Written Answers Nos. 330-344
330. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive has received an application for the inclusion of Flexiseq for treatment of arthritis in the general medical services and community drugs schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44948/14]
View answerThe Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the community drug schemes in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
331. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44979/14]
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 issued to Oireachtas members. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
332. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive an appointment for an audiology test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44985/14]
View answerThe Health Service Executive Community Audiology service administers and monitors hearing tests for adults who are at risk for hearing loss. The HSE has therefore been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
333. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an application for hours for school assistance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44987/14]
View answerAs the issue raised by the Deputy relates to an individual case, this is a service matter for the Health Service Executive. I have asked the HSE to look into the particular matter raised and to reply directly to the Deputy. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
334. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the costs incurred to date by his Department with regard to the programme for Government commitment to introduce universal health insurance [44997/14]
View answerMy Department has incurred costs of €211,971.99 to date in respect of the Government's commitment to the introduction of Universal Health Insurance (UHI) in Ireland. The main elements of expenditure were legal research and advisory services on technical aspects of UHI (€141,450) and costs associated with the public consultation on the White Paper on UHI (€56,637.68). The remaining costs totalling €13,884.31 include items such as Irish translation services for UHI publications, costs associated with the UHI Implementation Group and travel costs for international experts. It should be noted that the figure of €211,971.99 is exclusive of normal staffing and other incidental costs which were expended from my Department's annual budgets in the years 2011 to 2014 inclusive.
335. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if a review will take place in respect of eligibility to a medical card in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45001/14]
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 issued to Oireachtas members. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
336. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health his views on introducing a policy whereby medical cards for sick children are not means tested; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45004/14]
View answerEligibility for health services in Ireland, as set out in the Health Act 1970 as amended, is based primarily on ordinary residence and means. All people ordinarily resident in the State are eligible for publicly-funded hospital services. In addition, about two-fifths of the population are eligible for publicly-funded primary care services. The Health (General Practitioner Service) Act 2014, which provides an entitlement for all children aged under 6 to a GP service without fees, was enacted on 25th July 2014. Under a Framework Agreement, the Department of Health, the HSE and the IMO are engaged intensively on the introduction of GP services without fees for children aged under 6. The Government's aim is to have universal GP care without fees for children under 6 years implemented early next year subject to the conclusion of the present discussions and the completion of a fee-setting process.
The Deputy will be aware that the Director-General of the HSE established an Expert Panel to examine and recommend the range of medical conditions that would be considered as a basis of eligibility for health services. The Expert Panel report was presented to the Minister last month.
The Expert Panel concluded that it was not feasible, desirable, nor ethically justifiable to list medical conditions in priority order for medical card eligibility. It also concluded that a person’s means should remain the main qualifier for a medical card and recommended that the existing eligibility assessment should be extended beyond financial hardship to include an assessment of the burden of a medical condition, but it noted that there are significant challenges to including such an assessment. It is however recognised by Government that there is a need for discretion and sensitivity in assessing eligibility, which will take into account an individual's medical condition and needs, rather than a list of specific medical conditions. In that context, the Government has approved a number of immediate improvements that the HSE is making to the medical card system.
337. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of those resources being invested to assist in research into Huntington’s disease and care for Huntington’s disease patients [45006/14]
View answerThe supports provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to people with Huntington's Disease involve a multi-disciplinary team approach. This approach incorporates the provision of health and personal supports and incorporates Acute Hospital Services, Primary Care, Community Services and specialist disability supports and services. The HSE recognises the valuable contribution made by the Huntington's Disease Association of Ireland to those who suffer from the disease, and to their families and carers and it provided a grant of €68,887 to support the Association with their work in 2013.
I have arranged for the aspect of the Deputy's question which relates to research to be referred to the HSE for investigation and a direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
338. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health if the prescription charge is a short term measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45007/14]
View answerPrescription charges are part of a set of measures introduced by Government in recent years to reduce pharmaceutical drugs expenditure. It was necessary to increase the prescription charge in 2014 due to the very difficult and challenging economic environment which requires the Government to achieve additional savings in health expenditure with €619 million of savings targeted in 2014. The increase in prescription charges will account for €43 million of this target.
There are no plans to amend the prescription charge. However I am pleased that the prescription charge is frozen at the level set in 2014 as was announced as part of the packet of health measures in Budget 2015.
Medical card holders are required to pay a €2.50 charge per item for medicines and other prescription items supplied to them by community pharmacists, subject to a cap of €25 per month for each person or family.
Prescription charges do not apply to children in the care of the Health Service Executive or to methadone supplied to patients participating in the Methadone Treatment Scheme.
339. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the measures he is taking to address the large waiting lists for orthodontic treatment in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45008/14]
View answer351. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the number of persons awaiting orthodontic treatment in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45078/14]
View answer352. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the waiting time for orthodontic treatment in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45079/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 339, 351 and 352 together.
The HSE provides orthodontic treatment to those who have been assessed and referred for treatment before their 16th birthday. It should be noted that the nature of orthodontic care means that immediate treatment is not always desirable. It is estimated that in up to 5% of cases it is necessary to wait for further growth to take place before treatment commences. Patients are assessed by the HSE Orthodontic Service under the modified Index of Treatment Need. Patients with the greatest level of need, i.e. Grade 5 or Grade 4 are provided with treatment by the HSE.
Information on waiting times is collated by the HSE by region and for the intervals as shown below. The waiting times for orthodontic treatment in the Western region at the end of Quarter 3 2014 are set out in the table.
|
Waiting time from assessment to commencement of treatment |
1 - 6 months |
7 - 12 months |
13 - 24 months |
25-36 months |
37-48 months |
Over 48 months |
TOTAL |
|
HSE West |
1,206 |
1,218 |
1,443 |
1,153 |
124 |
48 |
5,192 |
Over the next three years orthodontic treatment for certain categories of misalignment will be provided by a panel of independent practitioners under contract to the HSE. A national procurement process is currently underway and is due to be ready for commencement in January 2015. This initiative will especially focus on those waiting for four years or longer. It is expected that this initiative will have a positive impact on waiting times.
I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy on the specific issues he has raised on orthodontic treatment in County Mayo. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
340. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card application in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 22; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45013/14]
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 issued to Oireachtas members. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
341. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45019/14]
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 issued to Oireachtas Members. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
342. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the practice of using chlorine dioxide as a treatment for autism spectrum conditions here; if he has knowledge of this practice taking place; the actions that have been taken to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45047/14]
View answerUnder the Medicinal Products (Control of Placing on the Market) Regulations 2007, as amended, a medicinal product cannot be placed on the market in Ireland unless it has a marketing authorisation from the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) or a community marketing authorisation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Any product which makes a medicinal claim to treat medical conditions such as autism is considered to be a medicine and requires an authorisation under this legislation.
Chlorine Dioxide Solution (CDS) is not authorised as a medicine for sale or supply in Ireland and it is therefore an offence to place this product on the market in Ireland without a marketing authorisation.
The HPRA, assisted by the Gardai, is investigating the manufacture and supply of the product Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS) and CDS. Products were seized and investigations are continuing.
The HPRA advises consumers not to take MMS or CDS. The Food Safety Authority and the National Poisons Information Centre of Ireland have also issued a public safety warning regarding the use of the solution.
343. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the cross-border agreement that had been in place for ten years to cater for maxillofacial surgery to be carried out in Altagelvin hospital for patients from Counties Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal; if the status of this has changed following a meeting from management of the relevant hospitals; the current status of the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45048/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with them.
344. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health further to his recent comments subsequent to the Supreme Court decision on surrogacy, his proposed legislative timeframe to address the findings of the court; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45053/14]
View answerFollowing the Supreme Court's judgment in the MR and Anor v. An tArd Chláraitheoir & Ors on Friday 7th November, I stated my intention to bring a memorandum for Government before the end of this year, seeking approval to draft an Assisted Human Reproduction Bill. It is envisaged that a comprehensive Bill would deal with a wide range of issues from the beginning to the end of the assisted reproduction process. The proposed legislation will have a number of objectives, most importantly, protecting and promoting the health and safety of children born through assisted human reproduction and their parents as well as fostering the application of ethical principles.
