Written Answers Nos. 791-810
796. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the mean, median, and maximum TrolleyGAR count at each emergency department for each week of May and June to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32396/22]
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.
797. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the assistant chief nursing officer, who had been leading the progress on nurse prescribing of opioid substitution treatment has left that post; if this person has been replaced; and if the replacement will continue to have responsibility for progressing this vital initiative. [32406/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAmong other things, the Office of the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) in my Department provides policy advice to me and my Department across a broad range of areas, including nurse prescribing. My Department is working with stakeholders to expand services in the area of nurse prescribing, including nurse prescribing of opiate substitution treatment.
Goal 2 of the strategy sets out to minimise the harms caused by the use and misuse of substances and promote rehabilitation and recovery. The strategy recognises that people who inject drugs are a particularly vulnerable population that are susceptible to harm and need carefully managed supports to enable them to attain stability and a safer and healthier life. The HSE’s priority during the current COVID-19 crisis was to continue to deliver Opioid Substitution Services and to ensure everybody waiting commenced appropriate treatment
This work is continuing and in Budgets 2021 and 2022, I secured significant additional funding of €17 million to support the implementation of the health actions in the national drugs strategy. Further resources of €10 million were provided to meet the health needs of people experiencing homelessness and addiction during the Covid-19 pandemic. An allocation of €4 million was provided to support the expanded access to opioid substitution treatment for people who use drugs during Covid-19.
I am committed to supporting people with substance misuse issues on their journey to recovery.
798. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health the average waiting times for persons trying to access medical assistance at the emergency department at University Hospital Kerry for January, February, March, April, May and June 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32439/22]
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.
799. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health , further to Parliamentary Question No. 648 of 24 May, the reasons that fire risks in a centre (details supplied) are not being adequately addressed and, therefore, constitute the main basis cited by the Minister for Mental Health and Older Adults for proceeding with the closure of the service; the authority that determined that this fire risk was unresolvable; if he will provide details of the precise building survey that was carried out in arriving at this conclusion; and the way in which that unit 8, floor 2 in St. Stephen's Hospital, Glanmire is deemed less problematic in terms of fire risk given the greater difficulty evacuating elderly patients from an upper floor; the way that unit 8, floor 2 is deemed more fit for purpose than that at the centre given its dormitory-style rooms, isolated location and lower mental health commission compliance ratings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32454/22]
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.
800. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health , further to Parliamentary Question No. 648 of 24 May, the duration of the interim placement in each case; the cumulative additional financial costs incurred by these placements per community healthcare organisation, CHO, in tabular form; the name of the service the residents were moved from and the name of the service the residents were moved to, not just the location; if each of these services were owned by the HSE or rented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32455/22]
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.
801. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health , further to Parliamentary Questions Nos 1328 of 26 April and 343 of 19 May, if he will provide the original HSE business case and service rationale for purchasing a centre (details supplied); when this business case and service rationale was established; when this rationale changed to providing emergency accommodation; the way that this change of service rationale occurred; the current service rationale for the centre; the catchment area or other service from which the centre will take referrals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32456/22]
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 the Deputy directly on this matter.
802. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in the provision of an ambulance following an incident (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32472/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, emergency ambulance services in Dublin are provided by the Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) through a funding arrangement between Dublin City Council and the HSE. In the first instance, queries relating to the performance oversight of the DFB are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
The HSE National Ambulance Service (NAS) also provides some emergency capacity within the greater Dublin area, where required. The NAS also provides additional resources from neighbouring counties to address demand in Dublin, including motorbikes, rapid response vehicles and emergency ambulances. In addition, ambulances from other parts of the country, which may be travelling to or from a Dublin hospital, may be available to respond to emergency calls in the Dublin area where they are the nearest resource to a patient.
803. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health the funding that has given to an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32474/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn March 2022, €1,615,869.94 was paid by my Department in assessed contributions to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Assessed contributions are the amounts each of the 196 Members and Associate Members must pay to WHO on an annual basis. The assessment scale is calculated by the United Nations based mainly on the country's GDP.
Ireland's assessed contributions, paid by the Department of Health, for the period 2017-2021 amounted to €7,571,320.99.
|
Year |
Amount |
|
2021 |
€1,603,799.28 |
|
2020 |
€1,678,902.18 |
|
2019 |
€1,433,927.34 |
|
2018 |
€1,412,091.55 |
|
2017 |
€1,442,600.64 |
The Department of Foreign Affairs, given its role administering much of Ireland's Development Assistance Cooperation, also provides funding to the WHO separately. Department of Foreign Affairs funding for the period 2017-2021 amounts to €19,574,020.
|
Year |
Amount |
|
2021 |
€5,548,795 |
|
2020 |
€8,850,000 |
|
2019 |
€3,084,000 |
|
2018 |
€1,766,225 |
|
2017 |
€325,000 |
804. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health if there is a cap on the amount that a general practitioner can charge for filling out a medical report on applications for a driver's licence, housing adaptations, social welfare payments and so on; and if there is a requirement to charge medical card holders a lower fee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32487/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the terms of the GMS contract, GPs are required to provide eligible patients with ''all proper and necessary treatment of a kind usually undertaken by a general practitioner and not requiring special skill or experience of a degree or kind which general practitioners cannot reasonably be expected to possess". Persons who hold a medical card or a GP visit card are not subject to any co-payments or other charges in respect of such services including GP consultations.
However, the contract stipulates that 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 included in the terms of 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, and the Minister has no role in the setting of such fees.
805. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the report on the Covid-19 response at St. Mary's Nursing Home in the Phoenix Park; when it will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32488/22]
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.
806. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the status of the recruitment of new staff and the expansion of the medical assessment unit at Ennis Hospital; the details of any expansion of services; if consideration will be given by his Department and the HSE to a further expansion of services provided at the facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32492/22]
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.
807. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the details of the incidence of presentations at hospitals in the State by people with myocarditis, aneurysms and clotting disorders, by month in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32493/22]
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.
808. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the services that are provided at the Ennis primary healthcare centre at Station Road, Ennis, County Clare; when the centre will be fully operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32494/22]
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.
809. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the status of the recruitment of specialist roles at the proposed chronic disease management hub at Station Road, Ennis, County Clare; when the hub will become fully operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32495/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 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.
810. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the data obtained by his Department on self-harm presentations at emergency departments, per day, and per emergency department in 2020 and 2021; the data collected and collated by the HSE national clinical programme for the assessment and management of patients presenting at emergency departments following self-harm; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32496/22]
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.
