Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

742. To ask the Minister for Health if he will examine a matter raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied) in relation to long-Covid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34716/22]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

743. To ask the Minister for Health if he will examine a matter raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied) in relation to long-Covid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34717/22]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

795. To ask the Minister for Health if he has received requests for funding from the HSE and or the Department of Health for use regarding the roll-out of health services and supports for persons suffering from long-Covid. [33815/22]

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

819. To ask the Minister for Health his Department’s response to the treatment of long-Covid symptoms; the funding that has been provided to date towards the treatment of long-Covid; and if provision will be made for future funding in the upcoming Budget. [34016/22]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 742, 743, 795 and 819 together.

COVID-19 is a new disease and information on it, its features, incidence, and course are still emerging. My Department and the HSE, continue to review new evidence, research, and data on all aspects of COVID-19 including Long COVID, as it emerges to ensure care is in place for all who need it.

The HSE has developed and is implementing an interim Model of Care to provide Long COVID services nationally. This builds on existing service provision to further develop the necessary services across a number of health care settings including GP, community services and acute hospitals. The first priority is to ensure there are Long COVID and Post-Acute COVID clinics operating within each Hospital Group to ensure a national service. This involves expanding the resources at existing clinics where required and development of new clinics in line with the Model of Care. Anyone concerned about Long COVID is advised to engage with their GP in the first instance.

The HSE has advised that funding of €2.2 million has been allocated within the HSE for Long COVID service development in 2022. Access to these services will be in line with the current approach across health and social care services.

The HSE's funding for 2023 has not yet been allocated, therefore the level of funding available for Long COVID has not yet been determined. Proposals in relation to Long COVID and the associated funding requirements will be considered by my Department as part of the annual Estimates process later this year.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

744. To ask the Minister for Health further to the Dáil Éireann debate on 25 January 2022 (details supplied) in respect of this Deputy's calls for a commission of inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of 23 loved ones in a nursing home in April 2020 given that it was the only nursing home in the country where the HSE took over operational management due to the severity of the situation, and the Taoiseach's response in which he states that his Department is examining a variety of options as to how best to respect and meet the needs and concerns of families of those affected; and if he will provide an update on whether his Department has reached a final decision on how to support the families or provide the options under consideration. [33511/22]

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

There has been a clear national commitment to continue to learn from the pandemic and where necessary to ensure that the public health-led approach evolves, as evidence and learning materialises.

The Taoiseach has indicated that a comprehensive evaluation of how the country managed COVID-19 will provide an opportunity to learn lessons from our experiences in dealing with a pandemic over the past 2 years. This will help ensure that we are in a better, stronger position if another pandemic or another similar type emergency arrives. Consideration is being given as to what the best model for this evaluation will be.

Separately, I established a Public Health Reform Expert Group in January 2022 to identify learnings from the public health components of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland with a view towards strengthening pandemic preparedness and health protection more generally. It will also identify lessons from international best practice regarding reform and strengthening of other core public health functions.

Since the start of the pandemic there has been significant and ongoing consideration of the impact of COVID-19 and the evolution of the response to it, as evidence and knowledge emerged and as national and international understanding of the virus evolved. Throughout, this has included a specific and sustained focus on older persons, and in particular, those resident in nursing homes. Various examinations and development of reports with a focus on COVID-19, its impact on nursing homes and the pandemic learnings that can inform future policy, regulation and the model of care for older persons have been undertaken.

In particular, the independent COVID-19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel was established in May 2020, on foot of a NPHET recommendation, to examine the complex issues surrounding the management of COVID-19 among this particularly vulnerable cohort in nursing homes and to provide real-time learnings and recommendations to inform the ongoing approach to the management and mitigation of risk to older persons resident in nursing homes as the pandemic evolved. This report outlines the key protective measures that we must ensure are in place across our nursing homes, based on learning from our own and the international experience of COVID-19.

Work to progress the recommendations of the Expert Panel report, particularly those recommendations requiring a priority focus in the response to COVID-19, is ongoing across all of the health agencies and stakeholders. Four Expert Panel Progress Reports have been published to date, the latest published on 21 June 2022, and all Progress Reports are available on my Department’s website.