Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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146. To ask the Minister for Health the details of his engagement with an organisation (details supplied) with regard to issues around the availability of dental services for persons with disabilities who are medical card holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4363/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm that correspondence from the Galway Advocacy Council was forwarded to me by Minister of State, Hildegarde Naughton T.D., on 25th January 2024. This correspondence is being dealt with in accordance with standard procedures and a reply will issue shortly.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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147. To ask the Minister for Health his plans for an audit of all dental services in Ireland to ascertain the level of medical card holders in their patient lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4364/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides dental care, free of charge, to medical card holders aged 16 and over. The Scheme is provided by dental practitioners who have a contract with the HSE.

The Government is committed to fundamentally reforming dental services, including the DTSS, through implementation of the National Oral Health Policy, Smile agus Sláinte. The HSE has appointed a Strategic Reform Lead to drive Policy implementation across the organisation and to move forward in 2024 with developing new services for both adults and children in line with the Policy. This will include work on planning new services for medical card holders.

In 2023 an additional 154,864 treatments were provided with over 26,700 extra unique patients treated through the DTSS when compared with 2022. This follows the expansion of the Scheme in 2022 to include additional prevention treatments and a 40-60% increase in fees paid to dentists across most treatment items. It is not intended to audit individual dental practices in respect of the range of services they provide. However, in order to ensure that all medical card holders can access care, I am asking those dentists who have capacity to take on new patients to give strong consideration to taking on/retaining a DTSS contract in recognition of the unprecedented substantial fee increases that have been put in place and the work that is underway on policy implementation.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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148. To ask the Minister for Health the number of dentists in Galway who have signed up to provide dental care for medical card holders under the dental treatment services scheme; the number who have signed up nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4365/24]

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 the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday 6th October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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149. To ask the Minister for Health the number of dentists who left the dental treatment services scheme, where they had been providing dental care to medical card patients in Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4366/24]

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 the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday 6th October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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150. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to ensure that all medical card holders can access dental health care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4367/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides dental care, free of charge, to medical card holders aged 16 and over. Services available annually and on demand include an examination including preventative elements, two fillings, emergency extractions, and a scale and polish. More complex care, such as additional fillings, dentures, and a broader range of treatments for patients with additional needs and high-risk patients are available subject to the approval of the local HSE Principal Dental Surgeon.

Since May 1st 2022, there has been additional prevention treatments included and a 40-60% increase in fees paid to dentists across most treatment items. In 2023, 154,864 additional treatments were provided under the DTSS, with over 26,700 extra unique patients treated when compared with 2022.

I am aware that there are some towns with no or limited DTSS dentists that have sufficient capacity to accept new patients. Where access to a dentist is difficult, local HSE services assist patients who make enquiries and make lists of DTSS contractors available to medical card holders. In exceptional circumstances, the HSE assists patients to access emergency dental treatment by directly contacting private contractors or arranging treatment to be provided by HSE-employed dentists.

The Government is committed to fundamentally reforming dental services, including the DTSS, through implementation of the National Oral Health Policy, Smile agus Sláinte. My Department is working closely with the HSE to ensure the establishment of focused structures to drive implementation of the Policy. The HSE has now appointed a Strategic Reform Lead to drive Policy implementation across the organisation and to move forward in 2024 with developing new services for both adults and children in line with the Policy. This will include work on planning new services for medical card holders.

While it will take a number of years to bring reform to complete fruition, there will be an early emphasis in implementation on addressing the current issues, including the reform of the provision of services for medical card holders.