Written Answers Nos. 182-201
182. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he has considered the contents of a recent study which ranked Ireland as one of the worst countries in Europe for paid maternity leave; her Department's response to this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24587/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that this is a matter for the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
183. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the funding of €1 million to be distributed by an organisation (details supplied) through its extensive network of grassroots mental health organisations in local communities nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25019/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn additional €10 million was announced on Budget Day as a once off funding measure to provide further investment in mental health services, with a particular emphasis on community and voluntary based supports.
€1 million was provided to Mental Health Ireland to manage a grants scheme to community and voluntary bodies to support local community initiatives working to progress the objectives of Sharing the Vision and Connecting for Life . A further €0.5 million was contributed by the HSE bringing the total amount available to €1.5 million.
On 14th April, I announced that grants of between €5,000 and €30,000 was allocated by Mental Health Ireland to almost 80 organisations to enable them to deliver mental health services on the ground.
Those receiving funding range from established organisations in the sector who are launching new projects, organisations from other sectors who are extending their offering to include mental health supports, and groups who are active in the areas of addiction, employment, housing, ageing, new communities, and farming.
Many community and voluntary groups will benefit from the scheme. The level of interest was such that the number of applications received exceeded the funding available. The grants were assessed based on their alignment with national policy objectives in Sharing the Vision and Connecting for Life .
184. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the number of paediatric occupational therapy staff in the HSE Boyne primary care centre, Patrick St. Drogheda, County Louth; the current waiting times for appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25027/22]
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.
185. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the timeframe for when it is proposed that the virtual disease registries will be put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25028/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is currently preparing heads of a Health Information Bill. The objective of the Bill is to provide an enabling legal framework that will support the development of a fit for purpose health information system, including the development of virtual disease registries. The Bill is regarded as a priority and being progressed accordingly.
186. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to reinstate Sláintecare funding for the national diabetes registry project in order that its results will inform future projects relating to other chronic diseases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25029/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe development of a national diabetes registry remains a priority. The National Diabetes Registry Demonstrator Project, funded through Sláintecare, was paused as key HSE staff were redeployed onto urgent on-going COVID-19 work. Following substantial increases in investment in eHealth, the national diabetes registry is now being considered as part of a wider review of Ireland’s health information strategy, and will operate as a “virtual” registry.
Government approval was given in April to prepare the General Scheme of a Health Information Bill. It is envisaged that the Bill will include a provision to enable the operation of disease-specific “virtual” registries, including a virtual national diabetes registry, where information on disease diagnoses and treatment from healthcare providers is efficiently collated, combined and quality-checked from administrative records to create a database akin to an active registry for each disease. This will greatly improve the potential to monitor rare-disease prevalence in Ireland.
187. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the reason that general practitioners and the public can only access hospital policies via a freedom of information request; when this decision was made; when his Department and the HSE made this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25030/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is being collated by Department officials and a deferred reply will be submitted within ten working days
188. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health when an appointment will issue related to a CAMHS referral for a person (details supplied). [25034/22]
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.
189. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the number of private dentists who held a contract with the HSE for the provision of dental services to medical card holders at the end of each of the years 2017 to 2021. [25044/22]
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.
190. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if any obligation exists on dentists to inform patients that they no longer provide dental services to medical card holders prior to scheduling appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25045/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides dental care free of charge to medical card holders aged 16 and over. These services are provided by independent dental practitioners who have a contract with the HSE. Dentists must give three months' notice of withdrawal from the Scheme. I expect dentists to continue to honour their ethical and contractual obligations to patients, including during their notice period, to provide a service or to ensure that patients are referred to another dentist who will provide a service.
Dentists operating outside the DTSS who charge patients for treatment are required to provide patients with an estimate of the cost of treatment options and get patients' agreement before treatment commences, in accordance with the Dental Council’s Code of Practice on 'Professional Behaviour and Ethical Conduct’.
191. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health when persons who are non-immuno-compromised, but who are deemed high-risk with complex medical needs will become eligible for the fourth Covid vaccination booster; and when their essential service providers and carers will be eligible for the same fourth booster; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25047/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland's COVID-19 vaccination programme is based on the principles of safety, effectiveness and fairness, with the objective of reducing severe illness, hospitalisations and deaths from COVID-19 infection. The immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The NIAC makes recommendations on vaccination policy to the Department of Health based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practices in relation to immunisation. Following the recommendation for use of vaccines against COVID-19 by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and authorisation for use by the European Commission, the NIAC develops guidance for their use in Ireland which is contained in the Immunisation Guidelines for Ireland. These guidelines are continuously updated and include guidance on all new vaccines as they are approved for use in Ireland. You can view the guidelines here: www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/hcpinfo/guidelines/covid19.pdf. The NIAC has recently advised a second booster dose for people over 65 and people with a weak immune system aged 12 and over. The Committee will continue to examine emerging evidence regarding booster vaccines for others in the population where there is evidence of waning immunity and reduced effectiveness and will make further recommendations if required.
192. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health the urgent action that is being taken to address the long-held concerns of the State’s medical scientists regarding recruitment, retention, pay and conditions particularly given the outstanding role they are playing in the ongoing pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25051/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFirstly, I would like to acknowledge and pay tribute to the dedication, professionalism and commitment of all medical scientists throughout the country. Their drive and dedication have been key components in our managing of the pandemic.
I acknowledge the MLSA’s claim for pay parity between medical scientists and clinical biochemists. As you may be aware, the current public pay agreement, Building Momentum, includes the process of Sectoral Bargaining, to address outstanding claims such as this one. The MLSA were granted their own bargaining unit to progress this claim. The size of the Sectoral Bargaining fund available to the MLSA, and to all other cohorts of staff bound by this Agreement, equates to 1% of their basic pay. The MLSA and Health management have been engaged in talks over the last number of months with the aim of finding a way to advance their claim for pay parity through the Sectoral Bargaining process.
The Public Service Agreement Group (PSAG), comprised of union and civil service representatives with an independent chair, met on May 11th to consider this matter. They recommended that the matter be immediately referred to the WRC and that industrial peace be maintained in the meantime.
The Department of Health is disappointed that industrial action has been initiated by the MLSA and remains open to engagement with them.
As this is an ongoing IR matter, it would be inappropriate to comment any further at this point.
193. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health the total number of dentists currently operating under the dental treatment services scheme; the number of dentists who operated under the scheme in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25060/22]
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.
194. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if he will revise the rules in relation to access to dental treatment for medical card holders in order that they can have dental cleaning carried out on an annual basis. [25065/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing consultation with the Irish Dental Association, I gave approval on the 13th of April, for the implementation of new measures to provide for both expanded dental health care for medical card holders including the re-introduction of the Scale & Polish item and increased fees for dental contractors in the hope that more dentists will see more medical card patients. The changes to the Scheme came into effect from the beginning of May 2022.
195. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the crisis in retaining dental graduates in Ireland; the discussions that his Department has had with an organisation (details supplied) in this regard; the specific plans that his Department has in place to address the issue of retention of dental graduates in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25066/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is committed to an integrated health and social care workforce planning approach, which will be progressed in the context of strong engagement with key stakeholders across government including the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, the Higher Education Authority, the HSE, and other government departments to ensure that sufficient workers are being trained in the right disciplines to meet population needs and to agree new ways of training multidisciplinary teams.
I am aware of the need of a suitably skilled workforce to provide appropriate oral healthcare across all settings. I recognise the need for specific workforce planning for oral health.
My Department has had recent engagements with the Irish Dental Association in relation to the Dental Treatment Services Scheme. The Government is committed to the reform of dental services to align with the National Oral Health Policy Smile agus Sláinte, including the development of a dental workforce plan. This will require continued engagement with all dental stakeholders.
196. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if a social care worker employed by TUSLA in a setting (details supplied) is eligible for the pandemic bonus payment having worked full-time from October 2020 to August 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25067/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFirstly 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 frontline 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 frontline 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 frontline 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.
I would also like to remind the Deputy that it is against Department policy to comment on individual cases.
197. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health when all frontline workers who worked during the pandemic in certain healthcare settings (details supplied) will receive their pandemic bonus payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25068/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
198. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive a speech and language appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25077/22]
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.
199. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the formal remit of the National Centre for Pharmaco-economics; if this remit was approved by his Department or the HSE; the timeline associated with its approval; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25082/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) was established in 1998 and its remit is to advise the HSE and the Department of Health in relation to the cost-effectiveness of medicines, through the carrying out of health technology assessments (HTAs).
The Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 gives full statutory powers to the HSE to assess and make decisions on the reimbursement of all medicines. HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds, on the advice of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE).
The NCPE conducts health technology assessments (HTAs) for the HSE and makes recommendations on reimbursement to assist HSE decisions.
200. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the governance processes for health technology assessments; the extent to which external oversight is a feature of the health technology assessment process; the planned publication date of a report (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25083/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraHealth technology assessment (HTA) is a multidisciplinary process that summarises information about the medical, social, economic, and ethical issues related to the use of a health technology. Examples of health technologies include medicinal products, medical equipment, diagnostic and treatment methods, rehabilitation, and prevention methods. Its aim is to inform the formulation of safe and effective health policies, investment and reimbursement decisions that are patient focused and seek to achieve best value.
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) and the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) are the two agencies primarily responsible for the undertaking of HTA in Ireland.
HIQA conducts HTAs of health technologies to inform national health policy and national health service decisions at the request of the Minister for Health and the HSE. This is conducted in line with a prioritisation process. HIQA constitutes an expert advisory group (EAG) for each HTA with a multidisciplinary membership, including relevant clinical expertise and patient and public representation. The EAG provides input throughout the process and reviews the draft HTA report. Once developed the HTA work programme is approved by the Board of HIQA. Final HTA reports are submitted to the decision maker and published on the HIQA website.
The NCPE was established in 1998 and its remit is to advise the HSE and the Department of Health in relation to the cost-effectiveness of medicines, through the carrying out of HTAs. The Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 gives full statutory powers to the HSE to assess and make decisions on the reimbursement of all medicines. HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds, on the advice of the NCPE. The NCPE conducts HTAs for the HSE and makes recommendations on reimbursement to assist HSE decisions.
Following a tender by the Office of Government Procurement, Mazars conducted a review of the governance structures around the HSE's drug reimbursement process. The report was submitted to the Department in January 2020. The review made recommendations in respect of the HSE’s systems, structures, processes, governance arrangements and use of specialist resources in respect of the drug reimbursement process.
The report was under consideration by officials, however the focus of the Department of Health changed to the immediate public health considerations of the COVID-19 pandemic and the preservation of life. This meant that this work stream was suspended to reallocate resources to support essential services. The Department aims to complete its consideration of the report’s recommendations when resources permit.
201. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the key performance indicators that he is applying to the pricing and reimbursement system for the supply of medicines outside of those criteria defined in the Health Act 2013; if the timelines for patient access from the application is measured by the HSE and National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics as a priority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25084/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the community drug schemes; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
