Written Answers Nos. 761-781
761. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if the home-based treatment team in Cavan Monaghan Mental Health Service operates a specific discharge safety plan; if such a plan mandates active service user participation and-or the participation of family members and interested third parties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13759/25]
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.
762. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if an early intervention in psychosis (EIP) service operates within Cavan Monaghan Mental Health Service; the date that this EIP service was established; the number of users that have been referred to this service in each month since its establishment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13760/25]
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.
763. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the total current funding allocation and the final expenditure for Cavan Monaghan mental health service for each of the years 2020 to 2024; the current funding allocation for 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13761/25]
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.
764. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the total capital funding allocation and the final expenditure for Cavan Monaghan mental health service for each of the years 2020 to 2024; the capital funding allocation for 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13762/25]
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.
765. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the status of the proposed new purpose-built acute psychiatric admission unit on the grounds of Cavan General Hospital; when work will commence on this project; when it is expected to be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13763/25]
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.
766. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if she will review the decision by the HSE not to share the records held by Cavan Monaghan mental health services in respect of a person (details supplied) who died by suicide on 18 November 2020, having been discharged from the psychiatric unit at Cavan Hospital with their family; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13764/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra767. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health to outline, given that the stated reason for the decision of HSE not to share the records held by Cavan Monaghan mental health services in respect of a person (details supplied) who died by suicide on 18 November 2020 having been discharged from the psychiatric unit at Cavan Hospital with their family, is based on the position that the person expressly stated that they did not wish for their file to be shared with their family, the date and manner in which the person stated this position; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13765/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 766 and 767 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
768. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if an early intervention in psychosis information pack is made available to family members of patients attending Cavan Monaghan mental health service; if so, the number of families that have received such information packs in each year since 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13766/25]
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.
769. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the number of community support and peer support workers that are currently employed with the home based treatment team at Cavan Monaghan mental health service; if there are any vacancies of these posts at present; if there are proposals to employ additional such posts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13767/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis PQ has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy as it relates to an operational matter.
770. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the community response plans that guide Cavan Monaghan mental health service following suicides; when the current plans were established and revised; if there are proposals to review these plans; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13768/25]
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.
771. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if a review was undertaken within Cavan Monaghan mental health service on the impact of Covid-19 restrictions on the service and on service-users; if recommendations were made by any such review; the status of any such recommendations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13769/25]
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.
772. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if there are proposal to further improve WiFi and mobile phone coverage at Cavan General Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13770/25]
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.
773. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the staff allocated to the Psychiatric Unit at Cavan General Hospital at present, by title, discipline and grade; those positions which are currently unfilled; the corresponding figures for March 2020, March 2021, March 2022, March 2023 and March 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13771/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra774. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the number of patients that were admitted to the Psychiatric Unit at Cavan General Hospital in each month since January 2020; the number therein that were involuntary admissions; the number that were admitted of periods of less than 24 hours, more than one day, less than two days, more than two days, less than three days, three to five days, five to seven days, one to two weeks, two to three weeks, three to four weeks, four to eight weeks, more than eight weeks, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13772/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 773 and 774 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
775. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health to examine the case for the reinstatement of medical cards for persons (details supplied). [13773/25]
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.
776. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health the funding allocated for personal assistant service and home support hours for CHO5; the means by which hours are allocated, cases are assessed, and appeals made; how needs of the individual are assessed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13777/25]
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.
777. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Health when the free IVF scheme, as announced in Budget 2025, will be implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13781/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Model of Care for Fertility was developed by the Department of Health in conjunction with the HSE’s National Women & Infants Health Programme (NWIHP) in order to ensure that fertility-related issues are addressed through the public health system at the lowest level of clinical intervention necessary.
This Model of Care comprises three stages, starting in primary care (i.e., GPs) and extending into secondary care (i.e., the six Regional Fertility Hubs located across the country) and then, where necessary, AHR (assisted human reproduction) treatment (e.g., IVF (in-vitro fertilisation) and ICSI (intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection)), with patients being referred onwards through structured pathways.
Phase One of the roll-out of the Model of Care involved the establishment, at secondary care level, of six Regional Fertility Hubs within maternity networks covering the entire country, in order to facilitate the management of a significant proportion of patients presenting with fertility-related issues at this level of intervention. Patients are referred by their GPs to their local Regional Fertility Hub, which provides a range of treatments and interventions. These Hubs have been fully operational for a number of years now.
Phase Two of the roll-out of the Model of Care relates to the introduction of AHR treatment, including IVF, provided through the public health system at tertiary level.
Appropriate funding has been made available to support access to AHR treatment via HSE-approved private providers. As well as IVF and ICSI, this allocation is also being used to provide IUI (intrauterine insemination), which can, for certain cohorts of patients, be a potentially effective, yet less complex and less intrusive form of treatment.
Referrals for publicly-funded, privately-provided AHR treatment commenced in September 2023. Criteria prospective patients should meet in order to access fully-funded AHR services were agreed by the Department and the HSE and subsequently approved by Government in July 2023.
The criteria were agreed following consultation with experts in the field of reproductive medicine and include limits in respect of the age of the intending birth mother, body mass index (BMI) and the number of children a couple already have. They are very much in keeping with those applied in other jurisdictions, even though in most European countries, for instance, such treatments are only partially funded and require often significant out-of-pocket payments by patients. More details on public fertility services, including information on the publicly-funded AHR treatment initiative, are available from the HSE at: www2.hse.ie/conditions/fertility-problems-treatments/fertility-treatment/
Over 2,000 couples have been referred to date by a Reproductive Specialist Consultant for AHR treatment following extensive investigations and/or secondary level treatment within the Regional Fertility Hubs. Furthermore, the Hubs have successfully and directly managed numerous of patients presenting with fertility-related issues who have been referred by their GP. Not all couples experiencing fertility challenges actually require such advanced and invasive interventions as IVF.
The access criteria for public patients to avail of services provided at a Regional Fertility Hub are less stringent than those required to be met in order to avail of free AHR treatment. Therefore, it is advised that if a couple is experiencing fertility challenges, and they meet the access criteria for care and management at Regional Fertility Hub level, then they should seek a referral from their GP. Each Regional Fertility Hub is positioned to provide a suite of investigations and tests free of charge and can commence working with the couple to identify next appropriate clinical steps, many of which may be available within the Hub itself or by means of a referral to another public service, for example, endocrinology or urology.
Decisions in respect of any proposed changes to the access criteria and/or the range of services provided through the publicly-funded scheme require further extensive consultation between Department of Health officials, colleagues in the HSE and also with relevant specialists in the field of reproductive medicine.
I want to reassure you that my Department and the Government are focused, through the full implementation of the Model of Care for Fertility, on ensuring that patients receive care at the appropriate level of clinical intervention and then those requiring, and eligible for, advanced AHR treatment such as IVF will be able to access same through the public health system.
778. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Health her plans for the proposed development of a site (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13784/25]
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.
779. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health if the drugs task forces in the Dublin area (details supplied) have been cutting funding for youth related prevention projects; if so, the reason for this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13786/25]
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.
780. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE health promotions and improvement officers, and senior health promotions and improvement officers, employed by the HSE that are based in CHO7, in 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [13855/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a local service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
781. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of persons that attended the migraine outpatient clinic at Beaumont Hospital in 2024 and to date in 2025; the frequency with which this clinic is held; and if a consultant neurologist is always present during these clinics. [13856/25]
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.
