Written Answers Nos. 217-227
217. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the progress made to date on changes to regulations under the Misuse of Drugs Act to address the street-trading of Benzodiazepines and other related issues. [50581/12]
View answerMy Department is reviewing the Misuse of Drugs Regulations with a view to, amongst other issues, introducing additional controls on certain prescription drugs being traded illicitly, including benzodiazepine medicines.
My Department has consulted with key stakeholders in relation to the proposed amendments, which include introducing import and export controls as well as an offence of possession, thereby assisting the law enforcement roles of Customs and of the Garda Síochána. It is anticipated that new legislation will be introduced in early 2013.
218. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an appointment for a nerve conduction survey procedure in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50591/12]
View answerThe management of waiting lists for patients awaiting public health care is based on the principle that after urgent and cancer patients are treated, then clinically assessed routine patients should be seen in chronological order (i.e. longest waiter first). Should the patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he/she would be in the best position to take the matter up with the consultant and hospital involved.
In relation to the specific query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
219. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) was not included or obtained listing in regard to an operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50592/12]
View answerThe management of waiting lists for patients awaiting public health care is based on the principle that after urgent and cancer patients are treated, then clinically assessed routine patients should be seen in chronological order (i.e. longest waiter first). Should the patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he/she would be in the best position to take the matter up with the consultant and hospital involved.
In relation to the specific query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
220. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if he plans to refurbish Coolock Health Centre, Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50615/12]
View answerCoolock is one of the 35 potential locations for primary care centres for development by way of PPP as announced in the Government's Infrastructure Stimulus Package. Of the 35, approximately 20 will be offered to the market subject to a) agreement between the local GPs and the HSE on active local GP involvement in the centres and b) site suitability and availability. The HSE is currently analysing the available sites in each location and engaging with the GPs in each location to determine their interest in participating in the primary care centre development.
In relation to the specific query raised, it is a service issue and has, therefore, been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
221. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the measures taken by the National Tobacco Control Office to ensure that tobacco retailers at markets and fairs are registered with the Office under the Public Health Tobacco Acts 2002 and 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50616/12]
View answerSmoking is the greatest single cause of preventable illness and premature death in Ireland, killing over 5,200 people a year. Ireland’s public health policy objective in relation to tobacco is to promote and subsequently move towards a tobacco free society.
As the Deputy may be aware, further provisions of the Public Health (Tobacco) Acts 2002 and 2004 (Public Health Tobacco Acts) were commenced with effect from 1 July 2009 including: a ban on the display and advertising of tobacco products; a requirement for all tobacco products to be out of view and stored within a closed container which can only be accessed by the retailer; a prohibition on self-service vending machines except in licensed premises or in registered clubs and a requirement for all retailers who wish to sell tobacco products to register with the National Tobacco Control Office.
The aim of these provisions is to further de-normalise tobacco and to protect children from the dangers of tobacco consumption. As the maintenance of the retail register is a service matter, I have referred this question to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
222. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if he will increase the number of vehicles allocated to the D-Doc services his views on the fact that currently there is only one vehicle allocated to cover the whole of the north side of Dublin during the week and two vehicles available at the weekends; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50617/12]
View answerOut-of-hours co-operatives allow general practitioners (GPs) to put in place arrangements to provide services to their patients while their surgeries are closed in the evenings, on weekends and bank holidays. Out-of-hours co-operatives are now in place in all Health Service Executive (HSE) areas, providing coverage in all or in part of all counties. Drivers are employed by co-operatives to drive GPs when making house calls. The driver provision addresses issues of security and location knowledge for GPs. In many cases, the cost of providing drivers and vehicles for GP out-of-hours co-operatives is covered by the HSE.
In March 2010, the HSE published the National Review of GP out-of-Hours Services. The review was carried out with a view to examining the existing models of GP out-of-hours service to identify best practice and make recommendations for the future development of standardised GP out-of-hours services, consistent with national policy and the HSE Transformation Programme. The recommendations of the review are being implemented by the HSE on an ongoing basis.
The Review recognised that each HSE region should review the delivery of services by drivers with a view to providing services in a more cost effective manner, particularly with regard to the ‘red-eye’ shift. At the time of the review, the overall cost of providing drivers to the co-operatives amounted to €11.5 million, which at that time represented 10.7% of the overall national cost of providing GP out-of-hours services.
In relation to the specific query raised by the Deputy about the need to increase the number of vehicles allocated to the D-Doc out-of-hours service, the HSE has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
223. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Health his plans to give explicit recognition to persons with epilepsy as passed by the European Parliament in its declaration of 2011, in his consideration of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Bill 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50627/12]
View answer234. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he has plans to exempt anti-convulsant medication for epileptics from the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Bill 2012 in view of evidence that epileptics can suffer breakthrough seizures caused by switching medication. [50684/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 223 and 234 together.
Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Bill, the Irish Medicines Board has statutory responsibility for establishing and publishing a List of Interchangeable Medicinal Products. In deciding whether to add a group of medicinal products to the List of Interchangeable Medicinal Products, the Board must be satisfied that each medicinal product which falls within the group: (a) has the same qualitative and quantitative composition in each of its active substances as each of the other medicinal products which fall within the group; (b) is in the same pharmaceutical form as, or in a pharmaceutical form that is appropriate for substitution for, each of the other products in the group; and (c) has the same route of administration as each of the other medicinal products which fall within the group.
In addition, the Bill provides that the Board is not permitted to add a group of medicinal products to the List of Interchangeable Medicinal Products where, for example, any of the medicinal products cannot be safely substituted for any one or more of the other medicinal products in the group. To further enhance the patient safety aspect of generic substitution, Section 13 of the Bill allows a prescriber to indicate on a prescription that a branded interchangeable medicinal product should, for clinical reasons, not be substituted.
I am satisfied that these provisions address the concerns raised by the Deputies.
It is important to point out that generic medicines must meet exactly the same standards of quality and safety and have the same effect as the originator medicine. All of the generic medicines on the Irish market are required to be properly licensed and meet the requirements of the Irish Medicines Board.
224. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Cavan will be assessed by the child and adolescent psychiatry services; the reason for the delay in assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50631/12]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
225. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reason for the refusal to supply essential mobility aids in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9. [50633/12]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
226. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Health the reason the one unfilled permanent vacancy for a speech and language therapist in County Mayo has not been filled to date by the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50635/12]
View answerThe Government has decided that the numbers employed across the public service must be reduced in order to meet its fiscal and budgetary targets. The health sector must make its contribution to that reduction. However, the HSE can make staff appointments once it remains with its overall employment ceiling and has the financial resources to do so. As the recruitment of speech and language therapists is a matter for the HSE in the first instance, the Deputy's enquiry has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
227. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an application for a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50658/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
