Tuesday, 4 Oct 2022

Written Answers Nos. 654-673

Ambulance Service

Ceisteanna (654)

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

654. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the status of a pilot programme (details supplied). [48349/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The National Ambulance Service is currently trialling an alternative care pathway that involves specified patients being transported to the medical assessment unit at Mallow General Hospital, rather than to an emergency department.

I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly with further details on this service.

Abortion Services

Ceisteanna (655)

Seán Canney

Ceist:

655. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the amount that is paid to each doctor for the performance of an abortion in a general practitioner-setting; the amount paid to doctors, midwifery, and any other hospital staff for the provision of abortion in a hospital setting; and if either amount has changed since 2019. [48352/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

As the Deputy’s question relates to a service area, I have referred this question to the HSE for direct response.

Abortion Services

Ceisteanna (656)

Seán Canney

Ceist:

656. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the amount that was spent in relation to abortion provision to community-based groups which provide counselling and provision of abortion; and if he will provide a breakdown of the monies spent on advertising, training, consultancy, legal advice, and any other relevant services in each of the years 2019 to 2021. [48353/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

As the Deputy’s question relates to a service area, I have referred this question to the HSE for direct response.

Abortion Services

Ceisteanna (657)

Seán Canney

Ceist:

657. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the amount that was paid to general practitioners for carrying-out abortions in each of the years 2019 to 2021; and the total amount paid for abortions carried out in hospital settings separately in that timeframe. [48354/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

As the Deputy’s question relates to a service area, I have referred this question to the HSE for direct response.

Health Services

Ceisteanna (658)

Sorca Clarke

Ceist:

658. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health when the extended free contraception scheme will come into effect. [48356/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

In accordance with the Programme for Government and Women’s Health Action Plan commitments to providing free contraception for women, starting with the 17-25 age cohort, the free contraception scheme for women aged 17-25 was launched on Wednesday 14th September.    

Funding of approximately €9m has been allocated for the scheme in Budget 2022.

The scheme is now open to all 17-25 year-old women ordinarily resident in Ireland and provides for: 

- The cost of prescription contraception; 

- The cost of necessary consultations with medical professionals to discuss suitable contraception for individual patients and to enable prescription of same; 

- The cost of fitting and/or removal of various types of long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs) plus any necessary checks, by medical professionals certified to fit/remove same; 

- The cost of training and certifying additional medical professionals to fit and remove LARCs; 

- The cost of providing the wide range of contraceptive options currently available to GMS (medical) card holders, which are also available through this scheme, including contraceptive injections, implants, IUS and IUDs (coils), the contraceptive patch and ring, and various forms of oral contraceptive pill, including emergency contraception. 

- The legal framework for the scheme is provided by the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Act, 2022, which was enacted in July and commenced in September, 2022.  

- Citizen engagement information and publicity campaigns to support and promote the roll out of the scheme were launched by the Department’s Press and Communications Team, the HSE’s Communications team and relevant subject matter experts in the Department and HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme.  Digital information regarding the scheme, how to access it and wider information on contraceptive options is available through www.sexualwellbeing.ie; printed contraceptive choices materials will be placed in GP surgeries from later in September. 

- The Budget 2023 announcement included financial provision for expansion of the scheme to 16 year olds and those aged 26-30.  Funding will be made available to ensure that women aged 26 do not age out of eligibility on 1 Jan 2023 to access the scheme between Jan and Aug 2023, pending the extension of the scheme to 16 year olds (subject to legal advice and consultation) and to those up to aged 30 from Sept 2023.

- It will be possible to extend the eligible age upwards (from 25) to 26-30 year old women by Regulation.  Expansion to 16 year olds is subject to comprehensive legal advice and consultation across Government. Should legal advice and consultation permit, the inclusion of 16 year-olds will require a legislative amendment to the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Act 2022.

General Practitioner Services

Ceisteanna (659)

Sorca Clarke

Ceist:

659. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health when the extended free general practitioner care for children will come into effect. [48357/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

My officials and the HSE have made preparations for the expansion of GP care without charges to all children aged 6 & 7 and consultations with the IMO, representing GPs, are ongoing with the intention of introducing the service this year.

General Practitioner Services

Ceisteanna (660)

Sorca Clarke

Ceist:

660. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the engagement that he or his Department have had with general practitioners and organisations representing general practitioners; and the additional resources that will be provided to general practitioners in order for them to meet the needs of those that are now eligible for the extended free contraception scheme. [48358/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

In accordance with the Programme for Government and Women’s Health Action Plan commitments to providing free contraception for women, starting with the 17-25 age cohort, the free contraception scheme for women aged 17-25 was launched on Wednesday 14th September.

Funding of approximately €9m has been allocated for the scheme in Budget 2022.The scheme is now open to all 17-25 year-old women ordinarily resident in Ireland and provides for:

- The cost of prescription contraception;

- The cost of necessary consultations with medical professionals to discuss suitable contraception for individual patients and to enable prescription of same;

- The cost of fitting and/or removal of various types of long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs) plus any necessary checks, by medical professionals certified to fit/remove same;

- The cost of training and certifying additional medical professionals to fit and remove LARCs;

- The cost of providing the wide range of contraceptive options currently available to GMS (medical) card holders, which are also available through this scheme, including contraceptive injections, implants, IUS and IUDs (coils), the contraceptive patch and ring, and various forms of oral contraceptive pill, including emergency contraception.

The legal framework for the scheme is provided by the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Act, 2022, which was enacted in July and commenced in September, 2022.

Citizen engagement information and publicity campaigns to support and promote the roll out of the scheme were launched by the Department’s Press and Communications Team, the HSE’s Communications team and relevant subject matter experts in the Department and HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme.

Digital information regarding the scheme, how to access it and wider information on contraceptive options is available through www.sexualwellbeing.ie; printed contraceptive choices materials will be placed in GP surgeries from later in September.

As part of the preparations for service provision under the scheme, consultations with the Irish Medical Organisation and the Irish Pharmacy Union were held. My Department also engaged with the Irish College of General Practitioners and HSE regarding the scheme, with specific discussions taking place regarding its provisions for additional training for LARC fitting and removal .

The HSE Primary Care Re-imbursement Service (PCRS) provides ongoing support and engagement to service providers under the scheme, including general practitioners.

General Practitioner Services

Ceisteanna (661)

Sorca Clarke

Ceist:

661. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the engagement that he has had with general practitioners and organisations representing general practitioners; and the additional resources that will be provided to general practitioners in order for them to meet the needs of those now eligible for the extended free general practitioner care for children given that many in rural communities are struggling currently to get a general practitioner or to obtain an appointment. [48359/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

My Department and the HSE have had frequent engagement with the IMO in recent years. Budget 2023 reiterated the commitment made last year to expand GP care without charges to all children aged 6 & 7, and provides for the expansion of GP care without charges to people who earn the median household income of approximately €46,000 or less. It is envisaged that these measures will be supported by a significant package of additional capacity supports to GP practices; consultations are to be held with the IMO on how to best to implement these capacity supports.

The Government is aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice, and while GPs are self-employed practitioners and therefore may establish practices at a place of their own choosing, the Government recognises there is a need to support rural GP practices and to make establishing a rural practice a more attractive prospect. The proposed package of capacity supports announced in Budget 2023 builds on steps already taken by the Government to increase the number of GPs working throughout the country.

Under the 2019 GP Agreement the additional annual expenditure provided for general practice will have increased by €211.6m per annum by 2023. This provides for significant increases in capitation fees for participating GMS GPs, and new fees and subsidies for additional services. Improvements to GP’s maternity and paternity leave arrangements, increased rural practice supports and a support for GPs in disadvantaged urban areas, have also been provided for.

The number of GPs entering training has increased steadily over the past number of years, rising from 120 in 2009 to 258 in 2022. The transfer of GP training from the HSE to the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) which was concluded in 2021 will allow for the introduction of a new service model for GP training in Ireland and the further expansion GP training capacity in the years ahead. The ICGP aims to have 350 training places available for new entrants per year by 2026.

Furthermore, preparatory work has commenced on a strategic review of GP services to examine how best to ensure the provision of GP services in Ireland for the future. The review will examine the broad range of issues affecting general practice in general and in rural areas specifically, and will set out the measures necessary to deliver a sustainable general practice.

Disability Services

Ceisteanna (662)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

662. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the plans that his Department has put in place to establish a respite house in south County Kerry for school leavers (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48367/22]

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.

Public Sector Pay

Ceisteanna (663)

Ged Nash

Ceist:

663. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health the estimated amount that it will cost the Exchequer to bring the pay of workers in Section 39 organisations in line with public service pay agreements, Building Momentum and its potential successor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48374/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The Department acknowledges the important role that Section 39 organisations and staff play in our health sector. They have a key role in providing services to older people and people with disabilities.

While the Government does provide assistance, under Section 39 of the Health Act 2004, to organisations that provide services similar or ancillary to services that the HSE may provide, it must be acknowledged that these organisations are privately owned and run and that their terms and conditions of employment, once in line with employment legislation, are strictly between private sector employers and their employees.

These organisations were not and are not party to the Public Service Agreements. Consequently, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on pay or terms and conditions of employment within the private sector.

Dental Services

Ceisteanna (664)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

664. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if there are plans in place to help persons with the huge cost of dental treatment in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48381/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Emergency dental care for children under 16 is currently provided by the Public Dental Service of the HSE free of charge. In addition, targeted screening and prevention is provided for school children at certain dental developmental milestones and for special needs groups. The Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides dental treatments to medical card holders aged 16 and over. Additional funding of €10 million was secured in Budget 2022 to provide for expanded dental health care in the Scheme, including the reintroduction of Scale and Polish. Services available annually, without prior approval of the local HSE Principal Dental Surgeon, currently include an examination, cleaning (scale and polish), two fillings and emergency extractions. Other more complex care is also provided some of which requires prior approval by a Principal Dental Surgeon. Patients with special needs and high risk patients can avail of a broader range of treatments. The Dental Treatment Benefit Scheme (DTBS), which comes under the remit of the Minister for Social Protection, provides a free oral examination once in a calendar year. It also provides a payment towards either a scale and polish or periodontal treatment, if clinically necessary, once in a calendar year. Eligibility is based on a person's PRSI contributions. My Department has no role in the setting of fees charged by independent dentists to their private patients. It should be noted that tax relief can be claimed for non-routine dental expenses.

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Ceisteanna (665)

Colm Burke

Ceist:

665. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health when all of the remaining groups that are eligible and that have not received the pandemic recognition payment to date will receive the payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48399/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

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. This measure will be ring fenced to staff working ordinarily onsite in COVID-19 exposed healthcare environments.

It is hoped that information will be published shortly for those certain non-HSE/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. 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. Members of the Defence Forces redeployed to work in frontline Covid-19 exposed environments in the HSE;

6. Paramedics employed by Dublin Fire Brigade to deliver services on behalf of the HSE.

The above 6 areas only are covered by this Government Decision and all eligible workers will be paid in accordance with the overarching eligibility criteria in place.

Rolling out the payment to eligible employees of those specific non-HSE/Section 38 organisations covered by the government decision is a complex task, particularly as these employees are not normally paid by the public health service, duplicate payments need to be avoided, and there are many organisations to be covered, but this work is being given priority attention.

Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (666)

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

666. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the initiatives that he is planning, to increase the number of occupational therapists and speech and language therapists qualifying on an annual basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48402/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Health and Social Care workforce planning and ensuring an appropriate pipeline of suitably qualified healthcare professionals in Ireland is a top priority for the Government. The Programme for Government commits the Department of Health to working with the education sectors, regulators, and professional bodies to improve the availability of health professionals and reform their training to support integrated care across the entire health service.

Department of Health officials engage on an ongoing basis with colleagues in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that we train enough graduates with the skills necessary to support the delivery of health and social care services and to develop a strategic approach to workforce planning for the health sector.

There are ongoing discussions between both Departments in relation to increasing domestic supply of health and Social Care graduates in the short term to medium term through the immediate provision of additional places, and the longer-term planning being undertaken around future skills needs in context of future demand for health and social care services. These additional places are being targeted in areas of acute skills need including occupational therapists and speech and language therapists.

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Ceisteanna (667)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

667. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health when the former temporary, now permanent clerical officers who worked in accident and emergency departments in the Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar during Covid will receive their Covid bonus (details supplied). [48405/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

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.

While some HSE/S38 employees have not received payment, this may be due to a number of factors, including ineligibility, delays or non-submission of the declaration form from those who are required to submit one, or other possible local operational matters affecting payroll. Officials across HSE services are giving this matter priority attention to ensure that all eligible staff who have yet to receive the payment will do so very shortly.

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

Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (668)

Emer Higgins

Ceist:

668. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health in relation to the plan to increase the number of medicine graduates by 200, the way he plans to respond to the increased recruitment in terms of the talent pipeline being created through graduates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48411/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Health and Social Care workforce planning and ensuring an appropriate pipeline of suitably qualified healthcare professionals in Ireland is a top priority for the Government. The Programme for Government commits the Department of Health to working with the education sectors, regulators, and professional bodies to improve the availability of health professionals and reform their training to support integrated care across the entire health service.

Working with the Department of Further and Higher Education and the Irish Medical Schools we have succeeded in securing an additional 200 medicine student places for Irish/EU students over next 4 years. An extra 60 places are being provided in 2022 with the remaining 140 places over the next 4 years. My Department is working with the Department of Further and Higher Education and the Medical Schools to accelerate the pace and availability of these additional student places in the coming years.

In addition to increasing the number undergraduate student places in medicine for Irish/EU students there has been a steady annual increase in postgraduate training posts in the HSE in line with medical workforce planning projections. In total, there has been a 42% increase in the number of trainees over the last 10 years. The number of interns increased by 17%, the Basic Training intake increased by 19% and the Higher Specialist Training intake increased by 14% over the last 5-year period up to 2022. An additional 40 annual Post Certificate of Satisfactory Completion of Specialist Training (CSCST) Fellowships posts were established since 2021.

The total number of doctors currently enrolled in a training programme in 2022 is approximately 5,000. This represents an 19% increase in the number of trainees since 2019.

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Ceisteanna (669)

James Lawless

Ceist:

669. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health the dates for the remaining nursing home staff to receive their pandemic bonus payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48417/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

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. This measure will be ring fenced to staff working ordinarily onsite in COVID-19 exposed healthcare environments.

It is hoped that information will be published shortly for those certain non-HSE/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. 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. Members of the Defence Forces redeployed to work in frontline Covid-19 exposed environments in the HSE;

6. Paramedics employed by Dublin Fire Brigade to deliver services on behalf of the HSE.

The above 6 areas only are covered by this Government Decision and all eligible workers will be paid in accordance with the overarching eligibility criteria in place.

Rolling out the payment to eligible employees of those specific non-HSE/Section 38 organisations covered by the government decision is a complex task, particularly as these employees are not normally paid by the public health service, duplicate payments need to be avoided, and there are many organisations to be covered, but this work is being given priority attention.

Health Services

Ceisteanna (670)

John Brady

Ceist:

670. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health his plans to provide podiatry services in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48419/22]

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.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Ceisteanna (671)

John Brady

Ceist:

671. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who are currently on the waiting list for podiatry in CHO6 Wicklow and CHO7 West Wicklow; the average waiting timeframe for this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48420/22]

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.

Mental Health Services

Ceisteanna (672, 673)

Mark Ward

Ceist:

672. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the total amount that has been allocated to mental health in Budget 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48422/22]

Mark Ward

Ceist:

673. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the percentage of the overall health budget that has been allocated for mental health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48423/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 672 and 673 together.

The total allocation for mental health services in 2023 is over €1.2 billion, which is another record budget for mental health services. This significant investment will enable implementation of many of the short and medium-term measures in our national mental health policy, Sharing the Vision, enhancing the provision of mental health supports across a broad continuum from mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention, to acute and specialist mental health service delivery, and enabling us to continue to deliver our vital services to as many people as possible, as we move into 2023.

As occurs each year following the Budget, discussions will now take place with the HSE on details relating to specific service initiatives in the context of preparing the HSE Service Plan 2023, including that for Mental Health.

Question No. 673 answered with Question No. 672.