Michael Healy-Rae
Question:474. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health when a bed will be provided to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8646/24]
View answerCare of the Elderly
Questions (474)
Written answers
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday, 6 October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (475)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:475. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact a person (details supplied) has had their procedure cancelled twice at short notice; and if the operation will take place on the newly appointed time as scheduled. [8650/24]
View answerWritten answers
I fully acknowledge the distress and inconvenience for patients and their families when elective procedures are cancelled, particularly for clinically urgent procedures. While every effort is made to avoid cancellation or postponement of planned procedures, the HSE has advised that planned procedures and operations can be postponed or cancelled for a variety of reasons including capacity issues due to increased scheduled and unscheduled care demand.
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.
Under 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.
Hospital Services
Questions (476)
Marc Ó Cathasaigh
Question:476. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Health for the steps his Department is taking regarding the provision of a dedicated diabetes care unit in University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8661/24]
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 Staff
Questions (477)
Marc Ó Cathasaigh
Question:477. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Health the number of dedicated whole-time equivalent consultant endocrinologists, dietitians, advanced nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, staff nurses, podiatrists and administrative support posts currently dedicated to the outpatient adult diabetes clinic in University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8662/24]
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 Staff
Questions (478)
Marc Ó Cathasaigh
Question:478. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Health the steps his Department is taking regarding the recruitment of a dedicated diabetes physiologist for all with type 1 diabetes in University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8663/24]
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 Staff
Questions (479)
Marc Ó Cathasaigh
Question:479. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Health the steps his Department is taking to ensure the HSE has the necessary funding and support for recruitment to ensure that University Hospital Waterford has the minimum members of staff required to manage the diabetes unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8664/24]
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 Staff
Questions (480)
Marc Ó Cathasaigh
Question:480. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Health if contingency plans are in place for staffing of the diabetes unit in University Hospital Waterford, as a model 4 hospital, to ensure adequate cover in the event of staff illness or leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8665/24]
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 Services
Questions (481)
Marc Ó Cathasaigh
Question:481. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Health the number of adults attending University Hospital Waterford with type 1 diabetes who have requested insulin pump therapy and when those patients can expect to avail of said diabetes technology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8666/24]
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.
Health Services Waiting Lists
Questions (482)
Marc Ó Cathasaigh
Question:482. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with diabetes who are awaiting an appointment to see an endocrinologist over the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8667/24]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Hospital Procedures
Questions (483)
Marc Ó Cathasaigh
Question:483. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Health the number of new insulin pump starts done in all hospitals within the RCSI Hospitals Group in people aged between zero to 17 years and those aged 18 years or more for 2019, 2020, 2021 2022 and 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8668/24]
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.
As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday, 6 October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
Healthcare Policy
Questions (484)
Marc Ó Cathasaigh
Question:484. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Health when the Sláintecare project on the development of a national diabetes register will recommence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8669/24]
View answerWritten answers
Diabetes is a complex condition that can require management across the entire spectrum of healthcare delivery, including self-management support as well as care delivered through general practice, community specialist care and hospital inpatient specialist care.
As part of Budget 2023, funding was allocated to implement a number of initiatives aimed at improving diabetes care. This includes the commencement of the development of a National Diabetes Registry. Implementation of the project was delayed by HSE ban on recruitment in 2023. Additional funding has been provided in 2024 in order to allow the HSE to take the project forward. The HSE National Clinical Programme for Diabetes are currently engaged in preparatory work for phase 1 of this multi-year project.
The development of a National Diabetes Registry will have a long-term benefit on patient care by facilitating benchmarking of individual care against guideline recommendations and feedback to practitioners, and on the provision of appropriate health services by providing reliable information to healthcare planners and policymakers.
Hospital Admissions
Questions (485)
Marc Ó Cathasaigh
Question:485. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital admissions that occurred through the University Hospital Waterford accident and emergency or the acute medical assessment units due to diabetic ketoacidosis in people aged between zero to 17 years and those aged 18 years or more in each of the years 2017 to 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8670/24]
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.
Medical Cards
Questions (486)
Sorca Clarke
Question:486. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health when the medical cards of persons (details supplied) are due to expire. [8673/24]
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.
Health Services
Questions (487)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:487. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive speech and language therapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8691/24]
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 Facilities
Questions (488)
David Cullinane
Question:488. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of critical care beds, by type, at each Children’s Health Ireland location in each January in each of the years 2012 to ]2024, in tabular form. [8705/24]
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.
As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday 6th October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
Hospital Staff
Questions (489)
David Cullinane
Question:489. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of approved posts attached to each critical care bed at each location within Children’s Health Ireland in each January in each of the years 2012 to 2024, by staff grade, in tabular form; and the number of vacancies at each point. [8706/24]
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.
As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday 6th October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
National Children's Hospital
Questions (490)
David Cullinane
Question:490. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the status of naming the new children’s hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8707/24]
View answerWritten answers
The New Children’s Hospital project remains the most significant capital investment programme undertaken in the healthcare system in Ireland. It will provide world-class, state of the art facilities where our healthcare professionals will deliver optimal care, leading to better health outcomes for all. This is a much-needed and much-deserved investment in our children and young people.
I acknowledge the importance of the naming of the New Children’s Hospital, which is a key enabler in the strategic reform of healthcare services for children and young people for generations to come.
Children’s Health Ireland is undertaking a branding process, following which the Government will be making a decision on the naming of the New Children’s Hospital in due course.
Healthcare Infrastructure Provision
Questions (491)
Martin Browne
Question:491. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health if a financial assessment of the costs of repurposing a hospital (details supplied) has been carried out or considered; if an estimate is available or can be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8713/24]
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.
As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE recently ended the industrial action which commenced on 6 October 2023.As a consequence, members in these grades were not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result of the accumulated backlog, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
Public Procurement Contracts
Questions (492)
Robert Troy
Question:492. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he is confident that all contracts put to tender are awarded to companies that meet the tender criteria; and if it were to be identified where one clearly did not meet the stated criteria in the tender specifications, what the recourse would be. [8714/24]
View answerWritten answers
Public Procurement is governed by EU and National rules. The aim of these rules is to promote an open, competitive, and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which ultimately delivers the best value for money. My officials are responsible for ensuring that the Department's public procurement function is discharged in line with the standard accounting and procurement rules and procedures. Public procurement practices are subject to audit and scrutiny under the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act 1993, and the Local Government Reform Act 2014.
My Department is fully committed to ensuring that it meets its obligations under the National Public Procurement Policy Framework including all national and EU procurement laws, guidelines, and Government circulars. All of these requirements are incorporated in the Department's Procurement Policy and officials who undertake procurement processes are required to ensure all are in compliance with this.
The EU Procurement and Remedies Directives govern the way public authorities and certain utility operators purchase goods, works and services. The rules are transposed into Irish law and apply to tenders for public contracts whose monetary value exceeds specified thresholds. Where an economic operator (with an interest in a public procurement process) believes that the process may have been run without proper application of the EU Public Procurement Directives, there are remedies available, such as taking a case to the High Court. The European Commission can also take action against a Member State if it considers that the Procurement Directives are not being applied correctly. For tenders of lower value, national rules apply which must respect the general principles of EU law, such as equal treatment and non-discrimination.