Written Answers Nos. 431-446
431. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health the number of fourth-class children who will receive dental screening services under the Health (Amendment) Act 1994 during the current academic year by CHO area in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46596/22]
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.
432. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the status of the 2021 application by the HSE to have products (details supplied) included for reimbursement on the long-term illness scheme. [46605/22]
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.
433. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who were approved for roche accu-chek insulin pumps through the HSE's aids and appliances community funds in each of the years 2016 to 2021; and the number of those who are in various age categories (details supplied) in tabular form. [46606/22]
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.
434. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the total spend on blood glucose test strips for persons with diabetes under the long-term illness scheme for each of the years 2018 to 2021, in tabular form. [46607/22]
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.
435. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the total spend on blood glucose test strips for each of several HSE-preferred products (details supplied) under the long-term illness scheme for each of the years 2018 to 2021, in tabular form. [46608/22]
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.
436. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the requirements that are needed to be put in place in the University of Limerick Hospitals Group to offer insulin pump therapy as a treatment option for adults with type 1 diabetes. [46609/22]
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.
437. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite the process to include the cancer medicine, verzenios for reimbursement under the medicine access scheme for persons diagnosed with breast cancer.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46610/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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.
438. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Health if the Health Research Board is conducting a scoping review for his Department on advanced practice physiotherapy grades and physiotherapists as referred to for the purposes of x-rays and imaging; if so, the terms of reference for such a review; the estimated timeline for such a review; the details of any consultative process that would follow including an organisation (details supplied) once the review has been completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46612/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraCouncil Directive 2013/59/EURATOM (the BSSD), insofar as it relates to the designation of referrers, was fully transposed by the European Union (Basic Safety Standards for Protection Against Dangers Arising from Medical Exposure to Ionising Radiation) Regulations 2018 (S.I. No. 256 of 2018). These regulations designate those who may refer for radiological tests; nurses, doctors, dentists and radiographers are designated as appropriate.
On behalf of the Department, the Health Research Board is undertaking an evidence brief titled Radiological Tests: Who can refer? What does the evidence say? An Evidence brief. An evidence brief is a type of literature review that is particularly suited to describing international approaches to health policy or implementation. This particular evidence brief aims to describe international policy and practice relating to referral for radiological tests in a selection of other jurisdictions which includes New Zealand, Canada (Alberta), England and Sweden.
The research questions include:
- Describe which professionals permitted to refer/prescribe radiological tests (other than medical practitioner, nurses, radiographers, dentists). To include job titles, specific skills and qualifications to refer/prescribe radiological tests, monitoring and supervision arrangements in the selected countries.
- With regard to the above professionals identify and describe the relevant Standard Operating Procedures, protocols, advanced clinical practice guidelines, or governance principles in place in the selected countries.
- Identify and describe the advantages and disadvantages (risks) of the above professionals referring radiological tests as reported in the literature for the selected countries.
The evidence brief was requested by the Strategic Workforce Planning Unit in the Department of Health and is provided through an evidence synthesis service, operated by the Research Services and Policy Unit of the Department in collaboration with the Health Research Board (HRB), which is designed to support evidence-informed decision making in the Department of Health.
The timeline for delivery of a draft evidence brief report is in Quarter 3 of 2022. The evidence brief is a type of literature review, it does not include consultation with stakeholders in Ireland. The findings of this evidence brief will be considered by the Department before any subsequent actions are planned.
439. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a pre-Budget 2023 submission by an organisation (details supplied); if consideration has been given to its recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46614/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to thank the Deputy for his question.
The delivery of services for people with disabilities is a matter for the HSE, funding is provided by way of the agreed annual National Service plan.
At this time, engagement continues between The Department of Health and key stakeholders, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the HSE, in relation to the 2023 Estimates.
These discussions will inform the finalisation of the Estimate for the Health Vote for 2023 over the coming weeks and the final position will be announced in the Budget Communications/speeches on Budget Day (27th Sept 2022).
Pending this, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on specific funding proposals.
440. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 669 of 24 May 2022, the status of the current staffing levels for paediatric epilepsy services at University Hospital Limerick; the current vacancies which exist in the service; the efforts that are being undertaken to address these; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46622/22]
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.
441. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if his Department will author a national diabetes strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46628/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraDiabetes is a complex condition that can have a profound impact on the quality of life of people living with the condition. If not well managed, it can lead to debilitating complications. Management of the condition is required across the entire spectrum of healthcare delivery including self-management support as well as care delivered through general practice, community specialist care and hospital inpatient specialist care.
I am aware of the needs of the diabetes community and the challenges faced by those living with the condition and have recently met with representatives from Diabetes Ireland and the HSE National Clinical Programme for Diabetes to discuss different ways diabetes care can be improved across the country.
The planned delivery of diabetes services is ongoing, with increases in approved related hospital and community diabetes team posts, the increased number of DAFNE centres, and the recent Government approval for the General Scheme of a Health Information Bill, to facilitate the development of national/population-based disease specific “virtual” registries, including a virtual national diabetes registry. The inclusion of diabetes as one of four chronic diseases in respect of which GMS patients receive ongoing, planned care from their GP through the Chronic Disease Management Programme also represents a major step forward in assisting those living with diabetes to manage their condition.
442. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if funding for the cystic fibrosis drug kaftrio will be made available for children once they turn six years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46630/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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.
443. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Health when the early-intervention youth service for counties Sligo and Leitrim will be finalised (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46631/22]
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.
444. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be seen under CAMHS. [46632/22]
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.
445. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health if water birth will be made available in Ireland; the reason that the facilitation of water births has ceased; if the necessary reviews on this issue have been completed; if home births can be facilitated for all those who want to avail of such a service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46643/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the National Women and Infants Health Programme leads on the management, organisation and delivery of maternity, gynaecological and neonatal services, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
446. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason that a person (details supplied) is waiting so long for the pandemic bonus payment for healthcare workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46649/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFirstly, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period.
While my Department cannot comment on individual cases, I can advise that the HSE and the Department have been examining progressing the rollout of the Pandemic Recognition Payment to the list of 6 non-HSE/non-Section 38 organisation types covered by the Government Decision. This measure will be ring fenced to staff working ordinarily onsite in COVID-19 exposed healthcare environments. This shall cover eligible staff in:
- Private Sector Nursing Homes and Hospices (e.g. Private, Voluntary, Section 39 etc.);
- Eligible staff working on-site in Section 39 long-term residential care facilities for people with disabilities;
- Agency roles working in the HSE;
- Health Care Support Assistants (also known as home help / home care / home support) contracted to the HSE;
- Members of the Defence Forces redeployed to work in front-line Covid-19 exposed environments in the HSE;
Paramedics employed by Dublin Fire Brigade to deliver services on behalf of the HSE.
It is hoped that information will be published shortly for those certain non-HSE/non-Section 38 healthcare employees that are covered by the Government Decision and the process available to their employers to implement this measure for their eligible staff.
Once this process is published, the Department is keen that payments to eligible workers will be made as soon as possible thereafter.
I would like to remind the Deputy that it is against Department policy to comment on individual cases.
