Written Answers Nos. 1275-1299
1275. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Health if her Department has been made aware of any shortages of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products which are due to be included in the free HRT scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3293/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraDear Deputy
The Department is aware of the stress that shortages of medicines can cause for patients and healthcare professionals alike, thusly managing and mitigating medicine shortages is the subject of several workstreams across the Department and wider health service.
Ireland has a multi-stakeholder Medicines Shortages Framework in place, operated by our medicines regulator, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) on behalf of the Department of Health. The framework aims to help prevent potential shortages from occurring and to reduce the impact of shortages on patients by coordinating the management of potential or actual shortages as they arise.
The HPRA is aware of current shortages of the following HRT medicines:
• Sandoz Pharmaceuticals d.d., the company responsible for supplying Estradot, has notified the HPRA of a shortage of Estradot 37.5 micrograms / 24 hours, 50 micrograms / 24 hours, 75 micrograms / 24 hours, and 100 micrograms / 24 hours transdermal patches.
• The shortages of all of the above presentations of Estradot, except for Estradot 75micrograms/ 24 hours, are expected to be resolved on 10th February.
• Theramex Ireland Limited, the company responsible for supplying Evorel, has notified the HPRA of a shortage of Evorel 50 micrograms/24 hours transdermal patches due to an unexpected increase in demand. This shortage is expected to resolve on 15th February.
The HPRA maintains a list of current and resolved shortages on its website (www.hpra.ie/find-a-medicine/for-human-use/medicine-shortages?data=eyJpZCI6bnVsbCwic2tpcCI6MCwidGFrZSI6MTAsInF1ZXJ5IjpudWxsLCJvcmRlciI6Imxhc3R1cGRhdGVkIERFU0MiLCJmaWx0ZXIiOiJBbGwifQ%3D%3D). The webpage is updated daily as the HPRA receives new information.
The Department of Health engaged with both the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Irish Pharmacy Union in relation to the practical rollout of this measure and is working to introduce it as soon as possible. On Tuesday, 5 November the Health Insurance (Amendment) and Health (Provision of Menopause Products) Bill 2024 passed all stages in the Oireachtas and was signed into law.
This legislation means that where a woman has been prescribed a Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) product by her healthcare provider to alleviate the symptoms associated with all stages of menopause*, the cost of the HRT medications or products will be met by the State. This will cover any HRT medications and products which are currently reimbursable by the HSE, which are prescribed for the purposes of alleviating the symptoms of menopause. The cost of GP consultation fees and pharmacy dispensing fees are not included in the measure.
*For the purpose of this measure, menopause means, in relation to a woman, the various stages for the treatment of menopause symptoms and includes perimenopause, post menopause, early menopause, premature menopause and medically induced menopause.
1276. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health what preparations have been made to roll out the free hormone replacement therapy scheme, as outlined in Budget 2025. [3302/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra1277. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health to provide an up-to-date list of the full range of respite services available in County Donegal for children and adults with disabilities and their families. [3312/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra1278. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to progress a surgical hub at Letterkenny, County Donegal to reduce waiting lists for patients in the county and to attract and retain quality consultant surgeons and their support teams to serve those patients. [3313/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra1279. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for physiotherapy, by CHO, and age category and time waiting, in tabular form. [3319/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1280. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for occupational therapy, by CHO, age category and time waiting, in tabular form. [3320/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1281. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for ophthalmology, by CHO, age category and time waiting, in tabular form. [3321/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1282. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for audiology, by CHO, age category and time waiting, in tabular form. [3322/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1283. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for podiatry, by CHO, and age category and time waiting, in tabular form. [3323/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1284. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for community psychology services, by CHO, age category and time waiting, in tabular form. [3324/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1285. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for counselling services, by CHO, age category and time waiting, in tabular form. [3325/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
1286. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for CAMHS, by CHO, age category and time waiting, in tabular form. [3326/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1287. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for dietetics, by CHO, age category and time waiting, in tabular form. [3327/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1288. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on an acute hospital waiting list, by age category, hospital, speciality and time waiting, in tabular form. [3328/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the particular query raised, adult and child waiting list information by hospital and specialty is published monthly by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) on its website: www.ntpf.ie/home/nwld.htm
The information is now being made available through an interactive visual tool which provides users with a much-improved way of accessing and analysing waiting list information.
1289. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the status of the strategic review of general practice; the timeline for completion of the final report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3329/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraA Strategic Review of General Practice is currently underway, led by the Department of Health and supported by the HSE. With input from key stakeholders, the review is examining a range of issues affecting general practice including GP training, GP capacity, Out of Hours services reform, the eHealth Agenda, and the financial support model for general practice. The Review will identify the arrangements necessary to improve the current system of GP care as part of a primary care-focused health service.
Significant progress has been made under the review which is to be completed early this year. Following its completion, a final report will be presented to me outlining the findings of the review and setting out recommended actions for a more sustainable general practice.
1290. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for home care packages, by CHO and LHO, in tabular form. [3330/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1291. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for home care packages in each month in 2023 and 2024, by CHO and LHO, in tabular form. [3331/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1292. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of delayed discharges, by category and hospital, in tabular form. [3332/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly.
1293. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the status of plans to introduce a statutory right to homecare; the timeline she is working towards in publishing the legislation; the status of her Department’s work to establish a funding model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3333/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government 2025 'Securing Ireland's Future' commits to "Design a Statutory Homecare Scheme to allow people to stay in their own home for as long as possible." Achieving this commitment will require focused effort across several different workstreams, all contributing towards strengthening the statutory framework and improving the experiences of those receiving home support.
The first element that is being legislated for relates to the licensing and registration of home support providers. The General Scheme to establish a licensing framework for professional home support services delivered in the State - the Health (Amendment) (Licensing of Professional Home Support Providers) Bill 2024 General Scheme - was approved by Government on 14 May 2024 and is published on the Department of Health’s website. The Joint Committee for Health began pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme in June with a report published by them on 14 October 2024. My officials are currently reviewing the recommendations included in the Committee’s report. The General Scheme has now been referred to the Office of Parliamentary Counsel for final drafting with a view to presenting the Bill to Cabinet in Q3 2025.
This Bill will provide for the regulation of the sector by HIQA. Final amendments have been made to draft regulations for home support providers following a public consultation and engagement with stakeholder groups. The Department has been working closely with HIQA, which has prepared draft quality standards that went out for public consultation in December 2024.
As well as delivering on the legislative elements of this commitment, the Department is working to address the future financing of homecare, the reform of the model of service delivery and the breadth of issues relating to recruitment and retention in this sector; all in the context of unprecedented expansion of the State-funded home support service, nationally.
Currently, home support services are fully exchequer funded. The Department is researching different funding models which will form an important part of the evidence base for the development of a sustainable funding model for home care services and has commissioned several reports from the ESRI and the European Observatory on Health Systems. This research is being examined, as it forms an important part of the evidence base for the development of a sustainable funding model for home support services in the context of our ageing population. No final decision on future funding has been made and further research is currently underway to enhance the evidence base.
1294. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the reason a position has remained vacant in a PrEP clinic since 2023 (details supplied); if recruitment has begun; the timeline being worked towards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3334/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1295. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health the number of public sector workers in each of the local electoral areas in County Clare under headings (details supplied), in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3375/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra1296. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health the number of practising GPs in County Clare for each of the years 2020 to 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3381/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1297. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health the number of practising GPs per 100,000 population, by county for each of the years 2020 to 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3382/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1299. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health the number of publicly employed community nurses in County Clare for each of the years 2020 to 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3384/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra“As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.”
