Tuesday, 9 Jul 2024

Health Services Staff

Questions (662)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

662. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of nurses who have left their jobs in each hospital in the country in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [29139/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland

Questions (663)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

663. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of nurses who have lost their licence/registration number in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [29140/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Responsibility for the regulation of nurses and midwives in Ireland rests with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). The NMBI is an independent regulatory body established under the Nurses and Midwives Act, 2011.

As the query raised by the Deputy is a matter for the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), I have referred the question to the NMBI for its attention and direct response to the Deputy.

Departmental Data

Questions (664)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

664. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of adverse incidents that were recorded in the health service in total in 2023 and for each of the previous ten years; the number of adverse incidents recorded in each hospital group in the same timeframe; the number of adverse incidents recorded in each hospital; the number of adverse incidents recorded in each CAHMS region; to detail the nature of all of the aforementioned adverse incidents; the number which required first aid, medical treatment, resulted in long-term disability or incapacity; and the number which resulted in death. [29141/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health (Deputy Stephen Donnelly)

As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.

State Claims Agency

Questions (665)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

665. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of health service-related claims that have been lodged with the State Claims Agency for each of the past ten years and to date in 2024; and the amount in compensation that has been paid out by each hospital group/CHO as a result of claims lodged against the health service, in the same period, in tabular form. [29142/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

The State Claims Agency (SCA) has a statutory remit to manage personal injury claims on behalf of State Authorities including the Health Service Executive. The Agency has provided me with the information set out below.

The following table outlines the number of claims recorded by the the SCA from 1st January 2014 up until the end of June 2024, and reflects the position as at 01/07/2024. This includes claims reported against the HSE Regions and CHO Areas noted below and covers both the General Indemnity Scheme and the Clinical Indemnity Scheme. Please note the HSE Regions presented in this table are reflective of the upcoming Sláintecare changes and were formerly designated under various hospital groups.

The transactional amount of damages paid by the SCA (inclusive of VAT where appropriate), in respect of claims against the below regions and areas, from 1 January 2014 up until the end of June 2024 was €2,352,631,546 and includes payments in relation to claims against these regions and areas during the period, irrespective of the year of creation.

Table 1

Regions and Areas	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
HSE Dublin and Midlands Region	206	213	265	294	290
HSE Dublin and Northeast Region	222	288	255	285	337
HSE Dublin and Southeast Region	160	216	204	212	234
HSE Mid-West Region	65	103	113	98	96
HSE Southwest Region	105	117	116	157	143
HSE West and Northwest Region	149	159	184	187	235
CHO Area 1 - Donegal/Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan/Cavan/Monaghan	35	25	33	29	50
CHO Area 2 - Galway/Roscommon/Mayo	17	21	27	30	35
CHO Area 3 - Clare/Limerick/North Tipperary	32	39	28	38	28
CHO Area 4 - Cork/Kerry	39	35	24	32	39
CHO Area 5 - South Tipperary/Carlow/Kilkenny/Waterford/Wexford	40	33	31	25	30
CHO Area 6 - Wicklow/Dun Laoghaire/Dublin Southeast	8	7	14	15	13
CHO Area 7 - Kildare/West Wicklow/Dublin West/South City/Southwest	28	28	30	45	39
CHO Area 8 - Laois/Offaly/Longford/Westmeath/Louth/Meath	38	26	29	41	44
CHO Area 9 - Dublin North/Dublin North City/Dublin Northwest	23	28	24	32	39
Grand Total	1,167	1,338	1,377	1,520	1,652

Regions and Areas	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024 (To end of June)
HSE Dublin and Midlands Region	341	281	263	205	227	135
HSE Dublin and Northeast Region	314	291	267	241	276	149
HSE Dublin and Southeast Region	282	286	225	179	217	120
HSE Mid-West Region	131	113	88	101	109	49
HSE Southwest Region	170	152	142	135	150	73
HSE West and Northwest Region	226	228	177	159	185	89
CHO Area 1 - Donegal/Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan/Cavan/Monaghan	52	36	19	33	40	18
CHO Area 2 - Galway/Roscommon/Mayo	37	34	38	28	25	7
CHO Area 3 - Clare/Limerick/North Tipperary	15	16	16	25	14	8
CHO Area 4 - Cork/Kerry	48	25	29	193	134	48
CHO Area 5 - South Tipperary/Carlow/Kilkenny/Waterford/Wexford	45	27	35	31	33	16
CHO Area 6 - Wicklow/Dun Laoghaire/Dublin Southeast	11	20	18	11	14	4
CHO Area 7 - Kildare/West Wicklow/Dublin West/South City/Southwest	52	38	31	37	41	28
CHO Area 8 - Laois/Offaly/Longford/Westmeath/Louth/Meath	30	37	29	38	33	31
CHO Area 9 - Dublin North/Dublin North City/Dublin Northwest	52	29	35	44	48	14
Grand Total	1,806	1,613	1,412	1,460	1,546	789

Health Service Executive

Questions (666)

Denis Naughten

Question:

666. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the total annual budget allocated by the HSE for medical record transfer and management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29144/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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 Staff

Questions (667)

Denis Naughten

Question:

667. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the number and location of laboratories within the health service operating genomics services for patients; the number of WTE and grades in each location; the corresponding number of vacancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29145/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Health Service Executive

Questions (668)

Denis Naughten

Question:

668. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the total number of genomics samples sent outside the State for analysis in each of the past five years; the annual cost in each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29146/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Facilities

Questions (669)

Denis Naughten

Question:

669. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 379 of 25 June 2024, the plans for the relocation of the laboratory facilities at Temple Street Children’s Hospital, including the PKU testing facilities, when the hospital moves to the new children's hospital site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29147/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Services

Questions (670)

Joan Collins

Question:

670. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the situation regarding beds at St. James's Hospital (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29149/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Health Service Executive

Questions (671)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

671. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the reason trainee student occupational therapists who are attending ATU Letterkenny and have to do an eight-week placement have been told that they cannot do the placement with the HSE (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29158/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is an operational matter for the Health Service Executive, the HSE has been asked to respond directly to the Deputy.

Health Services

Questions (672)

Joan Collins

Question:

672. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the reason patients from an area (details supplied) are being directed to Santry; and the number of patients who have been redirected from a named health clinic to the Santry south side. [29160/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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 (673)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

Question:

673. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Health the timeline for a provision of a diabetes unit in University Hospital Waterford as the only level 4 hospital without such a unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29161/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Health Strategies

Questions (674, 705)

John Paul Phelan

Question:

674. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Health his plans for the launch of Ireland’s cervical cancer elimination strategy this year; the measures he intends to take to help increase vaccination rates to the required levels for elimination to occur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29164/24]

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Josepha Madigan

Question:

705. Deputy Josepha Madigan asked the Minister for Health for an update on plans for the launch of the cervical cancer elimination strategy this year, including what measures he intends to take to help increase vaccination rates to the required levels for elimination to occur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29245/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 674 and 705 together.

I was pleased in November 2023 to mark Cervical Cancer Elimination Day of Action by announcing Ireland is on target to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 and publishing our roadmap, which charts our steps to elimination.

Currently, in Ireland, about 300 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year, and sadly 90 will die from it. Ireland was one of the first countries in the world to set a target for cervical cancer elimination. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines elimination of cervical cancer as fewer than 4 cases per 100,000 women. This would make cervical cancer rare, reducing the number of cases to the extent that it would no longer be a public health problem. The WHO strategy sets clear targets for all countries to achieve by 2030 to put them on course to elimination:

- 90% of girls vaccinated against HPV by age 15,

- 70% of women screened by age 35 and again by age 45, and

- 90% of people identified with cervical disease treated.

Ireland is in a strong position to exceed these targets and to reach our goal to eliminate cervical cancer within 17 years. The projected target date of 2040 results from a detailed modelling project with Australia’s Daffodil Centre, a leading cancer control and policy research centre. The modelling project used HPV vaccination rates, screening coverage, and population data from Ireland.

The HPV vaccination for boys and girls represents a significant breakthrough in our road to elimination. Ireland was among the first countries to introduce HPV vaccination through the National Immunisation Programme. Our HPV vaccination programme has been in place for girls since 2010 and for boys since 2019. In line with advice from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC), the vaccine is administered in the first year of secondary school. Ireland recently ran a targeted HPV vaccination catch-up programme. The Laura Brennan HPV vaccination catch up programme commenced in late 2022 and ran until December 2023, offering HPV vaccines free of charge to females who were 24 years of age or younger and males who were 21 years of age or younger. Approximately 11,000 people received HPV vaccination through this programme. A provisional uptake rate of 78.4% was recorded for the HPV vaccine in first year for 2022/2023 (refers to single dose only, due to policy change to a single dose of HPV vaccine). I am pleased to note new research published by the National Screening Service shows early evidence of the positive protective effect of HPV vaccination in women attending their first cervical screening. As more vaccinated women enter the CervicalCheck screening programme, we expect a greater impact on moderate to severe cervical disease. The study has shown a reduction in the percentage of cervical screening tests showing serious precancer disease in women aged 25, from 3.7% (2015 to 2018) to 1.5% (2019 to 2022).

The HSE’s Cervical Cancer Elimination Strategy Group is comprised of the Department of Health, HSE’s National Screening Service, National Immunisation Office, and National Cancer Control Programme, National Women and Infants Health Programme, National Cancer Registry of Ireland, patient advocates, Marie Keating Foundation and Irish Cancer Society. The Group is working on an action plan to ensure that Ireland stays on course to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040. A recent public consultation was held to gather input from the public, aiming to incorporate diverse perspectives into Ireland's Cervical Cancer Elimination Action Plan, which is set to be launched in Quarter 4 of 2024.

The Government is committed to eradicating HPV-related cancers in Ireland. The Programme for Government commits to supporting the CervicalCheck Screening Programme and promoting the uptake of the HPV vaccine. Ireland’s Cervical Cancer Elimination campaign is supported by the Women’s Health Fund, an investment process under the Women’s Health Action Plan 2024-2025.

Vaccination against HPV has been shown to be effective in preventing cervical cancer. Along with regular screening for early detection and treatment, it is possible to make cervical cancer a rare disease. Continuing to vaccinate against HPV-related cancers and encouraging everyone to take up their offer of screening is the best way to ensure that we remain on the path to eliminating cervical cancer by 2040.

Clinical Trials

Questions (675, 706)

John Paul Phelan

Question:

675. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Health the plans in place to improve the availability and uptake of oncology clinical trials in Ireland; the resources being allocated to achieve this goal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29165/24]

View answer

Josepha Madigan

Question:

706. Deputy Josepha Madigan asked the Minister for Health for an update on plans in place to improve the availability and uptake of oncology clinical trials in Ireland; what resources are being allocated to achieve this goal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29246/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 675 and 706 together.

Clinical trials are a fundamental component of high-quality care and improving patient outcomes. Over the last 15 years, my Department has invested more than €150 million in clinical trials and research support services in all healthcare areas including oncology through the Health Research Board (HRB). My Department is in the final stages of establishing a National Clinical Trials Oversight Group which is tasked with developing recommendations on increasing the number of trials taking place in Ireland and improving access for patients to participate in more clinical trials across a range of priority healthcare areas, including oncology clinical trials.

In recent years, my Department has made significant progress in improving clinical trial infrastructure. In an effort to improve transparency, streamline approval mechanisms, and provide a robust framework for ethical approval process for clinical trials, my Department established the National Office for National Research Ethics Committees (NREC). This office, which plays a critical role in providing expertise and guidance on research ethics, hosts three NRECs in key clinical trial areas of medical products, medical devices, and in vitro diagnostics. In line with Sláintecare, the Department has also invested in the expansion of an HSE research infrastructure across the Health Regions to promote an equitable national research service within the public health sector.

The HRB, as the leading funder of health research in Ireland, has been driving the growth of clinical trials in Ireland and putting in place the supporting research infrastructure with the overall aim of facilitating clinical trials that can benefit patients, the healthcare system, and the economy. In 2021, the HRB Board approved a multi-year €21.6m investment in cancer trials in Ireland, comprising support for a National Cancer Clinical Trials Network and funding for six cancer trials groups. Additionally, the HRB manages the only dedicated funding stream (i.e., Definitive Interventions and Feasibility Awards, DIFA) for clinical trials and interventions in Ireland, which supports studies evaluating a full scale, definitive trial of an intervention to provide high quality evidence on the efficacy, effectiveness, cost, and broad impact of the intervention. To date the HRB has made a total investment of €32m across 45 studies. In 2022, the HRB opened a specific cancer stream with €3m available for cancer clinical trials and interventions in the DIFA scheme.

Under the Ireland-Northern Ireland-US Cancer Consortium, there is €1.2m available in funding for North-South cancer research in 2024, which includes access to clinical trials on an all-island basis as a priority objective.

In line with the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026, a National Cancer Research Group has been established. The Group aims to improve co-ordination and oversight of cancer research nationally and provide a forum for the agreement of research priorities. The Group also seeks to achieve continuity of funding and to ensure that funding allocations are linked to the agreed research priorities.

Health Services

Questions (676)

John Paul Phelan

Question:

676. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Health to list the members of the HSE’s national immunisation oversight committee (NIOC) and their respective positions, in tabular form; to explain the role of the NIOC in relation to supporting the work of the national immunisation advisory committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29166/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

European Council

Questions (677)

John Paul Phelan

Question:

677. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Health for an update in relation to his Department’s activities at the EPSCO (Health) Council on 21 June; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29167/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

The Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union hosted its final meeting of Health Ministers on 21 June in Luxembourg. Ireland’s delegation was led by Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler.

The main agenda item was a policy debate on the legislative file relating to the Pharmaceutical Package. The Government is very conscious of the importance of retaining a competitive pharmaceutical industry in the EU and Ireland. During her intervention, Minister Butler clearly articulated the Government’s position on this crucial legislative file, and spoke of the need to find the right balance to address three key objectives:

• Access to safe and effective medicines for patients,

• Sustainability of national health systems, and

• Retention of a strong, innovative, pharmaceutical sector.

Minister Butler also emphasised that pharmaceutical companies who meet the needs of health systems should be rewarded for doing so, with transparent and predictable modulation that is not overly bureaucratic in practice.

On non-legislative items, the Council approved Council Conclusions on the Future Health Union that aim to keep Health high on the EU agenda. It also adopted a non-contentious Council Recommendation on Cancer Preventable vaccines. Ireland welcomes both initiatives.

The Belgian Presidency then updated the Ministers on (i) the events held during their presidency, (ii) negotiations of the Pandemic Agreement and revisions of the International Health Regulations, and (iii) WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The Hungarian Minister then presented the work programme of their upcoming presidency (July – December 2024).

There were five A.O.B.s that were also discussed:

A call for action at the EU level to protect young people from harm caused by novel tobacco and nicotine products – Information from Latvian delegation.

Danish Position Paper on tobacco and nicotine.

Health situation in Gaza – Information from the Spanish delegation.

A call for action on HIV from the Romanian delegation.

Impact of excessive national stockpiling strategies on the EU solidarity – Information from the Czech delegation.

The meeting then concluded with a closed-door working lunch on equitable access to healthcare in EU Member States, attended by Minister Butler.

European Council

Questions (678)

John Paul Phelan

Question:

678. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Health to report on Ireland’s contribution on combatting vaccine-preventable cancers at the EPSCO (Health) Council on 21 June; the reason for not contributing verbally on this topic; the planned next steps towards achieving this goal in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29168/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

The Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union hosted its final meeting of Health Ministers on 21 June in Luxembourg. Ireland’s delegation was led by Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler.

The main agenda item was a policy debate on the legislative file relating to the Pharmaceutical Package. On non-legislative items, the Council approved Council Conclusions on the Future Health Union that aim to keep Health high on the EU agenda. It also adopted a non-contentious Council Recommendation on Cancer Preventable vaccines. Ireland welcomes both initiatives.

The Belgian Presidency then updated the Ministers on (i) the events held during their presidency, (ii) negotiations of the Pandemic Agreement and revisions of the International Health Regulations, and (iii) WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The Hungarian Minister then presented the work programme of their upcoming presidency (July – December 2024). There were five A.O.B.s proposed by the delegations. The meeting then concluded with a closed-door working lunch on equitable access to healthcare in EU Member States, attended by Minister Butler.

Ministerial interventions are decided following an assessment of their strategic needs, as well as based on the time allocated by the Presidency for each agenda item (typically three minutes for policy debate and one minute for other interventions).

Seeking to intervene on each agenda item is not a practical approach, especially within the very tight schedule that the Presidency is trying to keep. If all 27 Member States were to express their support on all non-contentious items for approval, the Presidency would have an impossible task in chairing these meetings.

For example, Ireland had already indicated its support and approval of the two non-legislative files (the Council Conclusions and Council Recommendations) during the meetings of the Working Party on Public Health where they were negotiated, and as Ireland had no concern nor objection on either of these files, there was no strategic value in seeking a one-minute intervention to re-iterate said support.

Therefore, interventions at EPSCO were focussed on (i) the political debate on the Pharmaceutical Package, (ii) on equitable access to healthcare at the working lunch, and (iii) on A.O.B. items related to tobacco & nicotine, the healthcare situation in Gaza, and stockpiling.

The Deputy will be aware that Ireland has had a HPV vaccination programme in place for girls since 2010 and for boys since 2019.

As the HPV vaccine is preventative, it is intended to be administered, if possible, before a person becomes exposed to HPV infection. Therefore, the gender-neutral HPV vaccination programme, in line with NIAC advice, targets all girls and boys in first year of secondary school to provide maximum coverage and protection.

Ireland recently ran a targeted HPV vaccination catch-up programme. The Laura Brennan HPV vaccination catch up programme commenced in late 2022 and ran until December 2023, offering HPV vaccines free of charge to females who were 24 years of age or younger and males who were 21 years of age or younger. Approximately 11,000 people received HPV vaccination through this programme.

In relation to uptake, a provisional uptake rate of 78.4% was recorded for the HPV vaccine in first year for 2022/2023 (refers to single dose only, due to policy change to a single dose of HPV vaccine).

More generally, the HSE has established a National Immunisation Oversight Committee (NIOC) which meets quarterly to discuss immunisation challenges and to agree actions. The group focus on vaccine uptakes rates and the actions that are currently being undertaken to increase uptake rates across programmes.

In addition, a HSE Taskforce has been set up in response to declining immunisation rates. Through analysis of available data and intelligence, it will provide evidence-based expert advice and guidance to increase uptake of recommended vaccine programmes to target coverage levels and reduce the risk of outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases.

Healthcare Policy

Questions (679)

John Paul Phelan

Question:

679. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the most recent report of an organisation (details supplied); if an updated report on data since 2021 has been compiled or is in the process of being compiled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29169/24]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.