Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

232. To ask the Minister for Health the rationale for the newly established HSE Obstetric Event Support Team given the statutory role of HIQA to investigate, monitor and institute compliance across the entirety of the health service, including all aspects of the maternity services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31338/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The HSE’s Incident Management Framework was launched in 2018 and updated in 2020. The HSE’s Incident Management Framework is applied to the management of individual incidents and is the mechanism for incident investigations in the HSE, including maternal deaths.

The HSE's Obstetric Event Support Team (OEST) is a new initiative to establish a team within the National Women and Infant Health Programme (NWIHP). The rationale for establishing the OEST was to provide objective oversight over a specified list of obstetric clinical incidents occurring within Maternity Networks and to ensure all learning can be actioned with national engagement with relevant stakeholders throughout the system, to lead to safer and improved quality of care for patients and families.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has developed the “National Standards for Safer Better Maternity Services”. HIQA have an associated monitoring and inspection programme and by their continued monitoring of services, HIQA acts to drive compliance with National Standards and promote quality improvement and shared learning.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

233. To ask the Minister for Health if he will outline the recruitment processes used to appoint all members of the HSE Obstetric Event Support Team; the remuneration associated with these posts; the means by which, under the HSE’s Code of Practice: Appointment to Positions in the Civil Service and Public Service, the selection and appointment process ensured that it did not advantage or disadvantage any particular candidate or group of candidates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31339/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Referred out to the HSE. The HSE's OEST will be aware of the recruitment processes, salaries etc. for their own team. This is not information that is available to the Department.

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

234. To ask the Minister for Health if he will assist in a circumstance (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31361/22]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am aware of the specific challenges faced by the Nursing Home sector related to price inflation and increased energy costs. I have met directly with Nursing Homes Ireland, the representative organisation for private and voluntary nursing homes, to discuss this issue, and have written to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to request that they consider the matter alongside departmental officials. Nursing Homes Ireland has recently responded to a request for further information from the NTPF, this response is currently being considered.

Funding to support people to access services in the sector continues to be provided in line with the long-established statutory mechanisms under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009. This is the mechanism established by the Oireachtas to provide for the processes relating to funding under the NHSS and the negotiation of prices for services for private and voluntary providers with the designated State agency, the National Treatment Purchase Fund.

The Department of Health has also provided significant specific supports to the private and voluntary nursing home sector over the course of the pandemic. As you are aware, the COVID-19 Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme, also known as TAPS, was established as part of a package of support measures for nursing homes at the start of the pandemic. €134.5 million was made available under the scheme from March 2020 to June 2021. The outbreak assistance element of the scheme is still in payment. In addition to TAPS, direct support has been provided by the HSE to private nursing homes in many areas, including the provision of PPE, serial testing and support with staffing.

The Department published a review of the NTPF pricing system in June 2021. This review was conducted by the NTPF with input from stakeholders and external experts. It recommended several actions to improve the pricing system. These are now being taken forward by the Department and NTPF. Given the size and scope of the NHSS, which is expected to cost the State more than €1.053 billion this year, any changes must be delivered carefully and with due consideration to their impact and any unexpected consequences.

The Department is also taking forward the 9 recommendations of the Value for Money Review on Nursing Home Costs, which was published in December 2021. The purpose of the VFM Review was to identify, quantify and analyse the reasons for any cost differential between private/voluntary and public nursing homes and, following analysis, to make recommendations for improving the value for money obtained by the Health sector.

To continue the substantial progress being made on implementing the recommendations of the COVID-19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel report, nearly €18 million euro was allocated in Budget 2022 including investment in Community Support Teams and Safeguarding supports.

Finally, in response to the strategic workforce challenges in the nursing home and home care sector, a Cross-Departmental Strategic Workforce Advisory Group has been established. The Group is working to a tight timeline and is committed to providing a set of recommendations to me by September 2022.