David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1063. To ask the Minister for Health the annual cost of delivering the psycho-oncology service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21325/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1064. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of increasing annual spend on the psycho-oncology service by 10%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21326/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1065. To ask the Minister for Health the breakdown of funding for psycho-oncology services by staffing and other associated costs, respectively; the number of whole-time equivalent posts working in the area by profession; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21327/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1063 to 1065, inclusive, together.

I have been advised by the NCCP that the cost for delivering the psycho-oncology service in the eight adult cancer centres and the Children’s Hospital is €4 million annually.

The Centres covered by this service are:

- Mater University Hospital

- Beaumont Hospital

- St. James’s University Hospital

- St. Vincent’s University Hospital

- Cork University Hospital

- Galway University Hospital

- University Hospital Limerick

- Waterford Regional Hospital

- Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin

This figure also covers access to liaison psychiatry, psychology and social work service in some hospitals across the country. St. Luke’s Hospital service costs an additional €500,000 per annum.

With the current annual cost for the provision of the psycho-oncology service at €4 million in the eight adult cancer centres and Children's Hospital, an increase of 10% on annual spending towards this service would require an additional €400,000. Accounting for St. Luke's Hospital service as well the total increase would amount to €450,000 in total.

The current national breakdown of whole time equivalent posts working in the area by profession is:

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1066. To ask the Minister for Health the annual spend on community diagnostics; the level and range of community diagnostics available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21329/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1067. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of delivering two free general practitioner visits to each person without a general practitioner card or medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21330/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The delivery of a scheme whereby every private patient, i.e. patients who do not hold a medical card or a GP visit card, receive two GP visits without charge would require consultation with the IMO in relation to scope of services to be provided under the scheme and the fees payable to GPs. It is not possible to estimate the cost of such a scheme as this would depend heavily on the agreed scope of services and the rate of fees payable to GPs.

The GP visitation costs for private patients vary between GP practices and on the services provided. There are approximately 2.9 million people in the state who do not hold a medical of GP visit card. To provide a possible example, the cost of reimbursing each of these individuals for 2 GP visits at a cost of €50 per visit, excluding administration costs, would be approximately €290 million.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1068. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of providing a full medical card to all patients suffering from cancer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21331/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1092. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of extending a full medical card to all cancer patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21355/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1068 and 1092 together.

Eligibility for a medical card is assessed primarily on the basis of a financial assessment. The HSE's Expert Group on Medical Need and Medical Card Eligibility examined the issue of awarding medical cards on the basis of illness and concluded that it was not feasible, desirable, nor ethically justifiable to list medical conditions in priority order for medical card eligibility. The Expert Group also concluded that a person’s means should remain the main qualifier for a medical card.

However every effort is made by the HSE, within the framework of the legislation, to support applicants in applying for a medical card and, in particular, to take full account of the difficult circumstances in the case of applicants who may be in excess of the income guidelines. The HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card, even though an applicant exceeds his or her income threshold, where he or she faces difficult financial circumstances, such as extra costs arising from an illness.

It should also be noted that the HSE has a system in place for the provision of medical cards in response to emergency situations i.e. in circumstances where persons are in need of urgent or on-going medical care that they cannot afford and also for persons who are terminally ill and are receiving end of life treatment. With the exception of terminally ill patients, all medical cards granted on an emergency basis are valid for 6 months and will be followed up with a full means assessment application within a number of weeks.

In relation to the cost of the provision of medical cards to all cancer patients, the data required is not readily available and it is therefore not possible to provide an estimate of the cost.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1069. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of opening 500 acute beds in public hospitals by utilising existing space in acute hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21332/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Service Capacity Review 2018 was clear on the need for a major investment in additional capacity in both acute hospitals and community, combined with a widescale reform of the manner and the location of where health services are provided. The National Development Plan provides for the recommended 2,590 additional acute beds by 2027, and approximately 770 of these beds have been provided to date. The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, commits to continuing investment in our health care services in line with the recommendations of the Health Service Capacity Review and the commitments in Project Ireland 2040.

In relation to the Deputy's specific question on the estimated cost of opening 500 acute beds in public hospitals by utilising existing space in acute hospitals, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1070. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of increasing the number of nurses by 1,000 taking account of retirements and staff departures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21333/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1071. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of increasing the number of midwifes by 250 taking account of retirements and staff departures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21334/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1072. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of directly hiring 250 general practitioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21335/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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General Practitioners are self-employed private practitioners, most of whom have contracts with the HSE to provide services under various public health schemes.

Under the General Medical Services (GMS) contract, GPs are reimbursed for a range of services they provide to medical card and GP visit card holders. GPs are remunerated for these services primarily on a capitation basis, with a range of additional support payments and fees for specific items of service.

As there is currently no approved salary scale in the public service for a GP post, it is not possible to quantify the financial implications for the HSE of GPs being hired to provide services to the public health system under the GMS and other schemes.