Written Answers Nos. 163-177
163. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 300 of 9 May 2024, the findings of the HIQA inspections carried out at St. James’s Hospital, Tallaght Hospital and St. Vincent’s Hospital on 30 August 2022, 27 October 2022, 14 February 2024 and 29 March 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23135/24]
View answerSt Vincent’s University Hospital was inspected on the 30th and 31st of August 2022. The findings were broadly positive, with four compliant, five substantially compliant and six partially compliant judgements made against the National Standards for Better, Safer Healthcare.
HIQA found there was a good level of compliance with national standards in the inpatient clinical areas. However, HIQA found insufficient patient flow and limited surge capacity in the ED contributed to the boarding of inpatients in the department. HIQA also found deficits in staffing levels, especially nurse staffing levels, across all clinical areas visited.
Tallaght University hospital was inspected on 27th October 2022 and on 14th February 2024. The 2022 inspection focused on the ED and made three partially compliant and one non-compliant judgements against the Standards.
The report reflected the challenges that the ED at Tallaght faced in relation to capacity and staffing. HIQA found that admitted patients on trolleys in the ED contributed to overcrowding, making it impossible for the hospital to maintain, promote and protect patients’ dignity, privacy and confidentiality in contravention of standard 1.6 of the National Standards for Better, Safer Healthcare.
An inspection of Tallaght University Hospital was also carried out on 14 February 2024. HIQA has advised that once an inspection report is drafted, it goes through factual accuracy and feedback with the service provider before it is published to the HIQA website. This process is in progress and HIQA will publish this inspection report in due course.
St James’s Hospital Emergency Department was inspected on 29 March 2023 and was found to be partially complaint in the four National Standards assessed during HIQA’s visit.
HIQA found that measures in place to support patient flow through the ED and wider hospital, were not fully effective. There were challenges with staffing, particularly with nursing grades, and there was a need for significant improvement in the uptake of mandatory training for nursing and medical staff. In addition, HIQA found that measures used to promote and respect the dignity, privacy and autonomy of patients were not fully effective.
The full detailed reports can be found at www.hiqa.ie/reports-and-publications.
164. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health if an appointment for a person (details supplied) can be rescheduled to a local clinic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23149/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
165. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied) who has been referred for a cardiac examination at University Hospital Kerry but has yet to receive an appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23150/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
166. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health can the Minister urgently enquire into the matter of a person (details supplied). [23154/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
167. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 168 of 24 April 2024, to provide clarification on the matter (details supplied). [23156/24]
View answerUnder 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.
Clinical determinations as to whether a blood test should 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 clinically necessary blood tests.
In addition, blood tests undertaken in the context of the GP Chronic Disease Management programme are covered by the fees paid to GPs by the HSE 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 (i.e. a blood test to either assist in the diagnosis of illness or the treatment of a condition) by his or her GP, or has been charged for a blood test provided under the Chronic Disease Management programme, 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, shall contact the GP concerned and carry out an investigation into the complaint and will, where appropriate, arrange for a refund of charges incorrectly applied by that GP.
Fees charged by GPs outside the terms of the GMS contracts are a matter of private contract between the clinicians and their patients. The HSE does not have any role in relation to such fees.
168. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 169 of 10 April 2024, how private nursing homes are expected to fund access to private occupational therapy services for residents where the National Treatment Purchase Fund and fair deal scheme funding does not cover such expenses, leaving residents of very limited means and their families struggling to cover costs often thousands of euro of occupational therapy, special chairs appliances, and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23157/24]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
169. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the plans for the future purpose or use for the HSE building in Monasterevin, which currently houses the public health nurse services, when that service is amalgamated with the new day care centre in Monasterevin. [23158/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
170. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the protocol in place for paying approved home care providers when home care visits are cancelled by the client; if consideration has been made to pay providers if a call is cancelled at short notice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23159/24]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
171. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the progress made in advancing recommendation ten of the Cross-Departmental Strategic Workforce Advisory Group, to develop a competency framework that recognises home care workers with additional training and specialist qualifications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23160/24]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
172. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time in CHO7 for those approved for home support and waiting for services to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23161/24]
View answer173. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the number of people in CHO7 currently waiting for home support for longer than three months; the number of people waiting for longer than six months; the number of people waiting longer than 12 months; the number of people waiting longer than 24 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23162/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 172 and 173 together.
As these are operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
174. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of dentists in Wicklow declining to see patients on medical cards (details supplied); what the obligation is to provide dental practices when it comes to medical card patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23165/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
175. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the amount generated through parking charges at public car parks within Beaumont Hospital in the years of 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [23182/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
176. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the staffing budget allocation to Mercy University Hospital in the years of 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form. [23183/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
177. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE radiographers, by grade, working in Mullingar Regional Hospital in the years of 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [23184/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
