Written Answers Nos. 1284-1307
1284. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that an organisation (details supplied) contracted to distribute pandemic payments, has yet to distribute all payments to section 39 providers; what actions his Department has taken to ensure completion of the terms of the contract with the organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13892/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy.
1285. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health what exactly were the actions of hormones a decade later the National Gender Service staff were referring to in a recent radio interview (details supplied). [13907/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra1286. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the names of the clinics in the United States who continue to prescribe puberty blocker monotherapy up to age 28 or 29 which were mentioned by National Gender Service staff in a radio interview (details supplied) [13908/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra1287. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if the National Gender Service can confirm they believe that the Tavistock and Antwerp clinics had prescribed hormones on the basis of a single phone call as indicated in a recent radio interview (details supplied). [13909/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra1288. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health to clarify if the National Gender Service staff believe that you need to fully know your sexual orientation in order to access transgender medical interventions as indicated in a recent radio interview (details supplied). [13910/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra1289. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if the National Gender Service can share the evidence base for sexual attraction being delayed in neurodiverse individuals and its relevance in trans medicine as indicated in a recent radio interview (details supplied). [13911/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra1290. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health to clarify exactly what the "clear evidence of harm from current practice to significant numbers of vulnerable children" that was referenced by National Gender Service staff in a recent radio interview (details supplied) is. [13912/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1285 to 1290, inclusive, together.
As this is a service matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the HSE for response.
1291. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if the National Gender Service considers trans patient groups to be expressing an ideological position when advocating for informed consent healthcare in line with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, WPATH. [13913/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the HSE for response.
1292. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the lifting of the recruitment freeze within the HSE. [13914/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere has been an unprecedented level of investment by this Government in the health service workforce in recent years.
We have seen consistent growth in the workforce each year since 2020, with the growth in the number of staff recruited in 2023 being the highest since the foundation of the HSE.
There are now 146,429 staff working in our health service, with 26,617 more staff today than there were at the beginning of 2020. That is a 22.2% increase in this period and includes an additional 8,414 nurses and midwives; 4,067 health and social care professionals; and 2,872 doctors and dentists.
In November 2023 the HSE CEO announced a pause on all recruitment with the exception of Consultants, Graduate Nurses and Doctors in formal training programmes. The pause put in place was part of a suite of control measures, including an instruction to reduce expenditure on agency staff and management consultants across the HSE.
The reality is that the HSE exceeded its 2023 funded workforce targets, which was neither affordable nor sustainable. They were funded to recruit an additional 6,010 staff in 2023, but actually hired 8,239, meaning they were over by more than 2,200 staff than they were funded for.
While the increase in our workforce has been incredibly positive and has enabled significant improvements in service delivery and reductions in waiting times for patients, it is important that the HSE operate within budgeted levels and that prudent controls are in place to ensure the workforce growth is managed in an affordable and sustainable manner.
The Minister for Health has secured funding for the recruitment of an additional 2,268 staff in 2024, which is outlined in the HSE National Service Plan, approved and published on the 14th February 2024. The HSE are currently finalising their Pay and Numbers Strategy for 2024.
Finalisation of the Pay and Numbers Strategy will enable the HSE to set out its recruitment targets in each area for 2024 and will inform decisions at local level on the filling of available posts.
1293. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health in relation to the current recruitment pause within the HSE, if information is available regarding when individuals who have been advised they have successfully interviewed for positions but are impacted by the pause will be able to begin their employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13915/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
1294. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health what steps people with medical cards should take to get reimbursed for blood test costs charged by GPs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13943/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraGP services are provided without charge to people who hold a medical card or GP visit card under the GMS scheme. Under the terms of the 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.".
The issue of GPs charging GMS patients for phlebotomy services (blood tests) is complex given the numerous reasons and circumstances under which blood tests are taken. Clinical determinations as to whether a blood test should be taken to either assist in the diagnosis of illness or the treatment of a condition are made by the GP concerned. There is no provision under the GMS GP contract for persons who hold a medical card or GP visit card to be charged for such blood tests.
In addition, blood tests undertaken in the context of services provided under the GP Chronic Disease Management Programme are covered by the fees paid to GPs by the HSE for this care.
The issue of certain GPs charging GMS patients for necessary blood tests has been raised previously with the relevant GP representative body. However, it has not yet proven possible to achieve agreement that no charges for blood tests would be applied in any circumstances.
Where a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card believes they have been incorrectly charged for routine phlebotomy services or for a different service by their 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 a GMS patient, will inform the GP concerned and carry out an investigation into each complaint and, where appropriate, will arrange for a refund of charges incorrectly applied by the GP.
1295. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 61 of 14 February 2024, the assistance available to Irish citizens who require repatriation via air ambulance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13944/24]
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.
1296. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that a person (details supplied) will receive an urgent consultation with CAMHS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13948/24]
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.
1297. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health the steps that can be taken to assist a person (details supplied) to access specialist treatment for a condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13969/24]
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.
1298. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health to provide an outline on the current status of the Implementation Group examining the operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018; to provide an outline of the number of occasions it has met to date; a timeline for when it is to report to Government; if an outline of its remit can be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13973/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy’s question relates to a service area, I have referred it to the HSE for direct reply.
1299. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter regarding the case of person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13995/24]
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.
1300. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if additional supports and funding will be provided for treatment centres and specialist community services to support those with eating disorders across community healthcare organisations. [13996/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra1301. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health what steps are being taken to provide more specialised facilities for eating disorder sufferers; what steps are being taken to provide more outpatient facilities; and what steps are being taken to provide eating disorder specialists in all public hospitals. [13997/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra1302. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health his plans to provide more in-patient facilities for eating disorder sufferers or to facilitate a reduction of catchment restrictions. [13998/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1300 to 1302, 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.
1303. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the posts which are sanctioned and remain vacant currently in CHO8. [14000/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
1304. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the posts that are vacant and awaiting sanction. [14001/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
1305. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the numbers on the waiting lists across each discipline under their remit; and the actions that are being taken to address these lists. [14002/24]
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.
1306. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health what measures are being taken to recruit staff to vacant posts; if international recruitment campaigns have commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14003/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Public Appointment Service (PAS) carry out recruitment on behalf of the Department of Health. Requests for all vacant roles within the Department are submitted to PAS and staffing assigned from Generalist or Professional and Technical panels. Where necessary PAS will carry out Specialist Competitions and currently the Department have 2 active Specialist Competitions for the posts of Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Chief Medical Officer.
1307. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if there is a department which investigates issues of safeguarding of a vulnerable adult; and if he will provide the details of supports available to a person (details supplied). [14023/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraSafeguarding adults who may be at risk of abuse, harm, and neglect by others in the context of their interactions with the health and social care sector is a key objective of the Department of Health, every statutory body under its aegis and every relevant service that interacts with such adults.
In the health and social care sector, a framework of standards, policies and procedures for safeguarding adults who may be at risk of abuse, harm, neglect, and exploitation within the sector, is in place, and further measures are being developed to strengthen this framework.
Cross-sectoral legislative provisions relevant to adult safeguarding are also applied throughout the health and social care sector, including, for example, legislation in relation to reporting certain offences against children or vulnerable persons to An Garda Síochána, vetting, equal status and assisted decision-making.
Existing governance measures
Key governance provisions currently in place include:
• The significant inspection and other regulatory powers of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) and the Mental Health Commission (MHC) in relation to the quality and safety of healthcare and social care provision generally (under the Health Act 2007 and the Mental Health Acts).
• The roles of health and social care professional regulatory bodies (including CORU, the Irish Medical Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, the Dental Council of Ireland and the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland) in relation to, inter alia, professional registration requirements and professional codes of conduct.
• Joint National Standards for Adult Safeguarding developed by HIQA and the MHC and approved by the Minister for Health, that apply to all regulated health and social care centres.
Existing operational safeguarding measures
The existing framework also includes a range of operational structures and procedures, including in particular the HSE’s national operational adult safeguarding policy Safeguarding Vulnerable People at Risk of Abuse – Policy and Procedures (2014), which is in place primarily in all HSE and HSE-funded social care settings.
The HSE has put in place a range of structures and processes to support and further develop its national operational adult safeguarding policy, including:
• A HSE National Safeguarding Office leading policy development and oversight.
• Clear guidelines set out in the existing policy for HSE and HSE-funded staff to follow in cases of suspected abuse or neglect of adults at risk (including a “zero tolerance” approach to abuse, meaning that abuse must be reported by staff in all instances).
• An adult safeguarding policy and procedures training programme, and a requirement that staff must attend training (the training is also accessible to non-HSE and HSE-funded services).
• Social work-led teams ("Safeguarding and Protection Teams") in each of the 9 HSE Community Healthcare Organisation (CHO) areas.
• Over 2,000 designated safeguarding officers nominated by service providers and provided with additional training.
Policy and legislation development – health and social care sector
The Department of Health remains committed to ensuring that the best possible safeguards are in place to protect any of our service users who may be at risk of abuse, where health or social care services are provided to them.
The Department is at an advanced stage of developing a national policy to further strengthen existing protections in the health and social care sector. A public consultation on draft policy proposals has recently closed and it is expected that costed policy proposals will be brought before Government towards the end of this year.
The intention is that the policy will apply to all public, voluntary and private healthcare and social care settings. Subject to Government approval of this national sectoral policy, legislation as required to underpin the approved policy will thereafter be prepared. The introduction of safeguarding legislation remains a priority for me.
Other Government Departments and agencies have adult safeguarding roles or responsibilities appropriate to their functions. The independent Law Reform Commission has been undertaking a review and preparing draft legislation on A Regulatory Framework for Adult Safeguarding across all sectors. Upon completion, the Department of Health will consider any recommendations the Commission may make where relevant to the Department's functions and I anticipate that other Departments will do the same.
Service-related matters
As some of the issues set out in the details supplied relate to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly in that regard. In the interim, I understand that my officials have also shared contact information with your Office that may be helpful.
