Written Answers Nos. 328-349
328. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health to outline the contingency plans in place in public hospitals in the event a consultant is not in a position to provide on-call hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31004/25]
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.
329. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the options she is considering regarding the future board and governance arrangements at CHI; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31005/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn response to recent Reviews, I moved to strengthen governance and oversight structures at CHI. This was done via the appointment of two members of the HSE Board to the Board of CHI.
There has also been a strengthening of the SLA between CHI and the HSE to strengthen operational oversight. Further, there will be increased involvement and support from the Dublin Midlands REO and senior management. Additional arrangements are also being considered, designed to support the new CEO in CHI to enable her to continue with the transformation programme she has started.
It is important that CHI is given the support and the time to continue the significant reform underway across both current services and in preparation for the new children’s hospital.
330. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health to outline the cost of providing locum cover at CHI hospitals in the event consultants cannot provide on-call hours since 2019, broken down by year and by hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31006/25]
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.
331. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the cost of providing locum cover at all public hospitals in the event consultants cannot provide on-call hours since 2019, broken down by year and by hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31007/25]
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.
332. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of HR reports, investigations or reviews carried out at CHI hospitals into the use of NTPF-funded waiting list initiatives since 2019; to outline the date they commenced and were completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31008/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the particular queries raised, as these are operational service matters I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
333. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of companies used by CHI to provide consultant weekend cover and-or waiting list initiatives since 2019; to list the names of the companies and the funds provided to the companies, broken down by year and by hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31009/25]
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.
334. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of companies used by public hospitals to provide consultant weekend cover and-or waiting list initiatives since 2015; to list the names of the companies and the funds provided to the companies, broken down by year and by hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31010/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is acknowledged that many patients are still waiting too long for hospital appointments and treatments. I am conscious of the burden this places on patients and their families.
A multi-annual approach through a series of Waiting List Action Plans has been adopted to address this issue. Commencing in late 2021, these plans encompass short-term actions to increase capacity and activity in the short and immediate term, and longer-term reform measures to sustainably reduce both hospital waiting lists and waiting times.
This approach has achieved significant progress in overall waiting list reduction and in addressing long waiting times, against a backdrop of significantly increased demand for scheduled care services.
The Waiting List Action Plan approach includes targeting the delivery of additional capacity in the public and private systems, through HSE insourcing and outsourcing, as well as through commissioning in public and private hospitals by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF).
I published the WLAP for 2025 on February 12th, representing continuation of this Government’s commitment and continued investment to reducing waiting times for patients and improving access to hospital care.
With the 2025 plan, we are continuing to build upon the progress delivered to date under the multi annual action plan approach.
In relation to the particular queries raised, as these are service matters I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
335. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be able to access a CAMHS assessment for which they have been waiting over 18 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31011/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
336. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Health if women are offered information on alternatives as a matter of course, prior to their pregnancy termination; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31015/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy's question relates to a service matter, I have referred it to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
337. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of consultants at CHI hospital that are on paid leave since 2020; the longest length of time a consultant has been on paid leave; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31023/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
338. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if the children mentioned in an article (details supplied) as orphan patients at CHI are in fact children with scoliosis and spina bifida; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31024/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
339. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of children on urology waiting lists at CHI since 2019; the length of time they are waiting in the following bands: 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months, 9 months to a year, 1 year to 2 years and greater than 2 years, further broken down by month, by year and by hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31025/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the particular query raised, waiting list information by hospital, specialty and time-band, is published monthly by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) on its website: www.ntpf.ie/home/nwld.htm
The Children’s Health Act 2018 came into effect on 1 January 2019. Under this act, Children’s Health Ireland was established, and all assets, liabilities and records were transferred from Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin, Temple Street Children’s University Hospital and National Children’s Hospital at Tallaght University Hospital to the new body. From 1 January 2019, all NTPF reports reflect this change and data from the three sites of Children’s Health Ireland is reported as one entity.
340. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the governance and reporting arrangement regarding the NTPF; how it reports to the Minister; if the NTPF is accountable to the Oireachtas, including Oireachtas committees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31026/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra341. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the spend of all money by the NTPF since 2020, broken down by salaries, by insourcing and outsourcing of care and any other incurred expenditure, further broken down by year and by allocation to each hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31027/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra342. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of reviews, investigations, HR investigations or reports carried out by the NTPF into insourcing of care at public hospitals since its inception; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31028/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra343. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of reviews, investigations, HR investigations or reports carried out by the public hospitals into insourcing of care at public hospitals that the NTPF is aware of since its inception; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31029/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 340 to 343, inclusive, together.
The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) is an independent body established under Statutory Instrument (S.I.) 179 - National Treatment Purchase Fund (Establishment) Order, 2004 as amended by S.I. No. 125 of 2007, the Health (Miscellaneous Provision) Act 2007 and the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act (2009).
The NTPF Board is responsible for ensuring good governance and compliance with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and that it meets its strategic objectives. There is regular correspondence and contact between officials in my Department and the Senior Management Team of the NTPF to ensure compliance with the Code of Practice and to monitor the overall performance of the organisation. This is done through formal quarterly Governance Meetings as well as through ongoing regular engagement, including in respect of the implementation of Best Practice Reporting, the National Waiting List Forum, the development of the National Waiting List Protocols, performance under the Waiting List Action Plan, and more generally in respect of waiting list reporting.
The NTPF Chief Executive Officer, is required to appear before the Public Accounts Committee as specified in the establishing legislation, and potentially other Dail committees should a formal invitation be made for the body to be considered at such forum.
The NTPF Annual Reports, including the certified Annual Financial Statements, for 2007 to 2023 are published on the NTPF website and can be found at: www.ntpf.ie/about-the-ntpf/publications/
Draft financial statements in respect of 2024 have been prepared. Once these have been audited and certified by the Comptroller and Auditor General, they will be laid before the Oireachtas and incorporated into the NTPF Annual Report 2024 for publication on the NTPF website.
The NTPF Audit and Quality Assurance (AQA) function examines public and voluntary hospitals’ compliance with National Waiting List Management Protocols and reporting requirements. Its specific objective is to ensure standardised management and reporting of data and the publication of correct waiting list information across all public hospitals.
The AQA function does not have an Internal Audit role within the NTPF nor a role in the clinical decision making or financial management at public hospitals.
It is the responsibility of all public and voluntary hospitals to implement National Waiting List Management Protocols and adhere to national waiting list reporting requirements.
Public hospitals are subject to audit both by the HSE Internal Audit function and by external auditors, including the Comptroller and Auditor General. Insourcing arrangements would be within the scope of such audits.
344. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of HR investigations carried out in relation to the work of consultants at CHI since 2019, broken down by year and by hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31030/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
345. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the reporting mechanisms in place at CHI in the event of a HR investigation, including reporting to the CEO, the Board, the Head of the HSE; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31031/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
346. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if an internal HR investigation carried out by CHI mentioned in an article (details supplied) was brought before the Board; when the Board was made aware of investigation; when the Board received a copy of the report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31032/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
347. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health when the Board of CHI first became aware of issues in relation to the carrying out of osteotomies at CHI; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31033/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter for the Health Service Executive (HSE), the HSE has been asked to reply directly to the Deputy.
348. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if non-consultant doctors were seeing children with suspected hip dysplasia since 2019; the role such doctors had; if non-consultant doctors at any point diagnosed children with hip dysplasia; if concerns were raised by consultants in relation to the use of non-consultant doctors regarding children with hip dysplasia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31034/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
349. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if four consultants at CHI raised concerns in 2020 in relation to the treatment of children with suspected hip dysplasia; if these concerns were raised with the then site CEO in Temple Street and the clinical director; if concerns were raised regarding a lack of supervision, non-adherence to guidelines, and issues involving screening; if such concerns were received in writing and minuted in meetings; the date and nature of such meetings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31035/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter for the Health Service Executive, the HSE is being asked to reply directly to the deputy.
