Written Answers Nos. 737-749
737. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health when the Health Service Executive is to set a reference price for medicines or outline the mechanism to be employed for establishing such prices; if his attention has been drawn to the implications of such delays; the steps he is taking to address this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36649/13]
View answerThe Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, which came into operation on the 24th of June, will introduce a system of generic substitution and reference pricing. Under the Act, the Irish Medicines Board (IMB) is responsible for the assessment for interchangeability of medicines. The IMB will review an initial 20 active substances, which equates to approximately 1,500 individual medicines. They include statins, proton pump inhibitors, angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers.
It is expected that the first List of Interchangeable Medicines, containing groups of atorvastatin products, will be published in mid-August at which time generic prices will fall by 20%. The IMB will publish subsequent lists for other groups of medicines on an ongoing basis.
The Act also provides that the HSE may set a reference price for each group of interchangeable products published on the List of Interchangeable Products. Reference pricing involves the setting of a common reimbursement price, or reference price, for a group of interchangeable medicines. It means that one reference price is set for each group or list of interchangeable medicines, and this is the price that the HSE will reimburse to pharmacies for all medicines in the group, regardless of the individual medicine’s prices.
The Act provides that when the HSE is setting a reference price for, or reviewing a reference price set for, a relevant group of interchangeable medicinal products it shall take into account the following criteria:
- the ability of suppliers to meet patient demand for the relevant item;
- the value for money afforded by the relevant item;
- the equivalent prices of the relevant item in all other Member States where the product is marketed;
- the prices of therapeutically similar items; and
- the resources available to the HSE.
Once the IMB publishes the first list of interchangeable products, the HSE will commence the process of setting a reference price for that group in accordance with the timeframes set out in the legislation. The first reference price is expected to be implemented by November.
738. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when special hospital bed and ancillary requirements will be made available in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36712/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
739. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health in respect of hospital consultants' public contracts, if he will report on the terms of the contract in respect of pay and hours required for different categories of work in each of the types of contract; and if he will outline the arrangements in place for ensuring compliance with the terms of these contracts. [36721/13]
View answer740. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will provide information on the number and proportion of hospital consultants who have exceeded the quota of private work permissible under their contract in each of the past three years for which figures are available; the numbers that have paid penalties for this work in each year; and the total value of these penalties in each of these years. [36722/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 739 and 740 together.
For historical reasons, consultants working in the public health service are employed under a number of contracts. The 1991 and 1997 Consultant Contracts provided for consultants working 33 hours per week, while the 2008 Consultant Contract provided for consultants working 37 hours per week.
However, under the Haddington Road Agreement the working hours for public servants, including consultants, with a working week of 35 hours or less (net of rest breaks) have been increased to a minimum of 37 hours per week with effect from 1 July 2013. Staff who previously had a net working-week of more than 35 but less than 39 hours (net of rest breaks) move to a 39-hour week, with the first two hours 15 minutes taking effect from 1 July 2013 and any balance being applied from 1 July 2015.
Irrespective of contract, many consultants are liable to provide on-call services and attend on-site outside of contracted hours. Consultants employed on the 2008 Contract may be required formally to provide up to five additional hours on Saturdays, Sundays or Bank Holidays.
The revised salary rates for medical consultants can be found in my Department's Consolidated Salary Scales which issued on foot of the Haddington Road Agreement in recent weeks and which are published on the Department's website www.doh.ie.
The HSE has responsibility for implementation of the terms of the contracts held by consultants working in the public health service. I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy in relation to the enforcement of compliance with the contractual provisions regarding private practice.
743. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown in numbers and percentages of ambulance activities in County Kerry from 1 January to 30 June 2013, including interhospital transfers, general practitioner initiated calls and the category of calls, 999 calls and the category of calls, the personnel engaged in the service in County Kerry and the number of ambulance and rapid transfer vehicles. [36760/13]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service issue, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.
744. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the payment structure for the different categories of general practitioners working in the drug treatment service. [36765/13]
View answerI presume the Deputy is referring to the Methadone Treatment Scheme. Payments in respect of the Methadone Treatment Scheme are made to General Practitioners (GPs) by the HSE's Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) in accordance with the provisions of their contract for service which they hold with the HSE. Consequently, the HSE has been requested to provide the specific information to the Deputy as soon as possible.
745. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the management structure in the Health Service Executive drug treatment service and if he will outline the arrangements which have been reached with the merger of the Drug Treatment Centre Board with the HSE. [36766/13]
View answerI have been informed by the HSE that the Social Inclusion Care Group has a strategy/policy implementation remit for a range of areas which includes drug treatment. The Care Group is under the direction of the National Primary Care and Social Inclusion Manager and governance is via the National Social Inclusion Governance Group (SIGG). The National Addiction Advisory Governance Group (NAAGG) identifies issues that impact on the provision of drug treatment services and reports to the SIGG. Operationally drug treatment services are managed by a network of Area Operation Managers/Regional Drug Coordinators.
The National Drug Treatment Centre (NDTC), formerly the Drug Treatment Centre Board, was incorporated into the HSE on the 1st January 2013 when Part 5 of the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 was commenced. All assets, liabilities and staff transferred into the HSE on that date. The manager of the NDTC is a member of both the SIGG and NAAGG.
746. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the status of the review of the operation of the local drugs task forces, the report of which was announced in December; when the oversight forum will meet; when the new co-ordinating body to replace the drugs advisory group will meet; and if he will restate the Government's commitment to the full implementation of the national drugs strategy. [36767/13]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, I announced details of a series of measures last December arising from a review of Drugs Task Forces, in order to better equip them to respond to the current pattern of substance misuse. These measures included the extension of the remit of the Task Forces to include alcohol addiction and the establishment of a National Coordinating Committee for Drug and Alcohol Task Forces, which will replace the Drugs Advisory Group.
As measures to address the abuse of alcohol remain under consideration by the Government, I am not yet in a position to provide clear time-scales for the establishment of the new National Coordinating Committee. However, the Government remains fully committed to the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy, including at the local level. To this end, I intend to arrange a series of bilateral dialogues in the coming weeks with Government departments and agencies, the community and voluntary sector and the drugs task forces in order to assess how the inter-agency approach to the National Drugs Strategy can be maintained and strengthened. Reinvigorating the multi-sectoral approach to the National Drugs Strategy is key to the successful implementation of the Drugs Task Force reforms in my view.
748. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Health his plans to enhance the role of pharmacists here that would see this profession being allowed to diagnose minor ailments and supply appropriate treatments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36773/13]
View answerPharmacists play an important role in the delivery of healthcare in Ireland, including in ensuring that patients are provided with safe and appropriate medicines and advice, and have the potential to play a central role in the development and delivery of our health services. In recent years, community pharmacists have broadened their range of services to include flu vaccinations, emergency hormonal contraception services, advice on healthy eating, support with smoking cessation, and continue, most importantly, to provide advice and support for patients in managing their medications.
Implementation of the Future Health: A Strategic Framework for Reform of the Health Service 2012-2015 document, which was published in late 2012, is a priority for Government. Delivering on the Government’s goals in primary care will impact on primary care health professionals, including community pharmacists. As part of implementation of Future Health, pharmacists will be expected to identify and contribute to implementing evidence-based and cost-effective solutions to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of the healthcare system, by addressing key medication issues such as medicines wastage, inappropriate usage of medicines, supporting and improving chronic disease management and patient adherence to medication.
In particular, the Department is supportive of a further expansion in the role of the community pharmacist into areas such as health screening and intends to engage with pharmacists in this context as plans to introduce Universal Primary Care are further developed.
749. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Health his plans for the Health Service Executive to outsource or put to tender enhanced home care packages; the savings that are expected to realised through this process; the new or additional measures that will be introduced for the betterment of community care by this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36775/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
