Written Answers Nos. 280-299
280. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE suicide crisis assessment nurses in each hospital part of the South/SouthWest Hospital Group in 2022, 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form. [19653/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
281. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health how many people are employed through HSE in cognitive behaviour therapy in County Wicklow. [19654/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
282. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE Radiographers by grade working in Roscommon University Hospital in 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form. [19655/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
283. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultants in paediatric infectious disease and immunology at Cork University Hospital in 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form. [19656/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
284. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE emergency medicine registrar at Letterkenny University Hospital in 2022, 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form. [19657/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
285. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE accident and emergency department nurse vacancies at Cavan General Hospital; and the expected timeframe for which these vacancies will be filled, in tabular form. [19658/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
286. Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Health If the Government has any policy or guidelines on surgery carried out on intersex infants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19667/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have referred the question to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
287. Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Health how many people are currently availing on the free PrEP pre-exposure profilaxis programme to prevent HIV; if he is satisfied that at risk men can access the programme without any barriers; if there is a waiting list for the programme and how long the wait is for a first assessment; and if he plans to extend the service to GPs. [19668/24]
View answerIreland established a national HIV PrEP programme in November 2019, following a HIQA HTA, which concluded that the introduction of HIV PrEP would be safe, effective and cost saving. The HTA also found that significant investment in public STI services was required to implement PrEP and €5.4 million was set aside in Budget 2020 to roll out a national HIV PrEP programme, managed by the HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme (SHCPP).
At present, there are 13 public PrEP clinics in Ireland, four of which are located in Dublin, and 16 private/GP providers who are approved to prescribe PrEP, 15 of which are located in Dublin. Dispensing PrEP is free of charge, as are appointments at the public clinics, however, attendance at the private providers is subject to consultation charges.
Since the PrEP programme commenced in November, 2019, significant progress has been made in PrEP rollout across Ireland. However, this occurred at a time of unprecedented challenges for the health service - the pressures of the Covid-19 pandemic on access to clinical services, coupled with the effects of necessary Covid-19 restrictions on people's social interactions. This made it difficult to assess whether capacity would meet demand under normal circumstances, between 2020 and 2022.
Furthermore, in line with international trends, the eligibility criteria for PrEP have recently been revised to include anticipated risk of HIV infection. This has increased the overall numbers of individuals meeting the criteria for inclusion in the PrEP programme.
The relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions has, in 2022-2023, permitted assessments that additional resources are required to meet additional demand, build capacity and invest in monitoring, evaluation and research to ensure that the PrEP programme in Ireland is reaching those in need, responsive to changing need and at the cutting edge of international PrEP programme delivery.
The HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme have put a number of additional measures in place to support the PrEP Programme, including updating the clinical PrEP Guidelines and approval processes and providing an e-learning module to enable greater access to the PrEP programme through GPs, allowing stable patients to undertake routine STI testing through the new home STI testing service, and working with other areas of the HSE to enable efficient data collection and identify resources to improve capacity.
Both my Department and the HSE SHCPP have identified monitoring and evaluation of the PrEP programme as a priority area of work, building on that which has been undertaken to date. Through Budget 2024, an additional €600,000 has been allocated to support the PrEP programme this year. A further €720,000 will support increased demand for home STI testing, which is being used in conjunction with the PrEP scheme as noted above.
Development of the new National Sexual Health Strategy 2024 – 2030 is currently underway; capacity for PrEP during this longer time period will be further examined as part of the policy development process leading to the new NSHS.
In relation to the number of people availing of the PrEP programme, and any waiting lists for access to PrEP, as these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
289. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of patients seen by the SouthDoc service in Clonakilty, by week, from 1 November 2023 to date, in tabular form. [19677/24]
View answer290. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the weekday and weekend opening hours for the SouthDoc service in Clonakilty, by month, from November 2023 to date. [19678/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 289 and 290 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
291. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health when a replacement clinical psychiatrist will be appointed to the Nenagh area in CHO area 3. [19679/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
292. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health if, in relation to a matter, he will outline the reason the HSE used a recruitment firm (details supplied) for the recruitment of administrative staff; the number of staff recruited between the period January 2022 and June 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19684/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
293. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of dentists, per CHO area nationally, as of 25 April 2024; and the number of persons under the age of 18 years waiting to be examined by a dentist in the public dentistry waiting list, by CHO region. [19686/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
294. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the person to dentist ratio, per CHO region, as of 25 April 2024. [19687/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
295. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of persons under the age of 13 years who have been referred from the school dental programme for children to a dentist for further examination and or procedures in 2023 and to date in 2024, by CHO region; the number in the waiting list, by CHO region; and the average time in each CHO to be seen by a dentist. [19688/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
296. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on implementation of each of the recommendations from the review of governance arrangements to support the HSE drug reimbursement process, prepared by a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19698/24]
View answerIn February 2023, I published the Mazars Review which examined the governance arrangements around the HSE’s Drug Pricing and Reimbursement Process. The Report found that the reimbursement process is operating in line with the legislation and that it is delivering results in line with international norms. I fully support the recommendations contained in the Mazars report around improving the process, increasing transparency, providing easier access, and supporting value for money.
An implementation group has been established between my Department and the HSE to consider and progress the various recommendations contained in the Report. The membership of the Group includes representatives of the Drugs Group, the HSE, the NCPE, and the Department of Health. The Working Group has met frequently since its establishment, to consider the involvement of patients, industry, and clinicians, in each stage of the reimbursement process.
The Group has conducted two rounds of targeted stakeholder consultation. The insights gained from stakeholders have been considered by the Group as it continues its work on progressing the various recommendations of the Review. The Group’s work is now nearing completion and a report on this will be submitted to me in the coming weeks.
297. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reason the Midwest Cancer Centre does not have access to a device (details supplied); if a device will be provided to this centre; if this device is available in any of the other designated cancer centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19699/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
298. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if he will outline any updates on the possibility of consultation, with the relevant Departments, to introduce a scheme to partially reimburse those with a formal coeliac disease diagnosis for the purchase of gluten-free foods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19700/24]
View answerThe Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical items, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
In line with the 2013 Act and the national framework agreed with industry, a company must submit an application to the HSE to have a new medicine added to the formal Reimbursement list. In making a relevant reimbursement decision, the HSE is required under the Act to have regard to a number of criteria including efficacy, the health needs of the public, cost effectiveness and potential or actual budget impact.
Gluten-free products were removed from the list of reimbursable items under the General Medical Services (GMS) scheme, with several other products, in September 2012. The marketplace has evolved whereby such products are widely available in supermarkets at a more reasonable price than was historically costed to the State when they were available in pharmacies through the statutory schemes, and without incurring the further extra costs of a dispensing fee. There are currently no plans to reinstate these products on the list of reimbursable items under the GMS and other community drug schemes.
However, possession of a medical card may assist with other medical services. In accordance with the provisions of the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is determined by the HSE. Medical card eligibility is primarily based on an assessment of means and is not granted on the basis of any particular condition.
In certain circumstances the HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card, even though an applicant exceeds the income guidelines, where he or she faces difficult financial circumstances, such as extra costs arising from illness. Social and medical issues are also considered when determining whether undue hardship exists for an individual accessing general practitioner or other medical services.
Under the Drug Payment Scheme (DPS), no individual or family pays more than €80 a month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The DPS is not means tested and is available to anyone ordinarily resident in Ireland. The DPS significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals with ongoing expenditure on medicines.
A person can claim tax relief for certain food products if they have specific dietary requirements due to a medical condition. This applies to persons with coeliac disease where they require gluten free foods specifically manufactured to be gluten free.
299. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Health the translation supports, if any, that are available to GP practices that do not qualify for assistance from HSE primary care or HSE social inclusion but provide service to a large cohort of Ukrainian patients. [19701/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
