Pauline Tully
Question:829. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health how far below optimum levels of staffing of medical scientists in HSE laboratories nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34230/23]
View answerHealth Services Staff
Questions (829)
Written answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
Health Services Staff
Questions (830)
Michael Moynihan
Question:830. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health when a decision will be made by CORU on a physiotherapy registration appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34242/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this question relates to an individual application I have asked CORU to respond to the Deputy directly.
Abortion Services
Questions (831)
Carol Nolan
Question:831. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if, on foot of his Department's preparation for the introduction of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023, he will state the total number of GP practices, obstetrical practices, and hospitals providing acute in-patient services to which the Bill will apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34246/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Government is committed to ensuring that anyone needing a termination of pregnancy can access services in safety and with privacy and dignity. Government approved the General Scheme of a Bill on 27th July 2022 and it was published on 5th August 2022. Since that time officials from my Department have worked with the Office of the Attorney General and other relevant stakeholders to draft the text of a Bill.
The purpose of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones)) Bill 2022 is to ensure safe access to termination of pregnancy services for women, service providers and their staff throughout the country.
The Bill will designate Safe Access Zones of 100 metres from an entrance or exit to a premises where obstetricians/gynaecologists and general practitioners provide services. The Zones will also apply to hospitals that provide acute inpatient services within the meaning of Section 51 of the Health Act 1970. Within those zones certain conduct aimed at impeding access or influencing decisions in relation to termination of pregnancy services will be prohibited.
It is recognised that this is a complex area of the law seeking to balance competing constitutional rights. The overarching aim of the legislation is to ensure that the effect on the rights of those affected is proportional to the objective sought to be achieved.
A key safeguard in the Bill, is the requirement for a “Garda warning” as a precursor to the commission of an offence. This mechanism was introduced in order to enhance legal certainty and protection of rights, so that persons on risk of offending through commission of prohibited conduct were clearly made aware that they were engaged in prohibited conduct and that further conduct amounted to an offence.
This provides the person concerned with the opportunity to regulate their behaviour and avoid committing an offence. The criminal offence only occurs if the person engages in prohibited conduct after the warning is issued. It also mitigates the uncertainty which arises from the fact that Safe Access Zones will not be physically marked out.
Abortion Services
Questions (832)
Carol Nolan
Question:832. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if, on foot of his Department's preparation for the introduction of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023, he will state how many places of religious worship, and/or grounds or other land associated with the building, will fall within the so-called "safe access zones" which will be established by the Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34247/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Government is committed to ensuring that anyone needing a termination of pregnancy can access services in safety and with privacy and dignity. Government approved the General Scheme of a Bill on 27th July 2022 and it was published on 5th August 2022. Since that time officials from my Department have worked with the Office of the Attorney General and other relevant stakeholders to draft the text of a Bill.
The purpose of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones)) Bill 2022 is to ensure safe access to termination of pregnancy services for women, service providers and their staff throughout the country.
The Bill will designate Safe Access Zones of 100 metres from an entrance or exit to a premises where obstetricians/gynaecologists and general practitioners provide services. The Zones will also apply to hospitals that provide acute inpatient services within the meaning of Section 51 of the Health Act 1970. Within those zones certain conduct aimed at impeding access or influencing decisions in relation to termination of pregnancy services will be prohibited.
It is recognised that this is a complex area of the law seeking to balance competing constitutional rights. The overarching aim of the legislation is to ensure that the effect on the rights of those affected is proportional to the objective sought to be achieved. With this in mind there is a specific exemption under Section 3 of the Bill for buildings of religious worship.
Another key safeguard in the Bill, is the requirement for a “Garda warning” as a precursor to the commission of an offence. This mechanism was introduced in order to enhance legal certainty and protection of rights, so that persons on risk of offending through commission of prohibited conduct were clearly made aware that they were engaged in prohibited conduct and that further conduct amounted to an offence.
This provides the person concerned with the opportunity to regulate their behaviour and avoid committing an offence. The criminal offence only occurs if the person engages in prohibited conduct after the warning is issued.
Proposed Legislation
Questions (833)
Carol Nolan
Question:833. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the reasons it took five years for his Department to draft the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023, a Bill containing just seven sections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34248/23]
View answerWritten answers
On 27th July 2022 I secured Cabinet approval to legislate for the designation of safe access zones around certain healthcare facilities. The General Scheme of a Bill was published on the 5th August 2022. Since that time officials from my Department have worked with the Office of the Attorney General and other relevant stakeholders to draft the text of a Bill. This Bill is now at second stage in Dail Eireann.
It is recognised that this a complex area of the law seeking to balance competing constitutional rights. Therefore, it was important that there was careful consideration of the issues involved, to ensure that any legislative provisions are implementable and enforceable, and capable of withstanding legal challenges.
Nursing Education
Questions (834)
Cathal Crowe
Question:834. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health when a number of measures (details supplied) to ease burdens on student nurses will come into play; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34278/23]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy may be aware, following approval by Government on 13th December 2022, I was pleased to announce €9 million in additional supports for student nurses and midwives, €5.4m of which has been allocated to the HSE to introduce an enhanced Travel and Subsistence Scheme for eligible students while attending their supernumerary clinical practice placements.
I would like these payments in respect of the 2022/2023 academic year to have been made long ago. However, the HSE raised a query as to whether or not tax implications might arise for students. The position has now been clarified and I am pleased to note that the HSE is now proceeding to finalise preparations for issuing payments as soon as possible.
Regarding the €500 flat rate meals allowance for the 2023/2024 academic year, payments are scheduled to be paid by the HSE in two equal parts, in November 2023 and February 2024.
For the student nurses and midwives on their final year internship, I have ensured that their salary is set in line with the relevant recommendation in the McHugh report, by increasing their rate of pay with effect from January 2023, to 80% of Point 1 of the Staff Nurse/Midwife pay scale. Also, I have confirmed that two additional uniform tunics should be provided in advance of the internship placement.
Nursing Education
Questions (835)
Cathal Crowe
Question:835. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if measures announced to assist final year nursing students (details supplied) will be extended to those undertaking placements in other years of their studies. [34279/23]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy may be aware, following approval by Government on 13th December 2022, I was pleased to announce €9 million in additional supports for student nurses and midwives, €5.4m of which has been allocated to the HSE to introduce an enhanced Travel and Subsistence Scheme for eligible students while attending their supernumerary clinical practice placements.
Mandatory supernumerary practice placements occur for 45 weeks from year one of the programme right through to the first semester of year four. This scheme provides a targeted and more equitable approach to supporting these students and its main features are set out hereunder:
• Eligible student nurses and midwives in years 1 to 3 of their studies will each receive €500 per year as a targeted measure to contribute towards meeting the extra costs of meals associated with practice placements outside the student’s core placement site.
• A new rate of €80 for overnight accommodation has being introduced, along with an increased weekly cap of €300, for those eligible supernumerary students who require accommodation away from their normal place of residence while attending practice placements. This weekly cap is three times the cap introduced on 1st January 2022, and almost six times the previous cap.
• Supernumerary students requiring overnight accommodation can avail of, on a vouched basis, the reasonable cost of uniform laundry services.
• Supernumerary students continue to be entitled to a refund of the cost of transport for placements on a vouched basis.
Student nurses and midwives complete a 36-week internship during the fourth year. For student nurses and midwives on their final year internship, I ensured that their salary was set in line with the relevant recommendation in the McHugh Report, by increasing their rate of pay to 80% of Point 1 of the Staff Nurse/Midwife pay scale. This measure, worth €3.6 million, demonstrates further the Government's commitment to retaining talent throughout our nursing and midwifery degree programmes and our appreciation for the efforts and dedication shown by students during their crucial final-year internships. Finally, students are also provided with two additional uniforms at the start of their internship.
The above measures to introduce an enhanced Travel and Subsistence Scheme for eligible students while attending their supernumerary clinical practice placements represent €5.4m in additional supports annually.
Healthcare Policy
Questions (836)
Mick Barry
Question:836. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1242 of 13 June 2023, if he can report on the progress of the further engagement that was due to take place at the WRC on the issue of Section 39 workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34282/23]
View answerWritten answers
It is important that I acknowledge the important role that Section 39 organisations and their staff play in our health sector. They have a key role in providing services to people with disabilities and older people.
A process of engagement to examine the pay of workers in Community and Voluntary organisations was committed to by the Government in October 2022. While the Government has committed to a process, it is worth noting that Section 39 organisations are privately owned and run, and the terms and conditions of employment of staff in these organisations are ultimately between the employer and the employee.
On 17 April, officials from the Department of Health, the HSE, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and Tusla met with union representatives under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission. This engagement sought to understand and explore the scope of the unions' claim for pay rises for Community and Voluntary sector workers. Follow up engagements took place at the Workplace Relations Commission on 15 May 2023 & on the 28 of June 2023. Further engagement is due to take place at the WRC in the coming weeks. As this is an ongoing Industrial Relations process, it would be inappropriate to comment any further at this point.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (837)
Niamh Smyth
Question:837. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has been waiting for an appointment in the Mater Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34294/23]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Mental Health Services
Questions (838)
Mark Ward
Question:838. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the visiting hours policies for Roscommon University Hospital psychiatry services; how this compares to other hospital psychiatry visiting policies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34295/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Dental Services
Questions (839)
Mick Barry
Question:839. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health when dental surgeries in the Cork University Dental School and Hospital will have access to a theatre to allow them to perform dental surgery; the waiting list for dental surgery at the Cork University Dental School and Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34297/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Questions (840)
Joan Collins
Question:840. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health if there is a lack of theatre beds and resources and long waiting lists for scoliosis procedures in Tallaght Hospital (details supplied). [34309/23]
View answerWritten answers
It is recognised that waiting times for many scheduled appointments and procedures were too long before and have been made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Department of Health continues to work with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to identify ways to improve access to care. On the 7th March, I published the 2023 Waiting List Action Plan, which is the next stage of a new multi-annual approach to sustainably reduce and reform hospital waiting lists, and builds on the foundational work done through the short-term Waiting List Action Plan between September and December 2021, which was followed by the first full year Waiting List Action Plan for 2022, both having reversed the annual trend of rising waiting lists.
The 2023 Plan sets out the priorities to continue to address waiting lists this year. The 30 actions in the Plan, which are governed by the Waiting List Task Force, focus on delivering capacity, reforming scheduled care and enabling scheduled care reform.
For 2023, funding totalling €443 million is being allocated to tackle Waiting Lists with €363 million of this being allocated to the 2023 Waiting List Action Plan, to implement longer term reforms and provide additional public and private activity to clear backlogs exacerbated during the pandemic. This will reduce hospital waiting lists by 10% in 2023 as well as continuing to significantly reduce waiting times in line with Sláintecare recommendations. The remaining €80 million of the €443 million is being targeted at various measures to alleviate community/primary care waiting lists.
With this ambitious 2023 Waiting List Action Plan, my Department, the HSE and the NTPF are taking the next steps in the multi-annual approach towards achieving our vision of a world-class public healthcare system in which everyone has timely and transparent access to high-quality scheduled care, where and when they need it, in line with Sláintecare reforms.
The NTPF works with public hospitals, as opposed to with patients directly, to offer and provide the funding for treatment to clinically suitable long waiting patients who are on an inpatient/day case waiting list for surgery, having been referred on to such a list following clinical assessment by a consultant/specialist at an outpatient clinic.
The key criteria of the NTPF is the prioritisation of the longest waiting patients first. While the NTPF identifies patients eligible for NTPF treatment, it is solely on the basis of their time spent on the Inpatient/Daycase Waiting List. The clinical suitability of the patient to avail of NTPF funded treatment is determined by the public hospital.
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.
Health Services Staff
Questions (841)
Ivana Bacik
Question:841. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health if clinical posts are vacant in the cancer genetics department of St. James's Hospital; the length of time that these posts have been vacant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34316/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Health Services Staff
Questions (842)
Ivana Bacik
Question:842. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health his plans to fund and recruit more permanent genetic counsellor posts to the cancer genetics department in St. James's Hospital, in line with international standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34317/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Government and I are fully committed to improving genetics services in Ireland. One of the key ambitions the National Strategy for Accelerating Genetics and Genomics Medicine in Ireland, launched in December 2022, is to build a strong national genetics service. This will be a patient and family-centred service that can be accessed equitably across the country and across the lifespan of patients. In 2023, the Government allocated €2.7 million to the implementation of this Strategy. This allocation included the establishment of a National Office of Genetics and Genomics and the appointment of key staff. Staff appointments included a National Director for Genetics and Genomics, a Bioinformatics Lab Director, two clinical genetic consultants and six genetic counsellors. The focus on recruiting genetic counsellors was prioritized in 2023, as it was identified as a key area of need by patients in the Strategy development process.
To date, four genetic counsellor posts have been allocated with recruitment processes underway. These allocations have been based on immediate need and, in line with the principles of Sláintecare, spread across the Health Regions. The location of these posts are as follows:
• HR B & RHA C - St. James Hospital / St. Vincent’s University Hospital
• HR A - Beaumont hospital
• HR F – Galway University Hospital
• HR B – Children’s Health Ireland
As part of the implementation plan, one of the key outputs for 2023 is the development of a model of care for genetics and genomics. The Interim Director and Interim National Clinical Director will be responsible for progressing this model of care. Once developed, it will inform where additional frontline resources are allocated.
Health Services Staff
Questions (843)
Ivana Bacik
Question:843. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health if clinical posts are vacant in the cancer genetics department of CHI at Crumlin; the length of time that these posts have been vacant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34318/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Cancer Services
Questions (844)
Ivana Bacik
Question:844. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the budget that has been allocated to the cancer genetics department in CHI at Crumlin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34319/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Cancer Services
Questions (845)
Ivana Bacik
Question:845. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the budget that has been allocated to the cancer genetics department in St. James's Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34320/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.