Written Answers Nos. 1556-1580
1556. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if funding is being sought to deliver a sensory room at a facility (details supplied); if he will provide an update on this issue; if he will consider investing in this facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29720/22]
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.
1557. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite the assessment of need for a child (details supplied) who will be unable to access their right to education through an ASD unit within a school setting without a formal diagnosis and intervention supports and who is not eligible for the domiciliary care allowance. [29727/22]
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.
1558. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health if an appointment for a person (details supplied) will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29728/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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.
1559. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the engagement he has had to ensure the members of the Defence Forces are paid the €1,000 pandemic bonus as soon as possible given that it was announced in January 2022. [29731/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn January 19th, the Government announced a COVID-19 pandemic recognition payment for frontline public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. Following extensive engagement with healthcare unions on the matter, the HSE published eligibility guidelines and FAQs on 19th April, which are available on its website: www.hse.ie/eng/staff/resources/hr-circulars/hr-circular-012-2022-pandemic-special-recognition-payment.html
The HSE and the Department are currently examining progressing the rollout to the list of 6 non-HSE/non-Section 38 organisation types covered by the Government Decision. Rolling out the payment to eligible non-HSE and non-Section 38 employees is a complex task, particularly as these employees are not normally paid by the public health service, duplicate payments need to be avoided, and there are many organisations to be covered.
Officials in my Department and the HSE are prioritising the work needed to progress this. They shall shortly publish information for those certain non-HSE/S38 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 frontline Covid-19 exposed environments for the HSE;
- Paramedics employed by the Department of Local Government, Housing and Heritage.
1560. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health if the eligibility requirement of 12 months in post given the rotational nature of their schedule will be applied to those members of the Defence Forces that applied for the €1,000 pandemic bonus. [29732/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn January 19th, the Government announced a COVID-19 pandemic recognition payment for frontline public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. Following extensive engagement with healthcare unions on the matter, the HSE published eligibility guidelines and FAQs on 19th April, which are available on its website: www.hse.ie/eng/staff/resources/hr-circulars/hr-circular-012-2022-pandemic-special-recognition-payment.html
The HSE and the Department are currently examining progressing the rollout to the list of 6 non-HSE/non-Section 38 organisation types covered by the Government Decision. Rolling out the payment to eligible non-HSE and non-Section 38 employees is a complex task, particularly as these employees are not normally paid by the public health service, duplicate payments need to be avoided, and there are many organisations to be covered.
Officials in my Department and the HSE are prioritising the work needed to progress this. They shall shortly publish information for those certain non-HSE/S38 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 frontline Covid-19 exposed environments for the HSE;
- Paramedics employed by the Department of Local Government, Housing and Heritage
1561. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the allocation that has been made for the access to care fund; the amount that has been spent to date; the programme lines or equivalent; the amount allocated to and spent on community services; the amount spent by service type in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29735/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraTotal 2022 allocation
The Minister published the 2022 Waiting List Action Plan in February of this year, through which €350m has been allocated to the HSE and NTPF to reduce the number of people waiting for acute scheduled care, make progress towards achieving Sláintecare maximum waiting time targets, and initiate key waiting list reform actions.
Of the €350m, €150m has been allocated to the NTPF to remove 273,000 patients from waiting lists through both additional activity and validation.
Of the remaining €200m, a significant proportion is being used to further increase activity so as to achieve a net reduction in waiting lists by the end of 2022; €15m has been dedicated to priority areas of gynaecology, paediatric orthopaedics and bariatric / obesity treatments, and €20m has been allocated to initiatives to reduce specific community care waiting lists (including orthodontics, primary care child psychology / counselling, CAMHS and autism).
The following table breaks down the planned expenditure:
|
Central Waiting Lists |
Budget €m |
|
IP/DC, OPD, GI Scopes |
108 |
|
Acute diagnostics |
5 |
|
Priority areas: Gynaecology, Paediatric Orthopaedics, Bariatrics |
15 |
|
Endoscopy (FIT and Pillcam) (commenced 2021) |
4 |
|
Community activity |
20 |
|
Total |
152 |
The remaining €48m will be allocated to specific acute scheduled care reform initiatives, including modernising scheduled care pathways.
Expenditure to date
The below table provides a summary of expenditure to date. Figures are subject to change throughout the year.
|
Spent (€, m) |
|
|
HSE |
35 |
|
NTPF |
45 |
|
Total |
80 |
To date, of the €350m allocated:
- The HSE has spent an estimated €35m securing additional activity and progressing reforms.
- The NTPF has spent an estimated €45m securing additional activity and completing validations.
- The HSE has committed a further €82m based on plans to secure additional activity, and progress work in the identified priority areas of gynaecology, paediatric orthopaedics, and bariatrics / obesity.
- A further €57m has been identified with plans to be refined. This work is underway.
- Of the €20m allocated to address specific community waiting lists, the below table summarises expenditure to date and activity under way:
1562. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the steps that his Department and HSE are taking to strengthen the pipeline and increase the number of community therapists, further to comments made by the CEO of the HSE at the Joint Oireachtas Committee session of the Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth, and Disability Matters on 2 June 2022; the manner and various measures by which this will be achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29736/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI, along with my colleague Minister O’Gorman met with the CEO of the HSE recently to discuss the delivery of services for children with disabilities and current challenges. At the meeting, it was agreed that an overarching document/roadmap would be developed to effectively progress the next phase of PDS implementation. Crucially, this roadmap will, amongst a range of issues, examine options in relation to recruitment and retention in Children's Disability Network Teams.
This document is currently being prepared by the HSE in collaboration with Department of Health officials for agreement between all parties in the coming weeks.
As the issues raised by the Deputy in the question are service related, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
1563. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the vacancies across childrens disability network teams following the census of the children's network disability teams and the additional posts to which funding was allocated under Budget 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29737/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy's question relates to a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
1564. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if it was a policy decision to obtain anticipatory prescriptions for end-of-life medications for all residents in nursing homes in 2020 and 2021 including for residents who were otherwise healthy. [29738/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra1565. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the person who made the decision for nursing homes to decide that residents would be denied access to hospital treatment for Covid-19 in 2020 and 2021. [29739/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra1566. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if nurses in nursing homes were given additional powers above their grade to make decisions regarding the administration of end-of-life medication without a doctor or palliative specialist examining the resident. [29740/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1564 to 1566, inclusive, together.
The Department of Health and the Health Service Executive (HSE) developed a broad range of national ethical and clinical guidance throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic with a view to supporting healthcare workers, managers, and policy makers as they navigated their way through the ethical challenges and difficult decisions they were called upon to make during this challenging time.
The Ethical Framework for Decision Making in a Pandemic and the supporting documents produced by the Department clearly articulate the importance of fairness, inclusiveness, proportionality, and non-discrimination, all of which are enshrined Human Rights principles. Further guidance issued on the delivery and provision of healthcare matters in a pandemic and in long-term residential care services include Ethical Considerations Relating to Long-Term Residential Care Facilities in the context of COVID-19; Preliminary Clinical and Infection Control Guidance for COVID-19 in nurse-led Residential Care Facilities (RCF); and Anticipatory Prescribing in the Last Hours or Days of Life. The purpose of these guidance documents is to support clinicians in their care of patients and service users, including in respect of the making of appropriate clinical decisions. Such decisions, on the provision of healthcare or the transfer to another healthcare facility, are arrived at in consultation between the clinical experts and the resident or his or her representative, and in recognition of the needs and wishes of the resident. This is in line with the relevant guidance which notes that the transfer of residents to hospital is only appropriate where this will confer additional benefit and that decisions to transfer should be made in conjunction with the person, their families and their advanced care plans.
All grades of nursing work within a Scope of Practice Framework, set out by the regulator of the profession (the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland - NMBI). The scope of practice sets out the procedures, actions and processes that the registered nurse is allowed to perform. Scope of practice for nurses and midwives in Ireland is determined by legislation, European Union (EU) directives, international developments, social policy, national and local guidelines, education and the individual practitioner’s levels of competence. There have been many changes and developments in the Irish health service and in nursing and midwifery roles. These include changes in systems of care provision, reforms in professional education and expansion of the scope of nursing and midwifery practice roles to meet patient needs. Factors such as the practice setting and collaborative practice can influence a nurse’s scope of practice.
The prescribing of medicinal products is an expanded role that nurses and midwives undertake following successful completion of an approved education programme and having regard to legislation, professional regulation and national and local health service provider policies, procedures and guidelines. Each registered nurse must prescribe within their scope of practice and is individually accountable to keep up-to-date with advances in medicinal product prescribing and clinical practice and must acknowledge any limitations in their competence. The scope and context of practice should be determined with reference to the Scope of Nursing and Midwifery Practice Framework (NMBI, 2015) and the Practice Standards and Guidelines for Prescriptive Authority (NMBI, 2019) that a registered nurse should adhere to as part of their professional responsibilities. The relevant medicines legislation, associated regulations, national and health service provider policies, procedures and guidelines must inform prescribing practice of the registered nurse. The clinical governance for the prescribing of medicinal products is now determined by the local health service provider.
Finally, nursing home providers have a legal duty to ensure the provision of appropriate medical and health care to residents, and to ensure appropriate care and comfort is provided to a resident approaching the end of his or her life. This is set out in the Health Act 2007 (Care and Welfare of Residents in Designated Centres for Older People) Regulations 2013, under Regulations 6 and 13 respectively.
1567. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the amount of temporary assistance payment funding that has being given to nursing homes to date by nursing home or company. [29741/22]
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.
1568. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will meet with a group (details supplied) in relation to the reason that it is calling for an immediate public inquiry. [29742/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Mental Health and Older People, I met with the Care Champions group on the 12th July 2021, and heard the concerns as set out at the meeting and in further correspondence received. I recognise how difficult it has been for people living in nursing homes and their families throughout the pandemic.
I am fully committed to the continued improvement of older persons services, including long term residential care. To this end, there has been significant learnings from the experience and impact of COVID-19 on nursing homes, and more generally, and these learnings are informing a wide-ranging programme of reform which was recommended in the COVID-19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel report.
More broadly, the Taoiseach has indicated that a comprehensive evaluation of how the country managed COVID-19 will be undertaken which will provide an opportunity to learn lessons from our experiences in dealing with a pandemic over the past 2 years. This will help ensure that we are in a better, stronger position if another pandemic or another similar type of emergency arrives. Consideration is being given as to what the best model for this evaluation will be.
In addition, the Minister for Health established a Public Health Reform Expert Advisory Group in January 2022. The Expert Group will initially focus on identifying learnings from the public health components of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland with a view towards strengthening health protection generally and future public health pandemic preparedness specifically. It is important that we have a strong and robust embedded public health system into the future.
1569. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if insulin pump upgrades will be available to children (details supplied) that have type one diabetes given that the warranty in their current insulin pumps has expired; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29756/22]
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.
1570. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be scheduled for surgery in St. James’s Hospital. [29757/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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.
1571. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health if work has ceased on a new primary care centre in Ballyhaunis, County Mayo; if so, the reason therefor; when construction will recommence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29762/22]
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.
1572. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the all-in full-year revenue cost of an acute inpatient bed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29805/22]
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.
1573. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated all-in capital cost including fittings and equipment of an additional 10 and 50 acute inpatient bed units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29806/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
1574. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the average number of open and funded acute inpatient beds in the public health system in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29807/22]
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.
1575. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the planned number of acute inpatient beds to be added and total by year-end 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29808/22]
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.
1576. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the all-in full-year revenue cost of a critical care bed for each level in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29809/22]
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.
1577. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated all-in capital cost including fittings and equipment of an additional 1, 10 and 50 critical care bed units for each level in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29810/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
1578. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the average number of open and funded critical care beds in the public health system in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29811/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra1579. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the planned number of critical care beds to be added and the total number of critical care beds by year-end 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29812/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1578 and 1579 together.
The Government is committed to addressing the long-standing deficit in critical care capacity. Very significant funding of €77 million has been provided by Government across 2021 and 2022, to increase national capacity to 340 critical care beds by 2023. The HSE has advised that capacity of 333 beds can be reached by the end of this year, with the remaining 7 beds to open in 2023.
The Strategic Plan for Critical Care, which I brought to Government in December 2020, will when implemented fully address the recommendation of the 2018 Health Service Capacity Review for 430 critical care beds by 2031. In fact, it surpasses that recommendation, delivering an increase in capacity to 446 over time.
At the end of 2021, there were 297 permanent adult critical care beds open. A further 9 beds have opened to date in 2022, bringing capacity to 306 beds. This represents a very significant increase of 51 beds, or 20%, over the 2020 baseline of 255 beds. To put that in perspective, we had a total net increase of 18 beds in the three years 2017, 2018 and 2019.
With regard to the average number of critical care beds open and funded in 2021, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
1580. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated all-in revenue cost of an additional 1, 10 and 50 neuro-rehabilitation bed units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29813/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra1582. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the average number of open and funded neuro-rehabilitation beds in the public health system in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29815/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra1583. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the planned number of neuro-rehabilitation beds to be added and total by year-end 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29816/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra1586. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the average number of open and funded National Rehabilitation Hospital inpatient beds in the public health system in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29819/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra1587. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the planned number of National Rehabilitation Hospital inpatient beds to be added by year-end 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29820/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra1663. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of one management clinical rehabilitation network team including employer’s PRSI. [29898/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1580, 1582, 1583, 1586, 1587 and 1663 together.
As these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
