Written Answers Nos. 227-234
227. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health when the 80 new nationwide posts allocated to County Kerry Health Service Executive for multidisciplinary services will come on stream; if additional posts will be allocated to County Kerry from the national allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25077/14]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has recognised the need to increase the level of consistency and standardisation in the way services for children with disabilities are delivered. It is currently engaged in a reconfiguration of existing therapy resources to multidisciplinary geographic based teams for children as part of its National Programme on Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18 years).
The aim of the Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People Programme is to achieve a national, unified approach to delivering disability health services so that there is a clear pathway to services for all children, regardless of where they live, what school they go to or the nature of their disability.
The Programme is organised at national, regional and local level and includes representatives from the health and education sectors, non-statutory service providers and parents. An additional €4m has been specifically allocated in 2014 to drive implementation of the Programme. This equates to approximately 80 therapy posts.
As the specific issue raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for the HSE I have arranged for the Deputy's question to be referred to the Executive for direct reply to him.
228. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if a disability nurse will be provided for a facility (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25078/14]
View answerAs the issue raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for the Health Service Executive, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
229. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health the number and location of pulmonary rehabilitation services available across the country; if he will provide details of waiting lists-waiting times for these services in tabular form in each location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25080/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
230. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health the extent and coverage of the COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease outreach programme in each county; the Health Service Executive's plans to roll the service out to other areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25081/14]
View answerIn relation to the detailed query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to him directly.
231. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the reason Fampyra is no longer available to sufferers of multiple sclerosis under the long-term illness scheme; the effect he considers this will have on hard pressed sufferers of this condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25085/14]
View answerFirst of all I want to clarify that Fampridine (Fampyra®) was never available to Multiple Sclerosis patients under the Long Term Illness Scheme. However, I understand that the manufacturer of Fampyra supplied the drug free of charge to some patients who were prescribed the drug by their clinician. The manufacturer has recently decided to stop supplying the drug free of charge and, as a consequence, these patients are now faced with financing the drug themselves if they wish to continue with this drug treatment.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) is responsible for the administration of the primary care schemes. The HSE received an application for the inclusion of Fampridine (Fampyra®) in the GMS and community drugs schemes.
The application was considered in line with the procedures and timescales agreed 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 Fampridine and concluded that, as the manufacturer was unable to demonstrate the cost effectiveness of fampridine in the Irish healthcare setting, it was unable to recommend the reimbursement of the product. The report is available on the NCPE's website (www.ncpe.ie ). The HSE assessment process is intended to arrive at a decision on the funding of new medicines that is clinically appropriate, fair, consistent and sustainable. In these circumstances, the HSE has not approved the reimbursement of Fampridine under the GMS or other community drug schemes.
However, I am aware that studies are ongoing to assess the wider impact of Fampridine on both walking and quality of life for persons diagnosed with MS. The results of these studies will contribute to the evidence base demonstrating the clinical effectiveness of the product which can be used to support future applications for its inclusion on the lists of reimbursable items supplied under the GMS and other community drugs scheme.
In this context, I understand the manufacturer has indicated to the HSE that it intends to submit a revised application for Fampridine. The HSE will then re-consider the application in line with the agreed procedures and timescales for the assessment of new medicines.
232. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a detailed list in tabular form of all staff vacancies, within his Department and in each agency under his Department's remit, at principal officer grade or above, including the title of the vacant post and the functional area to which it belongs; the length of time the post has been vacant; the salary attached to the post in question; in respect of agencies where Civil Service grades do not apply, if he will include vacancies where the post attracts a salary equivalent to or greater than a principal officer grade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25124/14]
View answerWhen posts at Principal Officer level and higher become vacant, my Department will first examine the possibility for the re-organisation of assignments within our current Employment Control Framework ceiling. Such posts are not counted as vacancies until that exercise is completed and Department of Public Expenditure and Reform sanction is granted to fill the particular post. On that basis, I set out below the vacancies that currently exist at the specified level.
There are three vacancies in my Department at Assistant Secretary level which are in the functional areas of Human Resources, Finance and Primary Care. All of these arise from dates at end May to mid June and are currently the subject of open competition run by the Top Level Appointments Committee (TLAC) in conjunction with the Public Appointments Service (PAS).
There is also a vacancy for a Chief Pharmacist which exists since 12th October 2013 and we are working with the PAS to fill this post and for a Senior Statistician which exists since 31st May 2014, both of which are at Principal Officer level.
The salary scales for Assistant Secretary and Principal Officer are set out in the table below.
|
Grade |
Non-Personal Pension Contribution * |
Personal Pension Contribution ** |
|
Assistant Secretary |
€119,572, €124,917, €130,706, €136,496 |
€125,761, €131,385, €137,481, €143,535 |
|
Principal Officer |
€75,647, €78,670, €81,676, €84,706, €87,258, €89,906 (after 3 years satisfactory service at the maximum) €92,550 (after 6 years satisfactory service at the maximum) |
€79,401, €82,587, €85,750, €88,936, €91,624, €94,410 (after 3 years satisfactory service at the maximum) €97,194 (after 6 years satisfactory service at the maximum) |
*Non-Personal Pension Contribution
This rate will apply where the appointee is a civil or public servant recruited before 6th April 1995 and who is not required to make a Personal Pension Contribution.
**Personal Pension Contribution (PPC)
This rate will apply where the appointee is an existing civil or public servant appointed on or after 6th April 1995 or is newly recruited to the Civil Service and is required to make a personal pension contribution.
The information relating to the non-commercial agencies under the aegis of the Department is being collated and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy.
234. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will arrange an appointment in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, in respect of a person (details supplied). [25151/14]
View answerIn relation to the particular patient query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to him directly.
