Written Answers Nos. 183-198
183. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the date his Department was first informed of the intention of CHO 4 HSE management to close a centre (details supplied); if he will identify the staff members of his Department and the staff members of CHO 4 HSE mental health services who were in communication regarding the decision at that earliest stage of the process. [15199/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra184. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the first communication between CHO 4 HSE managers regarding the proposed closure of a centre (details supplied); the date this took place; the names and roles of the managers in communication at this time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15200/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra185. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the date the chief operations officer and the head of operations, quality and service improvement of the HSE were first informed of the intention of CHO 4 HSE management to close a centre (details supplied). [15201/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 183 to 185, inclusive, together.
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
186. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if the clinical directors of the West Cork, South Lee and North Cork adult mental health services have agreed with CHO 4 senior HSE management to accept referrals of service-users under the care of the Midleton, Youghal and Cobh Glenville adult mental health teams for long-stay and respite placements in the community residences attached to their local catchment areas into the future; when, in the case of each clinical director, these agreements had been reached; the way that he can reconcile this practice into the future for east Cork service users with the position of the Mental Health Commission and the UK's Care Quality Commission on the negative outcomes for persons placed out of area specifically with regard to out of area placements in long-stay settings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15202/22]
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.
187. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health his plans to establish a working party to investigate the needs of persons living with Huntington’s disease and their families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15204/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
188. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the funding that has been made available to Beaumont Hospital for neurology and neurosurgery services in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and the areas or items on which the funding is for. [15215/22]
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.
189. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health his plans to provide funding for research into multiple sulfatase deficiency. [15216/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMultiple sulfatase deficiency (MSD) is a very rare and fatal lysosomal storage disease characterized by a clinical phenotype that combines the features of different sulfatase deficiencies (whether lysosomal or not) that can have neonatal (most severe), infantile (most common) and juvenile (rare) presentations with manifestations including hypotonia, coarse facial features, mild deafness, skeletal anomalies, ichthyosis, hepatomegaly, developmental delay, progressive neurologic deterioration and hydrocephalus.
The Health Research Board (HRB) funding schemes are run as open, competitive calls and all eligible applications are internationally peer-reviewed by experts in the field. Funding for specific conditions is not ring fenced. Therefore, applications in any topic area, including rare diseases, are welcome through any and all HRB grant schemes. I understand from the HRB that since 2011 the HRB has not received any applications for funding relevant to either MSD or mucopolysaccharidosis IVA mutations, with which it is associated, or indeed other lysosomal disorders via any HRB scheme.
The HRB has a long track record of pro-actively supporting rare disease research collaborations. In the last 10 years alone, the HRB has invested €14M in rare disease research. The HRB also funds research outside of Ireland for a number of Health Research Charities in Ireland (HRCI) projects that look at aspects of particularly rare diseases in which there is no Irish research expertise.
The HRB has also recently announced funding for a Clinical Trials Network in Rare Diseases to develop and deliver a high-quality portfolio of investigator-led trials with relevance to health and social care needs in Ireland. This call was open to applications in any thematic area. The HRB approved funding of €7M for seven CTNs, to enable and facilitate clinical trials. The objectives of the Clinical Trials Network-Rare Diseases are to: act as a collaborative hub for trials in rare diseases, facilitate and support the conduct of trials in rare disease and increase the opportunities for patients to access high-quality clinical trials.
190. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the number of full-time ocularists employed by the HSE in 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and the locations in which the ocularists are located. [15217/22]
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.
191. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the number of flash electroretinograms tests carried out at the Mater Hospital in 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form. [15218/22]
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.
192. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the number of full-time consultant neurologists with a special interest in migraine working in the public health services in each of the past two years; and the hospitals in which these consultants are based. [15219/22]
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.
193. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health the mileage rates or motor expenses in place for public health nurses; the provisions that are provided for in their contracts of employment considering their level of travel and particularly in rural areas; if any review will take place due to current fuel costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15233/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMotor travel rates are set for civil and public servants by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. I understand that a review of rates is underway by that Department, however the Deputy will need to engage directly with Minister McGrath for any further detail on the matter.
194. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the person or body that has been awarded the contract to undertake research with service providers of termination of pregnancy services as part of the three-year review process; the way that providers of services such as services (details supplied) will be able to feed into this process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15234/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 was signed into law on 20 December 2018 and commenced on 1 January 2019. Under section 7 of the Act, a review of the operation of the Act must be initiated within three years of the commencement of the Act, i.e., before January 2022.
A request for tender to carry out the research into the views of service providers was published on eTenders. The evaluation process has concluded, and a preferred bidder has been identified. Bidders have been informed of the outcome of the process, however I am not yet in a position to announce the details of the preferred bidder. In line with regulations a standstill period is currently being observed and my Department cannot conclude a contract with an identified preferred bidder during this period. Subject to the completion of various particulars including the standstill period and the acceptance of the preferred bidder to undertake the relevant work, my Department aims to conclude a contract as quickly as possible at which point the details of the contracting party can be provided.
The objective of this research is to ascertain the experiences of service providers in the context of services under the 2018 Act. The research to be carried out on the experiences of service providers will be carried out by the relevant bidder, the outputs of which can be drawn on by the Review Chair in completing the review of the operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018.
195. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if medical card holders should be charged for tests (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15235/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the terms of the current GMS contract, GPs are required to provide eligible patients with ''all proper and necessary treatment of a kind usually undertaken by a general practitioner and not requiring special skill or experience of a degree or kind which general practitioners cannot reasonably be expected to possess". Persons who hold a medical card or a GP visit card are not subject to any co-payments or other charges in respect of such services including GP consultations.
There is no provision under the GMS GP contract for persons who hold a medical card or GP visit card to be charged for routine phlebotomy services (blood tests) provided by their GP which are required to either assist in the diagnosis of illness or the treatment of a condition. This has been advised to GPs by the HSE.
The issue of GPs charging GMS patients for phlebotomy services is complex given the numerous reasons and circumstances under which blood tests are taken. My Department and the HSE discussed this issue previously with the relevant GP representative body. However, it did not prove possible to achieve agreement that no charges for blood tests would be applied in any circumstances. It is intended to raise this issue again at an appropriate time.
It should be noted that the GP chronic disease management programme involves the ongoing monitoring of a patients’ condition and any blood tests required in this context will be covered by the fees payable for this care.
Where a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card believes he or she has been incorrectly charged for routine phlebotomy services by his or her GP, then that patient should report the matter to their HSE Local Health Office. The local management, upon being notified of potential inappropriate charging of GMS patients, carry out an investigation into each complaint and will, where appropriate, arrange for a refund of charges incorrectly applied by the GP.
However, the GMS contract stipulates that fees in respect of certain medical certificates which may be required, for example, "under the Social Welfare Acts or for the purposes of insurance or assurance policies or for the issue of driving licences" are not covered by the contract. Any fees charged by GPs for services provided outside the terms of the GMS contract are a matter of private contract between the GP and their patient.
196. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health when an assessment of needs will take place for a child (details supplied) in Dublin 11; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15239/22]
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.
197. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the number of children aged zero to 18 in each CHO by individual area and by each composite LHO within each CHO awaiting first-time intervention in all areas of early intervention; the number on the public list; the number on the children’s disability network team list in each CHO in tabular form; and the length of time they are awaiting intervention by age. [15247/22]
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.
198. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the number of individualised family service plans that have been issued and accepted by each individual children’s disability network team by CHO area. [15248/22]
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.
