Tuesday, 16 May 2023

Hospital Facilities

Ceisteanna (663)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

663. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of beds to population in each hospital, by bed type, in tabular form. [22753/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

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.

General Practitioner Services

Ceisteanna (664)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

664. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the current position regarding the drafting of legislation for the GP card for children under seven years, as provided for in budget 2023; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22754/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The Government is committed to increasing access to GP care without charges for children, an important healthcare measure that will remove a potentially prohibitive cost barrier to accessing GP care and will help to improve children’s health as they develop. At present all children under six years of age are eligible for a GP visit card and therefore GP care without charges.

The Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Act 2020 provides, amongst other things, for the phased expansion of GP care without fees to all children aged 12 years and under. It is currently planned to expand the provision of GP care without charges to all children aged 6 and 7.

My officials and the HSE have made preparations for this expansion. Engagements were held with the IMO, representing GPs, throughout last year, and engagement is ongoing in relation to the necessary fee structures for this service. It is intended to introduce the expansion as early as possible.

General Practitioner Services

Ceisteanna (665)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

665. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he agrees that there is a need to introduce salaried GPs in view of the interest in medical graduates in working in this way and as a means of urgently addressing the serious shortage of GPs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22755/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The Irish model of general practice is based on private practice, and all GPs providing GP services in Ireland currently are private practitioners. This model has allowed the State to make provision for access to care for the most vulnerable while allowing GPs to develop their practices and sub-specialisations in line with the needs of their patients. It has also allowed the avoidance of any distinction in service delivery between public and private patients.

The Government has taken a number of actions, and has significantly increased investment in general practice, to increase the number of GPs working in the State and to improve access to services. Both interest in general practice training and the number of new entrants undertaking this training have increased in recent years. The number of doctors entering GP training has been increased from 193 in 2019 to 258 in 2022, with 285 places training places planned for this year rising to 350 by 2026.

However, there are recognised challenges in accessing GPs in some parts of the country, often in rural or more deprived areas, and I am open to looking at whether salaried GPs would be a possible solution to such access issues. It should be noted that any proposed model involving salaried GP positions would require careful consideration to ensure the required level of service could be provided for medical card and GP visit card holders.

Under the upcoming Strategic Review of General Practice, consideration will be given to the possible role of HSE-employed GPs, as part of a wider examination of the GP capacity issue. The Terms of Reference for the Strategic Review were published last month and the review will be completed this year.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Ceisteanna (666)

Neasa Hourigan

Ceist:

666. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 200 of 15 February 2023, 1151 of 21 March 2023 and 1452 of 18 April 2023, the number of staff directly employed by the HSE known to be on leave from work for more than one year due to long-Covid symptoms, as evidenced by their receipt of special Covid leave with pay for that period of time; the reason the HSE has not released this figure in response to previous Parliamentary Questions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22756/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this operational matter.

Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (667)

Neasa Hourigan

Ceist:

667. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 674 of 28 March 2023 and 1451 of 18 April 2023, the dates that meetings were scheduled since June 2022 between representatives of his Department and trade unions representing healthcare workers with long Covid to discuss pay issues relating to this medical condition; the dates of such meetings between his Department and trade unions on long-Covid and healthcare workers that were cancelled by his Department since June 2022; the reason for these cancellations, acknowledging that this information does not conflict with the workings of industrial relations processes under way; the reason this information had not already been provided in response to previous parliamentary questions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22757/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I am acutely aware of the issues experienced by public health employees in relation to Long Covid. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has provided for Special Leave with Pay for 5 days for civil and public servants nationally, in line with the current public health advice, to facilitate employees to remain at home following a positive Covid-19 test result.

For certain employees who remain unfit to attend the workplace and are suffering from long-Covid, a temporary Scheme, specific to the public health service was introduced to provide for Paid Leave for Public Health Service Employees unfit for work post Covid infection. Employees who met the eligibility criteria for the Scheme transferred to the Scheme on 1st July 2022.

For those who do not meet the criteria for the temporary Scheme but remain unwell, the provisions of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme may be utilised.

The matter regarding Special Leave with Pay for Long Covid has been discussed with representative bodies at a number of Industrial Relations fora since June 2022, including the National Joint Council (20 September 2022, 29 November 2022, 17 January 2023), the Health Sector Oversight Body (19 September 2022) and the Public Service Agreement Group (19 October 2022). It has also been discussed in a trilateral engagement between the DoH, HSE and union officials (December 8 2022). The Department has engaged with the unions openly on each occasion. To the best of the knowledge of my officials, no meetings were cancelled outright and the Department has remained open to engagement on this matter.

The matter has been referred to the Workplace Relations Commission for further engagement.

Mental Health Services

Ceisteanna (668)

Neasa Hourigan

Ceist:

668. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 236 of 22 March 2023 and 1744 of 17 April 2023, the names of the HSE estates managers who approved contracts for renovations and other works to Glenwood House, Carrigaline, following the purchase of that property in January 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22758/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

As 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.

Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (669)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

669. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he has conducted any analysis of the cost of ensuring a living wage for health care assistants who are providing services in nursing homes to people whose care is funded under the nursing home support scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22763/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

In order to examine the significant workforce challenges in the home-support and nursing home sectors in Ireland, Minister Butler established the cross-departmental Strategic Workforce Advisory Group in March 2022. Working closely with key stakeholders, the Advisory Group made 16 recommendations to address the challenges in frontline carer roles in the home support and long-term residential care sectors.

Their report was published in October 2022 with 16 recommendations across the areas of recruitment, pay and conditions of employment, barriers to employment, training and professional development, sectoral reform, and monitoring and implementation. Minister Butler has endorsed the Advisory Group’s recommendations.

Implementation of the recommendations will be overseen by a cross departmental Implementation Group, chaired by the Department of Health. To date there has not been an analysis of the cost of ensuring a living wage for health care assistants who are providing services in nursing homes. The Department is engaging with recommendation owners to define an implementation plan. The group is considering how to progress each recommendation. A detailed implementation plan will be published containing steps involved in delivering the recommendations in the coming months. It is envisaged that the implementation group will meet quarterly and publish progress reports thereafter.

Home Care Packages

Ceisteanna (670)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

670. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of ensuring a living wage for healthcare assistants and home support workers who are providing publicly contracted home support hours, whether they work for the HSE or another provider; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22764/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

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.

Home Care Packages

Ceisteanna (671)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

671. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the hourly cost of the HSE directly providing home care services; the cost per hour; the equivalent cost for a whole-time equivalent worker; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22765/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

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.

Home Care Packages

Ceisteanna (672)

Seán Canney

Ceist:

672. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health when the new home care tender will be finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22767/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

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.

Hospital Staff

Mental Health Services

Ceisteanna (678)

Mark Ward

Ceist:

678. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the progress of the independent review of the provision of child and adolescent mental health services in the State by the inspector of mental health services and by the Mental Health Commission; when the review will be published in full; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22830/23]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The principal functions of the Mental Health Commission are to promote, encourage, and foster the establishment and maintenance of high standards and good practices in the delivery of mental health services and to take all reasonable steps to protect the interests of persons detained in approved centres under the Mental Health Act 2001.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Mental Health Commission are undertaking an audit of all 73 CAMHS teams nationally. An Interim Report was published by the Commission on 23 January last covering 5 of the 9 CHOs. The Government and the HSE accepted the findings and recommendations of this Interim Report and has progressed consequent actions as appropriate.

As the Mental Health Commission is an independent body, and in light of the fact that the Commission has not completed its Final Report, the specific issues raised by the Deputy are in the first instance matters for consideration to be addressed as appropriate between the Commission and the HSE, prior to publication of the MHC Final Report. I look forward to receiving this report in due course.