Written Answers Nos. 255-266
255. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when a psychological report will be made available in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9437/13]
View answerThe particular issue raised by the Deputy is a service matter for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
256. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his views on whether rates of autism are on the rise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9482/13]
View answer257. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the financial support available to parents of children with autism to help with the cost of treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9485/13]
View answer258. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his views on whether vaccines can cause autism in children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9487/13]
View answer265. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his views on whether autism policy here is focused too much on genetic causes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9529/13]
View answer266. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his policy in relation to autism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9530/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 256 to 258, inclusive, 265 and 266 together.
Autism is a developmental disorder that appears in the early years of life and affects the brain's normal development in the areas of social interaction and communication. While the exact cause of these developmental abnormalities remain unclear, genetic and other non genetic factors such as brain development during pregnancy are thought to play a role. Autism is described as a spectrum disorder that can have a varied presentation of characteristics ranging from mild to severe. The first signs of autism may appear as developmental delay before the age of 3. Many individuals with autism, due to the complexity of their presentation, may have a primary diagnosis of intellectual disability or mental health co-morbidity.
Although there has been an increased demand in recent years for assessment for autism it is not clear whether this is due to increased prevalence or to a greater awareness and recognition of the need for earlier intervention. The Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is a financial support scheme administered by the Department of Social Protection for children with severe disabilities including children with autism who require continuous care and attention.
Experts from around the world, including the World Health Organization, agree that there is no link between the MMR or any other vaccine and autism. Vaccination is a safe and effective means of protecting children from serious and occasionally fatal illness. The safety of all medicines licensed in Ireland, including vaccines is monitored continuously by the Irish Medicines Board (IMB). Various data sources are used, including reports of suspected adverse reactions received from Ireland and worldwide, regular safety updates from the companies, the worldwide medical literature, data from epidemiological studies and information from independent researchers, as well as from other regulatory authorities around the world.
As the Deputy will be aware, current Government policy advocates a mainstreaming approach to the provision of services and supports for people with disabilities including those with autism, whereby people with disabilities have access to the same services as the general population, and in addition receive the appropriate supports and interventions to address individual needs.
The HSE completed a review of the autism services provided by the health sector for both children and adults with autism in 2012. Its National Review of Autism Services: Past, Present and Way Forward Report, reviews and identifies appropriate pathways of care for individuals with autism, given the existing diverse system of delivering services and varied approaches across the health sector. It recommends a move to a more consistent model of service delivery in line with the Government’s mainstreaming policy of equal access for people with a disability to the appropriate service for their individual needs. It also recommends a reconfiguration of existing service provision, with access at the appropriate level, depending on need, through the primary care system, school age teams, and specialist intervention services as appropriate. It endorses the reorganisation of services for children and young people under the Progressing Disabilities Services for Children and Young People (0-18s) Programme.
This Programme, established since 2010, aims to achieve a national unified approach to delivering disability health services, so that there is a clear pathway for all children to the services they need regardless of where they live, what school they go to or the nature of their disability or developmental delay. The Programme is rolling out at national, regional and local level and involves representatives from the health and education sectors, statutory and non-statutory service providers and parents working together to see how current services can best be re-organised. Implementation of the Programme will have a positive impact on the provision of clinical services for all children, including those with autism, who require access to health related supports.
The National Review of Autism Services Report will be implemented, within existing resources and taking account of the need for greater efficiency and effectiveness in the current climate, and within the context of parallel initiatives including the Value for Money and Policy Review of Disability Services published in July 2012 and the Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18) Programme.
259. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 261 of 29 November 2012, if he will provide details of the numbers on waiting lists in respect of assessment and treatment for speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy with a breakdown by therapy and by duration on the waiting list and by area and by age category. [9490/13]
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.
260. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the amount allocated and the outturn in respect of local schemes, that is drugs schemes, in each of the past five years with a breakdown by its constituent parts. [9491/13]
View answerMy Department administers a Drugs Initiative, which primarily funds community based drugs initiatives supported by Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces. The overall budget allocation and actual expenditure for the Drugs Initiative for each of the years referred to by the Deputy is set out in the table hereunder. A detailed breakdown is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
|
Year |
Budget Allocation €m |
Actual Expenditure €m |
|
2009 |
€40.611 |
€39.377 |
|
2010 |
€36.182 |
€34.992 |
|
2011 |
€33.667 |
€32.877 |
|
2012 |
€31.475 |
€31.474 |
|
2013 |
€29.951 |
€14.098 (to 31.01.2013) |
261. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reasons for the delay in the development of a national sexual health strategy and his target month in 2013 for the publication of same. [9492/13]
View answerMy Department commenced the development of a National Sexual Health Strategy on 12th May 2012. This initiative is intended to formulate a strategic plan for the delivery of services in this area. This plan will focus on improving sexual health and wellbeing and address the surveillance, testing, treatment and prevention of HIV and STIs, crisis pregnancy, and sexual health education and promotion. The Strategy will be in line with the forthcoming Public Health Policy Framework due to be published next week.
A high level steering group has been established to lead the development of the Strategy. The steering group is overseeing the drafting of the National Sexual Health Strategy, which will take the form of a high level strategic action plan. The steering group, supported by a number of working groups set up to address different areas, is making good progress and I expect the final draft strategy to be submitted by June for my consideration.
263. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Health the cost to his Department of medical cards issued for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9505/13]
View answerPayments in relation to doctors and pharmacies under the scheme are published annually by the HSE. The figures for the years 2007 - 2010 are detailed below. The 2011 and 2012 information is not published yet.
|
Year |
Total Doctor Costs |
Total Pharmacy cost |
Total |
|
2007 |
440,756,505 |
1,048,408,418 |
1,489,164,923 |
|
2008 |
475,174,715 |
1,145,291,632 |
1,620,466,347 |
|
2009 |
499,665,359 |
1,260,244,615 |
1,759,909,974 |
|
2010 |
493,833,497 |
1,233,261,559 |
1,727,095,056 |
264. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Health the amount paid to general practitioners for each medical card patient they treat for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9506/13]
View answerThe HSE, through the Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS), makes payments to General Practitioners (GPs) for services they provide to eligible persons who hold a medical card or GP visit card. GPs are remunerated in respect of these patients principally on the basis of fees and payments set out in the Health Professionals (Reduction of Payments to General Practitioners) Regulations 2010.
Included among fees paid to GPs are a range of capitation fees, which vary depending on the age and gender of the patient. In addition, there are special capitation rates for persons over 70 residing at home and for persons over 70 residing in private nursing homes. There are also a number of additional payments, e.g. in respect of out-of-hours consultations, temporary residents, special items of services (including suturing of cuts and lacerations, recognised vein treatment, etc.), practice support allowances and payments in respect of locum expenses.
e PCRS publishes a Statistical Analysis of Claims and Payments for each year (available on line at: http://www.pcrs.ie/ (PCRS Publications). The PCRS reports list the average payments to GPs per eligible person as follows:
|
Year |
Average Payment Per Person |
|
2006 |
€314.85 |
|
2007 |
€349.03 |
|
2008 |
€352.67 |
|
2009 |
€337.94 |
|
2010 |
€284.92 |
The PCRS has advised that the 2011 report will be placed on its website shortly.
