Joanna Byrne
Question:826. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Health to provide a breakdown of all posts across all specialities within the CAMHS team in the County Louth area. [37489/25]
View answerMental Health Services
Questions (826)
Written answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (827)
Joanna Byrne
Question:827. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Health the actions being taken to fill all approved posts for CAMHS team in the County Louth area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37490/25]
View answerWritten answers
As part of my tour of CAMHS teams I recently met with teams in the Louth Meath area, and subsequently with the IHA for Louth Meath and the REO for the Dublin & North East area. I impressed upon regional leadership the importance of filling all vacancies in CAMHS as soon as openings arise in order to ensure continuity of service and care for children. I subsequently wrote to the REO to request any vacancies in CAMHS be filled as a matter of priority.
As this is a service matter, I have also asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (828)
Joanna Byrne
Question:828. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Health the number of children in the County Louth area are currently awaiting their first appointment with the CAMHS team; the number of these children have been waiting over 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37491/25]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (829)
Joanna Byrne
Question:829. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Health to confirm the current average waiting time for first appointments from referral to provision of appointment in the County Louth area. [37492/25]
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.
Eating Disorders
Questions (830)
Joanna Byrne
Question:830. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Health the way in which commitments within Sharing the Vision: A Mental Health Policy for Everyone Implementation Plan 2025 - to enhance supports provided in ED are being rolled out within the County Louth area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37495/25]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (831)
Joanna Byrne
Question:831. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Health if she plans or if proposals are being actively considered for the provision of a crisis resolution teams in the County Louth area, similar to the pilot crisis resolution teams currently operational in Sligo, Leitrim and Cork city (two teams), Waterford city and County, south Dublin, Wicklow and Limerick. [37496/25]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Primary Care Services
Questions (832)
Joanna Byrne
Question:832. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Health if she plans or if proposals are being actively considered for the development of a community access support team in the County Louth area, similar to that which has been developed in Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37497/25]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (833)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:833. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the schemes that exist for recognising the progress made by communities in relation to recovery from addiction, mental health difficulties and related issues; and whether there are there any public initiatives to recognise recovery at the level of villages, towns and other settlements (details supplied). [37500/25]
View answerWritten answers
There is no national scheme under the ambit of this Department under which communities can apply to become a 'recovery community.'
However, the Department is aware of some local initiatives in this field, such as earlier this year Galway was designated as an Inclusive Recovery City. The Galway initiative is aimed at fostering a city-wide culture of inclusion, reducing stigma, and ensuring that recovery is visible, celebrated, and supported as an integral part of the city’s social fabric.
It is understood that the Western Region Drug and Alcohol Task Force, in collaboration with local organisations, people in recovery, and their supporters, were involved in developing the initiative with recovery seen as a collective effort, and not just an individual journey.
It is suggested that organisations wishing to get their area recognised as a recovery community may consider contacting their local Drug and Alcohol Taskforce or the Western Regional Drug and Alcohol Taskforce for more information.
Medicinal Products
Questions (834)
Shane Moynihan
Question:834. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the steps that are being made to make Selumetinib available for children. [37501/25]
View answerWritten answers
Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Nursing Homes
Questions (835)
Robert O'Donoghue
Question:835. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health if there are any plans to expand funding streams for activities for adults in nursing homes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37502/25]
View answerWritten answers
The Nursing Home Support Scheme (NHSS) covers the cost of the standard components of long-term residential care which are:
• Nursing and personal care appropriate to the level of care needs of the person
• Bed and board
• Basic aids and appliances necessary to assist the person with the activities of daily living
• Laundry service.
It excludes other costs such as therapies, more specialised aids and appliances, social activities, transport and individual items and services such as specialised laundry, newspapers and hairdressing. Many of these items were excluded from the definition of long-term residential care because they relate to services covered under the medical card or other eligibility schemes. Other services such as specialised laundry, newspapers and hairdressing were excluded as these are discretionary charges that should only be applied when the resident chooses to avail of the service. Typically, social charges are levied on all residents to cover the cost of activities.
Part 7 of the Health Act 2007 (Care and Welfare of Residents in Designated Centres for Older People) Regulations 2013 (as amended) stipulates that the registered provider of the nursing home must agree a contract in writing with each resident on their admission to the nursing home. This contract must include details of the services to be provided to that resident and the fees to be charged and is inclusive of all additional charges. Residents should never be charged fees which are not set out in the contract.
The Department of Health and the HSE are not a party to such contracts which are concluded between each resident and their nursing home. It is clear that under the terms of the NHSS Act 2009, private nursing homes should not levy additional charges on NHSS residents for services coming within scope of the Nursing Home Support Scheme.
Concerns about additional charges should in the first instance be taken up with the nursing home provider. Registered providers are obliged to provide an accessible and effective complaints procedure. Where an individual is not satisfied with the response they receive, they may wish to take their complaint further by seeking a review from the Office of the Ombudsman. The Office of the Ombudsman can examine complaints about the actions of a range of public bodies and, from 24 August 2015, complaints relating to the administrative actions of private nursing homes. The Office of the Ombudsman normally only deals with a complaint once the individual has already gone through the complaint’s procedure of the private nursing home concerned.
The Patient Advocacy Service provides a free, independent and confidential advocacy service to assist people to make a complaint about the care they or a family member has experienced in a nursing home and can be contacted by telephone at 0818 293 003 between Monday to Friday from 10am – 4pm.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is an independent statutory body with a dual mandate to enforce competition and consumer protection law in Ireland. CCPC’s mission is to promote competition and enhance consumer welfare. The CCPC has published consumer protection guidelines for contracts of care in long-term residential care services for older people. The guidelines set out the obligations and responsibilities that providers must adhere to under consumer protection law and are aimed at providing greater transparency, clarity and certainty for consumers. The guidelines can be found on the website https://www.ccpc.ie/business/help-for-business/guidelines-for-business/nursing-home-guidelines/.
The issue of additional charges is multifaceted; there are a number of separate factors driving this issue. The Department of Health is currently reviewing the available evidence and potential actions to address the different factors are being considered.
Health Services
Questions (836)
Paul Murphy
Question:836. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health to outline the purpose and current status of a systematic review on the outcomes of interventions for gender dysphoria in adults, which National Gender Service staff are involved in (details supplied). [37511/25]
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.
Mental Health Services
Questions (837)
Joanna Byrne
Question:837. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Health if the vacant post for area lead for mental health engagement at Drogheda Department Of Psychiatry identified by the MHC inspection report published on 16 06 2025 has been filled. [37516/25]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (838)
Joanna Byrne
Question:838. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Health if she is satisfied that the necessary measures have been undertaken by Drogheda Department Of Psychiatry to address the areas of non-compliance identified in the MHC inspection report published on 16 June 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37517/25]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (839)
Joanna Byrne
Question:839. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Health the steps taken by Drogheda Department Of Psychiatry to ensure that residents receive appropriate general health care interventions in line with individual care plans to address the areas of non-compliance identified in regulation 19 of the MHC inspection report published on 16 June 2025. [37518/25]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (840)
Joanna Byrne
Question:840. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Health the steps taken by Drogheda Department of Psychiatry to ensure that all staff have received appropriate seclusion training; and the measures put in place by Drogheda Department of Psychiatry to address the areas of non-compliance identified in regulation 69 of the MHC inspection report published on 16 June 2025. [37519/25]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (841)
Joanna Byrne
Question:841. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Health the steps taken by Drogheda Department of Psychiatry to address the areas of non-compliance regarding admission, transfer and discharge codes of practice as identified within the MHC inspection report published on 16 June 2025. [37520/25]
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.