Written Answers Nos. 729-747
729. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if his Department or the HSE have mechanisms such as exit interviews to gauge the reason that physiotherapists have left employment in the HSE prior to retirement; the reason given for leaving the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7817/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 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.
730. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if his Department or the HSE have mechanisms such as exit interviews to gauge the reason that occupational therapists have left employment in the HSE prior to retirement; the reason given for leaving the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7818/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 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.
731. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if his Department or the HSE have mechanisms such as exit interviews to gauge the reason that speech and language therapists have left employment in the HSE prior to retirement; the reason given for leaving the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7819/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 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.
732. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if his Department or the HSE have mechanisms such as exit interviews to gauge the reason that laboratory scientists have left employment in the HSE prior to retirement; the reason given for leaving the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7820/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 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.
733. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the status of the planned audit of the National Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7821/22]
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.
734. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the grades, jobs, positions and organisations that are entitled to the €1,000 Covid bonus payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7822/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFirstly I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period.
In recognition of the efforts of the general public, volunteers and all workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and in remembrance of people who lost their lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on Wednesday 19 January, the Government announced a once-off public holiday will take place on Friday 18 March 2022.
The Government also announced COVID-19 recognition payment for frontline public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. The payment of €1,000 will not be subject to income tax, USC, or PRSI. It is important to note that the measure will be ring fenced to staff ordinarily onsite in COVID-19 exposed healthcare environments within the period between 1 March 2020 and 30 June 2021.
Those public sector frontline healthcare workers eligible for the payment will be directly employed public health sector staff working in clinical settings. A pro-rata arrangement will apply for eligible part time staff / equivalents and supernumerary students who were required to perform training in clinical sites.
The Department of Health will also introduce a measure for making a similar payment to staff in private sector nursing homes and hospices that were affected by Covid-19.
I would like to assure the Deputy that work is underway to ensure fairness in the application of this measure as the Government intended.
The Department and the HSE are currently engaging in finalising arrangements to give effect to the Government announcement concerning the Recognition Payment. Full particulars, eligibility and terms and conditions that apply to this payment shall be made available shortly. It is important that this measure is applied fairly as intended and I welcome the work that is ongoing to ensure this is so.
I am also mindful of other workers who played their own part during this difficult period in sustaining our health service but did not work in such exposed areas. It is tough to draw a line on this matter, but the Government based its decision on the risks which frontline healthcare workers faced.
735. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of elective hospitals that are currently either in pre-planning, planning or construction across the country; the number that are in active partnership between private providers and the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7823/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn December 2021 the Government agreed, subject to the necessary approvals and requirements under the Public Spending Code being met, a new National Elective Ambulatory Care Strategy. This new strategy aims to change the way in which day case, scheduled procedures, surgeries, scans and outpatient services can be better arranged to ensure greater capacity in the future and help to address waiting lists. The development of additional capacity will be provided through dedicated, standalone Elective Hospitals in Cork, Galway and Dublin.
I have referred the question of active partnerships between the HSE and private providers, and the number of other projects at pre-planning, planning or construction across the country that involve elective hospitals, to the HSE for direct reply.
736. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health the wait time for a person (details supplied) for an eye clinic appointment at University Hospital Limerick to address a blocked eye duct; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7825/22]
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.
737. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if an application by a person (details supplied) can be considered on compassionate grounds for nivolumab in view of the personal circumstances of the case. [7847/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this refers to an individual case, I have referred this matter to the HSE for their attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
738. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will consider the case of nivolumab, which has been approved by the European Medicines Agency, to be made available to patients urgently requiring this treatment; the timeframe for supplying this treatment to patients; the current position of the drug in the process for approval at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7848/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drug schemes, in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
739. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his views on musculoskeletal scans being read by radiographers as is the practice in Britain; if he is examining or plans to make these changes; the legislative changes required to make such a change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7852/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have directed this question to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
740. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if there will be a radiographer reporting pilot programme to trial the reading and reporting of ultrasound scans by radiographers in the HSE or the RCSI hospital group; the timeline for completion of this pilot; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7853/22]
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.
741. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health the number of persons that accessed healthcare under the Northern Ireland planned healthcare scheme in each of the years 2019, 2020 and 2021; the counties from which persons accessed the scheme; the aggregate number and types of healthcare received under the scheme for each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7855/22]
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.
742. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health the current number of scans and x-rays awaiting reading by a radiologist at the RCSI hospital group by hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7856/22]
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.
743. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the number of cataract surgeries carried out under the National Treatment Purchase Fund in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7857/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra745. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health if additional funding has been made available to public hospitals to tackle cataract waiting lists; if funding has been made available to those hospitals for weekend and evening appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7859/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 743 and 745 together.
It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. While significant work continues to positively impact on waiting times and improve pathways to elective care, acute hospitals have been impacted by operational challenges arising from surges in cases related to the Delta and Omicron variants.
The HSE has confirmed to the Department that patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.
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, including through increased use of private hospitals, funding weekend and evening work in public hospitals, funding “see and treat” services, providing virtual clinics, and increasing capacity in the public hospital system.
In recent years, my Department has worked with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to improve access for patients waiting for high volume procedures, including cataracts. Ophthalmology services are provided throughout all hospital groups in the country, with cataract removal one of the key procedures carried out as part of this specialty.
A key development in improving access to Ophthalmology services was the opening of a stand-alone high-volume consultant-led cataract theatre by the University of Limerick Hospital Group in Nenagh Hospital in 2018, with the intention that it would facilitate patients from surrounding geographical areas to avail of their treatment there. The impact of such initiatives can be seen in the reduction in the waiting times to access cataract procedures since 2018. At the end of January 2022 there were 4,901 patients waiting for a cataract procedure compared to 6,437 in January 2019.
For 2022 an additional allocation of €250 million, comprised of €200 million to the HSE and €50 million to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) has been provided in respect of work to reduce hospital and community waiting lists. The €250 million will be used to fund additional activity in both the public and private sectors. The €50 million additional funding provided to the NTPF brings its total allocation for 2022 to €150 million, and as a consequence there will be a budget of €350 million available to support vital initiatives to improve access to acute hospitals and community health services.
The 2022 waiting list action plan, which I will bring to Government shortly, builds on the successes of the short-term 2021 plan that ran from September to December last year. The 2021 plan was developed by my Department, the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) and was driven and overseen by a senior governance group co-chaired by the Secretary General of my Department and the CEO of the HSE and met fortnightly. This rigorous level of governance and scrutiny of waiting lists has continued into this year with the oversight group evolving into the Waiting List Task Force. It has produced a comprehensive 2022 waiting list action plan which will set out high-level targets for waiting list improvement including dedicated funding for service reform, patient pathway improvement, and important significant additionality to substantially reduce the backlog of patients waiting. The Task Force will meet regularly to drive progress of the 2022 plan.
This is the first stage of an ambitious multi-annual waiting list plan, which is currently under development in my Department. Between them, these plans will work to support short, medium, and long term initiatives to reduce waiting times and provide the activity needed in years to come.
The data requested by the Deputy concerning cataract surgeries carried out under the NTPF, is outlined in the attached document. The NTPF has advised that annual financial statements have not be finalised for 2021 and that an accurate figure for 2022 is not yet available.
Cataracts Treated through NTPF Funding 2018-2021
|
Year |
No. of Cataracts Treated |
|
2018 |
6,707 |
|
2019 |
7,253 |
|
2020 |
5,042 |
|
2021* |
5,922 |
*Please be aware the annual financial statements have not be finalised for 2021
744. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the number of cataract surgeries carried out under the Cross Border Directive in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7858/22]
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.
746. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the status of the Sláintecare consultant contract; the number of contracts issued to date; if the contract has been agreed with an organisation (details supplied); the status of negotiations with consultant representatives; if he expects any adjustments to the contract which the HSE has already sought to operationalise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7867/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to introducing the Sláintecare Consultant Contract to hospital consultants in our health service at the soonest available opportunity. The Sláintecare Contract is currently the subject of engagement with the representative bodies.
As the talks process has not concluded, it would not be appropriate to make public details about them at this time, save to say that I, my officials and the HSE are committed to introducing a new contract as soon as practicable. Given the current position, no contracts have been issued at this juncture and the HSE has not sought to operationalise it.
747. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the measures that are being considered in relation to the difficulties of those in need of homecare packages; the measures that are being considered to address the current difficulties experienced in sourcing these packages given many packages being granted are for fewer hours than would be appropriate to the need of the person; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the current shortfall in the hours offered is being decided on the basis of resources available rather than the need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7879/22]
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.
