Written Answers Nos. 245-256
245. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health if there are any plans to establish a panel within the Health Service Executive for new graduates in the near future similar to the previous one which was set up in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53511/12]
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.
Plans to establish panels within the Health Service Executive for new graduates is a matter for the HSE, and as such, the Deputy's enquiry has been referred to them for direct reply.
246. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health if a full assessment of a person's (details provided) in County Kerry case has been carried out and if all medical evidence has been taken into consideration prior to the reduction in their home help hours; the review process is available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53512/12]
View answerIn the context of measures recently adopted to reduce Home Help expenditure, the focus of the HSE is to ensure that services are directed towards personal care for the most vulnerable, in line with individual assessed need and resource availability at local level.
As this is therefore a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
247. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive has sufficient funding to fit bilateral cochlear implants to babies when necessary to do so in line with guidelines of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53514/12]
View answerThe HSE National Service Plan sets out the health and personal social services that will be delivered during 2012 from within the HSE budget. In relation to the specific matter which is the subject of the Deputy's query, as this is a service issue it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
248. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health not to cut disability services by 6% to 10% in 2012 as it will lead to hardship for families. [53523/12]
View answerPending completion of the national estimates, budgetary and service planning process for 2013 it is not possible to predict the service levels to be provided next year.
249. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Health if a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15 will be granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53525/12]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
250. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the issues around the provision of generic anti-epileptic drugs; the action he intends to take to implement the recommendations of the 2010 Moran report regarding AEDs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53526/12]
View answer251. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the potential negative effects the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Bill 2012 will have on the costs of medicines for those suffering from epilepsy; if protection measures will be put in place in the Bill either at Committee Stage or Fourth/Fifth Stage in order that sufferers from epilepsy will not be adversely affected by the changes in prices due to legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53530/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 251 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.
The Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Bill 2012 was published on the 13th of July 2012. The Bill completed its passage through the Seanad on Wednesday, the 19th of September, and is currently continuing its passage through the Dáil. An Implementation Group on Generic Substitution and Reference Pricing has been established and it held its inaugural meeting on the 9th of August 2012. The Group met with the Irish Epilepsy Association, amongst others, on the 20th of November as part of its stakeholder meetings.
252. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if there is any truth in the suggestion that the Health Information Quality Authority require the movement of staff for no good reason, that is, if there are two hospitals near each other they interchange the staff despite the fact that many members of staff might have been employed in the one hospital for 10, 20 or 30 years and all of a sudden they are being told they have to move to a different hospital and the suggestion is that it is a HIQA requirement. [53538/12]
View answerThe Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is a statutory body responsible, inter alia, for driving quality, safety and accountability in residential services for children, older people and people with disabilities in Ireland. The Authority is responsible for driving improvements in the quality and safety of healthcare on behalf of patients. In this context, it is a matter for the Chief Inspector to determine, for each health care centre, whether the staffing level and mix is appropriate. However, it is the responsibility of the registered provider in each centre to ensure that there are sufficient appropriately qualified staff to ensure services are delivered in accordance with HIQA National Standards and the needs of the residents.
Given the budgetary position and financial challenges, there is an ongoing need for reform, including greater flexibilities in work practices and rosters, as well as redeployment in the health sector. The HSE is committed to fast-tracking new, innovative and more efficient ways of using reduced resources, including greater flexibilities in work practices and rosters (especially of nursing and medical staff) and changing skill-mix.
Under the Public Service Agreement appropriate arrangements to redeploy staff within and across each sector of the public service have been agreed. In relation to the health sector this protocol applies to all employees of the HSE and health employers funded by the HSE. Redeployment of employees may be required for a number of reasons including to redirect or develop skills and competencies required to meet evolving patient or service user needs.
253. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the development of a new primary care centre (details supplied) in County Meath ; if the Health Service Executive has identified a group or groups of GPs to operate the centre; the timeframe that will be applied for completion and operation of the centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53540/12]
View answerLaytown/Bettystown Co Meath is one of the 35 potential locations for primary care centres for development by way of PPP as announced in July 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.
254. Deputy Catherine Byrne asked the Minister for Health if St James’ Hospital, Dublin intends to take over the new community nursing unit in Inchicore Hollybrook; if there is any legal impediment to the hospital running this unit and transferring long stay patients from the hospital to this unit; the implications this will this have for fair deal applicants who wish to be accommodated in Hollybrook; if 18% of the beds in Hollybrook will be allocated to people from the local community as promised by the Health Service Executive in 2008; if he will provide a date for the opening of this unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53550/12]
View answerIn view of the public sector moratorium and the significant additional reductions in staff numbers required over the next two years, the HSE is exploring all avenues available to it regarding the to opening of the community nursing unit at Inchicore. No decisions have been taken in relation to its future vis a vis St. James's Hospital at this stage, and all legal issues will have to be resolved before any decision is taken. In that context no timeline is available as yet.
The Nursing Homes Support Scheme which commenced in 2009 contains a commitment to patient choice. A person who avails of the scheme may choose any public or approved private nursing home subject to the availability of a place and the suitability of the home to meet the person's care needs.
In relation to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, as they relate to operational matters they have been forwarded to the HSE for direct reply.
255. Deputy Catherine Byrne asked the Minister for Health if a resident of a long stay facility (details supplied) in Dublin 20 is entitled to an allowance for shoes; the amount this allowance amounts to; how often is this allowance paid; when will this person next receive this allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53551/12]
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.
