Written Answers Nos. 561-574
561. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health if the purchase of a medicinal liquid which in its manufactured form is produced in tablets but can then be converted into a liquid by a pharmacist due to the particular requirements of the customer is covered under the medical card scheme; and if not, his plans in this regard. [21020/16]
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 them.
562. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the status of funding for the fitting of a medical device for a person (details supplied). [21049/16]
View answerAs 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.
563. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21053/16]
View answer620. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be called for a hospital appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21297/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 563 and 620 together.
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.
564. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive speech and language therapy. [21059/16]
View answerAs this is a service issue, this question 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.
565. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health if he will assist in providing hours to a person (details supplied) under the home help scheme. [21064/16]
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.
566. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if he has received detailed costings from the board of Beaumont Hospital and its hospital group for the building of a new fit-for-purpose accident and emergency department at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21067/16]
View answerThe Programme for a Partnership Government contains a commitment to commence the design phase of a new ED at Beaumont Hospital later this year. Funding for the construction will be provided as part of the review of the Capital Plan to be undertaken in 2017.
I have not received detailed costings in respect of a new Emergency Department at Beaumont Hospital.
Healthcare infrastructure projects funded by capital allocation are determined by health care service needs and how these are to be delivered. The development of any new or refurbished healthcare facility must be considered by the HSE Service Directorate in the context of the wider health care services which surround it and the model of care determined by the relevant National Clinical Programme(s), where applicable. Requests for consideration of any proposed project are therefore a matter for the HSE in the first instance.
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.
567. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the cost of increasing the number of general practitioner training places from 161 to 180; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21069/16]
View answerThe Programme for Partnership Government emphasises the need to focus on enhancing primary healthcare services, including building up GP capacity and increasing the number of therapists and other health professionals in primary care. The annual GP training intake has increased from 120 prior to 2010 to 158 in 2015. In 2016, this will increase to 172 and it is envisaged that the intake number will increase further in 2017 and 2018.
There are currently 14 GP Specialist (Vocational) Training Programmes in operation in Ireland and doctors who wish to pursue GP training in Ireland may apply for a general practice training post in one of these programmes. At present, all GP training programmes are of 4 years duration and all trainees are required to complete 2 years in a hospital setting and 2 years in general practice with a GP trainer.
In addition to the salary costs of the GP trainees themselves, the overall cost of expanding GP training would depend on the cost of various training inputs required. The Department does not hold that specific data. However, it can be said that currently GP trainees are paid an average annual salary of €76,000 for the two years they spend training in a GP practice, whilst the average training cost per trainee is €33,000. Based on these figures, the indicative cost of increasing the number of GP training places from 161 to 180 would be approximately an additional €2 million per annum, and the cost of increasing the current intake of 158 to 180 would be approximately an additional €2.4 million per annum.
568. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the status of the integrated medical imaging system; the number of hospitals that are part of this system; the number that are not part of the system; the timeframe within which he expects all hospitals to be part of the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21070/16]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly. 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.
569. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health when the post of consultant radiologist with a special interest in nuclear medicine will be filled at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9; the number of persons that applied for this post; when the post of consultant general surgeon with a special interest in vascular surgery will be filled at Beaumont Hospital; the number of persons who applied for this post; when the post of consultant microbiologist will be filled at Beaumont Hospital; the number of persons that applied for this post; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21071/16]
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 the matter with them.
570. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has had their second operation put on hold despite the money being in place and the surgeon being able to schedule the urgent operation as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21075/16]
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.
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.
571. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will consult with members of a group (details supplied) regarding the human papillomavirus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21076/16]
View answer625. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive will commence an awareness campaign for parents of young girls who are being given the vaccine Gardasil so that they can be fully informed of the potential dangers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21310/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 571 and 625 together.
In Ireland the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) makes recommendations on vaccination policy. Their recommendations are based on the epidemiology of the disease in Ireland and international best practice in relation to immunisation. 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. NIAC recommended that the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine be given to all girls aged 12-13 in 2009 and in September 2010 the HPV vaccination programme was introduced for all girls in first year of second level schools.
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 daughters' condition. 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. The HSE are currently working to put in place a clinical care pathway appropriate to the medical needs of this group. My Department is aware that representatives from REGRET have already met with the HSE and I hope to be in a position to meet with them in the near future.
The HSE provides information for parents about diseases, the vaccines to prevent them and side effects to allow them to choose whether or not to give consent to vaccination. All vaccination information provided to parents is prepared from the available licensed documentation for each vaccine, the Summary of Products Characteristics and Patient Information Leaflet. The information booklets include information on the most common adverse events that can occur after each vaccination. The information is presented in clear simple language and approved by the National Adult Literacy Agency so that it can be understood by all adults as the average reading age in Ireland is 12 years of age. Parents are also given contact details for their local immunisation office and advised to speak to a member of the school immunisation team if they have any further questions. Should parents require additional information about vaccines the immunisation leaflet refers to the HSE’s national immunisation website (www.immunisation.ie). The national immunisation website has been accredited by the World Health Organisation for credibility, content and good information practices.
In Ireland, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) is the statutory regulatory authority for medicines in Ireland. While no medicine (including vaccines) is entirely without risk, the safety profile of Gardasil has been continuously monitored since it was first authorised both nationally and at EU level. In November 2015 the European Medicines Agency completed a detailed scientific review of the HPV vaccine. The review which the HPRA participated in, specifically focused on rare reports of two conditions, complex regional pain syndrome and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome associated with heart rate increase. The outcome of the review 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.
572. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment to see an early intervention team. [21089/16]
View answerAs the issue raised by the Deputy relates to an individual case, this is a service matter for the Health Service Executive. I have asked the HSE to look into the particular matter raised and to reply directly 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.
573. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Health the status of the development of a catheterisation laboratory at Sligo University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21109/16]
View answerThe Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) Programme produced a model of care in March 2012. This set out the model of care for the treatment of ACS, and for the provision of Primary Percutaneous Intervention (PPCI) nationally.
A new Cross Border Cardiology Service commenced in May 2016. Patients residing in the Donegal catchment area who suffer a suspected ST-Elevation Myocardial infarction, and who previously would have been transported to University Hospital Galway by road or air, will now be transported the shorter distance to Altnagelvin Area Hospital Derry, for emergency pPCI treatment.
This service is provided by the Saolta University Healthcare Group in conjunction with the Western Health and Social Care Trust and will provide treatment for approximately 60 patients per annum, who, post treatment, will be repatriated to Letterkenny University Hospital or Sligo University Hospital. A consultant interventional cardiologist has recently been appointed, who is based at Letterkenny University Hospital and contributes to the services at Altnagelvin Hospital.
The cardiology service in Sligo University Hospital is provided by two consultants. A range of inpatient, outpatient and day case treatments are provided by the Sligo Cardiology Service to a catchment population of Sligo/Leitrim/South Donegal/West Cavan/North Roscommon.
Development of cardiology services at Sligo University Hospital will be considered in the context of the agreed model of care developed by the Acute Coronary Syndrome Programme.
My Department will shortly meet with the Saolta Hospital Group to discuss issues including catheterisation laboratory services in Sligo.
574. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a date for an operation for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21122/16]
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 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.
