Tuesday, 14 Jun 2016

Written Answers Nos. 415-436

Departmental Staff Data

Questions (415)

Clare Daly

Question:

415. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the changes in the numbers employed in his human resources section following the introduction of PeoplePoint. [15482/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

My Department transitioned to PeoplePoint in August 2013. Prior to the transition there were 14 staff in the Human Resources Unit whilst currently there are eight staff.

Hospital Equipment

Questions (416)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

416. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health when the magnetic resonance imaging machine at University Hospital Kerry will be in operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15493/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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.

Hospital Appointments Delays

Questions (417)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

417. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the status of an operation for a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15500/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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 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 HSE, 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.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (418)

Barry Cowen

Question:

418. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied). [15504/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (419)

Barry Cowen

Question:

419. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied). [15505/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (420)

Barry Cowen

Question:

420. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied). [15506/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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.

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.

Medical Aids and Appliances Provision

Questions (421)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

421. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of providing medical equipment from the Health Service Executive to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15513/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As the particular issue raised relates to an individual case, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for 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.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (422)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

422. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an operation for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15521/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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 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 HSE, 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.

Addiction Treatment Services

Questions (423)

Mattie McGrath

Question:

423. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the assistance available to persons (details supplied) to meet the cost of alcohol rehabilitation in rehabilitation centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15536/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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.

Hospital Equipment

Questions (424)

Mattie McGrath

Question:

424. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health when he will provide extra spinal cord stimulators to St. Vincent's hospital, Dublin 4, to facilitate the 80 plus patients who are suffering from chronic pain and require this treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15538/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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.

Medicinal Products Availability

Questions (425, 429)

Clare Daly

Question:

425. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the factors in his decision not to recommend the Orkambi drug for cystic fibrosis patients. [15543/16]

Clare Daly

Question:

429. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he recommends the use of Orkambi drug for cystic fibrosis patients. [15585/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 425 and 429 together.

I understand that this is a matter of great concern for many Cystic Fibrosis patients and their families and would like to clarify that the process of assessing Orkambi is not yet complete. I would also like to clarify the process, as the premise of your question is incorrect, and have set out the factual position below for your information.

The HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. Prior to deciding whether to reimburse a medicine, the HSE considers a range of statutory criteria, including clinical need, cost-effectiveness and the resources available.

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 (NCPE). The NCPE conducts health technology assessments (HTAs) of pharmaceutical products for the HSE, and can make recommendations on reimbursement to assist the HSE in its decision-making process. The NCPE used a decision framework to systematically assess whether the drug is cost-effective as a health intervention.

I am informed that, following a request from the HSE, the NCPE carried out an assessment of the manufacturer's economic dossier submitted in March 2016 on the cost effectiveness of lumacaftor/ivacaftor (Orkambi). This dossier included details on all relevant costs and relevant cost offsets including hospitalisation, disease management costs, intravenous antibiotics, adverse events and any additional costs arising in patients not taking Orkambi.

The NCPE has completed its HTA and submitted it to the HSE. The NCPE determined, following an evaluation of the economic dossier, that the manufacturer failed to demonstrate cost-effectiveness or value for money from using the drug. The NCPE have confirmed that all relevant costs were included in the analysis.

A summary of the HTA has been published on the NCPE website and is available at: http://www.ncpe.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Website-summary-orkambi.pdf.

The HSE will now enter into negotiations with the manufacturer, to seek very significant price reductions. The HSE will then consider the outcome of these negotiations, together with the NCPE recommendation, in making a final decision on reimbursement.

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Questions (426)

Pat Breen

Question:

426. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 60 of 5 May 2016, the status of an application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15557/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As previously advised, the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme, is the responsibility of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has brought forward a new model of supports to facilitate the full participation of children with a disability in the ECCE Programme. The new model will provide supports including enhanced continuing professional development for early years practitioners; grants for equipment, appliances and minor alterations; and access to therapeutic intervention. Funding of €15m has been provided to phase these supports in during 2016. Full year costs for these supports are estimated to be €33m from 2017 onwards. This model of supports was launched on 18th November last by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs with my full support and the support of my Government colleague Jan O'Sullivan T.D., Minister for Education and Skills.

Improving access to therapy services for children in primary care and in disability services is a particular priority for the Government. Building on additional investment in recent years, funding of €8m is being provided to the HSE in 2016 to expand the provision of Speech and Language Therapy in primary care and the further development of early intervention therapy services under the Progressing Disabilities Programme to facilitate the inclusion of children with a disability in mainstream pre-school settings, as part of the rollout of the new inclusive preschools model.

It should be noted that while the Health Service Executive has no statutory obligation to provide assistant supports for children with special needs wishing to avail of the ECCE scheme, it has, to date, worked at local level and in partnership with the relevant disability service providers to address individual needs as they arise. This has been done, for example, by funding special pre-schools that cater specifically for children with disabilities. In some limited and specific cases at local level, disability services have in the past also facilitated children with a disability to attend mainstream pre-schools by providing additional supports where possible and where resources are available. The provision of such additional pre-school supports should not be confused with Special Needs Assistants, who are funded by the Department of Education and Skills to support children with special educational needs in primary and post-primary school settings.

Within this context and as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in relation to the individual case he has raised. 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.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (427)

Barry Cowen

Question:

427. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the status of the case of a person (details supplied) including when the person will receive an appointment. [15567/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The Deputy's question relates to service delivery matters and accordingly I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him.

If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow up the matter with them.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (428)

Barry Cowen

Question:

428. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the status of the case of a person (details supplied) including when the person will receive an appointment. [15568/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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.

Question No. 429 answered with Question No. 425.

Home Help Service Provision

Questions (430)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

430. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health why he did not provide assistance to a person (details supplied) under the home help scheme; why no hours are available for applicants in Dublin 8, 10 and 12; and the measures he is taking to increase the hours available. [15588/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As 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.

Home Care Packages Funding

Questions (431)

Gino Kenny

Question:

431. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he will urgently intervene to restore funding for home care packages given that some areas, such as the Beaumont Hospital local catchment area in Dublin 9, have now run out of funding and are unable to discharge patients due to this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15593/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As 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.

Demand for home care services is rising as more people are supported in their own homes rather than in hospitals or nursing homes and I am delighted that the Government has been able to respond to this demand by providing an extra €40m for home care in 2016.

Medical Aids and Appliances Applications

Questions (432)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

432. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an application by a person (details supplied) for a medical device; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15595/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As 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 them.

National Drugs Strategy

Questions (433)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

433. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the membership of the steering group tasked to develop the new national drug strategy. [15652/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The Department of Health is developing a new National Drugs Strategy, which will cover the period from 2017 onwards. A Steering Committee, chaired by the former General Secretary of the Irish National Teachers Organisation and with representatives from the relevant Statutory, Community and Voluntary Sectors listed below, has been established to oversee the process.

Sector	Body	Number of Representatives
Statutory Sector	Department of Health	3
Statutory Sector	Health Service Executive	2
Statutory Sector	Department of Justice & Equality	1
Statutory Sector	An Garda Síochána	1
Statutory Sector	Department of Education & Skills	1
Statutory Sector	Department of Environment, Community & Local Government	1
Statutory Sector	Department of Children & Youth Affairs	1
Statutory Sector	Department of Social Protection	1
Statutory Sector	Health Research Board	1
Community Sector	Community Sector - represented by CityWide Drugs Crisis Campaign	2
Community Sector	National Family Support Network	1
Voluntary Sector	Voluntary Sector - represented by the Voluntary Drug Treatment Network	2
Cross-sector Task Force network	Local Drug and Alcohol Task Force Chairs Network	1
Cross-sector Task Force network	Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force Chairs Network	1
Cross-sector committee	National Advisory Committee on Drugs and Alcohol	1
Total number of representatives:		20

Drugs-related Deaths

Questions (434)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

434. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 168 of 1 June 2016, when he and the Health Service Executive will complete the evaluation of the demonstration project on naloxone use; and when he will publish the national implementation plan. [15695/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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. Naloxone is an antidote used to reverse the effects of opioid drugs like heroin, morphine and methadone, if someone overdoses. An external Evaluation of the Naloxone Demonstration Project has just concluded and the HSE plans to publish its findings shortly.

The HSE is preparing an implementation plan to carry out the recommendations of the evaluation. An implementation team will also be established to work with the Quality Assurance Group of the Naloxone Demonstration Project to finalise the work-plan and oversee its implementation.

Hospital Appointments Delays

Questions (435)

Robert Troy

Question:

435. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health to expedite an appointment for a person (details supplied) for treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15700/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As 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 them.

Hospital Appointments Delays

Questions (436)

Robert Troy

Question:

436. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment without delay having been on a waiting list for over three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15703/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As 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 them.