Written Answers Nos. 414-436
414. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment with the early intervention team; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40415/15]
View answerAs the particular issue raised by the Deputy relates to an individual case, this is a service matter for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for 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.
415. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when home help will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40425/15]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. 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.
416. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the timeframe for the processing of the new application submitted by a manufacturer (details supplied) for the pricing and reimbursement of Kuvan, or sapropterin, a drug used to treat persons with phenylketonuria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40427/15]
View answerThe 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. Prior to reimbursing any medicine, the HSE considers a range of statutory criteria, including clinical need, cost-effectiveness and the resources available to the HSE.
The decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds by the HSE on the advice of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics. They are not political or ministerial decisions.
Sapropterin (Kuvan®) was previously considered under the national pricing and reimbursement processes in 2009. At that time, insufficient evidence was available to support the pricing and reimbursement application submitted by the manufacturer, Merck Serono.
Merck Serono recently submitted a new application for pricing and reimbursement of Kuvan; this application will now be considered in line with criteria set out in the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 and using the processes outlined in national pricing framework agreements.
As the application process is ongoing, it is not possible to discuss potential outcomes or comment further at this time.
417. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in County Roscommon who have received approval for home help hours and for additional home help hours, but are on a waiting list for allocation; the number of such hours awaiting funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40429/15]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. 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.
418. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in County Galway who have received approval for home help hours and for additional home help hours, but are on a waiting list for allocation; the number of such hours awaiting funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40430/15]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. 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.
419. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in County Leitrim who have received approval for home help hours and for additional home help hours but are on a waiting list for allocation; the number of such hours awaiting funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40431/15]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. 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.
420. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will receive a badly needed cataract operation. [40434/15]
View answerUnder 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 National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as 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 my officials will follow the matter up.
421. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Health the average annual cost of providing an enhanced medical card for hepatitis C sufferers; how this compares with the annual cost of providing a standard medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40439/15]
View answerA Health (Amendment) Act (HAA) Card is provided to men, women and children who contracted Hepatitis C from the administration within the State of contaminated blood or blood products. This card entitles the holder to a range of healthcare services including GP services; all prescribed drugs; medicines and appliances; dental and ophthalmic services; home support; home nursing; counselling services and other services without charge. The average cost of a HAA Card is €5,100 per annum. Approximately 1,400 people currently have HAA cards.
The average cost of a medical card in relation to GP services and prescribed medicines is reported in the HSE's Primary Care Reimbursement Service Statistical Analysis of Claims and Payments 2013 as €973.26.
422. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the allocation of resources he is committing to promote and encourage disease prevention in children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40443/15]
View answerPromoting and encouraging health and wellbeing and prevention of disease in children are Government priorities. They are part of the aims expressed in Healthy Ireland, which is the cross government policy for promoting health and wellbeing in Ireland through joined up working across government and other agencies.
Child health services in the community are primarily provided by Primary Care Teams, primarily Public Health Nurses and General Practitioners supported by a number of other professionals including Speech and Language Therapists, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists and Consultant Community Paediatricians.
In many areas there are second tier services such as Early Intervention Teams, led by a Consultant Paediatrician, and which include many of the therapists working in the disciplines listed above, who work with children with more complex developmental problems or who have complex additional needs.
The Maternity and Infant Care Scheme offers free antenatal and postnatal care in Ireland, to all expectant mothers and babies. The maternity care is shared between a General Practitioner and Consultant Obstetrician. Infants are also entitled to two visits to a general practitioner (GP) after a baby is born, the first when the baby is two weeks old and the second at six weeks.
423. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the number of public lactation consultants; their locations; his plans to recruit more; to extend their hours, for example, to weekends and beyond 5.00 p.m.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40444/15]
View answerI 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.
424. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the amount of money spent by the Health Service Executive on the purchase of infant formula in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40445/15]
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 my officials will follow the matter up.
425. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that adequate funding is provided to support the important work of an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40453/15]
View answerThe Government is committed to protecting frontline health and personal social services needs for people with disabilities. The Government currently provides funding of approximately €1.5 billion to the Disability Services Programme through the Health Service Executive's National Service Plan for 2015.
In 2015, the HSE is seeking to maximise the provision of services within available resources and to maintaining a consistent level to that provided in 2014, by providing the following specialist disability services:
- residential services to around 9,000 people with a disability;
- day services to over 22,000 people with intellectual and physical disabilities;
- respite residential support of 190,000 overnights for people with intellectual and physical disabilities;
- 3.9 million hours of Personal Assistant / Home Support Hours.
Additional funding of €6 million has been allocated in the HSE National Service Plan in 2015 to provide day places for an estimated 1,400 young people finishing school and rehabilitative (life-skills) training. €4m in additional funding has also been allocated in the Plan to deliver an increase in the services for children with disabilities and reduce waiting lists under the Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18s) Programme.
I have been informed that the HSE is acutely aware of the resource shortfall presented by Camphill and is currently engaging with them to develop an agreed set of proposals to resolve the challenges over an agreed period of time. This includes a commitment to supporting the organisation to re-configure the current model of service and funding arrangements to a more sustainable model while still maintaining the particular ethos of the service.
I understand that as part of this process of engagement, the HSE requested Camphill to consider how its model of service provision may change over the coming years as Disability Services are reformed. The HSE will work closely with Camphill to shape a five year plan to secure the additional resources required to ensure the future of the organisation in a sustainable way.
I have been assured by the HSE that it will continue to work with Camphill and be as supportive as possible within current financial constraints.
427. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Health his plans to provide further funding to assist with training assistance dogs for disabled persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40471/15]
View answerThe Department of Health does not commission the provision or training of assistance / service dogs for children or adults with disabilities. The Health Service Executive's (HSE's) focus is on the protection of core activities such as residential, respite, day and core-therapy provision. The provision of assistance / service dogs to people with a disability is not considered a core health services and is not prioritised for funding by the HSE.
428. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath who worked for 40 years at the Midland Health Board dispensary at Kilbeggan, in County Westmeath, is entitled to a pension from the Health Service Executive. [40474/15]
View answerI 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.
429. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Kildare will receive a date for an operation in Tullamore General Hospital in County Offaly. [40475/15]
View answerUnder 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 National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as 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 my officials will follow the matter up.
430. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the status of the case of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; and when the person can expect to receive transport to respite services from the Health Service Executive. [40476/15]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for 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.
431. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if a date for a cataracts operation will be provided to a person (details provided) in County Kerry. [40478/15]
View answerUnder 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 National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as 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 my officials will follow the matter up.
432. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health if services at Children Respite Services on the Callan Road in County Kilkenny have been permanently closed, suspended indefinitely or postponed on a short-term basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40483/15]
View answer433. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health when services at Children Respite Services on the Callan Road in County Kilkenny will be re-opened; the provisions he has in place to offer an alternative to parents who are facilitated by same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40484/15]
View answer434. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health the periods of time services have been postponed, due to previous closures of Children Respite Services on the Callan Road in County Kilkenny, by year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40485/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 432 to 434, inclusive, together.
As the Deputy's questions relate to service matters, I have arranged for the questions to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for 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.
435. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the status of when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly will receive a placement under the Health Service Executive, given that the person's family were informed in late August 2015 that the rehabilitation care centre could not facilitate the person's current physical needs, and that therefore the person must be considered for an alternative placement, and given that there has been no communication from the executive in relation to this matter since then. [40486/15]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for 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.
436. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of acute hospital beds in use in each of the past ten years and in 2015 to date; if the current provision is adequate relative to best practice in other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40490/15]
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 my officials will follow the matter up.
