Written Answers Nos. 637-651
637. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health how many children in the CHO9 area that have been referred to HSE eye clinics, having failed the school screening services for 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively. [29241/23]
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.
638. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the current average wait time for an appointment with HSE eye clinics for children in the CHO9 area. [29242/23]
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.
639. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the current average wait time for an eye examination for children in the CHO9 area. [29243/23]
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.
640. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to provide a standardised eye-care programme for children aged eight years and over; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29244/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra671. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if the HSE has any plans to introduce an over eight’s voucher scheme for optometry assessment and treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29394/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra716. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if he will review the over-eights eye-care scheme across the nine HSE CHOs; whether he believes a dedicated national programme is required in relation to this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29678/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra730. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of a call by an organisation (details supplied) for an end to a significant geographical inequality in children’s eye-care and for a national public eye-care programme for children over eight years; the steps his Department is taking to tackle this inequality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29834/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 640, 671, 716 and 730 together.
Sight testing, eye examinations and optical appliances are provided to medical card holders by ophthalmologists, optometrists and dispensing opticians through the Community Ophthalmic Services Schemes (COSS). Patients may access these services following a referral by a healthcare professional such as their general practitioner.
All children, including those not covered by a medical card, receive a vision screen while in national school from a Public Health Nurse. The Health Service Executive (HSE) provides optical services free of charge to preschool children and national school children referred from child health service and school health service examinations who are discovered to have sight problems. These children are referred to the appropriate consultant for treatment. In such circumstances, these services will continue to be provided until the child has reached the age of 16.
The HSE Primary Care Eye Services Review Group Report, published in June 2017, highlighted the limitations of the current model of service delivery and set out the way forward for a significant amount of eye services to be delivered in a primary care setting. The Report estimated that 60% of existing outpatient activity could be moved to primary care thus enabling hospital services to focus on patients who require more specialist diagnostics or treatments.
The National Clinical Programme for Ophthalmology has developed a model of care which details how the realignment of eye services from the acute hospitals to the community will be undertaken. Included in current priorities is transferring the care of children aged 8+ years to the care of local private optometrists.
A project team with a wide-ranging membership was established in late 2019 / early 2020 to progress this initiative. The work of the team was paused due to the requirement to focus resources on the COVID 19 pandemic. However, the project team has been reconvened and is progressing matters in relation to this initiative.
As this also involves a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly in regards to progress made, as soon as possible.
642. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health to list the project expenditure and total annual quantum of capital expenditure with associated and relevant capital project name and reference details under the expenditure heading of acute, community health, mental health and each and any other relevant capital expenditure heading with details thereof on the campus in Cork University Hospital, Galway University Hospital, Limerick University Hospital and Waterford University Hospital, in each of the years 2013 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29258/23]
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.
643. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if his Department’s look-back review into Kerry CAMHS should go back further than July 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29276/23]
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.
644. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on a hospital issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29281/23]
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.
645. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if an appointment will be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29282/23]
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.
646. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the reason only one consultant is carrying out paediatric ENT surgeries on patients in CHU (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29286/23]
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 Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will be sending a representative to the Global Congress on Implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes in Geneva. [29287/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Health endorses the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes.
A priority for both the Department of Health and the HSE is to encourage more mothers to breastfeed. National health policy, including the Healthy Ireland Framework, the National Maternity Strategy, the Obesity Policy and Action Plan, and the National Cancer Strategy, emphasises the importance of supporting mothers who breastfeed, as well as taking action to increase breastfeeding rates in Ireland.
It is important that children get the best possible start in life, and this is something all Government partners have prioritised in the Programme for Government. Ireland has a culture of bottle feeding; to improve child and maternal health, as well as achieve reductions in childhood obesity and chronic diseases, it is necessary to improve breastfeeding rates.
The HSE Breastfeeding in a Healthy Ireland Action Plan is the framework for progressing supports for breastfeeding in Ireland. One key action in the framework is to strengthen compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes and subsequent WHA resolutions. A HSE Policy for staff on the Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes came into effect in October 2021. It requires that all services comply with the WHO Code.
Article 10 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/127 sets out the requirements for promotional and commercial practices for infant formula. This does not make provision for free or low-priced products, samples or any other promotional gifts, to promote the use of infant formula. These measures are designed so that the marketing and distribution of infant formula does not interfere with the protection and promotion of breastfeeding.
The Online Safety and Media Regulation (OMSR) Act came into effect in 2022. Coimisiún na Meán has been set up in 2023 to replace the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI). Under the OMSR Act, Broadcasting codes will be superseded by media service codes, which will apply to both video-on-demand and broadcasting services. Furthermore, An Coimisiún is enabled to make online safety codes which apply to designated online services, such as video-sharing platform services (e.g., YouTube). Media service and online safety codes may provide for the regulation of commercial communications relating to foods or beverages which may be the subject of public concern, in respect of the public health interests and of children, including marketing of follow-on infant formula and foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS). As the Department responsible for public health policy, the Department of Health expects to contribute to and be consulted on the making of any codes by Coimisiún na Meán relating to the advertisement of food or beverages at children and follow-on infant formula.
The Department of Health, Health and Wellbeing Programme are unable to send representation to the WHO-convened Global Congress on Implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes in Geneva in June 2023 because of other diary commitments.
648. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health to list the hospitals with the National Acute Oncology Nursing Service to assist patients undergoing active cancer treatment in avoiding attending the emergency department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29298/23]
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 Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if the National Acute Oncology Nursing Service is in place in Letterkenny University Hospital to assist patients undergoing active cancer treatment in avoiding attending the emergency department; if not, if there is an alternative system in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29299/23]
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 Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will instruct the HSE to assist a woman (details supplied) to find a new GP surgery to attend as a matter of urgency. [29313/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraGPs are private practitioners, most of whom hold a contract with the HSE for the provision of health services, such as the GMS contract for the provision of GP services to medical card and GP visit card holders.
Where a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card experiences difficulty in finding a GP to accept them as a patient, the person concerned having unsuccessfully applied to at least three GPs in the area (or fewer if there are fewer GPs in the area), can apply to the HSE National Medical Card Unit which has the power to assign that person to a GP's GMS patient list.
People who do not hold a medical card or a GP visit card access GP services on a private basis, in which the Minister has no role, and can make enquiries directly to any GP practice they wish to register with. As private contractors, it is a matter for each individual GP to decide whether to accept additional private patients.
The Government is aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice and is working to ensure patients across the country continue to have access to GP services and that general practice is sustainable in all areas into the future.
Under the 2019 GP Agreement additional annual expenditure provided for general practice has been increased by €211.6m. This provides for significant increases in capitation fees for participating GMS GPs, and new fees and subsidies for additional services. Improvements to GP’s maternity and paternity leave arrangements, increased rural practice supports and a support for GPs in disadvantaged urban areas, have also been provided for.
These measures make general practice in Ireland a more attractive career choice and will see an increase in the number of GPs working in the State, improving access to GP services for patients throughout the country.
In addition, the number of doctors entering GP training has been increased in recent years, rising from 193 in 2019 to 258 in 2022, with 285 new entrants places made available for this year and 350 places now planned for next year. Furthermore, the joint HSE and ICGP programme to bring 100 non-EU GPs to Ireland in 2023 will help to quickly improve access to GP services, particularly in areas with limited access. This will increase to 250 placements by the end of 2024.
The strategic review of GP services is to commence shortly and will be completed this year. The review, with input from key stakeholders, will examine the broad range of issues affecting general practice and will set out the measures necessary to deliver a more sustainable general practice into the future.
651. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of times the HSE’s Chief Clinical Officer has been briefed on the NCPE’s ongoing activity; what reporting requirements are in place for the NCPE to report to the chief clinical officer; what performance measurements are in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29316/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) was established in 1998 with the aim of promoting expertise in Ireland for the advancement of the discipline of pharmacoeconomics through practice, research and education. The NCPE is an independent Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Agency responsible for evaluating drug treatments for use in the Irish healthcare setting.
The NCPE conducts the HTA of drugs for the health service in Ireland in collaboration with the Health Service Executive's Corporate Pharmaceutical Unit. They assess comparative clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of drugs compared to current standard of care. The NCPE engages with stakeholders, including patients and clinicians, throughout the assessment process.
All HTA recommendations are communicated by the NCPE to the HSE's Chief Clinical Officer (CCO). Therefore, on average the HSE's CCO is updated every two weeks on the output of the NCPE's work. The scientific/technical aspects of the NCPE's work are independent of the HSE.
