/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the tender in question was published by TUSLA, the matter is more appropriate to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
415. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health the plan that is in place to ensure that older people in State-run nursing homes get access to regular dental care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19093/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) enables medical card holders to access basic dental treatment free of charge from contracted dental surgeons in the private sector. In addition, the Public Dental Service of the HSE provides oral healthcare to vulnerable patients and patients with special needs.
Future provision of oral healthcare services will be informed by Smile agus Sláinte, the National Oral Health Policy, which was published in 2019. The Policy aims to reduce oral health inequalities by providing additional support to vulnerable groups to access oral healthcare and improve their oral health. My Department will be working with stakeholders to address these issues, implement the actions identified in the Policy and overcome the delays caused by the pandemic.
416. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health if he will examine the situation in which residents in State-run nursing homes are spending long periods of time on antibiotics for oral and dental infection in lieu of receiving the necessary dental intervention this being of further note in the context of antibiotic resistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19094/22]
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.
417. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health if his Department has a dental welfare plan for State-run nursing homes given the close co-relation between dental health, heart health and new studies showing a connection to brain health in addition to basic chewing of food functions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19095/22]
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.
418. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health the number of dental procedures and checks, respectively that were carried out on residents of State-run nursing homes in each of the past five years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19096/22]
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.
419. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health the number of social workers who are attached to each of the State-run nursing homes; the ratio per patient for each; the number of visits undertaken per patient in each of the past five years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19097/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
420. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the services that are available in Cork for children with epilepsy. [19132/22]
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.
421. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if there is a process for the continuum of care for persons with epilepsy who move into this jurisdiction from the UK. [19133/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Long Term Illness (LTI) scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act 1970 (as amended). Regulations were made in 1971, 1973 and 1975, prescribing 16 illnesses covered by the scheme.
These conditions are: acute leukaemia; mental handicap; cerebral palsy; mental illness (in a person under 16); cystic fibrosis; multiple sclerosis; diabetes insipidus; muscular dystrophies; diabetes mellitus; Parkinsonism; epilepsy; phenylketonuria; haemophilia; spina bifida; hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide.
Under the LTI scheme, patients receive drugs, medicines, and medical and surgical appliances directly related to the treatment of their illness, free of charge.
As epilepsy is one of the conditions listed, people with epilepsy who move from the UK into Ireland, may be eligible for the LTI scheme. To qualify, a person must be 'ordinarily resident’ in the Republic of Ireland. This means that they are living here and intend to live here for at least one year.
Information on how to apply for the LTI scheme can be found at: www2.hse.ie/services/long-term-illness-scheme/apply-for-a-long-term-illness-scheme-card.html.
Applicants for the LTI scheme also require a Personal Public Service (PPS). A person can apply for a PPS number online at: services.mywelfare.ie/en/topics/identity-services/personal-public-service-pps-number/.
422. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the funding and resources that are available for schools to assist children with epilepsy. [19134/22]
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.
423. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his views on the previously unpublished report of the Independent Review of Unscheduled Care Performance 2018-2019 which was released under freedom of information; the steps that he has taken to address the issues identified in nine HSE hospitals; the recommendations which have been implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19141/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI welcome the release of the Independent Review under the Freedom of Information Act in the public interest.
The Terms of Reference were finalised by the HSE following discussion with the Department and published in June 2019. The review was conducted during 2019 by an independent review team, including external clinical and management expertise from NHS Scotland, the Scottish Government and NHS England. The nine sites under the greatest pressure during Winter 2018/2019 were selected for review.
The HSE has advised that the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 required the HSE to respond to the extraordinary challenges posed and doing so resulted in the implementation of structures and initiatives that addressed many of the issues and recommendations that were identified in the draft report. The report has remained in draft format since January 2020 and as work to close out the review process to include factual accuracy checks and responses from the nine sites reviewed was never completed.
I secured significant additional investment of €1.1bn in budget 2021 to expand capacity, increase services and support reform and this level of investment is being maintained in budget 2022. A further €77 million has been invested in the 2021/22 Winter Plan. My Department asked the HSE to take account of the Report’s recommendations when drafting the Winter Plan and the 20/21 and 21/22 Winter Plans have funded initiatives such as Frailty Intervention Teams, greater community support for older people including more home care packages, support for those with respiratory conditions and community response teams (nursing and therapies) which address some of the recommendations in the report.
€236 million revenue and €40 million capital expenditure were provided nationally as part of the Winter Plan and Budget 2021 to fund 1,146 additional beds on a permanent basis in our acute hospitals. As of the 31st of March 2022, the Winter Plan / Budget 2021 has provided over 800 non-ICU acute beds nationally to the hospital system over the number available on 1 January 2020. There have also been significant increases in staffing since 2019.
The report contains 30 consolidated recommendations and further recommendations specific to each of the nine hospitals reviewed. As implementation of the Report’s recommendations are a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
424. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if the Covid-19 therapeutics implementation group has met; the reason this group was not set-up earlier; if patients are represented on this group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19143/22]
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.
425. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Health the progress in relation to discussions with an association (details supplied) with a view to attracting more dentists back on the medical card scheme in counties Clare and Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19148/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have acknowledged immediate issues of concern with the Dental Treatment Services Scheme, which I am addressing as a matter of priority. Officials from my Department and from the HSE have held three rounds of discussions with the Irish Dental Association, the most recent on 2nd March when my Department and the HSE presented proposals to invest additional resources in the DTTS.
I have now given approval for significant fee increases to be paid to contracted dentists across a number of items, including the Dental Examination and Fillings. I have also approved the reintroduction of Scale and Polish for medical card patients on the DTSS. These new measures are designed to address access problems for patients, and address dentist’s concerns about the viability of the DTSS, while aligning the DTSS more closely with the Dental Treatment Benefits Scheme, which is widely operated by private dentists for PRSI patients.These measures should amount to an additional investment this year of about €26 million over what was spent on the Scheme in 2021. My Department and the HSE will work together to quickly implement the changes to the Scheme for the benefit of patients.
426. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to ensure that the SouthDoc out-of-hours general practitioner service is operating in Castletownbere, County Cork. [19158/22]
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.
