Written Answers Nos. 443-461
443. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of the proposal to create an additional 900 nursing posts within the first five years of Sláintecare implementation in order to resource and develop a universal child health and well-being service; the timeline he is working towards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6025/23]
View answerIn line with the principles set out in Sláintecare, and the First 5 Whole of Government Strategy for: Babies, Young Children and Their Families 2019- 2028, my Department is tasked with progressing Strategic Action 3A - to develop a dedicated child health workforce model with a population-based approach and focused on areas of high population density and disadvantage, recognising that this will require additional resources. This work was overtaken by other more immediate priorities with the onset of the pandemic.
My Department is now focusing on progressing this matter, including the development of a pilot model of practice for child health and wellbeing workforce. This requires the re-establishment of the relevant working group which will be tasked with, among other things, the scoping out of the most appropriate approach to developing a model, informed by international best practice and outcomes and the implications for the Irish context.
Separately, my Department is identifying an appropriate model for community nursing and midwifery in Ireland and aligning this model with the framework for Safe Nurse Staffing and Skill Mix in Community Care settings. This work will be helpful in developing a dedicated child health workforce model.
444. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of the First 5 action to develop a dedicated child health workforce, adopting a population-based approach; the timeline he is working towards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6026/23]
View answerFirst 5 is an all-of-Government strategy, which involves multiple Government Departments and a range of partner organisations. A detailed implementation report was published in 2019. Multiple divisions of the Department of Health, as well as partners including the HSE and Tusla, are involved in the implementation of the health-related elements of the plan.
Implementation of the 2019 actions of the First Five Years Strategy is underway across the following areas in the HSE that are responsible for implementing the actions from the First Five Years Strategy; 1) National Healthy Childhood Programme, 2) The Healthy Eating and Active Living Programme, 3) The Mental Health Division, 4) The National Women and Infants Programme, 5) National Immunisation Office, 6) Community Operations, 7) The Nurture Programme and 8) Strategic Planning and Transformation”. Some examples of the significant number of service delivery areas with a focus on children, either in whole or in part are outlined below.
The Children’s Health Ireland Hospital Group is perhaps the clearest example of an area of health service delivery that is entirely focussed on children. The New Children’s Hospital Project comprises the main hospital at St James’ campus in Dublin, and two new centres at Connolly and Tallaght hospitals.
The Paediatric Outpatient and Urgent Care Centre, Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Connolly, opened in July 2019. The Paediatric Outpatient and Emergency Care Centre, CHI at Tallaght, opened in November 2021. CHI at Tallaght and CHI at Connolly are successfully delivering a new model of ambulatory and urgent care for children and adolescents in the Greater Dublin Area, improving access to urgent and outpatient care for a significant number of children.
Despite unprecedented challenges and uncertainty arising out of Covid, Brexit and the invasion of Ukraine, which have affected the wider construction industry and the general economy, it is important to acknowledge the progress that has been made on the new Children's Hospital at St James’s.
The focus throughout 2022 and 2023 at the St James’s site is the internal fit-out. The most advanced areas have finished floors, walls, ceilings and joinery, such as nursing stations, installed. Equipment is also in place. The Emergency Department, Imaging, Critical Care and Therapy areas are progressing at pace. The first clinical rooms were completed in late 2022, ready for commissioning, and the rest will follow in a scheduled manner throughout 2023.
Building on the significant investment of €7.3m to continue implementation of the National Maternity Strategy (2016-2026) in 2021, funding of €8.7m was allocated under Budget 2022.
The funding provided in 2021 allowed for further development of community midwifery as well as specialist services. It has enabled the expansion of breastfeeding supports and strengthened training and education supports for staff.
The funding allocated in 2022 is providing for the recruitment of an additional 87.8 Whole Time Equivalent staff (WTE) into maternity services across the country, including consultants, midwives/nurses, Allied Health professionals, healthcare assistants and administrative staff. These posts are supporting the realisation of the Strategy’s vision of a new model of integrated, team-based care that provides increased choice to women, as well as improving outcomes and experiences for women and babies accessing maternity services.
Encouraging mothers to breastfeed is a priority for the Department of Health. 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.
The HSE Breastfeeding in a Healthy Ireland Action Plan is the framework for progressing supports for breastfeeding in Ireland.
In May 2021, Minister Donnelly announced additional annual funding to the HSE of €1.58 million to fund 24 additional lactation consultants thereby providing support to every maternity unit in the country.
By the end of 2022 there was a total of 45.6 WTE lactation consultants in post, comprised of 31.8 in maternity services and 13.8 WTEs in community services. In maternity services, 9.5 WTEs were allocated from the Ministerial announcement of 24 posts of which 8.5 WTEs were filled. In community services 14.5 WTEs were allocated from the Ministerial announcement of 24 posts. 7 WTEs were in post with a further 6 due to take up positions in early 2023.
The HSE is actively engaged in enhancing lactation supports through both these dedicated infant feeding positions and the implementation of training for all practitioners who provide advice and support in infant feeding as part of their wider service roles.
Healthy Ireland, which comprises both the Health and Wellbeing Programme in the Department of Health, and the Health and Wellbeing Division in the HSE, also provides significant supports for child health and wellbeing.
The HSE Education Team works with the Professional Development Service for Teachers in terms of supports and resources for schools and various wellbeing curricula.
The Sláintecare Healthy Communities Programme, which has been rolled out to 19 of the communities of most need around the country, includes many supports for families and children, including parenting supports and Healthy Food Made Easy courses.
The Department of Education’s Active School Flag programme, co-funded by Healthy Ireland, supports pupils in more schools to be more active, more often. Over 2,100 primary schools have engaged with the programme since inception and a pilot programme for post-primary schools is also in progress. Healthy Ireland also co-funds Sport Ireland’s Children’s Sport Participation and Physical Activity Study, and the Daily Mile in schools, which is managed by Athletics Ireland.
445. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 306 of 10 November 2022, if the structure of the €750,000 funding announced in Budget 2023 in relation to trainee counselling psychologists has been finalised; if so, the number of trainees who will benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6029/23]
View answerThe total allocation for mental health services in 2023 is over €1.2 billion, which is another record budget for mental health services. This significant investment will enable implementation of many of the short and medium-term measures in our national mental health policy, Sharing the Vision. It will enhance the provision of mental health supports across a broad continuum from mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention, to acute and specialist mental health service delivery. The funding will enable us to continue to deliver our vital services to as many people as possible in 2023.
In relation to the HSE Mental Health care programme, €750,000 has been provided in Budget 2023 to support counselling psychology training places. This funding demonstrates the Government’s commitment to strengthen access to psychology training.
I am focussed on supporting counselling psychology students in an equitable way that benefits students, and that delivers value for money. The structure of this funding is currently being finalised by officials in my Department and will be applied as soon as possible to allow support for those undertaking studies. The approach will be based on best practice and knowledge gained from other health and social care funded training models.
Further detailed discussions are now taking place between the Department and HSE to progress both this and wider commitments of the 2023 Budget in the context of preparing the HSE Service Plan 2023.
446. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will be scheduled for a procedure in Beaumont Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6043/23]
View answerUnder 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.
447. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if he will explore a simplified process for the treatment abroad scheme, whereby if a person or a child is required to make multiple trips for surgery and or observation, that paperwork would be reduced or a separate pathway created to simplify their paperwork to reduce bureaucracy on the patient. [6048/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
448. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) is waiting so long for an operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6049/23]
View answerUnder 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.
449. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to provide a Jigsaw youth mental health service in County Wexford; the reason that this service is not currently provided for the young people of the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6050/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
450. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason that a person (details supplied) is waiting so long for an operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6053/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
451. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the CHO that has a CAMHS service that is operated independently of the HSE that was referenced in the Mental Health Commission's interim report into CAMHS; the name of the independent provider; if any efforts are being made to replicate the "excellent care" being provided by that provider elsewhere in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6057/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
452. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of parents have that taken his Department to court due to the fact that their child did not receive an assessment of needs within the statutory time frame, in each of the years 2018 to 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6060/23]
View answerSome time will be required in order to gather the information which the Deputy has requested. I have asked officials in the Department of Health to collate the requested information and prepare a full response which I will provide to the Deputy as soon as possible.
453. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the cost to the State in defending the court cases brought since late 2018 by parents whose children did not receive an assessment of need in a timely manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6061/23]
View answerSome time will be required in order to gather the information which the Deputy has requested. I have asked officials in the Department of Health to collate the requested information and prepare a full response which I will provide to the Deputy as soon as possible.
454. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health if he has received a request from the Minister for Social Protection to designate long Covid as an occupational illness; the current status of the request; the timeline for responding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6067/23]
View answerCorrespondence was received from Minister Humphreys and the contents of same is currently being assessed.
My officials will engage with counterparts on the matter as soon as possible.
455. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1410 of 18 January 2023, the number of residents placed in a mental health facility (details supplied) on 30 December 2018, 30 December 2019, 30 December 2020, 30 December 2021, and 30 December 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6105/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
456. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of inpatients at each acute hospital across the State for the years 2016 to 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [6141/23]
View answerThere is no data available yet for 2023.
Data sources and notes on the data are provided at the link.
457. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of nurses at each acute hospital across the State for the years 2016 to 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [6142/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy, as soon as possible.
458. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of NCHDs at each acute hospital across the State for the years 2016 to 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [6143/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly with the data requested as soon as possible.
459. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of consultants at each acute hospital across the State for the years 2016 to 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [6144/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
460. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the budget allocated to each acute hospital across the State for the years 2016 to 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [6145/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
461. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of beds at each community hospital in County Donegal for each of the years 2011 to 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [6146/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
