Dara Calleary
Question:369. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health if medication (details supplied) can be added to the GMS scheme for medical card users. [5724/23]
View answerMedical Cards
Questions (369)
Written answers
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drug schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
The HSE advise that Cozaar Comp® clear 100mg and 25mg, and Zoton Fastab 30mg oral dispensable are reimbursable under the community drug schemes, including the General Medical Services (GMS) scheme and the Drugs Payment Scheme.
Disability Services
Questions (370)
Verona Murphy
Question:370. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of vacancies across the children’s disability network teams in Enniscorthy, New Ross, Wexford, and Gorey, County Wexford; the description of those vacancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5725/23]
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.
Pension Provisions
Questions (371)
Paul Kehoe
Question:371. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the introduction of pension increases (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5728/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is an operational matter for the Health Service Executive, I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy.
Mental Health Services
Questions (372)
Marian Harkin
Question:372. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health the number of dementia day care centres currently opened in CHO1. [5733/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (373)
Pearse Doherty
Question:373. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if a CAMHS referral can be made for a child (details supplied) in County Donegal; if associated funding can be applied for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5741/23]
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 (374)
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:374. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if and when a child (details supplied) will receive access to dental treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5742/23]
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.
Mortality Rates
Questions (375)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:375. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of excess deaths that occurred over and above the five-year pre-Covid average death rate in each of the past 12 months; if he will institute an independent investigation of the large increase in excess deaths that are occurring; the measures that the Government has taken to determine the cause of the spike in excess deaths; and if he will outline the Government’s plan to halt the elevated death rate. [5745/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Department of Health and the HSE keep under review a range of population health and epidemiological indicators to assess the impact of health threats in Ireland. The Department of Health does not produce estimates of excess mortality. However, the Department works closely with the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) and other stakeholders to monitor estimates of excess mortality.
There are a number of different methodologies used to estimate excess mortality. All estimation methodologies include caveats and limitations. There is therefore no single set of data on excess mortality.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has monitored excess mortality in Ireland since 2009, using registered deaths data reported to HPSC on a daily basis from the General Register Office (GRO). HPSC monitors excess mortality as part of a wider European Mortality monitoring network known as EuroMOMO www.euromomo.eu/. EuroMOMO is a European mortality monitoring activity, aiming to detect and measure excess deaths related to seasonal influenza, pandemics and other public health threats.
The latest analysis of all registered deaths in Ireland up to 29th January 2023, using the standardised EuroMOMO algorithm has shown that there is excess pneumonia and influenza mortality observed over a three-week period in December 2022 and January 2023 (weeks 51 2022-1 2023) and excess all-cause mortality in the 75-84-year age group observed over a two-week period in December 2022 (during weeks 51 and 52 2022).
These data are provisional due to the time delay with death registration in Ireland. In Ireland the period allowed for registration of a death is three months. A country-specific adjustment function was applied to correct for the typical delay in registrations of deaths in Ireland. Nonetheless, estimates of excess mortality for the most recent weeks are reported with some uncertainty and should be interpreted with caution. Estimates of excess mortality in recent months will continue to be updated as additional information becomes available.
HPSC anticipates that when further deaths are registered over the coming weeks, additional excess mortality for the 2022/2023 winter period will be observed. It is likely that this excess mortality will be observed for at least a 4-5-week period in December 2022 and January 2023.
Excess mortality has been observed during previous periods when influenza viruses circulated at high levels in Ireland, and during certain periods of the COVID-19 pandemic. Influenza activity was at very high levels in Ireland during December 2022 and early-mid January 2023, with a high number of influenza hospitalisations reported. Other important factors that may impact excess mortality include the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, circulation of other respiratory viruses, impacts of cold weather, an ageing population, health seeking behaviour and access to healthcare.
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) publishes official statistics on mortality in Ireland and publishes quarterly and yearly statistics on registered deaths through their Vital Statistics publications. The latest published data is for Quarter 2 2022 and data is provisional. Provisional data for Quarter 3 2022 will be published in March and for Quarter 4 2022 in June. This will include data on cause of death and allow more detailed analysis of mortality trends in this period.
The Department of Health will continue to actively monitor and review all available data on mortality as it becomes available.
Alcohol Advertising
Questions (376)
Neasa Hourigan
Question:376. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if the requirements under the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 on alcohol labelling will apply to alcohol advertisements and sponsorships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5747/23]
View answerWritten answers
Section 12 of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 on the labelling of alcohol products and notices in licensed premises, provides for health warnings and health information on labels of alcohol products and in certain settings.
Section 13 of the Act on the content of advertisements, provides for health warnings to be included in advertisements for alcohol products.
Section 16 of the Act prohibits alcohol sponsorship of events aimed at children and events at which the majority of participants or competitors are children. In addition, events that involve driving or racing motor vehicles are prohibited under this provision. Section 16 came into operation in November 2021.
Dental Services
Questions (377)
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:377. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will consider affording children on the orthodontic waiting list the opportunity of continuing treatments once they turn 18 years of age, given that many will have to wait years for treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5750/23]
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.
Mental Health Services
Questions (378)
Seán Sherlock
Question:378. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if he will address the case of a person (details supplied). [5753/23]
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.
Health Service Executive
Questions (379)
Neasa Hourigan
Question:379. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the tendering process involved in the commissioning of works by the HSE to Glenwood House, Carrigaline, following its purchase of same in January 2021; the number of companies involved in the tendering; the name of the company granted the contract for these works; the funding source for these works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5754/23]
View answerWritten answers
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 Service Executive
Questions (380)
Neasa Hourigan
Question:380. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of any contracts granted by the HSE for building and maintenance works on St. Mary's Health Campus, Cork, since January 2019; the number of companies in each case that tendered for the works; the cost in each case for the works; the name of the company that was granted the contract in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5755/23]
View answerWritten answers
As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the management of the public healthcare property estate, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to you in relation to this matter.
Home Care Packages
Questions (381)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:381. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health if he will provide clarity surrounding the home care package in a service (details supplied) surrounding an issue with an administrator not being replaced since before Christmas; and when this person, who is based in Blackrock, will be replaced. [5759/23]
View answerWritten answers
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
Questions (382)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:382. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm the number of people in the Cork south Lee area that are waiting to be assessed for a carer; and when they will be assessed. [5760/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Abortion Services
Questions (383)
Seán Canney
Question:383. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the research that was carried out in consultation with women who opted not to proceed with a second appointment for termination of pregnancy following the three-day waiting period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5761/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Review of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 commenced in line with statutory and Government commitments in December 2021.
The Review will assess the effectiveness of the operation of the legislation and will be conducted in a fair and transparent manner.
The Review has 2 main phases. The first phase is comprised of a three-part approach to appraise the operation of the Act, with strands focusing on service users, service providers and a public consultation.
The second phase of the Review is being led by an independent Chair, Marie O’Shea BL, who will assess the extent to which the objectives of the 2018 Act have been achieved, analysing in that regard the findings of the three major research inputs.
The current expectation is that the report will be submitted to the Minister by 7th February 2023 for his consideration.
Abortion Services
Questions (384)
Seán Canney
Question:384. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 649 of 23 November 2021, the number of live births that were registered of babies who survived the abortion procedure; and the number of death certificates that were issued between 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2022. [5762/23]
View answerWritten answers
Referred to HSE : As the Deputy’s question relates to a service area, I have referred this question to the HSE for direct response.
Disability Services
Questions (385)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Question:385. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) will have their much-needed assessment of needs carried out. [5763/23]
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 Procedures
Questions (386)
Seán Canney
Question:386. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the reason that fistula surgery is not performed in Merlin Park Hospital, Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5766/23]
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.