Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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828. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide funding to appoint a clinical psychologist to each acute hospital diabetes multidisciplinary team; his views on the fact that psychosocial support in diabetes care is not formally embedded as part of diabetes management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50990/21]

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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873. To ask the Minister for Health if funding will be provided to appoint a clinical psychologist to each acute hospital diabetes multidisciplinary team (details supplied); his views on the fact that psychosocial support in diabetes care is not formally embedded as part of diabetes management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51226/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 828 and 873 together.

Diabetes is a complex condition that can have a profound impact on the quality of life of people living with the condition, the management of emotional and psychological well-being is an important part of diabetes care and self-management. Self-management education programmes such as DAFNE (for people living with type 1 diabetes) and DESMOND and Discover Diabetes (for people living with type 2 diabetes) help provide psychosocial support for many people living with diabetes.

The Model of Integrated Care for Patients with Type 2 Diabetes sets out that diabetes is to be managed within the acute system by the diabetes multidisciplinary team including access to psychology support where available. However, I acknowledge there is a deficit in the number of hospital staff providing psychological services dedicated to diabetes care.

The 2021 National Service Plan recognised the need for an unprecedented expansion of the permanent health workforce through permanent appointments. Funding has been provided for an increase to approximately 135,655 WTE across the health service by December 2021, which is an increase of 15,838 WTE over funded 2020 levels. There is significant workforce recruitment underway. The HSE Pay and Numbers Strategy identifies the specific roles and grades to be hired.

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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829. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a diabetes psychology resource to each community diabetes specialist team hub under the Integrated Model of Care for the Prevention and Management of Chronic Disease Implementation Guide; his views on whether access to psychosocial support in these teams should be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50991/21]

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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874. To ask the Minister for Health if a diabetes psychology resource will be provided to each community diabetes specialist team hub under the Integrated Model of Care for the Prevention and Management of Chronic Disease Implementation Guide; his views on whether access to psychosocial support in these teams should be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51227/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 829 and 874 together.

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

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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830. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide funding to appoint a 0.5 whole-time equivalent clinical psychologist to each acute hospital diabetes paediatric diabetes team; his views on whether psychosocial support in paediatric diabetes care should be available in each team; the reason there is no access to this support outside of paediatric diabetes services in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50992/21]

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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875. To ask the Minister for Health if funding will be provided to appoint a 0.5 whole-time equivalent clinical psychologist to each acute hospital diabetes paediatric diabetes team; his views on whether psychosocial support in paediatric diabetes care should be available in each team; the reason there is no access to this support outside of Dublin paediatric diabetes services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51228/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 830 and 875 together.

Diabetes is a complex condition that can have a profound impact on the quality of life of people living with the condition. The management of emotional and psychological well-being is an important part of diabetes care and self-management.

The Model of Care for Paediatric Healthcare, Chapter 23 Diabetes and Endocrinology (2015) outlines how Paediatric Diabetes Services should be configured regionally to ensure that each affected child and family has access to a trained multidisciplinary team in their region.

Current whole time equivalent (WTE) allocation of clinical psychology to paediatric teams nationally are as follows:

- 0.5 WTE CHI at Crumlin for paediatric diabetes

- 0.5 WTE CHI at Temple Street for paediatric diabetes

- 0.5 WTE CHI at Tallaght for paediatric diabetes

- 0.5 WTE Regional Hospital Mullingar for paediatric diabetes

- 1 WTE general paediatric psychologist in each of University Hospitals Cork, Limerick and Galway shared across paediatric services - not specifically appointed for care of children and young people with paediatric diabetes.

Where there are no mental health team members on the regional diabetes team, children are referred to services depending on their clinical presentation.

The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) service provides support in the community for children and young people with moderate to severe mental health difficulties. Primary care psychology services and the Jigsaw service can also provide patients with support, although these services may not have clinical expertise regarding children and young people living with diabetes.

The 2021 National Service Plan recognised the need for an unprecedented expansion of the permanent health workforce through permanent appointments. Funding has been provided for an increase to approximately 135,655 WTE across the health service by December 2021, which is an increase of 15,838 WTE over funded 2020 levels. There is significant workforce recruitment underway. The HSE Pay and Numbers Strategy identifies the specific roles and grades to be hired.

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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831. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide funding to appoint a clinical psychologist to the diabetes multidisciplinary team in Tallaght Hospital. [50993/21]

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.