Darren O'Rourke
Ceist:1266. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE occupational therapists within older persons services in CHO8, in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [45172/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraHospital Staff
Ceisteanna (1266)
Freagraí scríofa
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Emergency Departments
Ceisteanna (1267)
Darren O'Rourke
Ceist:1267. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the average emergency department waiting times at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan. [45173/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly.
Hospital Facilities
Ceisteanna (1268)
Darren O'Rourke
Ceist:1268. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the capital works projects currently ongoing at the Mater Hospital; the estimated cost for each of these capital works projects; and when each of the capital works projects will be completed, in tabular form. [45174/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
Departmental Data
Ceisteanna (1269)
Darren O'Rourke
Ceist:1269. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the number of patients that attended the gastroenterologist outpatient clinic at CHI Temple Street in 2023 and to date in 2024 in tabular form. [45175/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Departmental Data
Ceisteanna (1270)
Darren O'Rourke
Ceist:1270. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been achieved in respect of step down facilities across CHO8 since 2022, in tabular form. [45176/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Home Care Packages
Ceisteanna (1271)
Robert Troy
Ceist:1271. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health when additional home help hours will be put in place for a person as a priority (details supplied). [45203/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (1272)
Robert Troy
Ceist:1272. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if an appointment will be expedited for a person (details supplied). [45246/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Ceisteanna (1273)
Mattie McGrath
Ceist:1273. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the current position with ophthalmology services in Clonmel; if the service is operating and how long it is taking to be seen. [45250/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Departmental Programmes
Ceisteanna (1274)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:1274. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to address matters relating to a pilot treatment programme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45260/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As Minister for Health, I welcome the involvement of Irish-based experts in European clinical research initiatives aimed at exploring the feasibility of future screening programmes for gastric (TOGAS), prostate (PRAISE-U) and lung (SOLACE) cancers. The projects will add to our understanding of the early identification of these cancers and any evidence gained will no doubt add to the existing body of knowledge, thus helping to inform the consideration of new cancer screening programmes in Ireland.
I understand that the Lung Health Check pilot expects to commence work before the end of the year, having successfully gone through the standard research processes. In terms of funding, the Beaumont Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) project team submitted a grant application under the Women’s Health Task Fund earlier this year. This application was separate to RCSI’s other sources of funding, including the recently announced partnership with the Irish Cancer Society.
I am glad to confirm that this application for almost €100,000 has been approved. It will be used to support specific elements of the Lung Health Check pilot relating to addressing the unmet need to improve the outcomes for lung cancer amongst midlife and older women. This is an important factor in promoting equity.
Finally, it is necessary to highlight that my department is not coordinating the pilot projects and does not have a direct role in their operation. Therefore, I recommend that the deputy approach the researcher involved in the Lung Health Check pilot, part of the SOLACE project, for further information on its status.
Care Services
Ceisteanna (1275)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:1275. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the work of the Commission on Care for Older People; the status of the three modules; to provide further details in respect of the work of Reference Group and the number of times it has met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45264/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In fulfilment of the commitment in the Programme for Government, the Government has established an independent Commission on Care for Older People, the inaugural meeting of which was held on 21st March 2024. In Budget 2025 €0.6 million was allocated to the Commission, which is being supported by a secretariat from my Department
The Commission, which is chaired by Professor Alan Barrett (CEO, ESRI) and comprised of independent experts, is charged with examining the provision of health and social care services and supports for older people and with making recommendations to the Government for their strategic development. Subsequently a cross-departmental group will be established under the auspices of the Commission to consider whether the supports for positive ageing across the life-course are fit-for-purpose and to develop a costed implementation plan for options to optimise these supports.
The work of the Commission is being advanced through three modules which will run consecutively. In Module 1 the Commission is charged with determining the effectiveness, adequacy and efficiency of the care and supports which are currently provided within the health and social care system, including the plans for their further development, in meeting the evolving care needs of the increasing diversity of older people within the context of the ageing population. The Commission will prepare for my consideration, and for that of the Minister for Health, a report detailing the Commission’s work in respect of Module 1 including any learnings for inclusion in Module 2. The report on Module 1 is due for completion in Q1 2025.
A Reference Group comprised of NGOs and other key stakeholders working in the area, including those with lived experience, has been formed to engage with the Commission in an advisory capacity. The work of the Reference Group is being advanced through biannual national plenary meetings and thematic focus group meetings. To date, two national plenary meetings have been convened (on 18th June and 8th October 2024), in addition to which three thematic focus group meetings have been held this year—on GP and primary care (19th September); supported living (25th September); and home support and community-based supports for people with intellectual disabilities (18th October). Reports on these meetings will be submitted to the Commission.
Further information about the work of the Commission, including the minutes of meetings, can be accessed on the Department of Health's gov.ie page: www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/aecb0-comission-on-care-for-older-people
Budget 2025
Ceisteanna (1276)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:1276. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to provide a detailed breakdown of the Budget 2025 allocation to eHealth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45265/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Reply not received from
Department.
Hospital Staff
Ceisteanna (1277)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:1277. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of doctors who undertook specialist training for general practice in each of the years from 2018 to 2024; the number who completed the training programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45266/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
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
Ceisteanna (1278)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:1278. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of GP training places on offer in each of the years from 2018 to 2024; the planned increases in training places; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45267/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Following engagement with the ICGP, the number new entrant GP training places available for 2024 was increased to 350 whereas previously it intended to reach 350 new entrant places by 2026. 347 new entrants commenced GP training this year, a 21% increase on last year’s intake of 286. The number of new entrants to GP training has been increased by 80% from 2019 to 2024 alone.
Availability of 350 new entrant GP training places is planned for 2025, and additional funding has been provided to support the increased number of GP trainees in the system next year due to the recent increases in new entrant training places.
The table below shows the planned available number of new entrant GP training places for each year from 2018 to 2024 (rather than the actual number of new entrants per year):
|
Year |
GP Training Places |
|
2024 |
350 |
|
2023 |
285 |
|
2022 |
259 |
|
2021 |
235 |
|
2020 |
217 |
|
2019 |
202 |
|
2018 |
198 |
Departmental Programmes
Ceisteanna (1279)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:1279. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to provide a detailed update on implementation of the new HSE health regions; if the hospital groups and CHOs have been stood down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45268/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Legislative Measures
Ceisteanna (1280)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:1280. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 407 of 11 July 2024, to provide an update on his Department's consideration of the Law Reform Commission's report entitled 'A Regulatory Framework for Adult Safeguarding', and its recommendations; if work has begun on drafting a new safeguarding Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45269/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Safeguarding at-risk adults against abuse is of paramount importance and is taken very seriously by the Government. I have welcomed the independent Law Reform Commission’s Report on ‘A Regulatory Framework for Adult Safeguarding’ published in April. The Report sets out comprehensive and wide-ranging recommendations that have relevance across a range of Government Departments, including but not exclusive to the Department of Health. I anticipate that the Commission's Report will be carefully considered by all relevant Departments in relation to their respective functions. The Department of Health will continue to work in partnership with other relevant Departments in this regard.
Separately, the Department of Health, in liaison with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, is at an advanced stage of developing a national policy on adult safeguarding specifically in respect of the health and social care sector, in order to further strengthen existing protections in this sector. A public consultation closed earlier this year and the consultation feedback report is currently being prepared by the Institute of Public Health. It is expected that these sectoral policy proposals will be finalised and brought to Government in early 2025, informed by the consultation process and also the Law Reform Commission’s report. Subject to Government approval of this national sectoral policy, legislation as required to underpin the approved policy will thereafter be prepared.
Departmental Reports
Ceisteanna (1281)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:1281. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on implementation of the Covid-19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel Report, by recommendation. [45270/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The independent COVID-19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel was established in May 2020 to examine the complex issues surrounding the management of COVID-19 in nursing homes. The Expert Panel published its report in August 2020 which identified learnings and recommendations to inform the approach to the management and mitigation of risk to older persons resident in nursing homes as the pandemic evolved.
The Expert Panel recommendations have provided a guiding framework not only for the pandemic response in nursing homes but also more broadly for a wide-ranging programme of improvement and reform for older persons’ care in residential care settings. Four Progress Reports and an implementation progress update (October 2023) have been published to date. All reports can be found here: www.gov.ie/en/publication/c7f5b-covid-19-nursing-homes-expert-panel-report-implementation-oversight-team/#progress-reports
I intend to publish a further implementation progress update in the coming days, which will highlight that 65 of the 86 recommendations have already been implemented and mainstreamed into normal operations.
Key areas of progress include:
• The Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No.2) Act was enacted in July 2024, and has been commenced. The Act amends the 2007 Health Act to give the regulator (HIQA) further powers in relation to enforcement and data collection.
• The Care and Welfare Regulations are being amended to further strengthen the regulatory framework for nursing homes including in the areas of visiting, IPC, resident’s rights, criteria for PICs and governance. These will be published imminently.
• The Patient Safety (Notifiable Incidents and Open Disclosure) Act 2023 includes a new provision giving the Chief Inspector of Social Services a discretionary power to review serious patient safety incidents in nursing homes.
• €1.6m was provided in Budget 2024 to facilitate registered nurses working in private nursing homes to obtain a postgraduate diploma qualification in Gerontological Nursing. €1.6m in funding has also been secured in Budget 2025 to enable a second year of this programme.
• The final research report on the development of a Safe Staffing and Skill Mix Framework for the sector will be published shortly, and Taskforce recommendations will be sent to Government early next year and a policy developed thereafter.
• The Independent Commission on Care for Older People began its work in March 2024 to examine the provision of health and social care services and support for older people and to make recommendations to the Government for their strategic development. A report from the Commission on Module 1 is expected in early 2025.
• The Patient Advocacy Service was extended to private nursing homes from November 2022.
• Revised Regulations to enhance and streamline complaints processes came into effect in March 2023.
• A Palliative and end-of-life programme for nursing homes which was launched in 2022 continues to deliver education and training to staff.
• The results of the first Nursing Homes Care Experience survey were published in November 2022.
• New dedicated Infection Prevention and Control and Safeguarding Specialist Capacities for nursing homes have been established across the 6 health regions.
The recommendations from the Expert Panel represented a broad programme of wide-ranging and complex reform and it was always accepted that it would take time to implement some of the medium to long term reforms. The Government remains committed to the implementation of the Expert Panel recommendations and work is continuing to advance remaining recommendations.
Healthcare Infrastructure Provision
Ceisteanna (1282)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:1282. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the enhanced provision of elective care programme; the status of his plans for elective-only hospitals in Dublin, Cork and Galway following site selection; the timeline his Department is working towards for delivery of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45271/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I have asked the HSE, as Sponsoring Agency with day-to-day responsibility for the delivery of the new Elective Hospitals in Dublin, Cork and Galway to respond to you directly in relation to the matters raised.
Hospital Facilities
Ceisteanna (1283)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:1283. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on acute inpatient bed delivery (details supplied); the number of additional beds delivered since publication of the Acute Hospital Inpatient Bed Capacity Expansion Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45272/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible
Departmental Budgets
Ceisteanna (1284)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:1284. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the current hourly direct cost and indirect cost of delivery home care; and the total cost of direct and indirect delivery of home care in each of the years from 2020 to 2023. [45273/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Home Help Service
Ceisteanna (1285)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:1285. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to provide a percentage split of home care service provision between direct and indirect delivery (details supplied). [45274/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Staff
Ceisteanna (1286)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:1286. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the uptake of the public-only consultant contract, by principal clinical site, in tabular form (details supplied). [45275/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.