Written Answers Nos. 515-531
516. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will increase custom and exercise supervision of commercial packaging operators, in order to deal with the explosion of prescription drugs being ordered on-line and delivered within a 24 hour period. [14779/13]
View answerThe Revenue Commissioner's Customs Service and the Irish Medicines Board (IMB) have shared competency in relation to the prevention and detection at importation of illicit medicines. In addition the IMB and the Customs Service have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and under this MOU both organisations work closely to detain and prohibit prescription medicines purchased online from being imported.
IMB and the Customs Service deploy operational resources in a targeted and risk-based manner and as a result of specific intelligence. These approaches are reviewed and adjusted based on analysis and evaluation of national and international seizure trends, traffic frequency, routes and other risk indicators.
Revenue's Customs Service also have Memoranda of Understanding with a number of express mail courier service providers and work very closely with these companies, IMB and the Gardaí to combat the importation of illicit medicines.
In September 2012 the IMB, Revenue Customs Services and An Garda Síochána took part in an international week long operation 'Pangea V' which led to the detention of capsules and tablets with an estimated value in excess of €375,000.
In addition the Customs Service has provided the following statistics of medicines seizures for the years 2009 to 2012:
|
Year |
Illicit Medicinal Tablets |
Litres of Medicines |
|
2009 |
712,282 |
4.59 |
|
2010 |
1,248,031 |
0.6 |
|
2011 |
1,258,580 |
5.7 |
|
2012 |
1,183,162 |
210.7 |
517. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the projected costs associated with the building of a new children's hospital and the way it will be funded. [14781/13]
View answer520. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health when a new design for the National Children's Hospital will be completed and published. [14784/13]
View answer521. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the indicative timeframe for the planning and building of the new National Children's Hospital. [14785/13]
View answer523. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the work being undertaken since St James's Hospital site was chosen as a location to develop a National Children's Hospital on 6 November 2012. [14787/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 517, 520, 521 and 523 together.
The decision to locate the new children's hospital on the St James's campus was announced on 6 November 2012. Co-location, and ultimately tri-location with a maternity hospital, on the St James's campus will support the provision of excellence in clinical care that our children deserve. The new children’s hospital is a key commitment in the Programme for Government and the largest project within the current Capital Plan.
Following the announcement of the Government's decision, detailed consideration was given to the project management structures and governance arrangements required to enable delivery of the project as quickly as possible and to the highest quality. It is my intention to restructure the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) so that it focuses on the core function of planning, designing, building and equipping the new hospital. The membership of the restructured Board will align with this core function and include the necessary capital development expertise. As the terms of office of the majority of Board members expired on 5 December I have appointed senior representatives from my Department and the HSE as an interim measure pending the required legislation, with the aim of ensuring effective governance and decision-making for the project during this transitional phase.
At this important initial stage it is crucial that the project continues without delay. Work has been progressing in relation to the site and site preparation, representatives of the HSE and St. James's Hospital are meeting regularly to progress plans for the necessary enabling and decant work and that a joint team has been put in place to progress this critical early stage work with a robust timetable. A review of urgent care centre(s) configuration is underway; the Dolphin report concluded that the existing plan for the Ambulatory and Urgent Care Centre in Tallaght would need to be revisited in light of any decision about the location of the new children's hospital. This review is expected to be complete within the coming weeks; this will be a key decision, the outcome of which will be a core factor in finalising the scale of the facilities required on the St James's campus and informing the design. While much of the work that has been done for the project in its previous location on the Mater site is transferable to the new site, a new design for the new site is required and in this regard a priority now for the NPHDB is the procurement of a new design team.
In relation to costs, the totality of the costs for the project in its new location will be determined as part of the updated business case to be finalised by the NPHDB. Funding for the project is secure in the Capital Plan, while it is intended that a proportion of the funding will come from a number of sources, e.g. education and research bodies, research foundations, commercial enterprises, philanthropy and other sources. In addition, up to €200m can be made available from the sale of the National Lottery.
The timelines for delivery of this extremely large and complex capital project will require to be established, examined and kept under continuous review by those charged with project delivery. This Government regards the building of the hospital as a priority and no effort will be spared in expediting its completion.
518. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health when legislation regarding the new National Children's Hospital at St James's Hospital, Dublin will be produced. [14782/13]
View answer519. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health when he will announce a new board, including new chair, for the development of the National Children's Hospital at the St James's Hospital site in Dublin. [14783/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 518 and 519 together.
The decision to locate the new children's hospital on the campus of St James's Hospital was announced on 6 November 2012. Co-location, and ultimately tri-location with a maternity hospital, with St James's will support the provision of excellence in clinical care that our children deserve.
Following the announcement of the Government's decision, I gave detailed consideration to the project management structures and governance arrangements required to enable delivery of the project as quickly as possible and to the highest quality and it is my intention to restructure the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board so that it focuses solely on the capital project. The membership of the restructured Board will align with this core function and hence include the necessary skills, experience and expertise in complex healthcare capital projects. The restructuring of the Board will require primary legislation and work is ongoing in relation to the preparation of heads of a Bill in this regard. In parallel, consideration is being given to the appointment of Board members with the required competencies.
Pending the necessary changes, it is crucial that the project continues without delay during this transitional phase. As the terms of office of the majority of Board members expired on 5 December, I have therefore appointed senior representatives from my Department and the HSE to the Board as an interim measure aimed at ensuring effective governance and decision-making for the project.
This Government's priority is to ensure that the project proceeds securely to completion as quickly as possible and with optimal results. I am confident that the project management and governance structures now being put in place will enable the fastest possible delivery of this key infrastructure for children’s hospital services.
522. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the construction and development works that are being carried out on Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin and Temple Street Children's Hospital, Dublin that are ongoing, planned or have been completed for each hospital in the past five years and the cost of each of these capital projects. [14786/13]
View answerDelivery of healthcare infrastructure is a service issue. Therefore your question has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
524. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health what is planned for the staff and the sites of Tallaght's Children's Hospital and Temple Street Children's Hospital, Dublin. [14788/13]
View answerI take it that the Deputy is referring to the plans for staff and sites in the context of the new children's hospital project. The new hospital, when built, will bring together the three existing Dublin paediatric hospitals (Our Lady's Children’s Hospital Crumlin, Children's University Hospital Temple Street and the paediatric service at Tallaght Hospital, formerly the National Children’s Hospital) as one entity. All services at the three existing children's hospitals in Dublin, and accordingly staff, will transfer to the new hospital (and to the proposed Ambulatory and Urgent Care Centre(s) when built). In regard to the existing facilities and the sites on which they are located, no decisions have yet been made in relation to these.
525. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Health the reason persons (details supplied) in County Leitrim have been assessed by the Health Service Executive West as requiring home care packages but have been informed by HSE West that they do not have the resources to provide the service required and have added the names of the two persons concerned to a home care package waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14797/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
526. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health if he will provide additional resources to Tallaght Hospital to deal effectively with the recently reported difficulties with patient x-rays; if he has had contact with the board of Tallaght Hospital on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14799/13]
View answerThe Radiology Department, with the Diagnostic Directorate and Executive Team at the hospital are taking a number of steps to address this issue, including additional clerical support in Radiology to assist with typing of tapes. While I have not been in contact with the Board of Tallaght Hospital on this matter, officials from my Department have engaged with the hospital regarding the action plan in place to address the issue. It is important to note that Tallaght Hospital has a documented clinical governance process in place for the radiologists (who report on the images). They must ensure that any critical or urgent findings are brought immediately to the attention of the referring doctor and to the clerical staff who then transcribe and send the report immediately.
In relation to the specific query from the Deputy regarding additional resources, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.
527. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding financial support from the Health Service Executive in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14803/13]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
528. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a payment for medical services; if he has had any meetings with the representative bodies regarding same; if any progress has been made to resolve this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14806/13]
View answerThe current General Medical Services (GMS) General Practitioner (GP) Capitation Contract was introduced in 1989 and is based on a diagnosis and treatment model. Section 11 of the current contract states as follows:
"The medical practitioner shall provide for eligible persons, on behalf of the relevant Health Board, all proper and necessary treatment of a kind usually undertaken by a general practitioner and not requiring special skill or experience of a degree or kind which general practitioners cannot reasonably be expected to possess. This will include such preventive and developmental services as are currently provided or may be developed in the new style of practice which this agreement facilitates, some of which services may be included on the list of special items of service for which specific payments shall be made. "
In circumstances where the taking of blood is necessary to either (a) assist in the process of diagnosing a patient or (b) monitor a diagnosed condition, General Practitioners (GPs) may not charge patients if they are eligible for free GMS services under the Health Act, 1970, as amended. It is the contracted responsibility of GPs to provide proper and necessary treatment to eligible persons. If part of that proper and necessary treatment includes routine phlebotomy, GPs must provide such services free of charge under the terms of their General Medical Services (GMS) contract.
The HSE has written to GP contract holders and clarified the position in relation to phlebotomy services and has also communicated its position to the Irish Medical Organisation. The HSE is also continuing to advise eligible patients who believe they have been inappropriately charged by a GP for routine phlebotomy services, to seek a refund from the GP in question.
The monitoring and appropriate care of patients receiving anti-coagulation therapy with Warfarin comes within the scope of competence of general practice. Warfarin testing is also available free of charge in hospitals. Warfarin testing is carried out by some general practitioners as a matter of course in their practices and I welcome this. This provides their patients with an option of receiving this service locally in a primary care setting rather than attending an acute hospital for this service.
The Programme for Government provides for the introduction of a new GMS GP contract with an increased emphasis on the management of chronic conditions, such as diabetes and cardiovascular conditions. It is envisaged that the new contract, when finalised, will focus on prevention and will include a requirement for GPs to provide care as part of integrated multidisciplinary Primary Care Teams.
Officials in my Department are in consultation with the HSE with a view to drawing up a new contract. I have recently had discussions with the IMO during which I outlined the Government's policy in relation to free GP care and I intend to engage in further discussions with the IMO once that legislation is published. The appropriate arrangements in relation to phlebotomy services and anti-coagulation therapy will be considered as part of the new GMS contract.
529. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 was refused a medical card. [14834/13]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
530. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the grounds on which a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 was refused a medical card. [14835/13]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
531. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be provided with a child and adolescent mental health service appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14841/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
