Written Answers Nos. 713-732
713. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the functions of an acute surgical assessment unit; the nature of the work carried out in such a unit; the hospitals which have an MAU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35606/22]
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.
714. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients assessed in each acute medical unit, broken down by each unit for 2021 and up to the end of May 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35607/22]
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.
715. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent staff in each acute medical unit, acute medical assessment unit, medical assessment unit, medical short-stay unit and acute surgical assessment unit, broken down by unit and by staff type, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35608/22]
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.
716. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the use of speciality wards in hospitals; if they are being used to increase patient flow and take pressure away from emergency departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35609/22]
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.
717. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his plans to reduce overcrowding at emergency departments and to reduce wait times; the further actions that are being considered by the HSE to reduce ED wait times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35610/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have been engaging with the HSE to address ED overcrowding, including excessive waiting times. In April I requested that the HSE set out the short term, immediate actions to alleviate the current situation in EDs, and ensure the system is best positioned for next winter. I also requested the development of a longer-term programme for reform and improvement of unscheduled care, to ensure that EDs are in a position to cater for expected increases in demand driven by population growth and an aging population.
I met with senior officials from the HSE on a number of occasions, most recently on 23rd June, to discuss the immediate responses required to tackle the pressures currently being faced by all 29 Emergency Departments across the country. I wrote to the HSE on 27th June to request the HSE urgently commence the implementation of the short-term measures identified for each ED.
My Department and the HSE will continue to work together to develop a programme building on these measures with a suite of longer-term actions to deliver systemic change to how unscheduled care is delivered. The overarching aim of this programme is to transform unscheduled care delivery across the full patient flow continuum in a structured, systemised and governed manner which is measurable and sustainable. This programme will adopt a 3-year phased approach.
The programme will be developed according to the ‘Five Fundamentals of Unscheduled Care’, which were designed and developed as an integrated framework to support sustainable and scalable unscheduled care improvement in line with the Sláintecare vision and goals. The Fundamentals were developed through an international review of published frameworks for improving unscheduled care performance. The five areas of focus are:
- Leadership, Culture and Governance
- Patient Flow at Pre-Admission
- Patient Flow at Post-Admission
- Integrated Community and Hospital Services
- Using Information to support sustainable Performance Improvement.
The patient will be at the centre of all initiatives. This framework follows a robust programmatic approach ensuring a standardised improvement approach is taken nationally while allowing for local bespoke improvement initiatives to be developed and locally owned. Enablers including data, reporting systems and project management will be provided in order to effect and sustain change. The approach is underpinned by the ethos – ‘clinically led, excellently managed’.
I will update the Dáil further as this plan progresses.
718. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients waiting more than 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours, 96 hours and more than 120 hours in an emergency department in 2021 and to the end of May 2022, in tabular form, broken down by month and by hospital and by patients under 65 years and over 65 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35611/22]
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.
719. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the average wait time in local and minor injury units in 2021 and to the end of May 2022, broken down by unit and by patients under 65 years and over 65 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35612/22]
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.
720. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients assessed in each acute medical assessment unit for 2021 and up to the end of May 2022, broken down by each unit, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35613/22]
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.
721. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients assessed in each medical assessment unit for 2021 and up to the end of May 2022, broken down by each unit, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35614/22]
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.
722. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients assessed in each medical short-stay unit for 2021 and up to the end of May 2022, broken down by each unit, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35615/22]
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.
723. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients assessed in each acute surgical assessment unit for 2021 and up to the end of May 2022, broken down by each unit, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35616/22]
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.
724. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of beds in each acute medical unit, acute medical assessment unit, medical assessment unit, medical short-stay unit and acute surgical assessment unit, broken down by unit, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35617/22]
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.
725. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of delivering additional capacity to provide an additional 10,000 X-ray scans in the public system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35628/22]
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.
726. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of delivering additional capacity to provide an additional 10,000 computerised tomography scans in the public system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35629/22]
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.
727. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of delivering additional capacity to provide an additional 10,000 MRI scans in the public system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35630/22]
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.
728. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of delivering additional capacity to provide an additional 10,000 DEXA scans in the public system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35631/22]
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.
729. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number and percentage of patients waiting in emergency departments longer than six hours for January, February, March, April, May and June 2022, broken down by emergency department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35632/22]
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.
730. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if a hip surgery procedure for a person (details supplied) will be expedited. [35633/22]
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.
731. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health if Sligo is being assessed as a full primary percutaneous coronary intervention centre under the National Review of Cardiac Services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35638/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services commenced in January 2018 under the Chairmanship of Professor Phillip Nolan and a Steering Group formed from nominations of interested stakeholders representing medical, professional/technical staff, nursing and patient representatives.
The aim of the Cardiac Services Review is to achieve optimal patient outcomes at population level with particular emphasis on the safety, quality and sustainability of the services that patients receive, by establishing the need for an optimal configuration of a national adult cardiac service. This aligns with the Sláintecare reform programme. In terms of scope, the National Review covers scheduled and unscheduled hospital-based services for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease in adults which includes primary percutaneous coronary intervention and cardiac catheterization lab services nationally.
The Covid-19 Pandemic impacted on the progress of the review during 2020 and into 2021 as the Chair of the National Review has played a key role in the national Covid-19 response as a member of the NPHET and Chair of the Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group.
The Cardiac Services Review is making progress with a view to finalizing the Report. The Steering Group most recently met on 26th May 2022 and the next meeting is being planned. The Steering Group is currently working on the development of the proposed recommendations of the draft Report. The cardiac services review is a national, evidence based review. Details of the review process and any decisions should await the final Report and recommendations of the National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services.
732. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the completion and publication of the National Review of Cardiac Services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35639/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services commenced in January 2018 under the Chairmanship of Professor Phillip Nolan and a Steering Group formed from nominations of interested stakeholders representing medical, professional/technical staff, nursing and patient representatives.
The aim of the Cardiac Services Review is to achieve optimal patient outcomes at population level with particular emphasis on the safety, quality and sustainability of the services that patients receive, by establishing the need for an optimal configuration of a national adult cardiac service. This aligns with the Sláintecare reform programme. In terms of scope, the National Review covers scheduled and unscheduled hospital-based services for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease in adults.
The Covid-19 Pandemic impacted on the progress of the review during 2020 and into 2021 as the Chair of the Cardiac Services Review has played a key role in the national Covid-19 response.
Currently the Steering Group is working on the development of the proposed recommendations of the draft report. The Steering Group most recently met on the 26th of May 2022 to further progress the review with the next meeting currently being planned for the coming weeks.
