Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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362. To ask the Minister for Health when the Winter Plan will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55300/21]

Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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363. To ask the Minister for Health the provisions which will be implemented in the Winter Plan in the areas of managing Covid-19 cases in intensive care units, the flu, elective surgeries and non-elective surgeries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55301/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 362 and 363 together.

The Winter Plan 2021/22 is in active development by the HSE and it has just submitted a revised plan on foot of a request by the Department of Health. The revised Plan will reflect the funding available and set out the measures to be implemented and the expected impacts. My Department is continuing to engage intensively with the HSE on the issue, and a finalised Winter Plan will be published in due course.

As part of the Winter Plan 2021/22, the HSE are preparing for the volume of both unscheduled and scheduled activity to return to previous levels. In order to accommodate this demand the HSE will implement new ways of working, open additional capacity, and continue to enhance infection prevention and control measures in our healthcare facilities.

In line with the Sláintecare 'right care, right time, right place' approach, the Winter Plan will be targeted at optimising and creating capacity at three critical stages in the patient pathway: avoidance of hospital admittance unless absolutely essential, patient flow through our hospitals, and safe and timely egress of patients from hospital. As in previous years, Winter Plan initiatives will aim to reduce demand on emergency care by providing additional acute bed capacity, alternative care pathways outside the acute sector, and additional discharge supports in the community.

The 2021/2022 Influenza Vaccination Programme, which is an important part of winter preparation, was launched on 4 October 2021. Vaccinations are available free of charge to adults in specified at-risk groups and children aged from 2 to 17 years of age.

Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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364. To ask the Minister for Health the impact that the most recent spike in Covid-19 cases is having on the public health system; the measures to be taken in the Winter Plan and beyond to deal with this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55302/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Covid-19 pandemic continues to impact on the provision of health services in Ireland as the system faces the challenge of providing non-Covid care while simultaneously delivering care for the cohort of patients with Covid-19.   The volume of patients on waiting lists has increased significantly since the beginning of the pandemic, presenting a significant challenge to hospitals which are now operating with reduced capacity as a result of infection prevention and control measures.  Similarly, primary and social care services are under increasing pressure as they continue to provide services in an environment with reduced capacity, high numbers of patients on waiting lists and the ongoing requirement for infection prevention and control measures. 

The health system is being supported at this exceptionally challenging time through significantly increased funding with over €1 billion extra being provided in Budget 2022, bringing total investment to a record €21 billion.  This builds on the almost €2 billion in additional monies provided in Budget 2021.  This will allow for enhancements to be delivered in 2022 in key capacity areas including national acute strategies, hospital beds (including ICU), community health networks, home care packages, community beds and rehabilitation beds.

Recognising the impact of the pandemic and the ransomware attack on waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures, health service funding for 2022 includes an allocation of €250 million, comprised of €200 million to the HSE and €50 million to the National Treatment Purchase Fund, to reduce hospital and community waiting lists. This €250 million will be used to fund additional activity in both the public and private sectors. I have already published an Acute Waiting List Action Plan which runs until December 2021 and has a series of targeted measures that are designed to address the growth in waiting lists.  In addition, my Department, the HSE and the NTPF are working on a Multi Annual Waiting List Plan to bring waiting lists in line with Sláintecare targets over the coming years.  

In relation to the Winter Plan specifically, the Plan will provide for appropriate, safe and timely care for patients by ensuring, insofar as possible, that effective levels of capacity and resources are in place to meet the expected growth in activity levels.  The Plan is in active development by the HSE and a revised Plan is expected to be submitted to my Department shortly. The revised Plan will reflect the funding available and set out the measures to be implemented and the expected impacts. The Department of Health is continuing to engage intensively with the HSE on the issue.