Written Answers Nos. 252 - 261
252. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on supports for organ transplants at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9 and the issue of unavailable theatre space and infestation of Aspergillus fungus on key wards. [23379/13]
View answerIn relation to the particular queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.
253. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Health his views on the decision by the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics not to recommend reimbursement for Pirfenidone to patients with idopathic pulmonary fibrosis; if he will engage with the Irish Lung Fibrosis Association; if he will review a submission (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23381/13]
View answer264. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite without delay in providing Pirfenidone to patients who are suffering from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis ( details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23495/13]
View answer265. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health when a decision will be made by the Health Service Executive on the funding of pirfenidone in order for the drug to be provided to patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23496/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 253, 264 and 265 together.
The HSE has received an application for the inclusion of pirfenidone in the GMS and community drugs schemes. The application is being considered in line with the procedures and timescales agreed last year by the Department of Health and the HSE with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) for the assessment of new medicines. In accordance with these procedures, the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) conducted a pharmacoeconomic evaluation of pirfenidone and concluded that, at the submitted price, pirfenidone is not cost-effective for the treatment of patients with mild to moderate idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The report is available on the NCPE's website (www.ncpe.ie).
The NCPE report is an important input to assist decision making and informs further discussions between the HSE and the manufacturer of the drug. The HSE is currently in negotiations with the manufacturers of pirfenidone and therefore it would not be appropriate to comment further while these negotiations are ongoing. The HSE assessment process is intended to arrive at a decision on the funding of pirfenidone that is clinically appropriate, fair, consistent and sustainable. The HSE understands that patients and clinicians are very anxious that a decision be made as soon as possible.
254. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an application for specialised bandages and medication under the medical hardship in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23414/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
255. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the reason that no ambulance was available in Midleton, County Cork, on 6 May 2013 to respond to a seriously injured toddler who fell from a balcony and died later the same week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23427/13]
View answer258. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Health his views on whether it is acceptable that members of the public who dial 999 are informed that no ambulance is available, and that they are then advised to organise their own transport and take a seriously ill child to South Doc and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23430/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 255 and 258 together.
Firstly, I would like to extend my sympathies to the family of the deceased child and to all those involved. The death of a child in any circumstances is a tragedy for all concerned. The incident has been referred to the HSE's Serious Incident Management Team. In line with HSE incident review methodology, an incident review has been commissioned into the manner in which an emergency 999/112 call received at 14.00 hours on 6 May 2013 was managed. A preliminary report has been requested as a matter of urgency and this will be followed by a full report. The NAS has appointed a Liaison Officer to the family to keep them informed of progress and the outcome of the review. It would be inappropriate to make any further comment, pending the outcome of the review.
256. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Health his views on whether it is acceptable that in a recent incident in Midleton, County Cork, when a seriously ill child was being transported to Cork University Hospital by ambulance, a fully qualified and trained paramedic drove while a very inexperienced trainee paramedic attended to the ill child; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23428/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
257. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Health his views on whether it is acceptable that a badly injured young person who was assaulted in Youghal town centre, County Cork, during the May bank holiday had to wait more than fifty minutes for an ambulance to take him to hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23429/13]
View answerThe National Ambulance Service is not a static service. The NAS deploys its emergency resources in a dynamic manner and works on an area and national, rather than a local, basis. The dynamic deployment of ambulance resources ensures that the nearest appropriate resource within a region is mobilised to an incident. For dynamic deployment of emergency resources within a region to be effective, those resources must be available to be used as efficiently as possible. Following a referral to the Labour Court under the Public Service Agreement, the NAS is currently progressing a number of efficiencies arising from the Court's ruling, including more efficient rostering and the removal of overtime built in to rosters. New rosters are now in place, including in the greater Dublin area, and are operating successfully.
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has developed key performance indicators (KPIs) for pre-hospital emergency care, which classify 999 emergency calls by clinical status. Clinical Status 1 (Echo) calls involve life-threatening emergencies of cardiac or respiratory origin, while Clinical Status 1 (Delta) calls involve life-threatening emergencies other than cardiac or respiratory. The target times for responding to Echo and Delta calls are 7 minutes 59 seconds by a first responder (a person trained in minimum basic life support and use of a defibrillator) and 18 minutes 59 seconds for a patient-carrying vehicle. With effect from January 2012, HIQA set the standard at 75% within the target time for first responders and a target has been set at 80% within the target time for patient-carrying vehicles.
The NAS has been taking a number of steps to improve emergency responses. These include development of a Performance Improvement Action Plan, an Intermediate Care Service, the national control centre reconfiguration project and a trial emergency aeromedical service.
In light of the above, and following a review of the validity of time-based KPIs, it is considered, in line with international views, that clinical outcomes would be more appropriate as performance indicators. Accordingly, work has begun on their development. I also welcome the fact that use of clinical indicators will enable a focus on Clinical Status 1 (Echo and Delta) calls. In relation to the specific query raised by the Deputy, I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy.
259. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Health his views on the restructuring of the National Ambulance Service; if this restructuring has delivered a better and more reliable service to persons in towns across Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23431/13]
View answerA significant reform programme has been underway in recent years in pre-hospital care services, to ensure a clinically driven, nationally co-ordinated system, supported by improved technology. The programme involves a number of measures, including the Performance Improvement Action Plan, development of the intermediate care service, the trial emergency aeromedical service (EAS), and the NAS Control Centre Reconfiguration Project. In particular, the National Ambulance Service (NAS) is developing staff clinical skills in line with the development of paramedic professional qualifications by the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council.
The NAS is a forward-looking service. It deploys its emergency resources in a dynamic manner and on an area and national, rather than a local, basis. It has been, and still is, undergoing major transformation, including in terms of clinical skills and work practices, application of technology and modernisation of management and infrastructure. Many of these initiatives are still in train and I am confident that they will result in the improvements in the treatment available in pre-hospital care to seriously ill and injured patients.
260. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Health his plans to invest in and upgrade facilities in five community nursing homes to meet the Health Information and Quality Authority standards post 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23457/13]
View answer261. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Health in view of our growing aging population, the provision for places in community nursing homes in County Mayo that will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23463/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 260 and 261 together.
As these are service matters they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
