Written Answers Nos. 243-51
243. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if he will review the operation of the fair deal scheme to allow people to have the option to be cared for 24 hours a day in their own homes as an alternative to nursing home care [17821/13]
View answerThe Programme for Government contains a commitment to consider developing a secure and equitable system of financing for community and long-term care which supports older people to stay in their own homes.
In advance of this piece of work being carried out, the Nursing Homes Support Scheme is being reviewed. The review of the Scheme will inform the commitment made in the Programme for Government and includes the following terms of reference:
- consideration of the balance of funding between long-term residential care and community based services, and
- consideration of the extension of the scheme to community based services.
Work will continue on the review in the coming months with a view to completion in 2013.
244. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Galway on the inpatient waiting list in County Galway will receive treatment [17822/13]
View answerThe National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2013, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has recently been adopted by the HSE, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists. In relation to this particular query raised by the Deputy, I have asked the Health Service Executive to investigate the situation and respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.
245. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Health if he has engaged with members of Epilepsy Ireland with regard to their concerns about the possible consequences of people with epilepsy using the generic alternative epilepsy drugs under the new Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Bill 2012; his plans to deal with these concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17879/13]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Bill, passed Committee Stage on the 19th of March. Under the 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:
- there is a difference in bio-availability between the medicinal products and the interchangeable medicinal products which currently fall within the group of interchangeable medicinal products which may lead to a clinically significant difference in efficacy between them, and
- any of the medicinal products cannot be safely substituted for any one or more of the other medicinal products in the group.
I would like to emphasise that in making a decision to add a medicinal product to a group of interchangeable medicinal products or a group of medicinal products to the List of Interchangeable Medicinal Products the Board is obliged to have regard to the criteria as set out in the Bill and that these criteria fully reflect the recommendations set out in the Joint Department of Health/HSE report 'Proposed Model of Reference Pricing and Generic Substitution' (the Moran Report, 2010) regarding criteria for interchangeability.
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. I met with the Irish Epilepsy Association in January and explained this position.
It is also 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.
246. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health the overall budget for the National Ambulance Service over the past five years; if he will provide a county breakdown; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17894/13]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.
247. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the progress made to date in respect of an appeal for a medical card in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17895/13]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has recently reissued to Oireachtas members.
248. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he can ascertain from the Health Service Executive when the psychological report in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1 will be discussed with him in a supportive environment; the type of counselling/psychotherapy that will be provided; and if the HSE will respond to this Deputy's correspondence regarding same [17926/13]
View answerAs the specific issue raised by the Deputy relates to a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply in respect of the detailed information sought.
249. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health if, in the context of the need to secure savings in the GMS scheme, he and his Department are mindful of the pressures which general practitioners practices are already under; and if he will confirm that the efforts to secure the necessary savings are focusing on non-further services [17989/13]
View answerAs part of Budget 2013, a number of measures are being taken to reduce the cost of the General Medical Service (GMS) Scheme. Among these is a reduction in the income limits for over-70s Medical Cards. The Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Act 2013 was enacted on 28 March 2013 to give effect to the revised eligibility arrangements. In addition, the assessment criteria for the standard medical card are being changed. Home Improvement Loan payments and a €50 per week car allowance in Travel-to-Work expenses will, in future, be excluded from consideration in the means test assessment.
The fees and allowances payable to certain health professionals are also being reviewed under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) Act 2009. The professionals concerned include General Practitioners and Pharmacists who hold contracts with the HSE, under the GMS scheme. Following careful consideration of submissions made during the review, including written and oral submissions made by the Irish Medical Organisation, the Minister for Health will decide whether any reductions in fees/allowances will be made, and, if so, the scale of reductions that would be fair and reasonable in the circumstances. Should the Minister decide that reductions are warranted, Regulations will be made under the FEMPI Act with the approval of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
250. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that a person (details supplied) in County Longford is admitted into St. Luke's Hospital, Dublin, immediately. [17990/13]
View answerThe Deputy's question relates to service delivery matters and accordingly I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him.
251. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when he is going to make the Walsh Report on Symphysiotomy available to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17991/13]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, my Department has commissioned an independent research report in relation to the practice of symphysiotomy in Ireland. The research process comprised of two stages. The first stage was an independent draft academic research report , which was based on an analysis of published medical reports and research. The second stage in the research process was consultation on the draft report involving patient groups, health professionals and in particular the women who have experienced symphysiotomy. The second stage has just been completed by the researcher and the report has been sent for peer review. It is expected that the report will be finalised and submitted to my Department in May and that it will be published as soon as possible after that.
My first priority is to ensure that the women who have had this procedure have their health needs comprehensively and professionally met. In this regard, the HSE provides a range of services to women who continue to suffer the effects of having had this procedure. These services include the provision of medical cards, the availability of independent clinical advice and the organisation of individual pathways of care and the arrangement of appropriate follow-up.
