Written Answers Nos. 746-750
746. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the steps that he is taking to ensure that those experiencing homelessness can access GP services (details supplied); his plans to develop appropriate services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58076/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAddressing the health needs of homeless persons and improving their access to healthcare services is a priority for the Department of Health and the HSE.
Currently, health services for the homeless population are delivered by multiple providers including Statutory Services, Non-Government Organisations and charitable organisations.
The HSE’s National Office for Social Inclusion, together with a number of organisations, work to improve access to health services for people from vulnerable groups. Contact information for a range of supports for people who are experiencing homelessness, including access to healthcare, is available on their website.
The HSE National Medical Card Unit, Local Health offices and Staff within homeless services can provide assistance with the medical card application process and access to GP services.
Covid-19 brought into focus the significant health inequalities faced by socially excluded groups such as people who are homeless. In 2021, the Department of Health provided additional funding of €11 million to enhance health services for people who are homeless, and continue the protective public health measures for the medically vulnerable and Covid positive homeless population, and continuity of care for people who are homeless.
In the following year, Minister Feighan provided another €10m in Covid funding in 2022 to maintain public health measures and to consolidate improvements in health services for people who were experiencing homelessness and addiction, that occurred in the earlier months of the Covid-19 pandemic.
There were a total of 17 initiatives funded as part of these COVID-19 measures. One of the main aims of these initiatives was the provision of increased GP capacity for this population. Covid-19 and the associated control measures to protect the wider population have had the potential to exacerbate existing health inequalities amongst vulnerable populations. In order meet the health needs of the homeless population, GP capacity was increased across several CHO areas with this funding. The main goals of this initiative was to ensure access to healthcare, making sure individual needs are met, whilst minimising risk of coronavirus transmission.
747. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of plans to introduce a new medical card scheme for dental treatment; the timeline that he is working towards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58077/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides dental care, free of charge, to medical card holders aged 16 and over. I recognise that there is a need to substantively review and reform the DTSS to align with best international evidence and practice, as outlined in the National Oral Health Policy, Smile agus Sláinte (2019).
Work has begun on this review and officials in my Department are engaging with stakeholders. I expect significant further progress to be made in 2023 and have made an unprecedented additional allocation of €15 million in Budget 2023 to support this work and enhance the provision of oral healthcare services next year. This is additional to the €148 million that is already provided for oral healthcare each year across the DTSS, the HSE Public Dental Service and orthodontic services provided by the HSE.
On top of this €15 million allocation, resources will also be made available in 2023 for new clinical leadership posts and for other supporting staff to allow substantive reform of the provision of public oral healthcare services to all ages to commence, including through work on the development of a new medical card scheme. The implementation plan for Smile Agus Sláinte will prioritise the alleviation of access issues for oral healthcare.
In recognition of the issues that have been experienced in some parts of the country in accessing oral healthcare, the €15m award includes €5 million to support the HSE to provide care to its patient cohorts in 2023, including adult medical card holders who are in need of emergency care and are still struggling to access a local dentist. This is intended to protect patient access to oral healthcare services while the transformative reform programme progresses.
These further measures come on top of a package of measures introduced from 1 May 2022 to expand the Scheme and increase the fees paid to contractors. The numbers of patients being seen, the numbers of treatments being provided and the number of claims being submitted under the DTSS have all increased in recent months.
748. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the details of any workforce planning undertaken by his Department in the area of oral healthcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58078/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am committed to the reform of dental services to align with the National Oral Health Policy Smile agus Sláinte. Improving and enabling easy access for the public to oral healthcare services is a key component of the Policy, requiring availability of a suitably skilled workforce to provide appropriate oral healthcare across all settings, ranging from primary to advanced oral healthcare.
This requires the development of a dental workforce plan, taking into account all oral healthcare professionals registered with the Dental Council, as well as auxiliary workers either voluntarily registered or not required to register with the Dental Council, but who are essential to both support and provide oral healthcare services. The Department has begun engaging with stakeholders and I expect significant progress on this workforce plan to be made in 2023, through the use of dedicated resources which have been set aside to advance this work next year.
To this end, the Department of Health will engage with Departments and agencies including the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, the Higher Education Authority, the HSE, and others.
749. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he has engaged with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science regarding increased capacity in University College Cork and Trinity College dental schools to produce more graduates across dentistry, dental nursing and dental hygiene; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58079/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am committed to reform of the provision of oral healthcare services in Ireland, as set out in the National Oral Health Policy, Smile Agus Sláinte. The Policy recognises the role of undergraduate and postgraduate education in supporting this service reform and sets out that a range of actions will be completed in this area.
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, including for oral healthcare services.
750. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of public-only dentists employed by the HSE in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, by LHO and CHO, in tabular form. [58080/22]
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.
