Thursday, 19 Jan 2023

Written Answers Nos. 370-389

Hospital Services

Ceisteanna (372, 375)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

372. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the average patient experience time from admission to discharge for the full year of 2022, by location and by month, in tabular form. [2650/23]

David Cullinane

Ceist:

375. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the average patient experience time from admission to discharge for the full year of 2019, by location and by month, in tabular form. [2653/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 372 and 375 together.

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

Question No. 373 answered with Question No. 367.

Question No. 374 answered with Question No. 368.

Question No. 375 answered with Question No. 372.

Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (376)

Réada Cronin

Ceist:

376. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health if his Department will sanction the provision of a neuro-rehabilitation team for CHO 7 for persons affected by neurological injury or disease, given only two of the nine teams promised have been delivered (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2654/23]

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.

Ambulance Service

Ceisteanna (377)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

377. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the percentage of clinical status 1 ECHO and clinical status 1 DELTA incidents responded to by a patient-carrying vehicle in 18 minutes and 59 seconds or less for the full year of 2022 by month, nationally and by ambulance region, in tabular form; the average length of such response times nationally and by region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2656/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

This question relates to operational matters and has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Ambulance Service

Ceisteanna (378)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

378. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the percentage of clinical status 1 ECHO and clinical status 1 DELTA incidents responded to by a patient-carrying vehicle in 18 minutes and 59 seconds or less for the full year of 2019 by month, nationally and by ambulance region, in tabular form; the average length of such response times nationally and by region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2657/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

This question relates to operational matters and has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Ambulance Service

Ceisteanna (379)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

379. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the percentage of clinical status 1 ECHO and clinical status 1 DELTA incidents responded to by a patient-carrying vehicle in 18 minutes and 59 seconds or less for January 2023 to date, nationally and by ambulance region, in tabular form; the average length of such response times nationally and by region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2658/23]

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.

Hospital Appointments Status

Ceisteanna (380)

Danny Healy-Rae

Ceist:

380. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2666/23]

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 (381)

Catherine Connolly

Ceist:

381. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the number of pandemic recognition payments made to non-HSE section 38 organisation staff in each of the months April to December 2022, and to date in January 2023; the number of payments outstanding in this category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2671/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

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

Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (382)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

382. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent staff who have been recruited into the HSE since the beginning of 2022, in tabular form; and the number of staff who have retired or left the HSE in the same period. [2673/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

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

Departmental Staff

Ceisteanna (383)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

383. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of staff who left his Department in 2022, by grade and quarter, in tabular form. [2679/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

A breakdown of the staff who have left the Department of Health throughout 2022 is set out in tabular form below.

Grades	Total
Quarter 1	45
Administrative Officer	6
Assistant Principal	14
Clerical Officer	6
Executive Officer	6
Higher Executive Officer	7
Principal Officer	3
Temporary Clerical Officer	3
Quarter 2	41
Administrative Officer	6
Assistant Principal	12
Assistant Secretary	1
Clerical Officer	6
Executive Officer	4
Higher Executive Officer	4
Principal Officer	6
Services Officer	1
Temporary Clerical Officer	1
Quarter 3	45
Administrative Officer	8
Assistant Principal	14
Assistant Secretary	1
Clerical Officer	1
Deputy Secretary	2
Executive Officer	3
Higher Executive Officer	8
Principal Officer	6
Temporary Clerical Officer	2
Quarter 4	24
Administrative Officer	4
Assistant Principal	9
Clerical Officer	3
Executive Officer	1
Higher Executive Officer	5
Principal Officer	2
Grand Total	155

Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (384)

Holly Cairns

Ceist:

384. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to retain and recruit recent nursing graduates to address the staffing shortage in the HSE. [2684/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

My Department is heavily invested in the ongoing education of healthcare staff to support recruitment and retention. Data from Health in Ireland Key Trends 2022 (DOH 2022) shows that students graduating as both undergraduate and postgraduate in medicine, pharmacy and nursing and midwifery increased consistently between 2014 and 2020, with the total number of students graduating increasing by 30% (from 4,841 to 6,264). Out of the total 6,264 graduates in 2020, 59.7% were from nursing and midwifery.

Health and Social Care workforce planning and ensuring an appropriate pipeline of suitably qualified healthcare professionals is a top priority. In addition, the HSE has been engaging in a programme of work to attract essential talent, to meet the needs of our health service now and in the future. Over the past couple of years, the HSE have worked in partnership with service areas to enhance recruitment capability across our health service. All nursing and midwifery graduates are being offered permanent contracts in our health service.

The following initiatives are currently available to Nursing and Midwifery graduates:

- Opportunity to work in and across specialty locations

- Professional Development and mentorship programmes

- Additional Career pathways: in recent years there has been an increase in Advanced Nurse Practitioner roles and the introduction of an Enhanced Nurse Contract (subject to qualifying criteria).

- Career opportunities across specialist and advanced practice roles and clinical leadership roles which are important factors to attracting and retaining nurses and midwives into the workforce and these continue to grow in community settings under Sláintecare.

- Additional Advanced Nurse/Midwife Practitioner (ANMP) posts.

Clinical nurse and midwife specialist posts and advanced practice offer career pathways for nurses and midwives. This supports retention of our nursing and midwifery workforce, including new graduates. In November 2021, I requested that the number of nurses and midwives practising at an advanced level across the health service be increased from 2% of the workforce to 3% over the next three years with additional funding of €11 million to support this. With this funding, 149 additional WTE Advanced Nurse/ Midwifery Practitioners (ANMP) were recruited bringing the total numbers of ANMPs to 880. Further WTE ANMPs will be recruited for 2023 in line with the 3% target.

The Report on the Expert Review Body on Nursing and Midwifery 2022 published in March 2022 contained 47 recommendations. Their implementation will support nurses and midwives to continue to learn and develop in their professional roles, enabling significant reform and ensuring that critical Sláintecare priorities are realised. Priorities for implementation include review and reform of the undergraduate training programme to deliver more capacity, alignment with delivering integrated nursing and midwifery care, increasing postgraduate training in community care, and increasing care through digital solutions as well as recruitment and retention.

Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (385)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

385. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of assaults recorded against medical, nursing, midwifery and other health and social care professionals across HSE hospitals and community healthcare facilities by each month in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2689/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

This question relates to operational matters and has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (386)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

386. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of assaults recorded against medical, nursing, midwifery and other health and social care professionals across HSE hospitals and community healthcare facilities to date in January 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2690/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

This question relates to operational matters and has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (387)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

387. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of assaults recorded against medical, nursing, midwifery and other health and social care professionals across HSE hospitals and community healthcare facilities by each month in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2691/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

This question relates to operational matters and has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Agriculture Schemes

Ceisteanna (388)

Paul Kehoe

Ceist:

388. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on the liming scheme announced in budget 2023; when he expects the scheme to be rolled out; the operation of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2464/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Funding of €8 million was announced for a Liming Measure as part of Budget 2023.

Soil and environmental protection are key considerations for the Government. The Liming Measure is being introduced by my Department to incentivise the use of lime, a natural soil conditioner, which corrects soil acidity by neutralising the acids present in the soil and in turn allows for an improvement in overall soil health and biodiversity as well as improved nutrient use efficiency. This in turn facilitates a reduction in fertiliser use.

My officials are currently finalising the Terms and Conditions of the scheme.

I will announce further details regarding the measure in the coming weeks.

Fishery Harbour Centres

Ceisteanna (389)

Mark Ward

Ceist:

389. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he plans to visit each of the fishery harbours under the remit of his Department before the end of quarter 1, 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2496/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

In my capacity as Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, I have made visiting farms, piers and food businesses in all counties a key priority of my tenure. I will continue to visit coastal communities in 2023. These communities are the bedrock of our seafood sector. I am finalising my diary for Q1 of 2023 but I look forward engaging with these communities in the weeks ahead.