Jim O'Callaghan
Ceist:787. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the number of consultant vacancies in model 2 and model 3 hospitals since the consultant contract was introduced, in tabular form. [36815/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraHospital Staff
Ceisteanna (787)
Freagraí scríofa
As this is an operational matter for the HSE, the HSE has been asked to respond directly to the Deputy.
Ambulance Service
Ceisteanna (788)
Catherine Murphy
Ceist:788. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of providing two additional critical care ambulances to the HSE on a 24/7 basis. [36819/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Services
Ceisteanna (789)
Catherine Murphy
Ceist:789. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of persons that presented to the accident and emergency department of Naas General Hospital for each day of August 2024, in tabular form. [36820/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly.
Medical Aids and Appliances
Ceisteanna (790, 791, 792, 793, 796, 797)
Paul Murphy
Ceist:790. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of halo traction chairs currently available for use in Children’s Health Ireland at present; and if there are plans to increase their availability given the urgent need for such equipment. [36846/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraPaul Murphy
Ceist:791. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if Children’s Health Ireland has used non-CE marked halo gravity traction chairs in the treatment of children with scoliosis; and to confirm the compliance of this practice with Medical Device Regulations (EU) 2017/745. [36847/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraPaul Murphy
Ceist:792. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if Children’s Health Ireland has notified parents of any failure to comply with medical device regulations regarding the use of non-CE marked halo gravity traction chairs; and the steps taken to rectify this issue. [36848/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraPaul Murphy
Ceist:793. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if the current halo gravity traction treatment beds in use at Children’s Health Ireland are CE-marked and compliant with the Medical Device Regulations (EU) 2017/745; and if any audits or inspections have been conducted to ensure this compliance. [36849/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraPaul Murphy
Ceist:796. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the details on the procurement of the halo gravity traction chairs currently in use or which have been in use over the past several years at Children’s Health Ireland, including the brand, make, model, and supplier of the chairs; and whether these chairs were procured in compliance with Medical Device Regulations (EU) 2017/745, in tabular form. [36852/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraPaul Murphy
Ceist:797. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of children who have undergone halo gravity traction in Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) hospitals since January 2000, including the length of treatment for each child, broken down by year and across all hospitals within the CHI network, in tabular form. [36853/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 790, 791, 792, 793, 796 and 797 together.
As this is an operational matter, I have referred the question to the HSE for their attention and direct response to the Deputy.
Question No. 791 answered with Question No. 790.
Question No. 792 answered with Question No. 790.
Question No. 793 answered with Question No. 790.
Medical Aids and Appliances
Ceisteanna (794)
Paul Murphy
Ceist:794. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if Children’s Health Ireland has reported any adverse incidents related to the use of halo gravity traction chairs or beds to the Health Products Regulatory Authority; and if so, the follow-up actions taken to investigate and address these incidents. [36850/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Medical Device Regulator in Ireland my officials reached out to the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) to see if they were aware of any incidents with regard to halo gravity traction chairs or beds in use at CHI.
Medical devices which are appropriately CE marked may be freely placed on the European market without further national authorisation. The HPRA does not maintain a listing of all medical devices placed on the Irish market. As such the HPRA does not have visibility to the specific halo gravity traction chairs or beds in use at CHI. An initial search of the HPRA’s vigilance database performed based on the limited information currently available has not identified any incidents / serious incidents reported to the HPRA by CHI. If further information can be provided by the Deputy in relation the specific medical devices of interest (i.e. specific device name/model and/or manufacturer name) the HPRA would be in a position to perform a more comprehensive search.
Medical Aids and Appliances
Ceisteanna (795)
Paul Murphy
Ceist:795. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to ensure that future equipment purchases by Children’s Health Ireland, specifically in the treatment of scoliosis, fully comply with Medical Device Regulations (EU) 2017/745; and whether there are plans to review the procurement process to prevent the use of non-compliant medical devices in the future. [36851/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I requested HIQA to carry out an independent review at Children's Health Ireland focused on the end-to end processes around the use of the non-CE spring implants during spinal surgery in Temple Street. I also requested HIQA to examine the controls, oversight processes and governance within CHI on the use of surgical implants / implantable medical devices. The review is well advanced, and I am expecting the final report to be submitted to me in the near future.
Question No. 796 answered with Question No. 790.
Question No. 797 answered with Question No. 790.
Ambulance Service
Ceisteanna (798)
Mairéad Farrell
Ceist:798. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health when an extra ambulance and a rapid response unit with extra staff will be provided to an organisation (details supplied), following a ten-year wait for same. [36855/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Services
Ceisteanna (799, 800)
Matt Carthy
Ceist:799. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1665 of 9 September 2024, if there have been any changes to the services provided in the dermatology units at either Monaghan or Cavan hospitals at any stage since 2020; if so, the details of any such changes including the reason for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36861/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMatt Carthy
Ceist:800. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1665 of 9 September 2024, if there are any proposals to change the services provided in the dermatology units at either Monaghan or Cavan hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36862/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Department of Health has contacted the RCSI Hospital Group and I understand they have contacted you directly and provided an update that Cavan & Monaghan Hospital provides both consultant-led and clinical nurse specialist-led clinics.
Cavan General Hospital operates two full-day dermatology clinics each month, while Monaghan Hospital holds three clinics per week. There was an adjusted service location from Cavan General Hospital to Monaghan Hospital for one clinic in 2020.
A dedicated dermatology service remains in Cavan & Monaghan Hospital for both acute and scheduled care.
Legislative Programme
Ceisteanna (801, 802, 803, 808)
John Paul Phelan
Ceist:801. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the drafting, publication, and introduction of the proposed nicotine inhaling products Bill. [36873/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraJohn Paul Phelan
Ceist:802. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Health if pre-legislative scrutiny is planned in respect of the proposed nicotine inhaling products Bill. [36874/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraJohn Paul Phelan
Ceist:803. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Health to publish the general scheme and regulatory impact assessment of the proposed nicotine inhaling products Bill. [36875/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:808. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health when the new changes regarding the sale of vapes will come into effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36942/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 801, 802, 803 and 808 together.
I received Cabinet approval on 10 September to draft a Bill which will further regulate nicotine inhaling products, including a complete ban on disposable vapes and a restriction on flavours. The proposal for a Bill will now begin drafting stage. The draft legislation will then require notification at EU level under the Technical Standards Directive (Directive 2015/1535).
At this early stage in the legislative process, I do not have a timeline for the introduction of the measures in the Bill.
Decisions regarding pre-legislative scrutiny are a matter for the Oireachtas Committee.
I intend to publish the regulatory impact statement and the general scheme in the coming weeks.
Question No. 802 answered with Question No. 801.
Question No. 803 answered with Question No. 801.
Health Services
Ceisteanna (804, 805)
Jim O'Callaghan
Ceist:804. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health whether he intends to make provision for increased standard eye examinations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36888/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraJim O'Callaghan
Ceist:805. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health whether he intends to establish an eye care scheme for children between the ages of eight and 12 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36889/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 804 and 805 together.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) provides optical services free of charge to pre-school children and national school children referred from child health service and school health service examinations who are discovered to have sight problems. These children are referred to the appropriate consultant for treatment. In such circumstances, these services will continue to be provided until the child has reached the age of 16.
The Community Ophthalmic Services Scheme (COSS) is a national fee-per-item scheme which was introduced in 1979. Under the COSS, medical card holders aged over 16 years can be seen by ophthalmologists, community ophthalmic physicians, optometrists or dispensing opticians. Eligible patients can receive an eye examination and be provided with prescribed optical appliances in accordance with a national schedule of approved optical appliances.
The Health Professionals (Reduction of Payments to Ophthalmologists, Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians) Regulations 2013 (SI 274 of 2013) sets the fees for optometrists and dispensing opticians under the COSS. Increasing the fee payable to contractors for a standard eye examination under the COSS (to ensure parity with that payable for the same exam under the Department of Social Protection’s Treatment Benefit Scheme) is a priority for my Department, and work is ongoing in this regard.
The HSE Primary Care Eye Services Review Group Report, published in June 2017, set out the way forward for a significant amount of eye services to be delivered in a primary care setting. The Report estimated that 60% of existing outpatient activity could be moved to primary care thus enabling hospital services to focus on patients who require more specialist diagnostics or treatments.
The National Clinical Programme for Ophthalmology developed a model of care, also published in 2017, detailing how the realignment of eye services from the acute hospitals to the community will be undertaken. Included in current priorities is transferring the care of children aged 8+ years to the care of local private optometrists, and the HSE have forwarded a costed implementation plan in that regard.
There will be engagement between my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform during the Estimates 2025 process in regard to the funding needed to progress healthcare priorities, including the provision of eyecare. Of course, any publicly funded ophthalmic service expansion should address unmet public healthcare needs and improve access to public health services while ensuring value for money.
Question No. 805 answered with Question No. 804.
Hospital Investigations
Ceisteanna (806)
Matt Carthy
Ceist:806. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if he will instruct the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) and-or Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) to publish the interim letter sent by HIQA to CHI in November 2023 in respect of investigations relating to spinal surgeries at Temple Street Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36925/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I requested HIQA to carry out a review into the use of surgical implants and medical devices at Children's Health Ireland. This independent review was to focus on the end-to end processes around the use of the non-CE spring implants during spinal surgery in Temple Street, as well as wider issues in relation to the controls, oversight processes and governance within CHI on the use of surgical implants / implantable medical devices. The review is well advanced, and I am expecting the final report to be submitted to me in the near future.
Hospital Investigations
Ceisteanna (807)
Matt Carthy
Ceist:807. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if he will instruct Children’s Health Ireland to publicly publish a report (details supplied) in respect of investigations relating to spinal surgeries at Temple Street Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36926/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The review referenced by the Deputy is an internal CHI review, and I can make no further comment at this time as it is a matter for CHI.
Question No. 808 answered with Question No. 801.