Written Answers Nos. 644-657
644. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Health the timeframe that key services and supports available to teenagers and young adults with autism in County Roscommon stay in place for each young person once diagnosis takes place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10061/23]
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.
645. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Health the key services and supports available to adults with autism in County Roscommon once diagnosis takes place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10062/23]
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.
646. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Health the timeframe that key services and supports available to adults with autism in County Roscommon stay in place for each adult once diagnosis takes place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10063/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
647. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason twin boys (details supplied) have received no follow-up assessment in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10067/23]
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.
648. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health how many endoscopic ultrasound procedures have been cancelled so far in 2023 at Beaumont Hospital; the reason for same; the number of patients affected and planned to accommodate them now; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10080/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI fully acknowledge the distress and inconvenience for patients and their families when elective procedures are cancelled, particularly for clinically urgent procedures. While every effort is made to avoid cancellation or postponement of planned procedures, the HSE has advised that planned procedures and operations can be postponed or cancelled for a variety of reasons including capacity issues due to increased scheduled and unscheduled care demand.
Patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.
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.
649. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health the WTE allocations of the CAMHS team based in Nenagh, County Tipperary, broken down into disciplines; the vacancies within the multidisciplinary teams; the caseload number for each multidisciplinary team; the number of referrals received last year; how many of those referrals were refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10081/23]
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 Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an ASD assessment for a child (details supplied). [10089/23]
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.
651. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health whether the review into Ireland's abortion laws has considered the issue of foetal pain relief, in view of the interest in this topic expressed by members of the public and the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10094/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing the referendum in 2018, the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 was signed into law on 20 December 2018 and commenced on 1 January 2019. The purpose of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 is to set out the grounds on which termination of pregnancy is lawful in Ireland. Its purpose is not to dictate clinical practice in the area or set out the medical procedures to be used by medical practitioners carrying out a termination of pregnancy.
The provisions set out in the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 were made by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment, based on its consideration of the report produced by the Citizens’ Assembly on the issue. No recommendations were made by the Joint Committee, or indeed by the Citizens’ Assembly, on medical procedures or clinical practice around termination of pregnancy.
Detailed work was undertaken by the relevant medical colleges to develop comprehensive clinical guidelines to assist medical practitioners in the clinical decision-making involved in dealing with these cases. This clinical guidance was a key component of the delivery of an integrated service. Care pathways, treatment plans and best medical practice in these sometimes complicated cases are best developed by medical experts and set out in these clinical guidance documents.
652. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health if there are any funding streams in the case of a child attending CAMHS and who may have to be referred to private mental health care, be it under the NTPF or others, from the HSE to make sure a person at risk can access the services needed. [10100/23]
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.
653. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health when the details regarding the new the GP visit cards coming into effect in April 2023 will be released (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10102/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFrom 1 April 2023, eligibility will be extended to people who earn the median household income of €46,000 or less. It will be adjusted for people living alone and for those with children. Operational details will be made available prior to the commencement of the income-based expansion. It is envisaged that these measures will be supported by a significant package of additional capacity supports to GP practices.
654. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the awards made both with and without a tender process to management consultancy firms (details supplied) by his Department and aegis bodies for each of the years 2018 to 2022 inclusive, in tabular form and classed by firm; the purpose and a brief description of the awards; the value of the awards and the total amounts paid; the timeline or timeframe of the contracts; and the desired or completed output. [10115/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is not immediately available, a full response for the Department and its aegis bodies, is being collated by the Department and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
655. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the awards made both with and without a tender process to an organisation (details supplied) by his Department and aegis bodies for each of the years 2018 to 2022 inclusive, in tabular form; the purpose and a brief description of the awards; the value of the awards and the total amounts paid; the timeline or timeframe of the contracts; and the desired or completed output. [10133/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has made no awards, either with or without a tender process, to the organisation detailed between the years 2018 and 2022 inclusive.
In respect of the HSE, I have forwarded the Deputy's query and asked that it respond directly to her on this.
Details for other bodies under the aegis of my Department are operational matters for the bodies concerned and the Deputy should contact the relevant Director/CEO/Registrar directly.
656. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the services that are in place in County Westmeath for children with autism when they reach 18 years of age. [10142/23]
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.
657. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the total number of paramedics trained by the National Ambulance Service in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, in tabular form; the planned number which will be trained in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10143/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra658. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the whole-time equivalent staffing composition of the National Ambulance Service at 1 January 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, in tabular form; the level of staff turnover and new entrants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10144/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 657 and 658 together.
As these are operational matters I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
