Wednesday, 30 Nov 2022

Written Answers Nos. 172-193

Hospital Appointments Status

Ceisteanna (172)

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

172. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be contacted for an appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59609/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Under 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.

General Practitioner Services

Ceisteanna (173)

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

173. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if there is a protocol regarding the charge which may be made by a GP for a repeat prescription that is issued without a consultation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59624/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

GPs are reimbursed by the HSE for medical services provided to medical card or GP visit card holders under the GMS scheme, and these patients are not charged prescription fees. As private practitioners, the fees charged by GPs for services to private patients, including fees regarding prescriptions, are a matter of private contract between the GP and their patients.

Health Service Executive

Ceisteanna (174)

Gino Kenny

Ceist:

174. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the reason the HSE has rehired a person (details supplied) who was heavily criticised in the investigation into the organ retention scandal in the mid-2000s; and if he will outline the hiring process that was employed. [59626/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Health Services

Ceisteanna (175)

Eoin Ó Broin

Ceist:

175. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact persons seeking cervical screening from CervicalCheck centres are being refused appointments if they are not registered patients of the GP surgery in which the screening is taking place; if this is correct given that CervicalCheck advise via their website that people do not have to be a registered patient of a surgery in order to obtain cervical screening in a centre; if he will provide an explanation for the discrepancy in information; and if he will outline the correct process through which persons can obtain cervical screening in the case that their own GP surgery does not provide the service. [59633/22]

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.

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Ceisteanna (176)

Marian Harkin

Ceist:

176. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) will qualify for the temporary scheme of paid leave for public health service employees unfit for work following Covid infection; if the situation for such HSE employees will be clarified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59639/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform have provided for Special Leave with Pay (SLWP) for the recommended isolation period (currently 7 days), for civil and public servants nationally who contract Covid.

A temporary scheme, specific to the public health service was introduced to provide for paid leave for certain public health service employees who remain unfit for work post Covid infection and who meet the eligibility criteria of the Scheme.

For those public health sector employees who do not meet the eligibility criteria, and for all other civil and public servants from other sectors who do not have access to the Scheme, the provisions of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme may be utilised.

The terms of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme apply nationally to all civil and public servants, and it is not within my remit to amend or adjust those terms.

Home Care Packages

Ceisteanna (177)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

177. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for home care packages; the number experiencing delayed discharge from hospital due to a delay in accessing home care; and the waiting lists for home care packages by CHO and LHO, in tabular form. [59642/22]

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.

Home Care Packages

Ceisteanna (178)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

178. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for an assessment for home care packages by CHO, age, category and the length of time waiting, in tabular form. [59643/22]

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.

Departmental Data

Ceisteanna (179)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

179. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the current number of delayed discharges per hospital, in tabular form; and his views on the actions being taken to reduce this number. [59644/22]

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.

Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (180)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

180. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the regulation of psychologists with CORU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59647/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The Health and Social Care Professionals Council and Registration Boards, collectively known as CORU, are responsible for protecting the public by promoting high standards of professional conduct, education, training, and competence amongst the professions designated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act (2005).

The Act is being implemented on a phased basis as registration boards and their registers are being established. The members of the Psychologists Registration Board were appointed in July 2017, and they held their inaugural meeting in September 2017.

The work of a registration board includes consideration of the titles to be protected, the minimum qualifications to be required of existing practitioners, and the qualifications that will be required for future graduates. The work of the Psychologists Registration Board (PSRB) is significantly more challenging than it is for registration boards for some of the more established professions, owing to the many different educational pathways into the profession, and the variety of specialties and titles used.

In November 2020, the PSRB opened a public consultation on the education and training standards and all stakeholders were encouraged to participate. The consultation, which received over 700 submissions, revealed a lack of consensus on how to proceed with the regulation of the profession.

Last year CORU wrote to me on behalf of the PSRB seeking guidance on potential regulatory approaches. Having considered the complexity of the issues, I wrote to CORU last August requesting that the PSRB consider a dual stream and phased approach to regulating the psychology profession. This approach would envisage that, as an interim and preliminary measure, the Board could begin to consider the regulation of certain psychology specialisms which present the greatest risk to public safety while simultaneously working towards the regulation of the title of psychologist in the future.

Departmental Schemes

Ceisteanna (181)

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

181. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if a list will be provided of all schemes and programmes under the remit of his Department for which a means test applies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59658/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Schemes to assist with healthcare costs are administered by the Health Service Executive.

I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Appointments Status

Ceisteanna (182)

Barry Cowen

Ceist:

182. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied); and when the person concerned can expect an appointment for a PET scan at St. James's Hospital, Dublin. [59674/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Under 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.

Departmental Meetings

Ceisteanna (183)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

183. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the attendance record of his Department at all joint policing committee and city and county development board meetings since 2015 to date, in tabular form. [59685/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health (Deputy Stephen Donnelly)

As the committees concerned are not convened by the Department of Health, we do not have attendance records available.

Health Services

Ceisteanna (184)

Pearse Doherty

Ceist:

184. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in processing an application for the Northern Ireland healthcare scheme for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59713/22]

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.

Substance Misuse

Ceisteanna (185)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

185. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the breakdown of funding for drug and alcohol addiction services from all sources for each county in each of the past five years to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59720/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

Drug and Alcohol Task Forces play an important role in addressing problem drug and alcohol use within their geographical areas.

The Department of Health does not collect data in relation to the funding of drug and alcohol services on a county basis.

The financial information in the attached spreadsheet reflects the Department of Health allocations to Drug and Alcohol Task Forces only.

As the HSE also funds drug and alcohol services, and as this is a service matter, I have asked the Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Allocations to Drug and Alcohol Task Forces by the Department of Health 2018 to 2021

LDATF	2018 DOH	2019 DOH	2020 DOH	2021 DOH
Ballyfermot	€255,446	€255,446	€255,446	€255,446
Ballymun	€422,958	€422,958	€422,958	€422,958
Blanchardstown	€179,305	€179,305	€179,305	€179,305
Bray	€573,860	€573,860	€573,860	€573,860
Canal Communities	€338,605	€338,605	€338,605	€338,605
Clondalkin	€388,114	€388,114	€388,114	€388,114
Cork *	€411,988	€411,988	€411,988	€57,588
Dublin 12	€70,397	€70,397	€70,397	€70,397
Dublin NE	€239,971	€239,971	€239,971	€239,971
Dun Laoghaire *	€94,676	€94,676	€94,676	€51,676
Finglas Cabra	€263,277	€263,277	€263,277	€263,277
NIC	€394,856	€394,856	€394,856	€394,856
SIC	€176,043	€176,043	€176,043	€176,043
Tallaght	€336,022	€336,022	€336,022	€336,022
Total LDATF	€4,145,518	€4,145,518	€4,145,518	€3,748,118
RDATF	2018 DOH	2019 DOH	2020 DOH	2021 DOH
East Coast Area	€58,200	€58,200	€58,200	€58,200
Midland	€136,816	€136,816	€136,816	€136,816
Mid-West	€147,982	€147,982	€147,982	€147,982
North East	€0	€0	€0	€0
North West	€258,633	€258,633	€258,633	€258,633
North Dublin City & Co.*	€266,245	€266,245	€266,245	€0
South East	€0	€0	€0	€0
South West	€102,820	€102,820	€102,820	€102,820
Southern	€0	€0	€0	€0
Western	€136,994	€136,994	€136,994	€136,994
Total RDATF	€1,107,690	€1,107,690	€1,107,690	€841,445

*Note: Some funding for this task force was transferred from DoH to HSE in 2021

Medical Aids and Appliances

Ceisteanna (186)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

186. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will consider providing back-up power supply batteries for hydraulic beds with pressure mattresses for home-based HSE patients using HSE supplied equipment, given that the beds being supplied by the HSE currently have no back-up batteries or power supply units, which could lead to patients having to be re-hospitalised in the case of a power cut; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59724/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

As the Health Service Executive (HSE) has responsibility for the provision of aids and appliances under the community funded schemes, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Appointments Status

Ceisteanna (187)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

187. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a medical appointment for a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59796/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Under 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.

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Ceisteanna (188)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

188. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if a pandemic special recognition payment declaration has been received from a person (details supplied). [59826/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

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

I would also like to remind the Deputy that it is against Department policy to comment on individual cases.

Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (189)

Eoin Ó Broin

Ceist:

189. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health the number of public health nurse positions in each CHO area; the number of vacant public health nurse positions in each CHO area and the specific geographic areas within each CHO that currently have no public health nurse in place; and if any interim measures are being put in place to ensure universal access to public health nurses, in tabular form. [59846/22]

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.

Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (190)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

190. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to proposals put forward by an association (details supplied) that subsidised nursing staff accommodation should be provided at a location as well as at other possible locations, to help address the serious issues with recruitment of mental health nurses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59847/22]

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 directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Hospital Trusts

Ceisteanna (191)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

191. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if his attention was drawn to the fact an organisation (details supplied) retained ownership of the Herbert Wing of St. Vincent’s University Hospital under a commercial agreement with St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group when the relocation of the national maternity hospital to Elm Park was approved by the Cabinet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59848/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health (Deputy Stephen Donnelly)

As the Deputy will be aware, the Religious Sisters of Charity (RSC) transferred their shareholding in St Vincent’s Healthcare Group (SVHG) to St Vincent’s Holdings in April of this year. The share transfer was a transaction between the RSC and SVHG. 

On 17 May last, the Government approved the legal framework that will underpin the relocation of the National Maternity Hospital (NMH) to the St Vincent’s campus at Elm Park. In approving the legal framework, the Government was satisfied that the framework achieves the State’s objectives and:

- Ensures that all legally permissible services will be available in the new NMH

- Prevents any influence, religious or otherwise, on the operation of the new hospital

- Safeguards the State’s significant investment in the hospital.

The Herbert Wing lease is not a part of the legal framework for the relocation of the NMH.

Hospital Staff

Ceisteanna (192)

Eoin Ó Broin

Ceist:

192. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health the reason public health nurses in a CHO have been moved to Cherry Orchard Hospital. [59854/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Horse Racing Industry

Ceisteanna (193)

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

193. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will question the IHRB in relation to the undisclosed compensation (details supplied); the amount that was paid; by whom the payment was made; and the person or body that received compensation in relation to the Rosscarbery case. [59646/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Since 1st January 2018, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) is the regulatory body for all horseracing in Ireland. The IHRB is a company limited by guarantee set up by the Turf Club and the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee for the purpose of carrying out the regulatory and licensing functions for Irish horseracing.

The role of the IHRB is provided for under the Irish Horse Racing Act 2016 and subsequent Statutory Instruments.

The IHRB has informed my Department that the appeal against the disqualification of the horse Rosscarbery from the Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly Stakes Race held at the Curragh on 26 June 2022 was withdrawn by the owner and trainer of the horse after an IHRB investigation established that the disqualification resulted from an error in the pre-race weigh out process.

The issue was settled on the basis of an agreement signed by the owner, the trainer and the IHRB, the terms of which are confidential to the parties.