Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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1188. To ask the Minister for Health the requirements for adult patients undergoing an assessment in the National Gender Service to have parents present, despite this being a concern for patient confidentiality [20035/20]

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy’s question relates to a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for answer and direct reply to the Deputy.

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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1189. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to address the years long waiting lists for assessment and treatment at the National Gender Service in Loughlinstown, County Dublin [20036/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I am conscious that waiting times are often unacceptably long and of the burden that this places on patients and their families. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic the HSE had to take measures to pause most elective scheduled care activity with effect from the end March 2020. This was to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related activity and time-critical essential work. This decision was in line with the advice issued by National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) and in accordance with World Health Organization guidelines, and the National Action Plan.

The trajectory of the disease means there is now an opportunity for increasing the provision of non-Covid care including more routine care. NPHET has since revised its recommendation on the pausing of all non-essential health services, with a recommendation that the delivery of acute care be determined by appropriate clinical and operational decision making.

Application of the essential risk mitigating steps set out in the guidance developed under the auspices of the NPHET Expert Advisory group will have operational implications, which will impact on throughput. 

Where possible, hospitals are working to find innovative ways to enable service provision, which include virtual clinics for some outpatient department appointments. The HSE website provides details on services currently available and operational in each hospital on its website. This information is reviewed frequently and provides up-to-date announcements on services available at each site ().

To ensure services are re-introduced in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, the HSE launched its Strategic Framework for ‘Service Continuity in a Covid Environment’ on 24 June.  Its implementation will ensure service resumption is done in an integrated way. This will involve a phased approach to ensure community services are strengthened. The Framework will also consolidate new ways of working and build on international knowledge. Further detail regarding the phases of service resumption are contained in the HSE’s ‘A Safe Return to Health Services’ document, published on their website on 22 July.

As the system continues to deliver Covid-19 and non-Covid 19 care side-by-side over a more prolonged period, my Department and the HSE will continue to work closely together to protect essential non-Covid 19 acute care and progress the provision of more routine non Covid-19 care.

Please see attached document outlining the endocrinology outpatient waiting list at St Columcille’s Hospital. You may wish to note that this data is extracted from the overall waiting list figures which does not differentiate transgender patients from other patients on the waiting list.

In relation to the specific query regarding patients waiting for assessment and treatment at the National Gender Service in Loughlinstown.

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

St Columcille's Endocrinology Outpatient Waiting List June 2020

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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1190. To ask the Minister for Health if the National Gender Service will be instructed to follow best practice international guidelines on transgender healthcare (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20037/20]

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy’s question relates to a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for answer and direct reply to the Deputy.