Written Answers Nos. 330-344
330. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health why the Health Service Executive does not cover manual lymphatic drainage treatment for public patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4079/16]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive 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 the Executive.
331. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the status of replacing the mobility allowance and motorised transport grant which was closed to new applicants in 2013; the progress made to date in finding a solution to this issue; the expected date for finalising proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1194/16]
View answerConscious of the reports of the Ombudsman regarding the legal status of both the Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport Grant Schemes in the context of the Equal Status Acts, the Government decided to close both schemes. Both schemes remain closed.
However, the Government also decided that monthly payments will continue to be made by the Health Service Executive to 4,700 people who were in receipt of the Mobility Allowance at the time that the scheme closed, on the basis that this would prevent hardship and, on an interim basis, alleviate stress, anxiety and uncertainty among a vulnerable group in society.
The Government decided that the detailed preparatory work required for a new Transport Support Scheme and associated statutory provisions should be progressed by the Minister for Health. The Department is seeking a solution which would best meet the aim of supporting people with severe disabilities who require additional income to contribute towards the cost of their mobility needs, while remaining within the available budget and satisfying all legal and equality concerns.
Work is ongoing on the policy proposals to be brought to Government for the drafting of primary legislation for a new scheme. The proposals seek to ensure that:
- There is a firm statutory basis to the Scheme's operation;
- There is transparency and equity in the eligibility criteria attaching to the Scheme;
- Resources are targeted at those with the greatest needs; and
- The Scheme is capable of being costed and it is affordable on its introduction and on an ongoing basis.
332. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health to urgently consider the request (details supplied) by Ballybay and Clones municipal district in relation to the need to provide adequate respite beds in County Monaghan, and for enhanced home care packages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4114/16]
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.
333. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of detoxification beds and treatment beds available for drug addicts, or for alcoholics, by location. [4125/16]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days he should contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
334. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 412 of 27 January 2015 and 12 of 2 October 2015, the status of the response by the Health Service Executive to this issue; if he will expedite the response; and if he will clarify his response. [4126/16]
View answerMedical 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.
Where a prescribed drug or medicine is required to be dispensed in different strengths and different containers, and therefore claimed as more than one item, a prescription charge applies to each claimed strength of the product.
The HSE is aware that this is an issue for medical card holders, and intends to address this issue as part of its ongoing Pharmacy Interface Project.
335. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health the number of medical cards and general practitioner cards, of each type, issued on a discretionary basis; each type assigned to those over 70 years of age; and the number of persons under six years of age with general practitioner cards on 1 January 2016. [4127/16]
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 Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive examined reports of teenage girls developing serious health problems after having the human papilloma virus vaccine; the manner in which the executive assessed and independently verified this matter; if he will make any changes to the vaccine programme as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4128/16]
View answer356. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the support he and the Health Service Executive will provide to children and their parents who have suffered serious health complications following the administering of the human papilloma virus vaccination; and if he will provide an update on the situation. [4186/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 336 and 356 together.
The HPV vaccine, Gardasil, which was introduced in 2010, protects girls from developing cervical cancer when they are adults. It is available free of charge from the HSE for all girls in the first year of secondary school.
Each year in Ireland around 300 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine protects against two high risk types of HPV (16 & 18) that cause 73% of all cervical cancers. Vaccinated women and girls will still be at risk from other high risk types of HPV that can cause cervical cancer and will therefore need to continue to have regular cervical smear tests.
The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) is the regulatory authority for medicines in Ireland. There are 2 licensed HPV vaccines available in Ireland (Gardasil and Cervarix). Gardasil is the vaccine used by the HSE in the School Immunisation Programme and over 100,000 girls have received this vaccine since its introduction.
No medicine, including vaccines, is entirely without risk, there is therefore on-going pharmacovigilance and monitoring of medicinal products once they are authorised for use. The safety profile of Gardasil has been continuously monitored since it was first authorised.
As part of its monitoring of the safety of medicines, the HPRA operates an adverse reaction reporting system, where healthcare professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse reactions they consider may be associated with their treatment, through the range of options in place for reporting. All reports received are evaluated and considered in the context of the safety profile of the product concerned, with reports followed up as necessary for further information, that may assist in the assessment of the case.
I am aware of claims of an association between HPV vaccination and a number of conditions experienced by a group of young women. It appears that some girls first suffered symptoms around the time they received the HPV vaccine, and understandably some parents have connected the vaccine to their daughter’s condition.
I want to make it quite clear that anyone who is suffering ill health is eligible to seek medical attention, and to access appropriate health and social care services, irrespective of the cause of their symptoms. The individual nature of the needs of some children may require access to specialist services.
In November 2015 the European Medicines Agency completed a detailed scientific review of the HPV vaccine. The review, which the HPRA participated in, found no evidence of a causal link between the vaccine and the two conditions examined.
On 12 January 2016 the European Commission endorsed the conclusion of the European Medicines Agency stating that there is no need to change the way HPV vaccines are used or to amend the product information. This final outcome by the Commission is now binding in all member states.
337. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health to arrange for appropriate home supports to be provided to a person (details supplied) in Cork city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4131/16]
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.
338. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of elective operations cancelled by Cork University Hospital in each of the years 2011 to 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4134/16]
View answerWith regard to the detailed query raised by the Deputy, 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.
339. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Carlow will be scheduled for a procedure. [4137/16]
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.
340. Deputy Helen McEntee asked the Minister for Health the status of funding being allocated to an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4139/16]
View answerThe Government will provide funding of €1.56 billion to the Disability Services Programme in 2016. The quantum of service to be provided with that funding, and the key service deliverables and priorities for the Disability Services Programme, are outlined in the HSE’s National Service Plan for 2016. The HSE is committed to protecting frontline services for people with disabilities to the greatest possible extent, and to maintaining a consistent level of service to that provided in 2015.
As 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.
341. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be transferred to the Cope Foundation. [4144/16]
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.
342. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health when an appointment will be arranged for a person (details supplied) in County Cork who is in urgent medical need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4149/16]
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 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.
343. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health to advise on Government levies for private health premiums; if he will reduce such levies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4152/16]
View answerThe community rated private health insurance system is underpinned by a Risk Equalisation Scheme. The Scheme involves a community rating levy collected by the Revenue Commissioners from insurers in respect of all policies written and all of the monies collected are paid over to the Risk Equalisation Fund administered by the independent regulator - the Health Insurance Authority. The Authority then redistributes the fund back to the market through credits payable to insurers in respect of insured lives to offset some of the additional cost of insuring older and less healthy members. The Scheme is exchequer neutral, neither a cost nor a benefit to the State.
As required under the Health Insurance Acts 1994 to 2015, the Health Insurance Authority submits a report to the Minister for Health in October each year recommending the risk equalisation credits and corresponding stamp duty levies for the following year, taking into account factors such as the changing demographic profile of the insured population and market developments. For 2016, I have accepted the Authority's recommendation of a small increase in the stamp duty on advanced contracts for adults (€4) and a reduction of €38 for non-advanced contracts. The revised rates apply to contracts that are renewed or entered into from 1 March 2016.
The applicable community rating levies are:
|
Age Bands |
- |
Until 28 February 2016 |
- |
From 1 March 2016 |
|
Non-advanced |
Advanced |
Non-advanced |
Advanced |
|
|
17 and under |
€80 |
€135 |
€67 |
€134 |
|
18 and over |
€240 |
€399 |
€202 |
€403 |
344. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the terms of reference of the investigation that the Health Service Executive commissioned into staff conduct issues, arising from the Health Information Quality Authority report into the Midlands Regional Hospital in Portlaoise in County Laois; the status of this investigation; and when both parts of it will be finalised. [4156/16]
View answerThe HIQA Report into Portlaoise Hospital raises serious questions and issues relating to the appropriateness and effectiveness of managerial actions. The HSE committed to an investigation to be conducted by an independent expert from overseas in accordance with the HSE's own disciplinary process. The purpose of this undertaking as explained by the HSE publically and to the Oireachtas was to ensure that staff were accountable for their actions and, if judged by fair procedures to have failed in their responsibilities, to provide a basis for disciplinary action. I am concerned at the length of time it is taking to complete this investigation and my Department is in correspondence with the HSE on this matter.
As this is a service matter I have also referred this PQ to the HSE for necessary attention.
