Health Services

2663. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the national data currently collected by or on behalf of the State in respect of minors presenting with gender-related distress, including the number of referrals; the number of assessments completed; the number of referrals onward for treatment abroad; the number of approvals granted under the treatment abroad scheme; the expenditure incurred…

2664. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any interim audit, review or evaluation has been conducted in respect of gender-related assessment and referral pathways for minors, in circumstances where the national model of care remains under development; and to provide details of any such audit, including dates, scope and findings. [23738/26]

2665. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to specify the safeguarding and consent standards currently in force in respect of minors presenting with gender-related distress, including how capacity, parental involvement and best interests are assessed and recorded in practice [23739/26]

2668. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Health if she will consider the expansion of the endometriosis surgery abroad interim scheme, to include the Wellington Hospital Centre for Endometriosis, London, and other proven centres in Britain, Romania, and Greece, without delay, and that patient experience be meaningfully reflected in these decisions. [23755/26]

2675. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health if there are any plans to expand the scope of treatment available at local injury units to include the treatment of common infections, particularly in rural areas where access to acute hospital services can involve significant travel times; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23825/26]

2676. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the rationale behind the exclusion of children under the age of five from accessing local injury units; if there are any plans to review this policy, particularly in the context of accessibility challenges for families living in rural areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23826/26]

2677. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the guidance in place for families living in rural areas who may be up to an hour away from emergency medical services when a child's condition deteriorates rapidly; the supports or contingency measures that are available in such circumstances where time is critical; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23827/26]

2694. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to set out the current national governance structure for gender-related assessment and referral pathways for minors; and to specify the body or office that holds ultimate clinical and policy accountability at national level. [23872/26]

2695. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to detail the specific datasets currently collected by the Department or the HSE in respect of gender-related referrals of minors, including referral numbers, assessment outcomes, approvals, and any associated costs; and to confirm whether these datasets are complete at national level. [23873/26]

2696. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to outline the safeguarding, clinical governance, and oversight mechanisms currently in place for gender-related assessment and referral of minors, pending the development of the new model of care referenced by the HSE. [23874/26]

2697. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to confirm whether any audit, review, or evaluation has been conducted since 2020 into gender-related assessment, referral, or treatment pathways for minors; and if so, to provide the dates, scope, and key findings of such reviews. [23875/26]

2698. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to specify the clinical guidelines, protocols, or international standards currently relied upon by the HSE or clinicians in the absence of a finalised national model of care for gender-related services for minors. [23876/26]

2700. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to confirm whether, as of today, there is any single national database recording referrals, assessments, treatments, outcomes and costs for minors accessing gender-related healthcare pathways; and if not, when such a system will be operational. [23878/26]

2701. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to specify the mandatory clinical assessment criteria currently required before any referral or treatment of a minor presenting with gender-related distress, including whether psychiatric assessment, developmental history, autism screening and differential diagnosis are required. [23879/26]

2702. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to outline the governance and audit structures currently in place to monitor clinical decision-making, patient outcomes and safeguarding compliance in respect of minors referred for gender-related healthcare. [23880/26]

2704. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she accepts that the absence of a national policy, standardised definitions, and centralised data collection in respect of elective procedures without clear medical indication represents a failure of governance and oversight within the public health system. [23884/26]

2705. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the specific steps she will take to introduce a national policy framework governing the authorisation, funding, and clinical governance of such procedures. [23885/26]

2706. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to confirm whether her Department requires the HSE to collect, report, and publish data on the allocation of theatre capacity to procedures which cannot currently be categorised as medically necessary. [23886/26]

2707. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to detail the mechanisms in place, if any, to ensure consistency of decision-making across the six health regions in the absence of national policy. [23887/26]

2708. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to outline how she satisfies herself that public resources are being allocated appropriately where the State cannot currently define, measure, or audit such activity. [23888/26]

2710. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department maintains a national policy or framework governing the inspection, reporting, and oversight of environmental, hygiene, ventilation, and patient-safety conditions in oncology treatment facilities within the public health system; if so, the statutory or administrative basis for such a framework, the bodies responsible for …

2711. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to specify the categories of data, reports, or metrics her Department requires from the HSE or other bodies in relation to environmental conditions, infection prevention, ventilation adequacy, and patient safety in oncology treatment settings; to confirm whether such data is collected on a standardised national basis and reported to her Depart…

2712. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the governance structures through which her Department satisfies itself that consistent environmental, hygiene, and patient-safety standards are applied across all public oncology treatment facilities; to detail the roles and responsibilities of her Department, the HSE, and any other relevant bodies in establishing, monitoring, and enforcing s…

2713. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to detail the audit, inspection, or compliance mechanisms currently in place to assess adherence to environmental, hygiene, ventilation, and patient-safety standards in oncology treatment facilities; to specify whether such audits are conducted on a routine, risk-based, or ad hoc basis; to confirm whether the findings of such audits are report…

2714. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has conducted any review or assessment of the adequacy of current governance, inspection, and reporting arrangements in respect of environmental and patient-safety conditions in oncology treatment facilities; if so, to provide details of such reviews, including findings, recommendations, and implementation status; if not…