Tuesday, 14 Feb 2023

Written Answers Nos. 590-607

Home Help Service

Ceisteanna (590)

Richard O'Donoghue

Ceist:

590. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE home help carers in County Limerick, in tabular form. [6584/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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

Question No. 591 answered with Question No. 585.

Question No. 592 answered with Question No. 541.

Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (593)

Claire Kerrane

Ceist:

593. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health when a post (details supplied) will be filled; how long the post is vacant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6590/23]

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.

Medicinal Products

Ceisteanna (594)

Claire Kerrane

Ceist:

594. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the number of cariban prescriptions that have been processed through the drugs payment scheme to date, in tabular form. [6591/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Following the recommendations of the HSE Medicines Management Programme, reimbursement support for Cariban® (doxylamine/pyridoxine) has been made available under an exceptional arrangement on an individual patient basis where consultant initiated.

This exceptional arrangement has been in operation since 1 January 2023 to ensure that those patients suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum have access to Cariban®, an unlicensed Exempt Medicinal Product, which cannot be added to the formal HSE reimbursement list. Hyperemesis gravidarum is expected to affect about 1% of the pregnant population.

As of 10th February 2023, the number of applications received by the Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) stands at 384. The number of applications to date is in line with expectations.

Question No. 595 answered with Question No. 537.

Question No. 596 answered with Question No. 558.

National Treatment Purchase Fund

Ceisteanna (597)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

597. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will consider amending the criteria for people availing of the NPTF in order that anyone waiting in excess of six months can self-refer to a private hospital similar to people who opt for cross-border treatment. [6602/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) procures capacity for high-volume procedures in order to positively impact waiting time for patients. Such procedures may be procured in both private hospitals (outsourcing), or public hospitals (insourcing). In order to ensure competitive pricing as part of their outsourcing programme, the NTPF works with private hospitals from a panel agreement and engages in procurement processes through e-tender.

The NTPF works with the public hospitals, as opposed to with patients directly, to offer and provide the funding for treatment to clinically suitable long waiting patients who are on an inpatient/day case waiting list for surgery, having been referred on to such a list following clinical assessment by a consultant/specialist at an outpatient clinic. There is good clinical governance and oversight under the current NTPF model of arranging treatment, with the NTPF having oversight of the patient stage of the patient pathway and able intervene if a patient experiences undue delays.

The key criteria of the NTPF is the prioritisation of the longest waiting patients first. While the NTPF identifies patients eligible for NTPF treatment, it is solely on the basis of their time spent on the Inpatient/Daycase Waiting List. The clinical suitability of the patient to avail of NTPF funded treatment is determined by the public hospital.

The availability of capacity for the specific procedure required by the patient is a factor in the selection of treatment provider, as well as the ability and willingness of the patient to travel to another hospital to avail of treatment. The public hospital will also advise if a patient has complex clinical needs and appropriate arrangements can be made to fit the patient profile to the appropriately skilled provider.

The Department will undertake some exploratory work with the NTPF in 2023 to consider whether there is some potential for self-referral in some of the more routine consultations / procedures, conscious that we must be continually vigilant about patient safety and clinical governance.

The 2022 Waiting List Action Plan identified 15 high volume procedures with a commitment that any one waiting over 6 months, who was clinically suitable, would receive an offer of treatment from the NTPF. The NTPF has advised that by 22 December it had authorised offers of treatment for 81% of those waiting over 6 months for one of the targeted procedures. This list will be expanded to 20 procedures for 2023. These 20 procedures accounted for 40% of the IPDC waiting list at the end of 2022.

Foireann Seirbhíse Sláinte

Ceisteanna (598)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Ceist:

598. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Sláinte cén uair a íocfar an “Íocaíocht Aitheantais Paindéime Covid” le curamóirí baile atá ag obair le heagraíocht (sonraí tugtha); údar na moille leis sin; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [6606/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Toisc gur seirbhís é seo, chuir mé ceist ar Fheidhmeannacht na seirbhíse sláinte freagra a thabhairt go díreach ar an Teachta Dála go tapa.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Ceisteanna (599)

Pearse Doherty

Ceist:

599. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the waiting times for endocrinology appointments in Letterkenny University Hospital per month for each of the years 2019 to 2022, and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6611/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, concerning endocrinology appointments in Letterkenny University Hospital, the NTPF has advised my Department that there are no waiting lists for endocrinology appointments at Letterkenny University Hospital for the periods specified by the Deputy.

Question No. 600 answered with Question No. 537.

Health Services

Ceisteanna (601)

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Ceist:

601. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health when adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder services and supports will be in place in CHO4 in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6621/23]

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 directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Assisted Human Reproduction

Ceisteanna (602, 643, 644, 645, 646)

Cathal Crowe

Ceist:

602. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if he will issue clarity on how the publicly funded IVF model will be rolled out (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6623/23]

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

643. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details on how and when public funding for IVF treatment will be distributed; if funding for treatment through the public hospital system will be made available; if so, when; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6724/23]

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

644. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of cycles of IVF treatment per person his Department is intending to fund; when this funding will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6725/23]

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

645. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the restrictions he intends placing on eligibility for public funding for IVF treatment; if these will be related to age or BMI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6726/23]

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

646. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if public funding for assisted human reproduction will be made available to same-sex female couples that have not been diagnosed with fertility issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6727/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 602, 643, 644, 645 and 646 together.

As the Deputy may be aware, the Model of Care for Fertility was developed by the Department of Health in conjunction with the HSE’s National Women & Infants Health Programme (NWIHP) in order to ensure that fertility-related issues are addressed through the public health system at the lowest level of clinical intervention necessary. This Model of Care comprises three stages, starting in primary care (i.e., GPs) and extending into secondary care (i.e., Regional Fertility Hubs) and then, where necessary, tertiary care (i.e., IVF (in-vitro fertilisation), ICSI (intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection) and other advanced assisted human reproduction (AHR) treatments), with patients being referred onwards through structured pathways.Phase One of the roll-out of the Model of Care has involved the establishment, at secondary care level, of Regional Fertility Hubs within maternity networks, in order to facilitate the management of a significant proportion of patients presenting with fertility-related issues at this level of intervention. Patients are referred by their GPs to their local Regional Fertility Hub, which provides a range of treatments and interventions, including: relevant blood tests, semen analysis, assessment of tubal patency, hysteroscopy, laparoscopy, fertility-related surgeries, ovulation induction and follicle tracking.The completion of Phase One of the roll-out of the Model of Care, envisaged later this year, will result in fully operational Regional Fertility Hubs at six locations across the country.Phase Two of the roll-out of the Model of Care will see the introduction of tertiary fertility services, including IVF, provided through the public health system. In this regard, funding was secured in Budget 2023 to support access to advanced AHR treatments, including, crucially, to allow the commencement of Phase Two of the roll-out of the Model of Care.This investment will facilitate the first steps to be taken towards the provision of a complete publicly-provided fertility service, which is the ultimate objective of Government. In particular, it will allow the historic development of the first National Advanced AHR Centre, delivering IVF and ICSI through a wholly public clinic. This is scheduled to open in the early part of 2024 and will provide a nationwide service, with all six Regional Fertility Hubs having equity of access for onward referral to it, via a shared care pathway. Subject to the provision of additional funding in future, it is envisaged that additional National Advanced AHR Centres will be developed and become operational on a phased basis elsewhere in the country.The 2023 allocation is also being utilised to support the Regional Fertility Hubs in order to expand their scope of services later this year by introducing the provision of IUI (intrauterine insemination), a significant, yet less complex and less intrusive, component of AHR treatment.Separately, as an interim measure, I have instructed that some funding be made available to support access to advanced AHR treatment via private providers from September 2023.Substantial planning, development and policy work to establish the scope, design and requirements for Phase Two of the roll-out of the Model of Care is ongoing. My officials, in conjunction with NWIHP, are continuing to actively prepare for the operationalisation of both the publicly- and privately- provided service, including finalising a national eligibility framework and determining how the interim funding for private treatments will be provided to individual eligible patients.Overall, my Department and the Government is fully committed, through the full implementation of the Model of Care for Fertility, to ensuring that patients always receive care at the appropriate level of clinical intervention and then those requiring, and eligible for, advanced AHR treatment such as IVF will be able to access same through the public health system. The underlying aim of the policy to provide a model of funding for AHR, within the broader new AHR regulatory framework, is to improve accessibility to AHR treatments, while at the same time embedding safe and appropriate clinical practice and ensuring the cost-effective use of public resources.

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Ceisteanna (603)

Thomas Gould

Ceist:

603. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the expected opening date of the new elective hospital in Cork. [6626/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

It is difficult to be definitive about timelines due to the many complexities to delivery. This is particularly true in terms of a capital development in the current economic environment and the challenges facing the construction sector (due to Brexit, the global pandemic, the war in Ukraine, global supply chain difficulties and shortages of construction raw materials). Nevertheless, the Department of Health and HSE will work to ensure the expedient development and delivery of the new Elective Hospital at St Stephen's Hospital, Sarsfield Court, Cork and we expect the new hospital to be open from 2027 and fully operational by 2028.

Hospital Overcrowding

Ceisteanna (604)

Thomas Gould

Ceist:

604. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the number of patients who were on trolleys in CUH in the month of January in each of the past five years, in tabular form. [6627/23]

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.

Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (605)

Thomas Gould

Ceist:

605. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the number of staff in Éist Linn, by role, in 2019 and 2023, in tabular form. [6628/23]

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 directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Question No. 606 answered with Question No. 537.

Question No. 607 answered with Question No. 541.