Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 November 2022
725. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will review the contents of correspondence submitted (details supplied); and if he will provide an update on proposals to address concerns outlined. [59492/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraEhlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a rare disease affecting approximately 1 in 5,000 people. Doctors are taught how to diagnose and manage it during their undergraduate and postgraduate training. As the principal clinical presentation is hypermobility/ hyperelasticity of soft tissues and joints, Rheumatology provides a key role in its diagnosis and management. Given its rarity, many doctors may not encounter a patient with EDS during their careers. This can lead to delayed recognition of the disease and diagnosis.
Most patients can be appropriately managed for their skin and joint disease mainly within primary care services once the diagnosis is confirmed. Most patients do not need lifelong specialist rheumatology care. Where patients have severe EDS (they have other specialist care needs), and their rheumatologist or primary care doctor will seek the help of an appropriate specialist but most patients with EDS do not need to see multiple specialists.
As it is an inherited disease, the most severe forms of EDS usually present first in childhood, and care of these patients by multiple specialists may be initially by the paediatric rheumatologists at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI). Existing multidisciplinary specialty care for EDS is available through the specialties of cardiology, neurology, neurosurgery, rheumatology, gastroenterology, orthopaedics, and physiotherapy at the paediatric services at CHI.
As patients with EDS transition to adult rheumatology services, they require access to a consultant led multi-disciplinary team. I have been advised by the National Clinical Programme for Rheumatology (NCPR) that the needs of adult persons with EDS and all Rheumatology patients of similar needs will be most appropriately addressed through the Rheumatology Model of Care, where appropriate specialist multidisciplinary adult rheumatology care is provided to all patients.
There has been an increase in rheumatology staffing for patients with a third consultant paediatric rheumatologist, and a consultant adult/transitional care rheumatologist in addition to a multidisciplinary team including two advanced nurse practitioners has been appointed at CHI/St James Hospital.
Despite the international shortage of healthcare workers, record levels of workforce growth have been achieved across the health sector in 2020 and 2021. 2022 continues to show strong growth with an expansion of 3% achieved up to October and further growth projected for the end of the year. This expansion has included an additional 587 consultants, a growth of 18%. The total number of consultants stands at 3,837 WTE in October 2022. Funding has been secured to continue this record expansion of the health sector workforce into 2023 with a further expansion of 4% projected in 2023.
The Government is committed to introducing a public-only consultant contract in the near future. It is intended that the Contract will be introduced following engagement with the representative bodies, the IMO and the IHCA, that is currently in train. While there have been challenges in recruiting to certain consultant specialties for a number of years, the overall number of consultants has increased significantly, and the Government is committed to recruiting a further 1,000 additional consultants under the new contract.
