Duncan Smith
Ceist:364. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the options open to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare to avail of a dentist. [25515/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraDental Services
Ceisteanna (364)
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 Waiting Lists
Ceisteanna (365)
David Cullinane
Ceist:365. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the status of diagnostic waiting lists by hospital for the latest available date, in tabular form; the comparison with figures at the end of 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25520/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The documents attached, set out diagnostic waiting list data for Quarter 4 2021 and the latest available diagnostic waiting list data (Quarter 1 2022) for CT, MRI and Ultrasound. The HSE advises that, at present, further diagnostic scans (including cholangiopancreatography, electroencephalogram, angiogram, and bone scan), are not yet captured as part of this project.
The HSE advises that a pilot project commenced in 2016 by the HSE Acute Hospitals Division to progress the collection of national radiology waiting list data. The project has been supported by the Radiology Clinical Care Programme and has involved key stakeholders across the system including the National Integrated Medical Imaging System (NIMIS) Team, Hospital Groups, and the support of the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) for data collection and data management expertise.
The information that is currently being collected is presently being tested and validated at hospital, hospital group and national level and as such should not be used/reported without the context of the caveats set out below:
- Data is subject to inclusions and exclusions which are documented in the Data Profile Document. This document is available from Acute Operations and has been circulated to all Hospital Groups.
- Data contains urgent, routine and surveillance/planned activity which is currently not broken down in detail, as such this includes surveillance/planned activity which may not be exceeding planned date.
- Data is still undergoing validation at Hospital and Hospital Group level.
- Data does not take into account local nuances at site level (Site profile developed to support understanding of same).
- The purpose of this aggregate data is to provide a National Level overview of the number of patients waiting for modalities of CT, MRI and Ultrasound.
- This report is not intended to be used for the active management of hospital diagnostics waiting list, local reports and mechanisms should continue to be used for the management of diagnostics waiting lists at hospital level.
In Q4 2021, there were a total of 226,966 patients reported on the waiting list from all sites and in In Q1 2022, there were a total of 236,380 patients reported on the waiting list from all sites, this represents all outpatients waiting, urgent, semi urgent, routine and planned/surveillance (where diagnostic access is planned at particular time intervals).
Hospital Waiting Lists
Ceisteanna (366)
David Cullinane
Ceist:366. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the mean, median, and maximum waiting time across National Treatment Purchase Fund-reported waiting lists for April 2022 that were published on 13 May 2022, by speciality and hospital in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25521/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
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 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 25th 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 programme, 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 NTPF has advised that the health system does not collect the data necessary to calculate average wait times. In particular, the time to treatment of patients who have already received their care is not collected. The NTPF collects data on patients currently on the waiting list and the mean, median and maximum time that these patients have been waiting is provided here.
Departmental Funding
Ceisteanna (367)
David Cullinane
Ceist:367. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the extent and sub-heads of funding which will be transferred from the Department of Health to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth following the transfer of functions to the latter Minister under the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 and other instruments, in tabular form in each of the years 2020-2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25522/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Discussions are ongoing between my Department and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in preparation for the upcoming transfer. My officials are examining the entire Vote to ensure all funding appropriate to Specialist Community Based Disability services is captured. There has been significant progress in identifying the relevant funding, though some of the detail remains to be finalised and agreed with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. This includes administration costs, staff costs, capital allocations, other Departmental allocations as well as the funding provided directly to the HSE. Only funding that has been allocated to the function transferring to another Department in the year that the transfer occurs is considered. Future funding is a matter for the receiving department
Hospital Waiting Lists
Ceisteanna (368)
David Cullinane
Ceist:368. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of persons aged over 75 years of age who are on acute hospital waiting lists by speciality by hospital in April 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25523/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
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 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 25th 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 programme, 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.
In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, the attached document, provided to my Department by the National Treatment Purchase Fund, outlines the number of patients over 75 years of age on Outpatient and Inpatient waiting lists by specialty by hospital at the end of April 2022.
Hospital Staff
Ceisteanna (369)
John Lahart
Ceist:369. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health his plans to recruit additional neurology nurses in the future, as sought by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25535/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
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.
Disability Services
Ceisteanna (370)
Seán Sherlock
Ceist:370. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if respite care services will be permitted to continue in respect of a person (details supplied) who is currently incapacitated having undergone surgery, who lives alone and is unable to manage their current situation. [25545/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí 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 (371)
Thomas Gould
Ceist:371. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if he will request the HSE to recoup money spent by the family of a person (details supplied); and if he intends to remedy this situation for other families in a similar position. [25547/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Covid-19 Pandemic
Ceisteanna (372)
Alan Kelly
Ceist:372. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health if agency staff who worked in a HSE environment (details supplied) during the pandemic are also entitled to the special recognition payment. [25551/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí 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 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.
Health Services
Ceisteanna (373)
Brian Stanley
Ceist:373. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the efforts that are being made to address the waiting lists to get an appointment to sign a marriage notification and complete all necessary documents with the register of births, marriages and deaths. [25557/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí 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 (374)
Brian Stanley
Ceist:374. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if his Department engaged in a meaningful way with representatives of medical laboratory scientists; and the efforts that are being made to revert an escalation of industrial action. [25558/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Firstly, 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.
Hospital Staff
Ceisteanna (375)
Réada Cronin
Ceist:375. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health the number of specialist neurology nurses in Tallaght Hospital (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25561/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí 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 (376)
Catherine Murphy
Ceist:376. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will consider recognising and permitting non-European Economic Area persons that are qualified to work here, in view of the shortage of fully-qualified pharmacists here and if he has consulted with his colleagues in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in respect of expanding the critical-skills visa to facilitate this cohort of worker. [25573/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) is the statutory regulator charged with recognition and registration of individuals as pharmacists in Ireland. Anyone wishing to practise as a pharmacist in Ireland must first register with the PSI, and the individual must satisfy the regulatory criteria defined in statute for such recognition/registration in the interest of maintaining the safety and wellbeing of patients utilising pharmacy services.
The PSI operates three routes of recognition/registration depending on where the pharmacy qualification held by an individual has first been acquired – the national route, EU route and non-EU (third country qualification recognition - TCQR) route under established processes based in Irish and EU law. The PSI non-EU route of registration is complex, and we understand that the regulator is currently undertaking a process to review it with the aim of having an improved TCQR route in place for January 2023.
Ireland’s employment permits system is managed by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and is designed to supplement Ireland's skills and labour supply by accommodating the arrival of non-EEA nationals to fill skills and labour gaps for the benefit of our economy, in the short to medium term. This objective must be balanced by the need to ensure that there are no suitably qualified Irish/EEA nationals available to undertake the work and that the shortage is a genuine one. The system is vacancy led and managed through the operation of the Critical Skills and Ineligible Occupations Lists which determine employments that are either in high demand or are ineligible for an employment permit where it is evidenced that there is more than sufficient availability of those skills in the domestic and EEA labour market.
In order to ensure the employment permits system is aligned with current labour market intelligence, these lists undergo regular, evidence-based review guided by relevant research, a public/stakeholder consultation, and the views of the Economic Migration Interdepartmental Group and relevant policy Departments, in this case the Department of Health. Account is taken of education and training outputs and known contextual factors such as Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic and the ending of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment and their impact on the labour market.
Changes to the employment permit occupations lists are made where there are no suitable Irish/EEA nationals available, development opportunities are not undermined, genuine skills shortage exists rather than a recruitment or retention problem and Government education, training and economic development policies are supported.
The occupation of Retail Pharmacist is currently eligible for a General Employment Permit for non-EEA nationals wishing to take up employment in the State. The General Employment Permit is the primary vehicle used by the State to attract third country nationals in occupations with remuneration thresholds of generally €30,000. The General Employment Permit is also subject to a Labour Market Needs Test (LMNT), demonstrating that the employer was unable to fill the position from the Irish and EEA labour market. However, where the vacancy attracts a salary of over €64,000, an LMNT is not required, and the role may be eligible for the Critical Skills Employment Permit.
The timing of the next Review of the Occupational Lists will be kept under review by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in the context of clearing the current employment permits backlog. When open, submissions will be invited from sector representative bodies and interested parties via the Public Consultation Form which will be accessible on the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment’s website.
Departmental Properties
Ceisteanna (377)
Catherine Murphy
Ceist:377. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the annual cost of cleaning and sanitising roofs of buildings under his Department’s control for the past five years to date in 2022. [25590/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
There was no cost during the specified period in relation to my Department's old HQ in Hawkins House.
In respect of Miesian Plaza, my Department is a sub-tenant of OPW, who are the tenant of the Landlord. Any costs in this regard are not a matter for my Department.
Health Services
Ceisteanna (378)
Thomas Gould
Ceist:378. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the amount allocated to Cork Kerry Community Healthcare in 2021; the amount drawn-down; and the amount spent. [25599/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Out of the funding allocated to the HSE for 2021, €765.043m was allocated to Cork/Kerry (CHO4) Community Healthcare in 2021. I am advised that outturn data for CHO4 per the draft Dec 2021 HSE reports shows that 2021 expenditure in CHO4 totalled €777.141m
Finally, HSE drawdowns from the Health Vote are not itemised at CHO level.
Mental Health Services
Ceisteanna (379)
Thomas Gould
Ceist:379. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the amount allocated to CAMHS in counties Cork and Kerry in 2021; the amount drawn-down; and the amount spent. [25600/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí 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 (380)
Thomas Gould
Ceist:380. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the funding of returns, by CHO of community healthcare in 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form. [25601/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The subheads of the Health Vote which pertain to HSE expenditure are not itemised down to the level of individual CHOs or Acute Hospital Groups. In overall terms a surrender of €394.2m, was effected from the Health Vote at the end of 2021 and returned to the Exchequer.
Of this surrender €283.3m (€275.4m current and €7.9m capital) related to the Health Service Executive.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to identify how much of this pertained to individual CHOs or Acute Hospital Groups.
Health Services
Ceisteanna (381)
Thomas Gould
Ceist:381. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the amount allocated to COPE in counties Cork and Kerry in 2021; the amount drawn-down; and the amount spent. [25602/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy's question relates to a service matter, I am referring the question for response to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Health Services
Ceisteanna (382)
Thomas Gould
Ceist:382. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the amount allocated to NAS in counties Cork and Kerry in 2021; the amount drawn-down; and the amount spent. [25603/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí 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 (383)
Thomas Gould
Ceist:383. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the amount allocated to the Brothers of Charity in counties Cork and Kerry in 2021; the amount drawn-down; and the amount spent. [25604/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Department of Health does not directly fund the Brothers of Charity. Under Section 38 of the 1970 Health Act funding is provided by the Health Service Executive. I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.