Ciaran Lynch
Question:217. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be provided with a hospital appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29481/15]
View answerHospital Appointments Status
Questions (217)
Written answers
Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, 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 my officials will follow the matter up.
Addiction Treatment Services
Questions (218)
Mary Lou McDonald
Question:218. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if a treatment facility (details supplied) in Dublin 7, which has been temporarily closed, will re-open in August 2015, as previously stated by the Health Service Executive. [29484/15]
View answerWritten answers
The provision of services to prevent and treat addiction to alcohol is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive and as such, I have referred this question to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply. 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.
As the Deputy may recall, on 3 February 2015, the Government approved the General Scheme of a Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. The aim is to reduce alcohol consumption to the OECD average by 2020 (i.e. 9.1 litres of pure alcohol per capita) and the harms caused by alcohol. The Bill is part of a suite of measures agreed by the Government in 2013 on foot of the recommendations in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy. The other measures (eg for the HSE, professional bodies etc) set out in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy, were endorsed by Government and are to be progressed by the relevant departments and organisations. The HSE has responsibility for implementing a number of recommendations and some of these measures are reflected in the HSE Service Plan for 2015. The remit of the Drugs Task Forces was extended to include the problem of alcohol misuse last year, in view of the key role they play in co-ordinating the response to substance misuse at local level.
Medicinal Products Prices
Questions (219)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:219. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year saving if the State was to set the ex-factory price of new pharmaceuticals based on the lowest, as opposed to the average, price in the nine European Union member states that comprise the current basket, that is Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, Finland, and Austria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29526/15]
View answerWritten answers
In 2012, the State entered into a new three-year price reduction Agreement with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA). Under this Agreement, prices are set by reference to the average of the approved prices across a basket of nine EU Member States. This Agreement remains in place until 31st October of this year.
As the end of the current Agreement approaches, consideration is being given to a range of options available to the State in seeking to deliver further savings on the cost of drugs. Such options include entering into a new Agreement with the IPHA, as well as the possibility of using the legislative powers afforded to the HSE under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 to review and alter prices.
An important objective in any new arrangement will be to secure significant savings on the projected cost of drugs, as well as continued access to cost-effective treatments. Since such savings may be the subject of negotiations with industry, I do not wish to place the State's detailed position or estimated savings into the public domain in advance.
Medicinal Products Prices
Questions (220)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:220. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the estimated yearly saving if the State was to update the ex-factory price of new pharmaceuticals every six months, as compared to between one and three years at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29527/15]
View answerWritten answers
In 2012, the State entered into a new three-year price reduction Agreement with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA). Under this Agreement, prices are set by reference to the average of the approved prices across a basket of nine EU Member States. This Agreement remains in place until 31st October of this year.
As the end of the current Agreement approaches, consideration is being given to a range of options available to the State in seeking to deliver further savings on the cost of drugs. Such options include entering into a new Agreement with the IPHA, as well as the possibility of using the legislative powers afforded to the HSE under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 to review and alter prices.
An important objective in any new arrangement will be to secure significant savings on the projected cost of drugs, as well as continued access to cost-effective treatments. Since such savings may be the subject of negotiations with industry, I do not wish to place the State's detailed position or estimated savings into the public domain in advance.
Medicinal Products Prices
Questions (221)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:221. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if a pharmacist is currently able to dispense a pharmaceutical product which is interchangeable with that prescribed by a medical practitioner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29528/15]
View answerWritten answers
In recent years, the Government has introduced a series of reforms to reduce the prices of drugs and medicines which are paid for by the Health Service Executive. One of those key reforms has been the introduction of generic drug substitution and reference pricing, as provided for by The Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
The Act permits pharmacists to substitute medicines prescribed, provided that they have been designated as safely interchangeable by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).
Medicinal Products Prices
Questions (222)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:222. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if a pharmacist is currently obliged to inform patients of a pharmacist's dispensing fees, pharmacy services and mark-ups, through in-store displays using a standard template; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29529/15]
View answerWritten answers
The regulation of pharmacists and pharmacies in Ireland is the responsibility of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI), an independent statutory body established by the Pharmacy Act 2007. The PSI works for the public interest to protect the health and safety of the public by regulating the pharmacy profession and pharmacies.
Pharmacists currently have no obligation to inform patients of dispensing fees, pharmacy services, and mark-ups through the use of in-store displays. However, the PSI considers that transparency in pricing for patients and members of the public is desirable in line with the statutory Code of Conduct for Pharmacists, which was introduced under the 2007 Act. To this end, the PSI Council requires pharmacists to follow several guiding principles relating to pricing transparency for prescription medicines.
These principles include providing price information in advance of dispensing medication where requested by a patient or a patient's representative, and providing the patient or patient's representative with an itemised receipt following the dispensing of medicines.
Medicinal Products Expenditure
Questions (223)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:223. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the overall yearly spend on pharmaceuticals, in comparison to other European countries, on a per capita basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29530/15]
View answerWritten answers
Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for the administration of the primary care schemes, including drug pricing and reimbursement; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to you.
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.
Medicinal Products Expenditure
Questions (224)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:224. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he will advise on pharmaceutical expenditure as a proportion of all health expenditure, in each of the past four years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29531/15]
View answerWritten answers
Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for the administration of the primary care schemes, including drug pricing and reimbursement; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to you.
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.
Medicinal Products Expenditure
Questions (225)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:225. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if there are further potential savings he has identified in the State's medicine bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29532/15]
View answerWritten answers
In recent times, the Government has entered into a number of price reduction Agreements with both the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) and the Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers in Ireland (APMI), delivering a number of important benefits, including significant reductions for patients in the cost of drugs, a lowering of the drugs bill to the State, timely access for patients to new cutting-edge drugs for certain conditions, and reducing the cost base of the health system into the future. Cumulative savings and cost avoidance generated from these Agreements between 2006 and 2014 amount to approximately €1.5 billion.
The State's existing price reduction Agreement with the IPHA commenced in 2012, and will run until the end of October 2015. Savings of over €400m are to be delivered as part of this Agreement, with €210m of these savings to be reinvested into provision by the State of new and innovative drugs.
Consideration is now being given to a range of options available to the State in seeking to deliver further savings on the cost of drugs. Such options include entering into a new Agreement with IPHA, as well as the possibility of using the legislative powers afforded to the HSE under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 to review and alter prices.
Officials in the Department of Health are currently working with their colleagues in the HSE and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to ensure that the State achieves the best possible deal in terms of future price reductions on the cost of medicines. Given that any potential savings may be the subject of negotiations with industry, I do not wish to place the State's detailed position or estimated savings into the public domain in advance.
HSE Expenditure
Questions (226)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:226. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the estimated year-end deficit of the Health Service Executive in 2015; the breakdown of the overspend by the executive in each month in 2015 to date; and in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29533/15]
View answerWritten answers
The breakdown of overspend by the Health Service Executive in each of the last three years is available in the December Performance Reports 2012 to 2014 and for 2015 to date in the Performance Reports January to April, the latest published information. These reports are available on the HSE website http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/publications/corporate/performancereports/
In its April Performance Report the HSE is reporting year to date net expenditure of €4.116 billion against profiled net expenditure of €3.980 billion, leading to a variance of €136m. The Report confirms that the key financial risks are in demand-led areas, as well as in the Acute and Social Care areas. Under the HSE’s Accountability Framework, escalation procedures have been initiated in respect of financial under performance in both the Acute Hospitals and Social Care areas.
It is too early, at this stage, to accurately assess the projected overall deficit in 2015. My Department continues to work closely with the HSE to ensure that the greatest degree of budgetary control is exercised.
Health Services Staff Recruitment
Questions (227)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:227. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the graduation numbers and the newly qualified entrants to speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and clinical psychology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29534/15]
View answerWritten answers
I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. 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.
Health Services Staff Recruitment
Questions (228)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:228. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the full-year cost to the State of employing ten speech and language therapists; ten physiotherapists; ten occupational therapists; and ten clinical psychologists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29535/15]
View answerWritten answers
I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the matter. 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.