Written Answers Nos. 639-658
639. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to use a facility (details supplied) as suitable accommodation for families or individuals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8467/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the management of the public healthcare property estate, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to you in relation to this matter.
640. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the number of persons currently awaiting a care plan in each month since January 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8471/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
641. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health his views on the adequacy of transitionary care for adults with intellectual disabilities upon attaining the age of 18 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8472/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
642. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 307 of 9 February 2023, if he will provide additional details in relation to his update on recommendation 9(ii) regarding altering medical records; the meaning of associated arrangements; if he intends to bring forward separate legislation to make it a criminal offence to alter medical records with the intent to mislead or deceive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8477/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have no plans to bring forward legislation pending further consideration of this recommendation, which needs to be considered in a broader context, reflecting the actual and planned changes to how the Health Services engages with patients following an adverse safety incident.
The Patient Safety (Notifiable Patient Safety Incidents) Bill 2019 provides a legislative framework for a number of important patient safety issues, including the mandatory open disclosure of a list of specified serious patient safety incidents that must be disclosed to the patient and/or their family. A key provision of the Patient Safety Bill is to ensure that patients and their families have access to comprehensive and timely information, including an apology where appropriate, in relation to serious patient safety incidents. This contributes to embedding a culture whereby clinicians, and the health service as a whole, engage openly, transparently, and compassionately with patients and their families when things go wrong.
Additionally, policy work on complaints and incident management processes has commenced. Also under consideration is the need to provide for a complaints pathway across all health and social care services, both public and private services, and the possible need to provide a statutory basis for the conduct and/or commissioning of patient safety incident reviews, across public and private health services
While it is the case that any relevance of this policy work for the specific recommendation would have to be considered on completion, they will change the context within which the recommendation is considered.
Additionally, Government recently approved the establishment of an Interdepartmental Working Group to examine the rising cost of health-related claims and consider mechanisms to reduce costs. The Group will recommend measures to address patient concerns following incidents, (e.g., disclosure procedures, trauma counselling, provision of supports) that will reduce the need for patients to initiate legal proceedings, and also examine the health system’s involvement in the claims process, in particular its role in the provision of evidence/medical records in the course of discovery with a view to streamlining processes. The Group will be receiving updates on the implementation of the recommendations set out in the Meenan Report.
643. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Health the expected timeline for his Department to complete and publish the Roadmap for Progressing Disability Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8492/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe implementation of the Progressing Disability Services for Children & Young People (PDS) programme is agreed Government and HSE policy and seeks to address the previous inequity in service provision whereby there may have been an excellent service for some children and little or no service for others. However, it has been acknowledged that the transition to policy-based Children’s Disability Network Teams under the PDS Programme has been challenging for many families and staff.
I can advise that following a meeting between the CEO of the HSE and Ministers Donnelly, O’Gorman and I last year, it was agreed that an overarching roadmap would be developed by the HSE to support all stakeholders to progress the next phase of implementation of PDS model. The roadmap document will set out the actions being proposed by the HSE to improve services for children with disabilities and developmental delays as well as their families.
The Department continues to engage with the HSE in relation to finalising the Roadmap document so relevant actions can be agreed and commenced. This process is in the final stages with detailed feedback having been supplied to the HSE in relation to the document.
644. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Health the numbers of assessment of needs applications overdue, broken down by CHO or other relevant geographical designation, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8494/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra645. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Health the number of assessment of needs applications overdue, banded by length of time that the application is overdue, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8495/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 644 and 645 together.
As these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
646. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Health the number of full-time occupational therapists and speech and language therapists working in Sligo University Hospital in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [8525/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
647. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Health the estimated current funding that would be required and the number of WTE, staff by job title that would need to be recruited before a facility (details supplied) in Sligo, returns to opening four days per week. [8526/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
648. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Health the number of sessions that are currently operating at Sligo University Hospital for dental services under anaesthesia per week. [8527/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
649. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE dietician vacancies currently within the primary care services in Sligo; and when these vacancies will be filled, in tabular form. [8528/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
650. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that children in schools in Dublin north central are being asked to travel to Swords to receive their MMR vaccines; the rationale for this; the reason they cannot be facilitated within schools; if he is concerned that some children will not receive this vaccination as they are unable to travel; if there are plans to facilitate these children otherwise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8536/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
651. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will outline his information in relation the extent and causes of the current excess mortality rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8563/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Health and the HSE keep under review a range of population health and epidemiological indicators to assess the impact of health threats in Ireland. The Department of Health does not produce estimates of excess mortality. However, the Department works closely with the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) and other stakeholders to monitor estimates of excess mortality.
There are a number of different methodologies used to estimate excess mortality. All estimation methodologies include caveats and limitations. There is therefore no single set of data on excess mortality.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has monitored excess mortality in Ireland since 2009, using registered deaths data reported to HPSC on a daily basis from the General Register Office (GRO). HPSC monitors excess mortality as part of a wider European Mortality monitoring network known as EuroMOMO www.euromomo.eu/. EuroMOMO is a European mortality monitoring activity, aiming to detect and measure excess deaths related to seasonal influenza, pandemics and other public health threats.
The latest analysis of all registered deaths in Ireland up to 29th January 2023, using the standardised EuroMOMO algorithm has shown that there is excess pneumonia and influenza mortality observed over a three-week period in December 2022 and January 2023 (weeks 51 2022-1 2023) and excess all-cause mortality in the 75-84-year age group observed over a two-week period in December 2022 (during weeks 51 and 52 2022).
These data are provisional due to the time delay with death registration in Ireland. In Ireland the period allowed for registration of a death is three months. A country-specific adjustment function was applied to correct for the typical delay in registrations of deaths in Ireland. Nonetheless, estimates of excess mortality for the most recent weeks are reported with some uncertainty and should be interpreted with caution. Estimates of excess mortality in recent months will continue to be updated as additional information becomes available.
HPSC anticipates that when further deaths are registered over the coming weeks, additional excess mortality for the 2022/2023 winter period will be observed. It is likely that this excess mortality will be observed for at least a 4-5-week period in December 2022 and January 2023.
Excess mortality has been observed during previous periods when influenza viruses circulated at high levels in Ireland, and during certain periods of the COVID-19 pandemic. Influenza activity was at very high levels in Ireland during December 2022 and early-mid January 2023, with a high number of influenza hospitalisations reported. Other important factors that may impact excess mortality include the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, circulation of other respiratory viruses, impacts of cold weather, an ageing population, health seeking behaviour and access to healthcare.
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) publishes official statistics on mortality in Ireland and publishes quarterly and yearly statistics on registered deaths through their Vital Statistics publications. The latest published data is for Quarter 2 2022 and data is provisional. Provisional data for Quarter 3 2022 will be published in March and for Quarter 4 2022 in June. This will include data on cause of death and allow more detailed analysis of mortality trends in this period.
The Department of Health will continue to actively monitor and review all available data on mortality as it becomes available.
652. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health the length of time it takes KOSI to process and issue payment on employer claims for the pandemic special recognition payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8592/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
653. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with diabetes who are awaiting their first appointment to the adult outpatients diabetes clinic in any of the UL Hospital Group hospitals; the number of persons waiting for 0-6, 6-12, 12-18, 18-24, 24-36, 36-48, and more than 48 months, 4-5, 5-6, 6-7, and 7+ years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8593/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
654. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive a date for surgery in St. James’s Hospital. [8605/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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.
655. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if he will immediately publish the review of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018. [8614/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Minister for Health commenced the Review of the operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 in line with statutory and Government commitments.
The Review is assessing the effectiveness of the operation of the legislation and will be conducted in a fair and transparent manner.
The Review is being led by an independent Chair Marie O’Shea and comprises of 2 main phases. As part of the first phase of the review, information, and evidence on the operation of the Act has been collected from women who use the service, and from health professionals that provide the service; the views of the public were also sought.
A very substantial amount of work has been completed to date and very informative data collected, which is feeding into the review.
The final Report of the Review is expected to be submitted to the Minister before the end of February.
The Report will then be considered by the Minister and published as soon as possible thereafter.
656. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to regulate private providers of assessment of need for children and young people. [8615/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
657. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm the number of beds available at Ennis medical assessment unit; the number of those that have been ringfenced for 999 transfers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8616/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
658. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health given that the paid leave for the Public Health Service employees unfit for work post Covid infection is due to finish in the coming months, if Covid-19 will be deemed as an occupational illness as recommended by the EU Advisory Committee; what is the proposed long-term solution for healthcare workers who are still unable to return to work due to long Covid; if his Department engaged with the relevant unions regarding the above payment being ceased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8636/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe EU Advisory Committee on Health & Safety have recently recommended the recognition of Covid as an occupational illness in health and social care, however Member States vary in respect of their treatment of Covid in this regard.In Ireland, Special Leave with Pay (SLWP) is available for the recommended isolation period, for civil and public servants nationally who contract Covid. SLWP provides for paid leave, including full pay, any fixed allowances payable as well as premium payments.For those who remain unfit to attend the workplace and are suffering from long-Covid, a temporary scheme, specific to the public health service has been developed to provide for Paid Leave for Public Health Service Employees unfit for work post Covid infection.Employees who met the criteria for eligibility for the Scheme will have transferred to the new Scheme on 1st July 2022. The Scheme will continue to run as expected, until 30th June this year.
I am acutely aware of the issues experienced by public health employees in relation to Long Covid and am committed to providing support. I have asked officials in my Department to look at available options.
As the matter of designation of Covid-19 as a national occupational illness falls to my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection, the Deputy may wish to raise that element of the question directly with Minister Humphreys.
