Tuesday, 22 Oct 2024

Medical Aids and Appliances

Ceisteanna (707)

Ged Nash

Ceist:

707. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if he can ensure that the HSE takes urgent action in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42638/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

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

Ceisteanna (708)

Maurice Quinlivan

Ceist:

708. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health to examine the case of a person (details supplied) who was refused treatment for ASD; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42640/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of 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 Facilities

Ceisteanna (709)

Matt Carthy

Ceist:

709. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the reason the diamond ward in Monaghan Hospital has been closed for the past number of months; when it is expected to reopen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42641/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

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.

Question No. 710 answered with Question No. 701.

Healthcare Policy

Ceisteanna (711)

John Lahart

Ceist:

711. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the amounts, and timing of, funds which have allocated to an organisation (details supplied) in the 2025 health budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42653/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I have secured funding of €0.5 million for Lung Fibrosis initiatives as part of Budget 2025. The specifics of the allocation of this funding are currently being worked on as part of the preparation of the HSE’s National Service Plan for 2025 (NSP 2025).

Healthcare Policy

Ceisteanna (712)

John Lahart

Ceist:

712. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health what stipulations have been made in the budget allocation to an organisation (details supplied) regarding the funding's remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42654/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I have secured funding of €0.5 million for Lung Fibrosis initiatives as part of Budget 2025. The specifics of the allocation of this funding are currently being worked on as part of the preparation of the HSE’s National Service Plan for 2025 (NSP 2025).

Hospital Complaints Procedures

Ceisteanna (713)

Marian Harkin

Ceist:

713. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the average and median time that elapses between the receipt of a complaint by the Medical Council and the making of an initial determination by the PPC or CEO, respectively; following such initial determination, the average and median length of time that the FTPC stage takes; if he will provide such figures for 2022, 2023 and 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42655/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The Medical Council has seen a rise in the number of serious cases it is dealing with in recent years.

This in turn has resulted in an increase in the number of referrals to Fitness to Practise, as well as an increase in the number of cases considered pursuant to section 60 of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007, (i.e. cases where the Council must consider whether to make an application to the High Court to suspend a doctor’s registration if there is an immediate risk to the public).

Serious cases are by their nature more complex which require extensive investigation and may have concurrent criminal proceedings in some instances. The nature of serious cases adds to the number of investigative steps required, and in turn the time required to investigate.

In order to deal with this increase in cases the Medical Council has added additional resources to its Complaints and Investigations Directorate in 2023 and 2024.

Please see Table 1 and Table 2 set out below for the respective timelines for the Preliminary Proceedings Committee (PPC) and Fitness to Practise (FTP) stages.

Table 1 – PPC Stage

Average and median times (in months) for the making of an initial determination by the Preliminary Proceedings Committee (PPC)

Year	Average time that elapses between the receipt of a complaint by the Medical Council and the making of an initial determination by the PPC or CEO	Median time that elapses between the receipt of a complaint by the Medical Council and the making of an initial determination by the PPC or CEO
2022 (279 cases were determined)	12 months	16 months
2023(265 cases were determined)	13 months	10 months
2024(312 cases were determined)	13 months	9 months

Table 2 – FTP Stage

Average and median times (in months) at the Fitness to Practise (FTP) stage.

Year	Average length of time that the FTPC stage takes	Median length of time that the FTPC stage takes
2022	23.5 months	20 months
2023	29 months	21 months
2024	22 months	24 months

Patient Transport

Ceisteanna (714)

Cian O'Callaghan

Ceist:

714. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if CHO9 will be provided with funding for patient transport to hospital appointments or respite services in cases in which the patient is bed bound and requires transport on an ambulance trolley, as the cost of ambulance transfers is significant for the patient and their family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42661/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Ceisteanna (720)

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

720. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a differential in survival rates for breast cancer between those diagnosed in a public hospital, private hospital or designated cancer centre, and if he will detail what that differential is; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42682/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Successive National Cancer Strategies have delivered continuing improvements in outcomes for Irish cancer patients in terms of earlier diagnosis, better treatment, and improved rates of survival.

Effective prevention, early diagnosis, access to quality treatment, survivorship, patient involvement, and safe high-quality patient-centred care are key aims of the National Cancer Strategy. The Government has already initiated policy to improve our nation’s health through 'Healthy Ireland - A Framework for Improved Health and Well-being 2013-2025', which sets the overarching context in which a focus on cancer prevention will be driven as a cornerstone of this Strategy. The National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) continues to work on the 'Early Diagnosis of Symptomatic Cancer Plan 2022-2025', which aims to increase the number of symptomatic cancers that are diagnosed at early stage disease.

The model of care for hospital cancer treatment is centred on eight Designated Cancer Centres serving a defined population and geographic area. The centralisation of specialist services into Designated Cancer Centres aims to optimise patient outcomes, through case volume, multidisciplinary working and infrastructural supports.

The National Cancer Registry (NCRI) published a report in 2019, Cancer care and survival in relation to centralisation of Irish cancer services: an analysis of National Cancer Registry data 1994-2015. This report provides comparisons of five-year cancer-specific survival between three categories of hospitals (designated centres, other public hospitals, and private hospitals), based on where patients were first treated or diagnosed. Comparisons are made for cancers of the oesophagus, stomach, rectum, pancreas, lung, breast, prostate, and brain/central nervous system.

The report found that cause-specific survival of patients improved over time, both nationally and within most hospital categories, for the majority of the cancers and other tumours analysed. There were differences in survival rates between designated centres and private hospitals, depending on the cancer or tumour-type involved. A number of factors may influence and help explain differences seen in survival, such as stage differences and, to a lesser degree, deprivation status of the patient. The report notes that differences in the appropriateness or quality of treatment and unmeasured differences in general patient health affecting suitability for treatment may contribute to survival differences between hospital categories.

It should be noted that all comparisons are based on hospital category, not on patient status, i.e. whether the patient's care is publicly funded or privately insured. Therefore, figures for cancer centres, and to a lesser extent other public hospitals, include any private patients whose first treatment/diagnosis was in a public hospital. A full copy of the report including a summary table detailing cause-specific survival of cancer patients diagnosed 2008-2014, by category of hospital where first treated or diagnosed, can be viewed and downloaded from the NCRI:

www.ncri.ie/sites/ncri/files/pubs/CancerCentralisation_NCRI_Jan2019_fullreport_29012019_final.pdf.

Ambulance Service

Ceisteanna (721)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Ceist:

721. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health to provide details of the current shortage of ambulance service managers in the north west, including the specific number of vacancies at assistant chief ambulance officer, operations resource manager, and paramedic supervisor levels; and the reasons behind these vacancies, as well as the plans and timelines for filling each of these positions. [42684/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

As these are service matters I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Staff

Ceisteanna (722)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

722. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health when the vacancy for an ophthalmologist in the Midlands Regional Hospital, Mullingar, will be filled (details supplied). [42689/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

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.

Ceisteanna (726)

Jim O'Callaghan

Ceist:

726. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the details of costings provided to the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, in the context of the National Development Plan 2021-2030 review conducted earlier this year; and to provide a breakdown of each project and its projected cost in each of the years 2025 to 2030. [42719/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Annual capital ceilings are set out in the National Development Plan 2021-2030 (NDP); on a Departmental basis for the period to 2026 and on an aggregate basis out to 2030. Following the Estimates process each year, the Health Capital allocation is set out in the overall Health vote. In 2024 total funding available for the Health Building and Equipment Capital Plan is €1.138bn.

The revised National Development Plan (NDP) capital allocations agreed by Government on Wednesday 27 March 2024 included additional capital allocation towards healthcare infrastructure. This now brings our NDP Health capital allocation to €1.46 billion for 2025 and €1.56 billion for 2026.

It is on the basis of this annual funding envelope that the HSE Capital Plan is developed. The HSE is required to prepare and submit to the Minister for Health for review and approval an annual Capital Plan. In compiling the Capital Plan, first order priority is given to:

• Existing contractual commitments, i.e. the completion and equipping of all projects in construction.

• Other contractual commitments e.g. Public Private Partnership unitary charges.

The approved HSE Capital Plan 2024 provides for the HSE to progress projects and programmes including the completion of the New Children's Hospital, advancement of the National Maternity Hospital, the Elective Hospitals, the development of Surgical Hubs, additional acute hospital capacity projects, progressing initiatives including primary care centres to bring about the delivery of care closer to home, investment in mental health facilities through the country, maintaining investment in minor capital initiatives, the delivery of the equipment and ambulance replacement programmes and to progress the Infrastructure and Decarbonisation Strategy and Implementation roadmap.

The HSE Capital Plan 2024 with details of capital projects funded is available at the following link: www.hse.ie/eng/services/publications/capital-plan-2024.pdf

The HSE Capital Plan 2025 is currently being developed. The Capital Plan 2025 will be published in line with established procedures once finalised and approved by the Minister for Health.

The Minister and the Department continue to work with stakeholders to explore all available opportunities to improve the pace of capital health projects delivery.

Health Services

Ceisteanna (727)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

727. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health to consider requesting the HSE and the Department of Social Protection to designate a professional wig clinic to each region as the NHS have done in Ulster, putting contracts in place with professional providers to ensure patients availing of grants for hair loss are receiving quality products and service. [42735/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

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.

Medicinal Products

Ceisteanna (728)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Ceist:

728. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health if the medical cannabis access programme will be extended to patients with fibromyalgia. [42737/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

As the Deputy would be aware, my Department is in the process of setting up a clinical review group to examine the findings of the Health Research Board’s evidence synthesis publication. The clinical review group will recommend to the Minister if, in its opinion, there is or is not sufficient evidence in the HRB’s report to expand the current range of conditions covered by the Medical Cannabis Access Programme. It is too early at this stage to pre-empt the outcome of the recommendations that the clinical review group will make to me as Minister for Health.

Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (729)

Seán Fleming

Ceist:

729. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health to give a timeline in respect of the appointment of a chief pharmacist in the Department of Health in view of the vast amounts being paid by the taxpayer for pharmacy products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42738/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I have requested the HSE to establish a Medicines Sustainability Programme to drive immediate savings under the medicines budget and to progress medium to long-term structural reform in respect of medicines expenditure. A Department of Health and Health Service Executive Medicines Sustainability Taskforce is established to support the HSE Sustainability Programme and to lead and drive the medicines workstream of the overarching savings and productivity programme. The Taskforce will support the HSE’s examination of medicines expenditure in the health service and the identification of measures to maximise the substantial medicines budget.

I am committed to the expansion of the role of pharmacy in Ireland. In July 2023, I established the Expert Taskforce to Support the Expansion of the Role of Pharmacy to examine how pharmacists can be enabled to expand their scope of practice for the benefit of patients and the wider health service.

On August 13, 2024, I published the final report of the Expert Taskforce. The Taskforce made three overarching recommendations:

1. That pharmacists be enabled to exercise independent, autonomous prescriptive authority within and related to the individual practitioner’s scope of practice and competence.

2. This should be implemented in a stepwise manner, commencing with the introduction of a common conditions service, with pharmacists provided with prescriptive authority linked to the service and its parameters.

3. The development, over the coming years, of models of pharmacist prescribing within primary and secondary care settings, recognising the requirements for specific enablers.

In line with the Taskforce's recommendations, I am immediately prioritising supporting pharmacists to prescribe for certain conditions under a new Common Conditions Service. I have established an Implementation Oversight Group with multi-agency representation including pharmacists, to support the necessary implementation work to deliver this first phase of pharmacy expansion. I expect a Common Conditions Service to commence in early 2025.

In relation to the Taskforce's package of recommendations for the development of models of pharmacist prescribing across the health service - in other countries, this has involved pharmacists prescribing for more complex conditions in specific settings. In parallel to progressing the common conditions service, I have asked my officials to examine these wider recommendations, which includes a recommendation on the appointment of a chief pharmacist, to consider how best to apply these models in an Irish context and the enablers that will be required to design, plan and deliver these. My Department will consider these further over the coming months and engage with stakeholders through established structures.