Tuesday, 23 May 2023

Written Answers Nos. 740-755

Departmental Data

Ceisteanna (740)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceist:

740. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of introducing a fully funded universal contraception scheme. [24187/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The free contraception scheme for women aged 17 - 25 was launched on 14th September, 2022, and expanded to include 26 year-olds on January 1st, 2023. The scheme is currently open to women aged 17-26, ordinarily resident in Ireland, and is due to be expanded to women aged 30 and under by September 1st, 2023.

For eligible women, the free contraception scheme provides for:

• The cost of consultations with GPs, family planning clinics and other relevant medical professionals to discuss contraceptive options with eligible patients and to provide prescriptions for these;

• The cost of prescription contraception, dispensed at local pharmacy of choice;

• The cost of fitting and/or removal of various types of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) plus any necessary checks, by medical professionals certified to fit/remove LARCs (e.g. intrauterine devices (IUD), systems (IUS), coils and implants);

• The cost of providing the wide range of contraceptive options currently available to GMS (medical) card holders, which will also be available through this scheme, including contraceptive injections, implants, IUS and IUDs, the contraceptive patch and ring, and various forms of oral contraceptive pill, including emergency contraception.

• Women who have had coils, IUDs, IUSs or implants inserted under the scheme will remain eligible for the subsequent checks and free removal of any devices that were inserted before their 27th birthday, in order to ensure continuity of care.

• Funding through Budget 2023 was also allocated to expand the scheme to 16 year-olds, but this is subject to consultation across Government, legal advice and legislative amendment.

As per the recommendations of the Report of the Working Group on Access to Contraception (which was published in 2019 and is available on the Department’s website), it was decided to commence the scheme with younger age cohorts, as they are least likely to be financially independent and many are still engaged in full time education.

The Report of the Working Group on Access to Contraception also highlighted concerns around the capacity to fit LARCs. However, the ICGP have been funded from 2022 to increase the number of LARC trained GPs, thereby increasing capacity over time.

Approximately €32 million was allocated to the scheme in Budget 2023; projections, estimates and costings for expansion to the whole population were also laid out and discussed in the Working Group's Report.

Any decision relating to further expansion of the scheme will be a matter for the Estimates process in advance of Budget 2024.

Departmental Data

Ceisteanna (741)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceist:

741. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of staffing public health teams to the WHO-recommended levels [24188/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

There has been significant progress made in relation to enhancements to our Public Health workforce. As agreed between the Department of Health, the HSE and the IMO in April 2021, a fully reformed model for public health including 84 Consultant posts is being implemented on a phased basis. The first phase, recruitment of 34 WTE posts at Consultant in Public Health Medicine level, is complete. Recruitment of Phase 2 (30 WTE) Consultant posts is progressing well with 19 posts in various stages of contracting to short-listing. Preparation for Phase 3 (20 WTE) of the programme is underway. It is intended that the 84 Consultant posts will be in place before the end of 2023. There has also been extensive progress made in the area of broader Public Health workforce recruitment which will make up the multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) as part of the Consultant-led Public Health programme as envisaged by the Crowe Horwath Report. Since 2020 we have almost doubled the Public Health workforce as promised by the Government with the recruitment of over 237 new WTEs at posts including public health doctors, nurses, scientists, and support staff. Alongside this recruitment, six new Public Health Areas have been established aligned to future Sláintecare areas, led by Area Directors of Public Health and delivering a Consultant-led Public Health service in line with the Hub-and-Spoke model. The HSE has also made progress towards procurement of an Outbreak Case and Incident Management System, a key enabler of a national health protection service. Additional resources have also been provided to the HSE to ensure enhancements are put in place to existing infectious disease surveillance systems in the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC). This will ensure effective monitoring and signaling of what is happening with the virus at population level, so that we can greater understand disease transmission and severity along with population immunity and risk. Following provision of additional resources in Budget 2023, eighty nine new posts in disease surveillance are being created with 42 of these already recruited. This has enabled expansion of GP Sentinel Surveillance, with 90 GP practices now participating in the scheme. In addition, a Biostatistics and Modelling Unit is being established in the HPSC. Wastewater Surveillance and Whole Genome Sequencing programmes are in place and operational. My Department and the HSE are fully committed to the full implementation of the new Public Health Model by December 2023.

Question No. 742 answered with Question No. 736.

Hospital Services

Ceisteanna (743)

Sorca Clarke

Ceist:

743. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of hospitals not accepting referrals for patients who availed of the cross-border initiative for treatment, despite HSE guidelines which assure patients that should complications arise they have the right "to access the Irish health care system to put it right"; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24197/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Under the terms of the EU Cross Border Directive (CBD), where a patient has received healthcare abroad, in another EU/EEA country under the provisions of the CBD, and medical follow-up proves necessary the home country (in this case Ireland) is obliged to provide the patient with the same follow-up treatment it would have provided had the treatment taken place on its territory.

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Primary Care Centres

Ceisteanna (744)

Michael McNamara

Ceist:

744. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the proposed delivery of a primary healthcare centre in Sixmilebridge, County Clare; the services that will be delivered at the facility; the staffing resources that will be dedicated to the operation of these services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24208/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

As the Health Service Executive (HSE) holds responsibility for the provision, along with the maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Hospital Appointments Status

Ceisteanna (745)

Michael Creed

Ceist:

745. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied), will have an ENT appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24209/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Under 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.

Home Care Packages

Ceisteanna (746)

Noel Grealish

Ceist:

746. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health the number of people on waiting lists for home support carers and funding in each month of 2022 and to date in 2023 for each LHO and CHO, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24216/23]

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.

Home Care Packages

Ceisteanna (747, 748)

Noel Grealish

Ceist:

747. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the number of people on waiting lists for home support carers, by length of time waiting, by LHO and CHO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24217/23]

Noel Grealish

Ceist:

748. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the number of people on waiting lists for home support funding, by length of time waiting, by LHO and CHO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24218/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 747 and 748 together.

As these are operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Question No. 748 answered with Question No. 747.

Home Care Packages

Ceisteanna (749)

Noel Grealish

Ceist:

749. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health the number of allocated home support hours that cannot be filled, by LHO and CHO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24219/23]

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.

Home Care Packages

Ceisteanna (750)

Noel Grealish

Ceist:

750. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health the number of people who are currently experiencing a delay in discharge from hospital due to lack of, or delay in providing, home care or nursing home care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24220/23]

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.

Home Care Packages

Ceisteanna (751, 752)

Noel Grealish

Ceist:

751. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the cost and hours of home support delivered by non-Health Service Executive (HSE) providers paid by the HSE for 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24221/23]

Noel Grealish

Ceist:

752. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the cost and hours of home support provided directly by the HSE for 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24222/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 751 and 752 together.

As these are operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Question No. 752 answered with Question No. 751.

Home Care Packages

Ceisteanna (753, 754)

Noel Grealish

Ceist:

753. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the number of home support hours delivered nationally in 2022 and to date in 2023; the number of these delivered to new home support clients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24223/23]

Noel Grealish

Ceist:

754. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the number of people to whom home support was delivered nationally in 2022 and to date in 2023; the number of these who were new home support clients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24224/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 753 and 754 together.

As these are operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Question No. 754 answered with Question No. 753.

Home Care Packages

Ceisteanna (755)

Noel Grealish

Ceist:

755. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update regarding the tender for home support services; if a decision has been made on the tender content; if so, if he will provide details; if he anticipates a further extension of the current contract arrangements with home care providers; when he expects the new contract arrangements to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24225/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Government is committed to promoting care in the community for older people so that they can continue to live in their own homes for as long as possible. Home support is an increasingly important part of the supports we offer to older people and will continue to increase in importance into the future, as our ageing population grows.

The Home Support Service is funded by Government to deliver a volume of service each year as approved in the HSE National Service Plan which is subject to the annual estimates process. It is a non-statutory service and access to the current service is based on assessment of the person’s care needs by the HSE, having regard to the available resources and competing demands for services. Home Support services are provided by both directly employed Healthcare Support Assistants and Approved Providers with service arrangements with the HSE through the tender.

The 2018 Tender Framework for the provision of home support services was initially valid for the period 01 September 2018 to 31 December 2020. The HSE has extended the framework by two 12-month extensions, to 31 December 2022.

This was further extended by the HSE at the end of 2022, initially to the end of April 2023. The HSE has proposed a further extension of the contract arrangements to Friday 30th of June, to allow time to finalise tender arrangements. The process of developing the new tender is at an advanced stage. Officials in the Department of Health are engaging at a senior level with the HSE and the HSE has ongoing engagements with home care providers to progress the new tender. No final decisions on the tender content have been reached.