Written Answers Nos. 1478-1492
1478. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the action the HSE has taken to recruit a physiotherapist for the rehab unit at St. Columba's Hospital, Thomastown, County Kilkenny, since January 2023 when notice was given; the interim arrangements being put in place to provide the service to patients; and if there is a date on which the full services will resume. [16854/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
1479. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if a response will issue to a home care complaint by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16857/23]
View answerIndividuals who are not satisfied with the Home Support Service which is being provided by an approved home support provider should contact the approved provider in the first instance. If they wish, they then can make their complaint to the HSE using any one of the options outlined at the following link: www.hse.ie/eng/home-support-services/how-to-make-a-complaint-about-hss/.
1480. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if a HAA card has been provided to all survivors of Magdalene laundries as recommended by the report on Magdalene laundries; if survivors of the New Ross Magdalene laundry are included in this provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16860/23]
View answerThe Magdalene Restorative Justice Ex-Gratia Scheme was established in 2013 by the then Department of Justice and Equality on foot of the recommendations contained in the Magdalen Commission Report by Judge Quirke. In his report, Judge Quirke outlined that Magdalen women should be provided with access to a comprehensive suite of health services. He specified GP services, prescribed drugs, medicines, aids and appliances, dental, ophthalmic, aural, home support, home nursing, counselling, chiropody and physiotherapy services and conveyed the view that the health provisions should operate in a manner similar to the scheme made available to certain persons under the Health (Amendment) Act 1996.
The Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Act 2015 (RWRCI Act) makes provision for a range of primary and community health services (and benefits) in Ireland for women who qualify under the Department of Justice & Equality Restorative Justice Scheme for women who were admitted to and worked in the Magdalene Laundries and similar institutions. Women who qualify for an award under the Magdalen Restorative Justice Ex-gratia Scheme are awarded a medical card which is called ‘Medical Cards Redress for Women resident in certain institutions.’ Women who were resident in St. Mary’s, New Ross, a Magdalen Institution run by the Good Shepherd Sisters and who made an application to the Scheme are also included.
Separately, eligibility for HAA services is based on the Health Amendment Act 1996. The purpose of the 1996 Act was to meet the health care needs of persons who contracted hepatitis C from a blood product or blood transfusion. It is generally accepted that these hepatitis C patients are a particularly vulnerable group who have specific health needs as a result of their infection. It is apparent that the Quirke Report recognises that the Magdalen women and the groups of people who contracted hepatitis C are not identical and face different circumstances. In that light, it is not unreasonable to provide eligibility for services tailored to women who were admitted to and worked in a relevant institution and who are now facing medical circumstances that are typical of that age cohort.
1481. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health if speech and language therapists, on registration with CORU, who received their training outside of the State but are missing components required by CORU, such as dysphagia, can be recruited to practice while undergoing in service training on the components they are missing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16862/23]
View answerWhere a professional applies to CORU with a qualification awarded outside the State, that qualification is assessed to ensure it addresses the required standard of knowledge, skill and competence for practice in the State in accordance with S.I. No. 8/2017 - European Union (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 2017. If a substantial deficit is identified vis a vis the required standard, the applicant is provided with an opportunity to address it through the completion of a compensation measure. This can comprise either an adaptation period (period of supervised practice) or an aptitude test. Once the compensation measure is successfully completed, confirming that the person has met the standards required for safe practice of the profession in Ireland, the qualification can be recognised. It is only after a qualification has been recognised as meeting the required standard that a person can be registered and practise the profession under the registered title.
1482. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the average timeframe wheelchair users are waiting to receive their first wheelchair from application to handover; the average timeframe wheelchair users are waiting for a replacement wheelchair from application to handover; the average cost of replacing a wheelchair; the funding that was allocated for the replacement of wheelchairs over the past five years; the number of people applying for a replacement wheelchair in the past five years; the number of people receiving a replacement wheelchair in the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16865/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1483. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the average processing period for the recognition of qualifications by CORU of speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists who were trained and qualified in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16866/23]
View answerThe following data show the average days required to reach a decision on an application for recognition of qualifications awarded in Northern Ireland for Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists. The following data relate to 51 ab initio decisions made over a five year period.
The recognition process involves an individualised portfolio-style assessment of each applicant's formal qualifications, any further learning and post-qualification experience against the Standard of Proficiency for that profession in Ireland. The purpose is to ensure that internationally trained professionals are prepared for practice of the profession as it operates in the Irish system and that no substantial deficits in areas critical to safe practice of the profession exit.
A significant increase in timeframes was identified and addressed in 2020 and 2021. Delays arose primarily from the impact of working from home and procedural changes, as well as access to verifications etc. during the COVID pandemic. A number steps have been taken to reduce timeframes since this period including:
• Increased frequency of Registration Board meetings - from 6 to 9 meetings a year for each Registration Board.
• Increased staffing at Clerical and Executive Officer level.
• Full roll-out of an online applications' system and new database resource completed in 2021.
• Transition to a new system for remote access (moving from net connect to VPN) to reduce system downtime.
• Introduction of a new VOIP phone system to support applicants by phone and reduce email volume (speeding up communications).
Despite a significant rise in applications in 2022, the benefits of these measures have held to date. Further work is underway to address rapidly increasing volumes in 2023.
Average days from submission of a complete file to completion of a decision for the recognition of qualifications process for applicants with qualifications from Northern Ireland 2018-2022
|
Profession/Year of decision |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
Total |
|
Occupational Therapist |
55 |
61 |
86 |
65 |
69 |
68 |
|
Physiotherapist |
61 |
51 |
91 |
101 |
71 |
72 |
|
Speech Therapist |
88 |
67 |
0 |
0 |
53 |
80 |
|
Total |
67 |
59 |
88 |
77 |
68 |
71 |
1484. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who were previously diagnosed with breast cancer and who are waiting for a recommended follow-up mammogram appointment in the Saolta University Health Care Group for each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and to-date in 2023, by each hospital and waiting time period, in tabular form. [16870/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1485. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who were previously diagnosed with breast cancer and who are waiting for a recommended follow-up mammogram appointment in the Ireland East Hospital Group for each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and to-date in 2023, by each hospital and waiting time period in tabular form. [16871/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1486. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who were previously diagnosed with breast cancer and who are waiting for a recommended follow-up mammogram appointment in the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group for each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and to-date in 2023, by each hospital and waiting time period in tabular form. [16872/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
1487. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who were previously diagnosed with breast cancer and who are waiting for a recommended follow-up mammogram appointment in the University of Limerick Hospitals Group for each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and to-date in 2023, by each hospital and waiting time period in tabular form. [16873/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1488. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who were previously diagnosed with breast cancer and who are waiting for a recommended follow-up mammogram appointment in the South/South West Hospital Group for each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and to-date in 2023, by each hospital and waiting time period in tabular form. [16874/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
1489. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who were previously diagnosed with breast cancer and who are waiting for a recommended follow-up mammogram appointment in the RCSI Hospital Group, in each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022, and to-date in 2023, by each hospital and waiting time period, in tabular form. [16875/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1490. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who were previously diagnosed with bowel cancer and who are waiting for a recommended follow-up colonoscopy in the Saolta University Health Care Group in each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022, and to-date in 2023, by each hospital and waiting time period, in tabular form. [16876/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1491. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who were previously diagnosed with bowel cancer and who are waiting for a recommended follow-up colonoscopy in the Ireland East Hospital Group in each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022, and to-date in 2023, by each hospital and waiting time period, in tabular form. [16877/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
1492. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who were previously diagnosed with bowel cancer and who are waiting for a recommended follow-up colonoscopy in the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group in each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022, and to-date in 2023, by each hospital and waiting time period, in tabular form. [16878/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
