Written Answers Nos. 725-749
725. Deputy Michael Harty asked the Minister for Health to install a kidney dialysis unit at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Ennis, in order to facilitate patients from County Clare who have to travel to counties Limerick or Galway for this facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9834/16]
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.
726. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health to arrange an early appointment for an operation for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9846/16]
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.
727. Deputy Pat Casey asked the Minister for Health the status for the provision of primary health care centres for Arklow and Rathdum in County Wicklow, including the list of proposed locations being considered in both towns; if funding is in place and the delivery timeframe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9791/16]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has responsibility for the provision and operation of Primary Care Centres. Therefore, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this issue. 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.
728. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health to expedite and arrange an early date for an appointment for a person (details supplied). [9847/16]
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.
729. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of children waiting for an appointment for paediatric occupational therapy in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9817/16]
View answerThe particular issue raised by the Deputy is a service matter for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly I have arranged for the question to be 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 them.
730. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Health why a person (details supplied) had to pay for a medical procedure when, if living in a different area, the person would have been covered by a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9839/16]
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.
731. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if he will issue a primary medical certificate to a person (details supplied) as a matter of urgency. [9850/16]
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.
732. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the number and location of primary care centres in County Kildare; the number of staff employed in each centre; if he has filled all staff positions in each centre; his plans for further centres in County Kildare; the steps he is taking to fill vacant positions across each of the primary care teams already in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9862/16]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has responsibility for the provision and operation of Primary Care Centres. Therefore, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this issue. 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.
733. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the psychiatric units providing treatment for dual diagnosis, where one is an addiction and the other a mental health diagnosis, and the units that do not, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9825/16]
View answer735. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the step-down and rehabilitation facilities providing care for dual diagnosis patients where it is a combination of addiction and mental health diagnosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9826/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 733 and 735 together.
As this is a service issue these questions have been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
734. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if funding is available for the treatment of patients with dual diagnosis of addiction and mental health abroad where no suitable treatment is available here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9827/16]
View answerDual diagnosis is an area of priority for this government. The HSE is committed to developing a Dual Diagnosis Clinical Programme during 2016. Intensive dual diagnosis addiction and mental health in-reach programmes for homeless people will be supported from an overall additional €2m funding allocation for homeless mental health needs this year.
There is an established protocol within the HSE in relation to accessing treatment abroad for individuals with dual diagnosis of addiction and mental health. An applicant will generally be resident in Ireland and have completed a comprehensive assessment outlining their needs. The document Addiction Care Abroad (which can be accessed on the HSE website) outlines the process in detail.
736. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health if the Health Products Regulatory Authority, formerly the Irish Medicines Board, and the Health Service Executive had the known evidence of toxicity of mefloquine, the full phase III clinical mass trial results and the longitudinal study results for toxicity in targeted market anti-immune population studies on side effects of mefloquine toxicity prior to licensing it in 1989. [9875/16]
View answerThe Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) has indicated that it will take a number of weeks to retrieve and review the information requested by the Deputy. The HPRA will provide the information to the Deputy as soon as possible.
This question has also been referred to the Health Service Executive (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.
737. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health if he will examine the huge differences in prices different pharmacists are able to charge for the same prescription medicine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9876/16]
View answerIn the case of drugs and medicines which are paid for by the HSE, prices are set in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 or the terms of the framework agreements between the Department of Health and the HSE and the representative bodies for pharmaceutical manufacturers in Ireland. However, neither the Minister for Health nor the HSE has any power to set the prices of drugs and medicines purchased by private patients.
The HSE advises the public that if they are being charged prices which exceed the reimbursement price listed on the HSE website, plus a dispensing fee of between €3.50 and €5.00, then they should discuss the differential with their pharmacist to ensure they get the best possible price for the medicine concerned.
In addition, measures have been taken to increase price transparency among retail pharmacies. The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland has issued guidelines to pharmacists on procedures and minimum standards of information to be provided to customers, including a requirement to provide an itemised receipt of purchase of medicines.
738. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will review cuts to packages under the home care scheme which were recently introduced following a directive from the Health Service Executive to managers, particularly given the hospital overcrowding crisis, which is exacerbated by cuts to home help hours. [9880/16]
View answerI consider that home care services are a key mechanism for enabling older people to remain in their own homes and communities for as long as possible.
It is part of the role of the HSE to allocate available funding across service areas and to frame a National Service Plan that most effectively meets the needs of service users. In relation to home care, with a Budget of €324m in 2016, the HSE's projected target is to deliver:
- 10.4 million Home Help Hours to about 47,800 people at any one time;
- 15,450 people will be in receipt of a HCP at any one time;
- 130 Intensive HCPs for clients with complex needs (A further 60 clients with dementia will be supported by funding provided by Atlantic Philanthropies.
The HSE has advised that home care will be provided in accordance with the Service Plan. The Executive is profiling its activity to best reflect the pattern of demand that is expected to arise across the course of the year, and the level of funding available for home care in 2015 is being maintained in 2016.
I will continue to carefully monitor the situation in consultation with the HSE.
739. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if due consideration was given to the need to co-locate a maternity hospital with the National Children's Hospital before permission was granted for the hospital and the views (details supplied) of 15 signatories to a submission to An Bord Pleanála regarding the hospital, including three from the department of cardiothoracic surgery, six from the department of cardiology, and six from the joint department of paediatric intensive care medicine at Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin in Dublin 12. [9881/16]
View answerThe previous Government's decision to locate the new children's hospital at the St James's campus was based on the over-riding priority of best clinical outcomes for our children and, in particular, the sickest of these. As announced in June 2016 by my predecessor, it is intended that the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital will relocate to the campus in time, achieving tri-location of paediatric, maternity and adult services on one campus. Tri-location has benefits for children, adolescents, newborns and mothers. In all cases, the benefits of tri-location are maximised where the adult hospital provides the broadest possible range of clinical sub-specialties and expertise, and which delivers the most significant breadth and depth of clinical and academic research on site. St James's Hospital has the widest range of sub-specialties and highest level of clinical complexity of all hospitals in the country, as well as a strong and well-developed research infrastructure, making it the hospital that best meets the criteria to be the adult co-location partner.
In submitting its planning application for the children's hospital at the St James's campus, the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board as a matter of good planning practice provided full information on all known future developments for the St James’s campus, including the intention to develop a maternity hospital in due course. The planning application was submitted in August 2015. Consideration of the planning application, and of submissions made to An Bord Pleanála relating to the application, were matters for An Bord Pleanála, which issued its decision on 28 April 2016. The decision, which is published on www.pleanala.ie, along with the Inspector's Report, sets out that "in making its decision, the Board had regard to those matters to which, by virtue of the Planning and Development Acts and Regulations made thereunder, it was required to have regard. Such matters included the submissions and observations received by it in accordance with statutory provisions."
740. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Health the grants available through local social inclusion projects to support arts and disability projects that are associated and assisting with mental health recovery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9893/16]
View answerI understand that the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme is a matter for my colleague at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. The Minister for Health has no role in relation to the administration of funding under this Programme.
741. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of interventionist cardiologist posts in place at University Hospital Waterford; if any posts are currently vacant; the resources necessary to provide 24-hour emergency primary percutaneous coronary intervention cover; the volume of cardiovascular patient activity at University Hospital Waterford and other PPCI centres here; the extra resources being put in place at UHW; if increased resources will deliver 24/7 emergency PPCI cover at the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9899/16]
View answer742. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the criteria for determining the provision of 24-hour emergency primary percutaneous coronary intervention cover in hospitals; the volume of patient activity at all intervention centres and for University Hospital Waterford, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9900/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 741 and 742 together.
The Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) programme was initiated to standardise the treatment of patients suffering from heart attack in its different forms. The Programme has developed a model of care which describes the treatment of ACS and the protocols for an Optimal Reperfusion Service, based on international guidelines, and best practise. The Programme has recently been asked to undertake a review of PPCI and PCI services nationally; recommendations will be made regarding the future configuration of these services, including the number and location of centres required to serve the population needs.
The Deputy may also wish to note that the Programme for Government, commits to the development of a second Cath Lab in University Hospital Waterford subject to a favourable recommendation from an independent clinical review of the needs of the region.
I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly with regard to the specific service queries you have raised in relation to University Hospital Waterford. 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.
743. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on issues raised concerning the health care provided for children (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9808/16]
View answerThe National Clinical Programme for Paediatrics and Neonatology was established in 2011, with the overall aim of ensuring high quality care is provided to children throughout Ireland, from the point of first contact. In collaboration with healthcare professionals working in the wide range of different paediatric subspecialties, the Programme has now developed a National Model of Care for Paediatrics and Neonatology which will provide a framework for how and where paediatric healthcare services will be delivered, managed and organised nationally with the aim of ensuring that children are able to access "the right care, in the right place, at the right time".
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.
744. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health the number of emergency medical cards awarded in 2015, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9921/16]
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 recently 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.
745. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he has commenced medicine pricing negotiations with representatives of the pharmaceutical industry; the nature and broad objectives of these negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9911/16]
View answer746. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the stakeholders and/or industry representative bodies included in medicine pricing negotiations to agree drug prices; if talks with these bodies are taking or will take place simultaneously; if not, the reason why; when all negotiations will conclude; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9912/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 745 and 746 together.
The Department of Health, the HSE, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Office of Government Procurement entered negotiations with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) in recent months, with a view to securing an agreement that:
- significantly reduced the price of medicines to the Irish taxpayer;
- reduced the growth in the drugs and medicines bill to an affordable level;
- and, as a result, put the HSE in a position to invest in new and innovative medicines over the next four years.
It did not prove possible in the negotiations to reach an agreement with the IPHA that would deliver on the State's objectives.
It will now be a matter for the HSE to determine the reimbursement prices paid to pharmaceutical companies for medicines, using its powers under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
747. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the local authorities and private companies from which the Health Service Executive is renting car parking spaces; and the cost per year of this arrangement for each of the past ten years. [9916/16]
View answerYour question 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 my officials will follow the matter up.
748. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of car parking arrangements the Health Service Executive entered into with the family members of its managers. [9917/16]
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 on the matter with them.
749. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Health the progress he has made over the past year in legislation or regulations to prohibit the on-street and/or unregulated sale of benzodiazepine, zimovane and other substances that can be harmful unless dispensed by qualified medical practitioners. [9891/16]
View answerUnder the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) Regulations, it is prohibited for a person to supply prescription medicines such as benzodiazepines and zimovane except in accordance with a prescription, and the supply must be made from a registered pharmacy by or under the personal supervision of a registered pharmacist. A person who contravenes these Regulations is guilty of an offence.
Medicines which have a high potential to be misused are subject to additional and stricter controls under the Misuse of Drugs Acts. These medicines include benzodiazepines and certain z-drugs, however zimovane is not controlled at present. The Misuse of Drugs Acts and Regulations impose restrictions on the production, supply, importation and exportation of controlled drugs. A person who has in his possession a prescription medicine containing a controlled drug for the purpose of selling or supplying it in contravention of the Misuse of Drugs legislation, is guilty of an offence under that legislation.
Following a Court of Appeal decision on 10 March 2015 which declared unconstitutional the section of the Misuse of Drugs Act empowering the Government to declare substances to be controlled under the Act, the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Act 2015 was urgently enacted to recontrol all substances which had previously been declared controlled by Government order. A further Bill to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act so as to allow the Government to declare substances to be controlled and to clarify the provisions under which Ministerial Orders and Regulations are made is currently being drafted. The text will be finalised when judgement is received on a Supreme Court appeal on section 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Act – the case was heard on 12 April. It is intended that the Bill will be published in coming months. This will once again allow Regulations to be made and to bring under the scope of the Act new substances, including zimovane, and allow the introduction of stricter controls on substances such as benzodiazepines, which are already covered under the legislation.
It is important to note that the problem of abuse of benzodiazepine and z-drugs will not be solved by Regulations alone, and that prescribers need to ensure that these substances are only prescribed as appropriate. The Health Product Regulatory Authority which is the competent authority for human medicines, Revenue’s Customs service and An Garda Síochána work closely to prevent the unauthorised flow of illegal medicinal products into and out of the State. The enforcement of the law relating to the sale of drugs, including prescription drugs, continues to be a priority in the Government’s commitment to tackling the issue of drug misuse.
