Written Answers Nos. 163-169
163. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive clinically evaluated the impact of discontinuing access to Camcolit for medical card holders or through community drug schemes and, if so, whether he will publish the evaluation. [13844/16]
View answerThe HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the community drug schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
The HSE has found it necessary to discontinue reimbursing Camcolit under the General Medical Services (medical card) and community schemes, following a request for a very substantial price increase by the marketing authorisation holder for the product.
The HSE's Medicines Management Programme and its Mental Health Directorate are satisfied that patients can be transferred safely to an alternative lithium carbonate product, and the HSE has issued guidance to prescribers and pharmacists on the safe transfer of patients. This guidance was reviewed by clinical pharmacists working in mental health services in the HSE, St John of God's Hospital, and St Patrick's Hospital.
The guidance document will be published on the HSE website in due course.
164. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health if he will reinstate home help hours for a person (details supplied); why the hours were reduced, given that the hours has been increased in the same week due to new serious medical issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13845/16]
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.
165. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Health to set out the status of the work of the interdepartmental group reviewing the fair deal, the nursing homes support scheme; when he will publish it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13847/16]
View answerWhen the Nursing Homes Support Scheme commenced in 2009, a commitment was made that it would be reviewed after three years. The Report of the Review was published in July 2015. The Review included a general examination of the operation of the Scheme, as well as the balance between residential care and care in the community. A number of key issues have been identified for more detailed consideration across Departments and Agencies.
In this regard, an Interdepartmental/Agency Working Group was established to progress the recommendations contained in the Review. These recommendations include the implementation of administrative reforms to the Scheme, and a review by the National Treatment Purchase Fund of the pricing system for private long-term residential care facilities. The Working Group is chaired by the Department of Health and includes representatives from the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the HSE, the Revenue Commissioners and, when required, the National Treatment Purchase Fund.
Significant progress has already been made in relation to the implementation of recommendations relating to the administrative reforms to the Scheme. The Working Group has held three meetings to date, with a further meeting scheduled to take place in the coming weeks. The Group is due to make a preliminary report on its progress to the Cabinet Committee on Health in June 2016.
166. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health to set out the status of an application by persons (details supplied) under the medical card scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13859/16]
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.
167. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health to outline the treatment services in place to address comorbidity of substance misuse and mental health issues. [13860/16]
View answerThe major responsibility for care of people with addiction lies outside the mental health system. These services have their own funding structure within Primary and Continuing Community Care (PCCC) in the HSE. The responsibility of community mental health services is to respond to the needs of people with both problems of addiction and serious mental health disorders.
Acute presentations by service users with co-morbid mental health and addiction problems will be mostly seen by General Adult Community Mental Health Teams, who offer both addiction counselling expertise and mental health intervention as part of an integrated care plan. These teams are also responsible for linking these service users to community-based recovery and support programmes as part of facilitating full community re-integration.
The standard practice for patients presenting to Emergency Departments with mental health issues who have also misused substances is that the mental health assessment would be postponed until the individual is no longer intoxicated and is medically fit to engage in the assessment process. In the interim, the patient remains under the care of the Hospital Emergency Department Team.
The HSE Mental Health Directorate has plans to implement a new ‘Dual Diagnosis’ clinical programme in 2016 addressing those service users with Mental Health difficulties and Substance Misuse. The overarching aim of the national programmes is to standardise quality evidence based practice across the Mental Health Services. The Programmes bring together clinical disciplines and enable them to share innovative solutions to deliver greater benefits to every user of HSE services. The Programmes are based on three main objectives:
1. To improve the quality of care we deliver to all users of HSE services;
2. To improve access to all services; and
3. To improve cost effectiveness.
168. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health if he has reviewed the report of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction on preventing opioid deaths with take-home naloxone; his views on its findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13861/16]
View answerI am aware of the report of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction on preventing opiod deaths with take-home naloxone. The report examines the case for distributing Naloxone, which is an antidote used to reverse the effects of opioid drugs like heroin, morphine and methadone if someone overdoses.
In May 2015, the HSE undertook a demonstration project to assess and evaluate the suitability and impact of using a pre-filled Naloxone injection which is designed for non-medical administration in Ireland. The HSE made naloxone available for prescription and supply to opioid drug users under an initiative aimed at reducing drug-related deaths and near-fatal drug overdoses. There are four locations participating in the project including Dublin, Limerick, Cork and Waterford. The Irish Prison service is also participating. The overall objective of the project was to make naloxone more widely available for opioid drug users.
The project involved 600 opiate users receiving take-home naloxone on prescription. It also included those recently released from custody who have been identified as at high risk of opioid overdose. These drug users and those close to them have been trained on how to administer naloxone and to recognise the signs of an overdose.
The HSE has advised that an evaluation of the demonstration project is due to be completed shortly and a national implementation plan is currently being developed.
169. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health to set down the amount spent on training to administer naloxone kits in each of the years 2012 to 2016 to date; the number of premises that are allowed use them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13862/16]
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.
