Written Answers Nos. 554-568
554. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the work of his Department in relation to youth-specific mental health initiatives and promoting positive mental health among young people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21045/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
555. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health in relation to the representations he has received on behalf of a person (details supplied), if he or the HSE can provide assistance to this person to avail of treatment abroad which he believes would be beneficial to his health condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21057/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Health I do not have a role in providing assistance to avail of treatment abroad for individual patients. As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
556. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the plans he has in place to address the issues raised at a conference (details supplied) in relation to people with serious mental health problems detained in prisons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21065/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
557. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if an appointment for a person (details supplied) will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21067/23]
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.
558. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that a person (details supplied) has still not been paid the pandemic special recognition payment Covid bonus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21071/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
559. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to ensure that medical card patients can access dental treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21084/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides dental care, free of charge, to medical card holders aged 16 and over. Services available annually and on demand include an examination including preventative elements, two fillings, emergency extractions, and a scale and polish. More complex care, such as dentures, and a broader range of treatments for patients with additional needs and high-risk patients are available subject to the approval of the local HSE Principal Dental Surgeon.
I am aware that there are some towns with no or limited DTSS dentists that have sufficient capacity to accept new patients. Where access to a dentist is difficult, local HSE services assist patients who make enquiries and make lists of DTSS contractors available to medical card holders. In exceptional circumstances, the HSE assists patients to access emergency dental treatment by directly contacting private contractors or arranging treatment to be provided by HSE-employed dentists. An additional allocation of €15 million has been made in Budget 2023 to enhance the provision of oral healthcare services. This includes €5 million allocated on a once-off basis to support the HSE Public Dental Service to provide care this year, including through a HSE ‘safety-net’ service for adult medical card holders who are in need of emergency care and are still having difficulty accessing a local dentist.
560. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Health if officials from his Department are using an application (details supplied) to conduct business; if his Department has had official meetings regarding the use of the application by officials; if his Department has assessed the risk of using the application by Department officials and the input of Government-related data into the application; if his Department is using or is considering using other forms of artificial intelligence; if his Department is considering banning the use of the application by Department officials; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21087/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department requires that all applications must be used in line with the Department’s policies and procedures in compliance with GDPR. The specified application has not been used by my officials to conduct business and my Department is not currently considering the use of such applications.
Access to the application has been denied pending a risk assessment of its use, and we will continue to follow best practice advice through regular communications with the National Cyber Security Centre on all aspects of cyber security related to application usage.
561. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health when the outstanding front-line workers bonus payment will be processed for those still awaiting payment, in particular those working in an agency (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21111/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
562. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE primary care reimbursement service will consider including melatonin supplements on the list of medicines or aids provided under the medical card or drugs payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21119/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for medicine pricing and reimbursement decisions, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
In line with the 2013 Act and the national framework agreed with industry, a company must submit an application to the HSE to have a new medicine added to the reimbursement list. Reimbursement is for licenced indications which have been granted market authorisation by the European Medicines Agency or the Health Products Regulatory Authority.
In making a relevant reimbursement decision, the HSE is required under the Act to have regard to a number of criteria including efficacy, the health needs of the public, cost effectiveness and potential or actual budget impact. HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds, on the advice of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics.
The HSE advise that Melatonin (Circadin) has never been available under the Community Drug Schemes. Melatonin (Circadin) underwent a review in 2008 and reimbursement was not recommended by the NCPE (see www.ncpe.ie/drugs/melatonin-circadin/).
However, the HSE advise that an application for Melatonin can be made on an exceptional basis under Discretionary Hardship Arrangements for medical card holders. This is in accordance with Section 23 of the 2013 Act, which provides for the supply of items not on the reimbursement List. All applications under these arrangements are reviewed on an individual patient basis. The HSE must be satisfied that the patient requires the item for clinical reasons, and that there is no item on the reimbursement list which is a suitable alternative for that patient.
563. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health whether a review of policy to prohibit former nursing homes registered on 1 September 2022 converting to accommodation for Ukrainian refugees has been completed; if there has been any change to the policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21120/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Health takes the closures of nursing homes very seriously. The closure of nursing homes can put pressure on other local health and social care facilities. It is vital that the welfare of residents is ensured. There a number of reasons for nursing home closures each year including retirement, non-compliance with HIQA regulations, financial viability and, in some cases, recognition that the premises would not be compliant with revised regulations.
Given the challenges currently being faced in the nursing home sector, Ministers in the Department of Health have agreed with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to change the procurement guidelines around accommodation for persons under temporary protection in order to remove from consideration active nursing homes that were still registered operators with HIQA on or after the date of 1 September 2022.
The intention behind this position is to avoid unintentionally incentivising active nursing homes to leave the market. Former nursing homes that had already ceased operation and were deregistered prior to this date would not be affected if they wished to enter into contracts as accommodation providers.
This brings active nursing homes into the same category as other types of property that have been determined to be unsuitable as accommodation for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection, including:
• Housing set aside for social housing,
• Accommodation planned for use by other arms of Government,
• Student accommodation during academic terms.
The Department of Health has no direct role in the procurement process or the approval of any individual accommodation centres for use by displaced persons.
Ministers and the Department of Health are committed to continuing, constructive cross-Government engagement to address the health and social care needs of Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection as well as the identification of appropriate sites for that might be used for accommodation.
Given the changing situation with regard to accommodation for persons under temporary protection, the Department of Health is reviewing the policy agreed with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, with a view to providing longer-term certainty to the nursing home sector and potential providers of temporary accommodation services. The review is near completion.
564. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the breakdown of the number of people who have received phone call appointments compared to in-person appointments in long-Covid clinics over the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21126/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the matter raised is a service delivery matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
565. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health the total operational leasing costs of privately owned primary care centres each year since 2007, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21137/23]
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.
566. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health the average annual leasing cost of a privately owned primary care centre in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21138/23]
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.
567. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health the average capital cost of delivering an HSE-owned primary care centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21139/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
568. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if GP visit cards will be made available to couples whose earnings do not exceed €46,000.00. [21147/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to the extension of GP visit card eligibility to those who earn the median household income or less, as announced in Budget 2023.
In total, approximately 400,000 additional individuals are estimated to become eligible under this expansion. This measure will remove the cost of accessing GP care from those for whom cost is most likely to prevent access; helping reduce the cost of living for young adults and young families in particular.
The necessary planning and administrative development work to provide for the expansion is well advanced in preparation for the commencement of the expansion. Officials from my Department and the HSE are currently engaged in intensive discussions with the IMO regarding the expansion and in particular the IMO concerns on the impact of increased eligibility on general practice and the best use of the additional funding provided in Budget 2023 to support capacity in general practice.
Information in relation to the commencement of the expansion and operational information will be provided when available.
