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Tuesday, 17 May 2022

Written Answers Nos. 681-703

Hospital Admissions

Ceisteanna (682)

Gary Gannon

Ceist:

682. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health the number of women and pregnant persons who required hospital care as a result of untreated hyperemesis or dehydration or other effects of hyperemesis to date in 2022. [24367/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

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

Question No. 683 answered with Question No. 650.

Ukraine War

Ceisteanna (684)

Duncan Smith

Ceist:

684. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if the Medical Council is recognising non-European Union qualifications specifically in relation to Ukrainian refugees coming to Ireland who have medical qualifications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24372/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The Medical Council is the statutory agency responsible for the registration and regulation of doctors in Ireland. In order to protect patients, it has a responsibility to ensure that all doctors registered to practise medicine in Ireland meet the requirements to practise as set out in its legislation.

Depending on where a doctor qualified and the type of qualifications they hold, some doctors arriving into Ireland from outside the EU may be required to take a pre-registration exam and an English language exam. These exams assess important areas such as communication skills and clinical skills. This is an important step to ensure patient safety. The requirements for registration are set out in legislation and are in place for patient safety purposes.

Like many organisations across the State, the Medical Council is committed to supporting people arriving from Ukraine and is supporting doctors arriving here. The Medical Council has established an internal working group to examine ways in which the Council can support these doctors and has a dedicated email address and webpage for doctors arriving from Ukraine. The Medical Council is working with a range of stakeholders to examine ways in which it can further support doctors arriving from Ukraine into Ireland.

Eating Disorders

Ceisteanna (685)

Willie O'Dea

Ceist:

685. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if a decision will issue in regard to funding for a person (details supplied) who has applied for funding to the HSE to be an in-patient at The National Eating Disorders Recovery Centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24383/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

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

Health Services

Ceisteanna (686)

Paul Donnelly

Ceist:

686. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to the establishment of an android and smart phone application which would provide parents of newborns with a 24/7 support system with on-demand access to leading maternal and paediatric experts. [24395/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí 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 Staff

Ceisteanna (687)

Paul Donnelly

Ceist:

687. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of full-time midwives in each of public maternity units here as of 1 May 2020, 1 May 2021 and 10 May 2022, in tabular form. [24396/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí 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 (688)

Paul Donnelly

Ceist:

688. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of full-time community development workers funded by the HSE to work in addiction services in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form. [24397/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí 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 (689)

Paul Donnelly

Ceist:

689. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of locations and practitioners that publicly provide frenotomy services for babies with tongue tie issues. [24398/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

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

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Ceisteanna (690)

Brendan Griffin

Ceist:

690. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health the status of funding for a facility (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24428/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

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

Disability Services

Ceisteanna (691)

Niamh Smyth

Ceist:

691. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason that a person (details supplied) has been waiting so long for respite; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24431/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Health Services

Ceisteanna (692)

Seán Crowe

Ceist:

692. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health the total number of paediatric patients on the waiting list for audiology services in the HSE community audiology service in the Russell Centre, Tallaght, Dublin 24; the average waiting time to access services; and the number of paediatric patients that have been waiting for longer than two years. [24444/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

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

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Ceisteanna (693)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

693. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if the situation in relation to the landing of helicopters (details supplied) in County Kerry will be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24457/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí 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 Appointments Status

Ceisteanna (694)

Joan Collins

Ceist:

694. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 112 of 19 October 2021, when a date will be set for the operation which is urgently required by this person. [24464/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí 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.

Departmental Correspondence

Ceisteanna (695)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

695. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a case (details supplied); if he will acknowledge receipt of correspondence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24468/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I thank the Deputy for the question. My office has conducted a search of correspondence as outlined and three emails were received to my constituency office. These emails were not addressed to me as Minister / public representative and were addressed to other bodies, outside of the remit of the Department of Health.

Medical Cards

Ceisteanna (696)

Bríd Smith

Ceist:

696. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that medical card holders are often asked to pay at least €20 for a sick note from a general practitioner; if there are plans to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24469/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The HSE reimburses GPs for services provided under the GMS contract to medical and GP visit card holders. Under the terms of the GMS contract, a medical certificate (sick note) shall be furnished to a person the medical practitioner has examined in relation to any illness noticed during the examination which is reasonably required by the patient.

However, Section 11 of the GMS contract stipulates that fees in respect of certain medical certificates which may be required, for example, "under the Social Welfare Acts or for the purposes of insurance or assurance policies or for the issue of driving licences" are not covered by the contract. Any fees charged by GPs for services provided outside the terms of the GMS contract are a matter of private contract between the GP and their patient.

If a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card believes he or she has been incorrectly charged for services by his or her GP, then that patient should report the matter to their HSE Local Health Office. The local management, upon being notified of potential inappropriate charging of GMS patients, carry out an investigation into each complaint and will, where appropriate, arrange for a refund of charges incorrectly applied by the GP.

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Ceisteanna (697)

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

697. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if workers in healthcare settings will be eligible for a payment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24473/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Firstly I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period.

To recognise their unique role during the pandemic, the Government announced a COVID-19 recognition payment for front-line public sector healthcare workers. Eligibility guidelines for this payment, as applies in HSE and Section 38 organisations, were published by the HSE on 19th April and are available at www.hse.ie/eng/staff/resources/hr-circulars/hr-circular-012-2022-pandemic-special-recognition-payment.html

Separately, the Department of Health shall shortly publish information for those other certain healthcare employees that are covered by the Government Decision and the process available to their employers to implement this measure for their eligible staff. This shall cover eligible staff in:

- Private Sector Nursing Homes and Hospices (e.g. Private, Voluntary, Section 39 etc.);

- Eligible staff working on-site in Section 39 long-term residential care facilities for people with disabilities;

- Agency roles working in the HSE;

- Health Care Support Assistants (also known as home help / home care / home support) contracted to the HSE;

- Redeployed members of Department of Defence to work in the HSE in Covid-19 exposed front-line settings;

- Paramedics employed by the Department of Local Government, Housing and Heritage

I am also mindful of other workers who played their own part during this difficult period in sustaining other services. It is tough to draw a line on this matter, but the Government based its decision on the risks which the above front-line workers faced. In recognition of the efforts of all workers, volunteers, and the general public during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in remembrance of people who lost their lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government announced a public holiday which took place on 18 March 2022. From February next year there will also be a new permanent public holiday established to mark Imbolc/St Brigid’s Day.

General Practitioner Services

Ceisteanna (698)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

698. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the value of refunds by the HSE for blood tests for which patients were charged by general practitioners in each of the years since 2019, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24474/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí 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 Staff

Ceisteanna (699)

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

699. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health if he will consider increasing the mileage and wear and tear allowances currently provided to staff that provide end of life and palliative care services in the home in the HSE mid-west region in view of the rising costs in both fuels and car repairs which means that the allowances currently being provided are making this job uneconomical for many; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24478/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As part of this PQ relates to operational matters for the Health Service Executive (HSE), I have asked that the HSE responds directly regarding this part of the PQ.

The Minister for Mental Health and Older People has established a cross-Departmental Strategic Workforce Advisory Group to examine strategic workforce challenges in front-line carer roles in home support and nursing homes.

To this end, a 'Call for Submissions' was issued by the Department of Health to relevant stakeholders in December 2021.

Following receipt of these completed submissions in January, Department officials undertook a short-life scoping exercise to gather initial data and evidence on the nature and extent of the challenges in the sector to inform the structure and membership of this cross-departmental Group.

On completion of the scoping exercise, the inaugural meeting of this Group was held on 3rd March, 2022.

At this meeting, the Terms of Reference for the Group and action timelines were agreed. These Terms of Reference were published and are available on the Department’s website.

The Group is presently working with key sectoral stakeholders in a structured programme of ongoing consultative engagements to further explore and define the issues.

Areas being considered by the Group include recruitment, retention, training, career development and pay and conditions including allowances of front-line carers in home support and nursing homes.

The Group provides a forum for agreement on strategic approaches to address the workforce challenges in the sector nationwide and will develop a set of recommendations for Minister Butler’s consideration outlining the Group’s key findings and a proposed action plan to support implementation of these recommendations later this year.

Hospital Overcrowding

Ceisteanna (700)

Mattie McGrath

Ceist:

700. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 442 of 4 May 22, the terms of reference of the expert teams review of additional resources for acute services at University Hospital Limerick; if the expert team will be consulting with patient groups or patients and health staff unions that have had to endure horrific conditions at the hospital since the reconfiguration of acute services in the mid-west; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24509/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The emergency department in UHL has experienced increased attendances and admissions in recent months. These increases, along with the additional pressure covid has placed on capacity, have resulted in increased Patient Experience Times and usage of trolleys. This is the despite the addition of 150 beds in the UL Hospital Group, 98 of which were in UHL itself, over the past two years.

I am committed to improving emergency department services to the people of the mid-west. I wrote to the CEO of the HSE on 26th April to request that he send in an expert team to ascertain urgently what additional resources might be deployed, as well as any changes that could be made quickly to alleviate the current pressures. I have stressed that it is very important to me that the management and the clinicians at University Hospital Limerick get all of the support that they possibly need.

I followed up with the HSE on 4th May specifying the requirement for a specialist team to be sent into UHL right away to very quickly ascertain what the main issues are, the main opportunities for improvement and what additional supports and changes are required.

The HSE have committed to establishing a team to engage with UL Hospital Group as requested. The composition of the team is being finalised to ensure that it contains all relevant expertise. I expect that the team will engage with stakeholders in the hospitals, ensuring that their valuable experience and knowledge forms part of the solutions. It is expected that the team will commence work very soon and will report as soon as possible.

Ambulance Service

Ceisteanna (701)

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

701. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if ambulances are bringing patients to the accident and emergency department of Navan Hospital; if ambulances are being diverted to other hospitals for any reason; and if patients are being picked up in County Meath who could be treated in Navan but are being brought elsewhere. [24537/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

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

Healthcare Policy

Ceisteanna (702)

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

702. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health if there is another way that a person (details supplied) can claim back their medical expenses for 2019, other than through the Revenue Commissioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24538/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for the administration of the community drug schemes.

The HSE reimburses medical expenses for those with eligibility (cards) under the statutory schemes. The HSE does not reimburse or refund expenses to those not holding such cards.

As these schemes are administered by the HSE, any questions relating to whether an individual applicant can claim for past years are best directed by the applicant to the relevant section of the HSE. More information about the schemes can be found at the following link: www2.hse.ie/costs-schemes-allowances/.

Health Services

Ceisteanna (703)

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

703. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health if financial supports are available for a person (details supplied) who has had 21 medical appointments within the past two months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24542/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

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

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