Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 June 2022
915. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Health if he consulted with the Secretary General of his Department during the period in which the revised model of care for termination of pregnancy was revised to permit telemedicine abortion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34458/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe arrival of COVID-19 in 2020 required a substantial shift in how care is provided across the health service, including the adoption of measures to facilitate social distancing, reduced personal contacts and footfall within medical facilities, as appropriate. As part of the health system response, a revised Model of Care for the Termination of Pregnancy Service was agreed to facilitate remote consultation with a medical practitioner for the purposes of accessing termination in early pregnancy. The revised Model of Care was a collaborative development between the Department of Health and the HSE.
There remains ongoing engagement between the Department and the HSE to monitor service provision around remote consultation and to facilitate the smooth-running of the service and resolve any issues that may arise. It is also important to reflect that the current public health guidance, including Guidance on Managing Risk of Transmission of Respiratory Viruses Including COVID-19 in General Practice, continues to apply and advises limiting “footfall through the practice by discouraging unnecessary attendance at the practice by people who can be dealt with equally well by telephone.”
