Tuesday, 5 Jul 2022

Written Answers Nos. 673-692

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Ceisteanna (673)

Kathleen Funchion

Ceist:

673. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive the pandemic bonus payment. [35426/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Firstly I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period.

While my Department does not comment on individual cases, on 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, on 19th April the HSE published eligibility guidelines and FAQs, as apply to the HSE and Section 38 agencies, which are available on its website: 

www.hse.ie/eng/staff/resources/hr-circulars/hr-circular-012-2022-pandemic-special-recognition-payment.html.

Payment is currently receiving priority across all Hospital Groups and Community Services in the HSE.

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. It is hoped that information will be published shortly 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:

1. Private Sector Nursing Homes and Hospices (e.g. Private, Voluntary, Section 39 etc.);

2. Eligible staff working on-site in Section 39 long-term residential care facilities for people with disabilities;

3. Agency roles working in the HSE;

4. Health Care Support Assistants (also known as home help / home care / home support) contracted to the HSE;

5. Redeployed members of the Defence Forces to work in frontline Covid-19 exposed environments for the HSE;

6. Paramedics employed by the Department of Local Government, Housing and Heritage.

I would also like to remind the Deputy that it is against Department policy to comment on individual cases.

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Ceisteanna (674)

Seán Haughey

Ceist:

674. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health if the special leave with pay scheme will be extended for healthcare workers with long Covid; the engagement that his Department has had with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on this issue; if long Covid will be deemed as an occupational injury; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35444/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The change to Special Leave with Pay (SLWP) re Covid-19 that came into effect on 1 July 2022 is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform who had originally introduced SLWP re Covid as a temporary scheme.

Officials from my Department have engaged with the Health Service Executive and Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to develop a proposal for a scheme for public health service employees in respect of Paid Leave for Public Health Service Employees unfit for work post COVID-19 infection. 

An offer of direct engagement between the management side and the health sector staff representative bodies in respect of the Scheme has been made, which I hope can be concluded quickly.

It would be inappropriate to make any further statement on the matter until that engagement is concluded.

Departmental Funding

Ceisteanna (675)

Seán Canney

Ceist:

675. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to an organisation (detail supplied); if he will make provision for funding for the organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35502/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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 (676, 808, 823, 875)

Brendan Griffin

Ceist:

676. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if the cystic fibrosis treatment drug Kaftrio will be made available under the drug reimbursement scheme to child patients who need it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35504/22]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

808. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the situation of two children (details supplied) who have cystic fibrosis and are among 35 children between the ages of six to 11 years who are being denied access to the drug Kaftrio, which would greatly improve their lives; if his attention has been further drawn to the ongoing failure of the HSE to either engage with two named organisations or to make a decision to broaden access to the drug given that the lack of access is impeding on the quality of life of the 35 children affected; if he will intervene to bring about and facilitate engagement between the HSE and the two organisations as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36017/22]

Bríd Smith

Ceist:

823. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will meet with the parents of children excluded from access to the cystic fibrosis drug Kaftrio as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36089/22]

Catherine Connolly

Ceist:

875. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the engagement he or the HSE has had with a company (details supplied) with a view to resolving the ongoing exclusion of a cohort of 35 children with certain genotypes from access to the cystic fibrosis modular drug therapy, kaftrio; the details of any engagement he has had with cystic fibrosis advocacy groups in 2022 with regard to this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36241/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 676, 808, 823 and 875 together.

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.

I am advised that commercial discussions between the HSE and the manufacturer on extending the availability of Kaftrio to these children are at a very sensitive stage. It would therefore not be appropriate to comment at this time as to the status of these discussions as I would not wish to jeopardise the ongoing process.

However, I can assure the that this matter is being expedited at speed and is receiving all the necessary attention.

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland

Ceisteanna (677)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

677. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35509/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The register of Nurses and Midwives is under the remit of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). As the Deputy is seeking information regarding an application to the Register, my Department has referred the question to the NMBI for its attention and direct response. 

Hospital Investigations

Ceisteanna (678)

Thomas Gould

Ceist:

678. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the investigation of the incineration of babies' organs at Cork University Maternity Hospital. [35510/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

As this relates to an operational matter it is being referred to the HSE for direct response to Deputy Gould.

Hospital Investigations

Ceisteanna (679, 680)

Thomas Gould

Ceist:

679. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the last meeting he held on the investigation of the incineration of babies' organs at Cork University Maternity Hospital. [35511/22]

Thomas Gould

Ceist:

680. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the last request he made for information on the investigation of the incineration of babies' organs at Cork University Maternity Hospital. [35512/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 679 and 680 together.

I wish to again express my sympathy to the bereaved families and acknowledge the distress and upset that has been caused to these families. I am aware of the paramount importance of dignity and respect for these parents who have experienced the loss of a child.

Within the public health service, when an incident occurs, it is important that the health service where the incident occurred is responsible for ensuring that the incident is appropriately investigated, so that the service can learn from what went wrong to improve services in the future.

The HSE advise that a Systems Analysis Review of the incident is ongoing. The Review Team continues to have ongoing engagement with the families affected.

This incident was originally advised to my Department via the Patient Safety Communications Protocol on 12th May 2020. Officials from my Department have been liaising directly with the HSE on this matter since this time. Following requests from my Department, 18 updates have been received from the HSE with the most recent update provided on 14th June 2022. 

I have been provided with formal briefing by my officials on five occasions. They continue to engage directly with the HSE and to brief me on developments.

The HSE advise that the Review Team are currently engaging legal opinion on the draft report before sending to participants in accordance with factual accuracy checking and fair procedures. Once this process is complete the final draft will be shared with the families for input on factual accuracy checking.

Question No 680 answered with Question No. 679.

Patient Files

Ceisteanna (681)

Michael McNamara

Ceist:

681. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health the reason that a person (details supplied) is not being provided in a timely manner with their medical notes relating to a procedure that they underwent on 6 December 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35513/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

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

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Ceisteanna (682)

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

682. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if he will release a number of documents (details supplied) to this Deputy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35521/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

This question relates to files provided to the Mother and Baby Homes Commission in the course of its work. I do not consider it appropriate to release sensitive personal information of this nature in response to a Parliamentary Question.

As the question relates to the release of records, the Deputy may request access to these records under the Freedom of Information Act. The FOI process ensures that proper consideration is given to the rights of individuals, in addition to the public interest and the right of the public to access information, before a determination is made as to whether a record should be released. 

Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (683, 684, 685, 686, 687)

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

683. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health the total number of staff in CDNT4 and CDNT5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35533/22]

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

684. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health the number of physiotherapist positions in CDNT4 and CDNT5; the number of these positions that have been filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35534/22]

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

685. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health the number of occupational therapist positions in CDNT4 and CDNT5; the number of these positions that have been filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35535/22]

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

686. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health the number of speech and language therapist positions in CDNT4 and CDNT5; the number of these positions that have been filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35536/22]

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

687. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health the number of psychologist positions in CDNT4 and CDNT5; the number of these positions that have been filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35537/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 683 to 687, inclusive, together.

As these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Question No. 684 answered with Question No. 683.

Question No. 685 answered with Question No. 683.

Question No. 686 answered with Question No. 683.

Question No. 687 answered with Question No. 683.

Hospital Appointments Status

Ceisteanna (688)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

688. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a hip surgery procedure for a person (details supplied) in Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore. [35539/22]

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.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Ceisteanna (689)

Holly Cairns

Ceist:

689. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if he will provide numbers of the current public patient waiting lists for ophthalmology in Cork University Hospital, including a breakdown of the numbers of months patients are waiting, in tabular form. [35549/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, this information is published monthly and is available on the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) website at: www.ntpf.ie/home/nwld.htm 

Hospital Waiting Lists

Ceisteanna (690)

Holly Cairns

Ceist:

690. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if he will provide numbers of the current public patient waiting lists for neurology in Cork University Hospital, including a breakdown of the numbers of months patients are waiting, in tabular form. [35550/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, this information is published monthly and is available on the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) website at: www.ntpf.ie/home/nwld.htm

Disability Services

Ceisteanna (691, 692)

Holly Cairns

Ceist:

691. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the steps that he is taking to recruit recent occupational therapist graduates for roles in children’s disability network teams. [35551/22]

Holly Cairns

Ceist:

692. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the steps that he is taking to encourage occupational therapists who are Irish nationals working in other jurisdictions to take up roles in children’s disability network teams. [35552/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 691 and 692 together.

As these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Question No. 692 answered with Question No. 691.