Written Answers Nos. 645-664
645. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health when the pain clinic at Sligo University Hospital will return to full capacity; the plans that are in place to deal with the extremely long waiting lists for pain management, with patients waiting up to three years for an appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57678/22]
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.
646. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health the reason that a health centre unit (details supplied) does not provide x-ray services to the local population for injuries to the body; the person or body that made this decision; the rationale for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57680/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra647. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health his views on whether it is acceptable for GPs to have to refer patients to a facility (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57681/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 646 and 647 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
648. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if he will reform the recruitment processes for the National Ambulance Service to give greater recognition to prior learning and or prior experience; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57687/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra649. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the proportion of appointments to the National Ambulance Service that are held by graduates of the BSc in paramedic studies from the University of Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57688/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 648 and 649 together.
As these are operational matters for the National Ambulance Service, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
650. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the capital investment proposals at St. Luke's General Hospital Kilkenny in order to enlarge the footprint to support new and increased services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57699/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
651. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent consultant paediatric dermatologist attached to CHI, Temple Street in 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57700/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this Parliamentary question relates to a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
652. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the status of payment of the pandemic recognition payment to non-HSE employees; if all eligible frontline healthcare employees will receive the bonus payment by year-end 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57765/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFirstly I would like to thank all healthcare workers for their extraordinary efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Government announced a COVID-19 pandemic recognition payment for certain frontline public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. To date, over 124,000 workers have received the payment, and payments to eligible HSE and Section 38 staff are substantially complete.
Certain non-HSE/Section 38 healthcare employees are also covered by the Government Decision, and efforts are underway to ensure an efficient and expeditious rollout to these staff. These include 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 HSE and KOSI Corp are currently progressing the rollout to eligible staff in cohorts 1-4 above. Information on the process involved has now been provided by the HSE and KOSI Corp to relevant organisations. I am pleased to confirm that payments to employers of eligible staff are rolling out, with funding transfers underway, and these employers will then pass on the payments to their eligible staff.
It is ultimately a matter for KOSI Corp to advise on how soon they expect all payments to be completed. However, please be advised that it is the intention of the Department to have all eligible healthcare workers paid without delay, and all possible efforts are being made to achieve this. I want to reassure you that the Government is prioritising this payment and remains extremely appreciative for all our healthcare workers’ efforts in the fight against Covid-19.
653. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of children with scoliosis on waiting lists for procedures, including those on suspension or other lists, at the end of October 2022, by location in tabular form; the total number; and the number waiting 0-6, 6-12, 12-18 and 18+ months. [57769/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra654. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of children with scoliosis on waiting lists for procedures, including those on suspension or other lists, at the end of each quarter in 2021 and to date in 2022, by location in tabular form; the total number; and the number waiting 0-6, 6-12, 12-18 and 18+ months. [57770/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra655. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of children with scoliosis removed from waiting lists in each month of 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and the number by reason for removal. [57771/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra656. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of children with scoliosis removed from waiting lists without having a procedure in each month of 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form. [57772/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra657. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of spinal fusion and other procedures carried out by Children’s Health Ireland for children with scoliosis in each year 2016 to date in 2022, by month at each location in tabular form; the number which have been outsourced; and the location at which they were conducted. [57773/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra658. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of scoliosis-related procedures which were cancelled in each month in 2022 to date, by location in tabular form. [57774/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra660. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of children with spina bifida on waiting lists for procedures, including those on suspension or other lists, at the end of October 2022, by location in tabular form; the total number; the number waiting 0-6 months, 6-12 months, 12-18 months. and 18+ months. [57776/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra661. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of children with spina bifida on waiting lists for procedures, including those on suspension or other lists, at the end of October 2022, by location in tabular form; the total number; the number waiting 0-6 months, 6-12 months, 12-18 months and 18+ months. [57777/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra662. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of children with spina bifida removed from waiting lists in each month of 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and the number by reason for removal. [57778/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra663. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of children with spina bifida removed from waiting lists without having a procedure in each month of 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form. [57779/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra664. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of spinal fusion and other procedures carried out by Children’s Health Ireland for children with spina bifida in each year 2018 to date in 2022, by month at each location in tabular form; the number which have been outsourced; and the location at which they were conducted. [57780/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra665. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of spina bifida-related procedures which were cancelled in each month to date in 2022, by location in tabular form. [57781/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 653 to 658, inclusive and 660 to 665, inclusive, together.
I sincerely regret that children can experience a long waiting time for scoliosis treatment, and I remain conscious of the burden that this places on them and their families.
Earlier this year I approved an ambitious plan from Children’s Health Ireland to reduce the number of children waiting for spinal orthopaedic procedures (scoliosis/spina bifida) by the year end. Some €19 million of current and capital funding was committed to implement the plan.
The funding is to provide additional activity targeted at reducing the number of children waiting long times for orthopaedic procedures (including scoliosis and spina bifida).
The funding has resulted in additional activity and a reduction in long waiters.
As of 28 October, 452 scoliosis procedures had been carried out, compared to 320 for the same period in 2019 a 41% increase and an increase of 55% compared to 2021.
Also at 28 October there were 54 patients waiting over 4 months for a spinal fusion compared to 65 in January a 17% reduction. In the same period there has been a 41% reduction in patients waiting over 4 months for other spinal procedures.
Despite undertaking a record number of spinal procedures and reducing the number of long waiters corresponding reductions in the waiting list have been offset by significant increase in demand and referrals compared to previous years with a 30% increase in additions to the spinal surgery list compared to 2021. CHI believes this is due to a loss of additional capacity elsewhere and latent Covid-19 demand via increased outpatient activity.
Recently due to an unprecedented increase in demand through ED’s and Urgent Care Centres and the resulting pressure on its hospitals capacity, CHI announced that it has had to reduce planned elective and routine inpatient admissions and this will continue over the winter period.
CHI has apologised to patients and their families whose children have had/may have to have their procedures postponed at short notice. It is making every effort to ensure its patients are looked after, will reschedule these admissions at the soonest possible opportunity, and will continue to communicate with the families directly.
The level of operational detail requested by the Deputy is not held by the Department and I have asked the HSE to provide it directly to him.
659. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 114 of 21 September 2022, the number of children on waiting lists for scoliosis and spina bifida-related procedures and consultations by specialty for each month in each of the years 2016 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57775/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 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.
