Wednesday, 14 Dec 2022

Written Answers Nos. 297-305

Medicinal Products

Ceisteanna (297)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

297. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the availability to the fullest possible extent of medications to treat cystic fibrosis; the extent to which such drugs are readily available having been tested and approved at European and national level; the extent to which kaftrio is readily available to patients who require its use as a matter of urgency; if there are any issues surrounding its availability which require his intervention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62748/22]

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.

Medicinal Products

Ceisteanna (298)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

298. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when the drug kaftrio will be made available in the case of the children of a person (details supplied); if the drug can be made available as a matter of urgency given the extent of the negotiations that have occurred heretofore; if there is any action that he can take to ensure its immediate availability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62749/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Mental Health Services

Ceisteanna (299)

Mark Ward

Ceist:

299. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the status of the reopening of inpatient CAMHS beds in a facility (details supplied); the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62775/22]

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.

Mental Health Services

Ceisteanna (300)

Mark Ward

Ceist:

300. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health when CAMHS is to be extended to 25-year-olds as per Sharing the Vision; the additional staff and training required for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62776/22]

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.

Mental Health Services

Ceisteanna (301)

Mark Ward

Ceist:

301. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the concerns escalated by the Mental Health Commission report into CAMHS; the nature of these concerns; the steps that the HSE is taking to address these concerns; the reason that they were not escalated to the Minister for Mental Health and Older People; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62777/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The Mental Health Commission (MHC) is an independent statutory body, established under the Mental Health Act 2001.

The Commission’s principal functions are to promote, encourage, and foster the establishment and maintenance of high standards and good practices in the delivery of mental health services and to take all reasonable steps to protect the interests of persons detained in approved centres under the Act. As the Mental Health Commission is an independent body, and in light of the fact that the Commission has not completed its on-going review of the CAMHS service nationally, the specific issues raised by the Deputy are in the first instance a matter for detailed consideration by the MHC and HSE. In this context, any actions arising from the Commission's review are also a matter in the first instance between the MHC and the HSE.

I understand that the Commission has completed a review of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in five CHOs, with four to be completed. As is normally the case with MHC inspections and reports, any MHC concerns brought to the attention of the HSE are addressed directly by the Executive.

The Government values the independent role of the Mental Health Commission to promote high standards and good practice in mental health services. I look forward to receiving any MHC reports, when these are completed and formally submitted to me. The Deputy can rest assured that I will continue to closely monitor all matters relating to CAMHS, arising from the publication of the Maskey report earlier this year, taking account of normal procedures and the statutory responsibilities of the statutory agencies involved.

Social Media

Ceisteanna (302)

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

302. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the amount spent on social media advertising in 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and the amount spent per platform. [62807/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The tables included below outline the amount spent on social media advertising in 2021 and to date in 2022. The campaigns included in the tables are as follows:

- Healthy Ireland Resilience (€29,717 in 2021): relates to the Keep Well campaign which aimed to promote resilience by educating people of all ages on how to support their own physical and mental health and well-being by adding healthy and helpful habits to their daily and weekly routines. This campaign served as part of the Government's overall response to COVID-19.

- SciComms (€120,291 in 2021): the Department of Health recruited and worked with Young Adult Science Communicators to inspire and empower young adults to live safely within the public health guidelines, and, when appropriate, encourage vaccine uptake. Young adults living their optimum lives in ways that adhere to public health guidelines will contribute to the suppression of the virus in the community, protecting them and their families.

- Palliative Care Consultation (€1,497 in 2021): promotion of an online survey to get the views of the public on how services for people with a serious and progressive illness are delivered, in order to inform updating of policy.

- National Screening Annual Call (€3,043 in 2021; €1114 in 2022): promotion of the National Screening Advisory Committee’s Annual Call and of its recruitment to the Committee membership.

- Merry Little Christmas (€15,365 in 2021; €6,498 in 2022): as COVID-19 cases numbers began to rise as Christmas 2021 approached, the Department of Health sought to remind young adults to be mindful of their contacts, encouraging vaccinations and ventilation.

- Healthy Ireland Survey (€557 in 2021): promotion of social media posting to highlight the launch of the Healthy Ireland Survey.

- Healthy Ireland Social Media (€53,664.39 in 2022): ongoing social media activity to promote the Healthy Ireland programme.

- Healthy Weight (€184,052.12 in 2022): campaign to support the health of young people by sharing information about behaviours that can affect weight, as part of a series of national measures to address overweight and obesity.

- Menopause Awareness (€26,573.40 in 2022): campaign to address the need, as identified by the radical listening exercise commissioned by the Women's Health Taskforce, to encourage open conversations around menopause to improve women’s health outcomes and experiences of healthcare.

- Winter Viruses Preventative Measures (€9,478.61 in 2022): a campaign to communicate the public health messaging on COVID-19, flu and RSV for Winter 2022/2023.

2021

Campaign and platform	Spend
Healthy Ireland Resilience – Meta (Facebook-Instagram) and Twitter	€29,717.00
SciComms - Meta (Facebook-Instagram) and TikTok	€120,291.00
Palliative Care Consultation – Meta (Facebook-Instagram)	€1,497.00
National Screening Annual Call - Meta (Facebook-Instagram), LinkedIn, and Twitter	€3,043.00
Merry Little Christmas - Meta (Facebook-Instagram) and TikTok	€15,365.00
Healthy Ireland Survey - Twitter	€557.00
TOTAL	€170,470.00

2022

Campaign and platform	Spend
Merry Little Christmas - Meta (Facebook-Instagram) and TikTok	€6,498.00
National Screening Annual Call - Meta (Facebook-Instagram) and Twitter	€1,114.00
Healthy Ireland Social Media 2022 – Meta (Facebook-Instagram) and Twitter	€53,664.39
Healthy Weight - Meta (Facebook-Instagram) and TikTok	€184,052.12
Menopause Awareness – Meta (Facebook-Instagram), and Twitter	€26,573.40
Winter Viruses Preventative Measures – Meta (Facebook-Instagram)	€9,478.61
TOTAL	€281,380.52

It will take my officials in the Department of Health additional time to collate this information by social media platform. I will revert to the Deputy with this information once available.

Mental Health Services

Ceisteanna (303)

Mark Ward

Ceist:

303. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the Jigsaw services that are being offered in north Clondalkin, face-to-face and online; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62816/22]

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.

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Ceisteanna (304)

Michael Ring

Ceist:

304. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health the up-to-date position regarding the payment of the special pandemic recognition award to non-HSE staff and non-Section 38 staff who are eligible for this payment; if a third party contractor has been awarded a contract to administer this payment; if so, the date the third party contractor was awarded same; the number of employers that the third party contractor has made contact with on by county basis in tabular form; when payments will commence to non-HSE and non-Section 38 staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62823/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

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

Question No. 305 answered with Question No. 238.