Written Answers Nos. 626-645
626. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the length of time for which each pre-existing and newly-created vacant consultant post which are currently unfilled have been vacant, in tabular form; the date on which each post was sought, approved and first advertised; the date on which the posts were re-advertised, where applicable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53016/22]
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.
627. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of occasions on which a consultant post was re-advertised due to an inability to fill the post in each of the years 2019 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; the number of occasions on which they were re-advertised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53017/22]
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.
628. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of consultant posts requested, approved, advertised, and filled in each of the years 2019 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; the date on which the relevant posts were sought, approved, advertised and filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53018/22]
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.
629. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the suspension of a service (details supplied); the action that is being taken to resume the service and reduce waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53019/22]
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.
630. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 374 of 11 November 2021, the average length of time that it took to recruit and fill a consultant post in each of the years 2019 to 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53020/22]
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.
631. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) is on a hospital waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53043/22]
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.
632. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if a decision has been made on the reimbursement of a drug (details supplied); if he will provide an update on the process; if it has not been approved, if he will provide an indicative timeline for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53046/22]
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.
633. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of families that are currently waiting for an individual family service plan in children's disability network teams; the percentage of those waiting for an individual family service plans that have received their IFSP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53047/22]
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.
634. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) in relation to locating a community garden in Dingle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53069/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the management of the public healthcare property estate, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to you in relation to this matter.
635. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53070/22]
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.
636. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health when circadin will be available on the medical card scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53071/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds, on the advice of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE). There are formal processes which govern applications for the pricing and reimbursement of medicines, and new uses of existing medicines, to be funded and/or reimbursed.
Products that are licensed will undergo a pricing and reimbursement approval process by the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) on receipt of an application by the HSE from the manufacturer.
Melatonin (Circadin) underwent a review in 2008 and reimbursement was not recommended by the NCPE as there is currently insufficient evidence to support the reimbursement of this product under the Community Drugs Schemes (available at http://www.ncpe.ie/drugs/melatonin-circadin/).
Exceptional arrangements are considered under Section 23 of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 - Supply of items not on Reimbursement List. The HSE must be satisfied that:
(a)The patient requires that item for clinical reasons, and
(b) There is no listed item which is a suitable alternative for that item in so far as that patient is concerned.
All applications for melatonin under Discretionary Hardship Arrangements are reviewed on an individual patient basis under Section 23. An individual reimbursement form is required to be completed and submitted by the prescribing consultant in all cases.
637. Deputy Malcolm Noonan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the lack of optometrists working in primary care nationwide; the action that he will take to increase the resources for these roles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53073/22]
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.
638. Deputy Malcolm Noonan asked the Minister for Health the steps that are being taken to address the waiting list of referrals for children for appointments with community ophthalmologists; the action that he will take to decrease waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53074/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive (HSE) have advised that COVID-19 continues to pose significant challenges for many service areas. This has unfortunately had unavoidable negative impacts on waiting lists. The HSE continues to work hard to address these issues and find solutions to the difficulties resulting from the ongoing Covid-19 crisis. The HSE is committed to delivering efficient high quality Ophthalmology services to all eligible service users.
The HSE Primary Care Eye Services Review Group Report, published in June 2017, set out current levels of service, models of service provision and the consultation process undertaken with patients, advocates, ophthalmic staff and representative bodies. It also highlighted the limitations of the current model of service delivery, including the impact on waiting lists, and set out the way forward for a significant amount of eye services to be delivered in a primary care setting.
The Report estimated that 60% of existing outpatient activity could be moved to primary care thus enabling hospital services to focus on patients who require more specialist diagnostics or treatments. This Report remains current and the HSE has advised that it will advance the transfer of care for children aged 8+ years to local optometrists, thereby reducing waiting lists and enhancing access to primary eye care services.A project team with a wide-ranging membership was established in late 2019 / early 2020 to progress this initiative. The work of the team was paused due to the requirement to focus resources on the COVID 19 pandemic. However, the project team has been reconvened and is progressing matters in relation to this initiative.
639. Deputy Malcolm Noonan asked the Minister for Health the status of the roll-out of healthmail and the uptake throughout Ireland's health services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53075/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy's question relates to operational matters, I am referring the question to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy, as soon as possible.
640. Deputy Malcolm Noonan asked the Minister for Health the steps that are being taken to move the HSE adult optical scheme authorisation process online; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53076/22]
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.
641. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health when the report of the latest review of the accident and emergency and acute care facilities at Our Lady's Hospital in Navan, County Meath, and associated facilities will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53110/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraOur Lady’s Hospital Navan is one of nine designated Model 2 Hospitals under the Smaller Hospitals’ Framework which was approved by Government in 2013. Navan is the last of those hospitals identified for reconfiguration to Model 2.
As the Deputy will be aware, the HSE has proposed a process of planned service changes at Navan and has advised that these changes are necessary to support safe service delivery on a sustained basis, and are driven first and foremost by patient safety considerations and very real clinical concerns.
While recognising the very real clinical concerns identified, the Government is clear that several important issues, including additional capacity in other hospitals impacted and the continued ability of people in the Navan area to access emergency and urgent care, would need to be fully addressed before any proposed transition by the HSE.
For this reason, I have asked the HSE to undertake a review of capacity. This review has now been received and is currently under consideration.
642. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53121/22]
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.
643. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of new patients who started anti-cancer therapy in each of the past ten years and to date in 2022, in tabular form. [53129/22]
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.
644. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to any increase or perceived increase in the number of persons since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, or any increase or perceived increase in the number of persons diagnosed with stage four cancer since the start of the pandemic; if he will provide any data or statistics held by his Department which detail annual trends in cancer diagnosis over the past decade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53130/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraDuring Wave 1 of Covid in March-May 2020, in line with experiences internationally, there was a significant drop in the numbers of people presenting with cancer concerns.
From the outset of the pandemic, great focus was placed by the cancer services on providing safe patient pathways and encouraging people to come forward. Urgent cancer services were maintained throughout the pandemic.The Department of Health and the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) systematically study the impact of Covid-19 on cancer services through data monitoring and monthly review meetings.
This includes the the close monitoring of trends in numbers coming forward to diagnostic services, and the level of attendances for appointments for treatment. These services are important to ensure that early diagnosis and action is available for patients, particularly as services continue to recover from Covid-19. The following key figures are based on the most recent figures available:
- From January–August this year, GP e-referrals are at 136.5% of 2019 activity for the same period. In August, this figure was 152.8%
- Attendances at Rapid Access Clinics (RACs) for 2021 as a whole were at 130.5% of 2019 levels
- Cancers diagnosed in RACs from January-July this year (3,431) are at 95.6% of the figure in 2019 for the same period (3,588).
- Cancers diagnosed in RACs for 2021 (6,072) were at 98% of the 2019 figure (6,197).
In December 2021, the Royal College of Physicians Ireland, in conjunction with organisations such as the National Cancer Registry Ireland (NCRI) and NCCP, published a report titled 'Cancer care in Ireland in 2020 – The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic'. NCRI data included in the report indicates that, as expected, the number of cancer diagnoses in 2020 was lower than in 2019 due to Covid-19. While the full extent of the impact of Covid-19 on cancer patients will not be known until the NCRI 2020 data reaches maturity, the NCRI suggests that the reduction may be between 10% and 14% of the expected figure, which allows for increasing trends due to our increasing and ageing population. When the 2020 data is available from NCRI, this should show the number of persons receiving an initial diagnosis of stage 4 cancer and any increase as a result of Covid-19, as per the Deputy's question.
Data collected by the NCRI on Cancer Diagnosis show that over the last 10 years there has been a small decrease in the number of people diagnosed with cancer per 100,000 of the population. In this same time period there has also been a marked increase in the number of cancer survivors living in the Irish population.
645. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details on the number of GP resources and funding allocated to out-of-hours urgent GP care in the recent winter service plan for 15,000 patients in areas (details supplied) currently outside of the Westdoc GP co-op. [53132/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraWestdoc co-operative provides out-of-hours GP services in Community Healthcare West, covering counties Galway, Mayo and Roscommon. Westdoc coverage however does not extend to certain rural areas within the region, where out-of-hours GP services have been provided instead by local doctors. It is acknowledged that the provision of out-of-hours services in such areas can be difficult and onerous on those GPs.
The HSE Winter Plan 2022/23 provides an additional €10 million in funding to support general practice including GP out-of-hours services for the upcoming winter period. However, following consultations with the HSE, funding for supports on a permanent basis are to be provided for the area concerned. Initially, this will cover an element of red-eye, weekend cover and weekend nights, at a cost of approximately €436,000.
