Written Answers Nos. 241-260
241. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number and percentage of patients undergoing radical radiotherapy treatment who commenced treatment within 15 working days of being deemed ready to treat, by location, for the period 2024 to date in 2025, in tabular form. [52610/25]
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.
242. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number and percentage of new patients attending rapid access breast, lung and prostate clinics within recommended timeframes for 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [52611/25]
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.
243. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the average patient experience time to admission via an emergency department, for all patients nationwide for the first nine months of each year 2023 to 2025, for each location, in tabular form; and the average for all patients and for patients aged 75 or older. [52612/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly.
244. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital-initiated scheduled care cancellations, by appointment type, for the first nine months of each year 2022 to 2025, by hospital group and hospital, in tabular form [52613/25]
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.
245. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of delayed transfers of care for the first nine months of each year 2023 to 2025, by each location, in tabular form; the number of delayed discharges and the number as a percentage of all discharges; and the number of bed days lost and the number as a percentage of all bed days available for the period. [52614/25]
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.
246. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the bed occupancy rates of each public and public voluntary hospital, by hospital group, for the first nine months of each year 2023 to 2025, in tabular form; the national average; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52615/25]
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.
247. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of days on which full capacity protocols were active for each statutory and section 38 hospital for the first nine months of each year 2023 to 2025, in tabular form. [52616/25]
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.
248. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of assaults recorded against patients at HSE facilities for the first nine months of each year 2023 to 2025, in tabular form. [52617/25]
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.
249. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of assaults recorded against staff at HSE facilities for the first nine months of each year 2023 to 2025, in tabular form. [52618/25]
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.
250. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the percentage of ambulance crews who are ready and mobile to receive another call within 20 minutes of patient handover for each emergency department, and each hospital for the first nine months of each year 2023 to 2025, in tabular form. [52619/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
251. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients on primary care and community healthcare waiting lists, for each care service, at the end of the first nine months of each year 2023 to 2025, by length of wait and by age, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52620/25]
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.
252. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients on home support waiting lists for a carer at the end of the first nine months of each year 2023 to 2025, by length of wait, in tabular form; and the number of persons who are receiving less than their full allocation of home support hours. [52621/25]
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.
253. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health in light of recent figures released by the HSE on the horrendous growth in the numbers of children on waiting lists in Kerry and in the Kerry-Cork region from 2022 to 2025 inclusive (details supplied), the reason the figures for Kerry and Kerry-Cork are so much worse than other regions; the plans now in place to address the waiting lists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50162/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
254. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health if she will support the establishment of a dedicated pilot study focused on all aspects of the health service in the Iveragh and Dingle peninsulas, including staffing challenges, mental health, day care, primary care, home care, respite, palliative care, community hospital beds and ambulance provision, with a view to developing a model for service delivery in similarly remote areas across the country [51844/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
255. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health if she recognises the concerns of residents in the Iveragh and Dingle peninsulas in County Kerry, who feel they have long suffered from substandard health services due to their remoteness from the centres of decision-making; and if she agrees that the need to travel long distances for basic care amounts to a form of geographic discrimination. [51843/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
256. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in reducing waiting lists for children with additional needs accessing therapies in Cavan and Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50457/25]
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.
257. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to expand the accessibility of forensic examinations for victims of sexual assault; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36375/25]
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.
258. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health whether plans for specialist health nurses, as outlined in the National Early Years Framework, which would help to identify vulnerable or at risk young children, will be operationalised and funded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50166/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraOne of the aims of First 5, A Whole of Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028, is to resource and support the implementation, expansion and enhancement of the National Healthy Childhood Programme (NHCP) to ensure it better addresses the needs of babies, young children and families, enabled by the development of a dedicated child health workforce.
In order to progress this aim, a Steering Group was established to identify and test a dedicated child health workforce aligned with the NHCP as part of the First 5 Strategy. Work to identify dedicated child health roles and pilot sites for testing is currently progressing and Public Health Nurses (PHNs) are being considered as part of this.
The Public Health Nursing Service is delivered by the HSE with a combination of Public Health Nurses (PHN) and Community Registered General Nurses (CRGN). The Public Health Nursing service provides care across the entire lifespan to individuals, families and communities. The services provided by PHNs vary based on patient need and they act as a point of access for other community care services.
All PHNs are registered general nurses with a specialist level 9 post graduate nursing qualification and are registered in the Public Health Nurse Division of the NMBI register. This specialist post graduate qualification uniquely qualifies the PHN to carry out the developmental screening of children under the NHCP. The NHCP is a universal programme available to all children living in Ireland.
PHNs play a key role in delivering child health screening, developmental surveillance, and providing essential health information and support to parents as part of the NHCP. At each of the five scheduled NHCP visits from birth up to 5 years, PHNs conduct a comprehensive assessment of the child’s health and development, parental capacity, and the family environment. The NCHP is delivered under a progressive universalism model of care, therefore additional contacts with the PHN can be arranged for children as required following assessment at each contact point. Where a PHN has knowledge, belief, or reasonable suspicion of child abuse or neglect they refer to Tusla.
259. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if the locating of a surgical hub at Sligo University Hospital was discussed prior to the forming of Government with prospective members of Government; and, if so, the promises that were made at the time. [36718/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra260. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if she was personally aware that during negotiations to establish the current Government, a commitment was given, as stated by the Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, on local radio, for the surgical hub for the north west to be located at Sligo University Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37249/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 259 and 260 together.
The Programme for Government committed to exploring the feasibility of establishing a surgical hub in the northwest. That process concluded on 28 July last with the announcement of the proposed development of new surgical hubs in both Letterkenny and Sligo. While there had been prior speculation around the possible location of a hub in the northwest, no decision had been made in advance of the date of the announcement.
