Thursday, 23 Jun 2022

Written Answers Nos. 441-450

Hospital Appointments Status

Ceisteanna (441)

Joe Carey

Ceist:

441. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be facilitated with a hospital appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33467/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

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.

Medicinal Products

Ceisteanna (442)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

442. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a petition regarding luxturna; and if he will consider making provision for reimbursement in respect of the drug. [33468/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Under 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.

General Practitioner Services

Ceisteanna (443)

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

443. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that his Department and the HSE give urgent consideration to the concerns outlined by an organisation (details supplied) in relation to the delivery of healthcare; if he will ensure that the necessary financial resources are provided without delay to maintain existing service levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33493/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

GPs contracted under the General Medical Services Scheme are required by their contract to make suitable arrangements to enable contact to be made with them, or a locum or deputy, for emergencies outside of normal practice hours. While there is no obligation on GPs to participate in GP out of hours co-operatives as a means of meeting the contractual requirement, most GPs do so as such services facilitate the provision of GP services outside of normal surgery hours and help to spread the burden of this provision.

The GP out of hours cooperative concerned has informed the HSE of its intention to reconfigure its GP out-of-hours service from August, with no availability of late night in-person GP consultations. The HSE has also been informed of the cooperative's concerns regarding the delivery of healthcare in the area. The HSE have sought an urgent meeting with the cooperative's board to discuss the proposed reduction in services.

GP out of hours cooperatives are private organisations. The HSE provides significant funding to all co-operatives through service level agreements to support the provision of out of hour GP services.

Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (444)

Paul Kehoe

Ceist:

444. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health the current position regarding the payment of long-term sick payments to frontline healthcare workers who suffer from long-Covid; the plans that are in place for the continued payment of these public sector employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33494/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The temporary Covid Special Leave with Pay scheme for all Public Servants is due to cease on 1 July 2022. From 1 July 2022 it is intended that Special Leave with Pay will only apply to new cases for the period of COVID-19 self-isolation.

I believe that a special pay arrangement is merited for frontline public healthcare workers unfit for work for long periods post COVID-19 infection and officials are currently involved in high level engagements with relevant stakeholders concerning this issue.

Mental Health Services

Ceisteanna (445, 446, 447)

Neasa Hourigan

Ceist:

445. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the dates that the HSE Estates Department carried out its condition survey of the Owenacurra centre, Midleton leading to its recommendation that the centre be closed down and the residents moved to other facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33497/22]

Neasa Hourigan

Ceist:

446. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the deliberations regarding the closure of the Owenacurra centre that took place between HSE senior management following the issuing of a recommendation by the HSE Estates Department that the centre be closed and prior to the closure decision being finalised; the date that the closure decision was finalised; the managers that were involved in making this decision; the context for this final decision; if records were maintained of these discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33498/22]

Neasa Hourigan

Ceist:

447. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to some Owenacurra centre residents who have still not been informed, almost eight months after the service was due to close, of the location in which they will be placed in the near to long-term; if his attention has been drawn to the impact of this prolonged uncertainty on the residents; if his attention has been drawn to the absence of any capacity in east Cork since June 2021 to take in new referrals of persons with severe and enduring mental illness for local, community-based respite or longer term placement; if this can be constituted as a fair or safe service-plan for this cohort who have to avail of placement in other parts of Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33499/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 445, 446 and 447 together.

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

Question No. 446 answered with Question No. 445.

Question No. 447 answered with Question No. 445.

Disability Services

Ceisteanna (448)

Holly Cairns

Ceist:

448. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if he will respond to statements from the Clinical Lead for the National Clinical Programme for People with Disabilities at the Oireachtas Disability Matters Committee concerning clinical staff in disability services (details supplied). [33505/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As the Deputy's question relates to a service issue, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Ceisteanna (449)

Mattie McGrath

Ceist:

449. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health to provide a full breakdown including the type of procedure of all persons currently on a HSE waiting list in County Tipperary, including those waiting up to 3 months, between 3 and 6 months, between 6 and 9 months, between 9 and 12 months, over 1 year and over 2 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33515/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

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.

In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, the attached document, provided to my Department by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), outlines the number of patients on a waiting list for an inpatient or day case procedure with an area of residence of County Tipperary at the end of May 2022, by specialty and by time-band. The NTPF has advised that to preserve confidentiality and mitigate against identification or self-identification of individuals, the time-bands have been condensed to reduce the small volumes associated with the level of detail requested by the Deputy.

Waiting Lists

Suicide Prevention

Ceisteanna (450)

Darren O'Rourke

Ceist:

450. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1728 of 19 January 2022 if he will provide an update on vacant suicide resource officer posts in counties Louth and Meath; the date on which these posts will be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33630/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Mary Butler)

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