Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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343. To ask the Minister for Health to provide on update on the Programme for Government commitment to develop and support eHealth and the increased use of assistive technologies, supporting people to live independently across each of the CHO areas, since the establishment of the current Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33316/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The provision of digital health solutions is a fundamental enabler for the reform of the health service and the implementation of Sláintecare.

Digital health solutions played a key role during the Covid-19 pandemic with solutions developed to facilitate monitoring and managing the spread of infection as well as the administration of vaccines when they became available. Many other digitally enabled services were deployed such as electronic referrals from GPs for those who needed testing and electronic transfer of prescriptions to reduce close contacts and support social distancing. EU digital covid certificates were issued and people had the option to store these in their digital wallet in the Covid Tracker App.

Government has continued to support eHealth in recent years by increasing both capital and revenue funding provide for ICT and eHealth. ICT resources have also doubled over the past 4 years.

Threats associated with cyberattacks have also increased as evidenced by the criminally motivated and devastating ransomware attack in May 2021. The need to build cyber resilience drives some of the additional investments since 2021.

To develop a clear direction for future years, the Department of Health, in in collaboration with the HSE, are currently developing the digital health framework (2023-2030), which is intended as a refresh to the existing eHealth strategy that is now almost 10 years old. This framework is supported by a corresponding implementation plan, being developed by the HSE. The refreshed strategy will leverage lessons learned from the pandemic, the 2021 cyberattack, and will benefit from what we have seen work successfully in other countries.

The Digital Healthcare Strategic Framework will put a greater focus on empowering patients to take greater control of their own health and wellbeing by providing access to their digital health record. It is intended to provide patients with the choice to access more health services through digital channels, where it is safe to do so.

A key underlying enabler of the new Digital Strategic Framework will be the Health Information Bill. The purpose of the Health Information Bill is to provide a clear, certain, and consistent legislative framework to transform the health information system into one that is fit for purpose and best serves the individual patient, healthcare practitioners and society as a whole. The Bill is focused on delivering patient-centred integrated care; improving performance and innovation in the health service; and supporting digital and data initiatives in healthcare.

A telehealth steering group has been established that will focus on lessons learned in deploying technical solutions during the pandemic. A public procurement process is underway to establish a framework from which services may draw down using suitable telehealth platforms. Two smaller telehealth projects are already underway with sponsorship from the Slaintecare Integrated Innovation Fund.

Under the National Dementia Strategy, the Government has funded a national network of 25 Memory Technology Resource Rooms (MTRRs) which provide free occupational therapist assessments and advice on assistive technology, to help people adapt to their condition and maintain a degree of independence for as long as possible, while also providing support to family carers. The MTRRs are an important component of the post-diagnostic support framework set out in the Model of Care for Dementia which was published in May this year.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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344. To ask the Minister for Health to provide on update on the Programme for Government commitment to develop and deliver a carers guarantee proposal that will provide a core basket of services to carers across the country, regardless of where they live, across each of the CHO areas since the establishment of the current Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33318/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government commits to delivering a ‘Carers Guarantee’ to provide a core basket of services to carers across the country, regardless of where they live.

New funding of €2 million was provided in Budget 2021 under the National Carers' Strategy with a view to improving equity of access to supports for carers across the country. This funding is being provided on an ongoing basis and contributes substantially towards delivering the Carers’ Guarantee, providing a more standard package of supports to family carers in every region, in tandem with the community and voluntary sector. €1.9 million of this funding is being channelled through Family Carers Ireland, while the remaining €100,000 is supporting the development and delivery of online supports for family carers through Care Alliance Ireland by means of an online support group. Both organisations have a service level arrangement with the HSE for the delivery of the support services associated with the carers' guarantee funding.

The €1.9m allocation to Family Carers Ireland aims to enhance carer wellbeing and quality of life by improving access to carer supports across the country. The funding is extending services to approximately 5,000 additional family carers through a mixture of individual and community support services. Family Carers Ireland is delivering these supports through its network of Support Hubs countrywide using a three-tier public health model of carer support: universal access supports, targeted community supports, and intensive supports.

Care Alliance Ireland is using its €0.1 million allocation to provide a professionally moderated online support group for family carers. The group is supported by a team of experienced volunteers and focuses on improving carer wellbeing and reducing isolation and loneliness, as well as signposting to carer support services.