Written Answers Nos. 193-201
193. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his views on recent media reports of pharmaceutical companies funding training programmes and conference attendances for doctors; if this constitutes a conflict of interest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21812/16]
View answerI presume the Deputy is referring to the media report on 30 June last relating to the report published by the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA).
I understand that the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) of which IPHA is a member, adopted a Disclosure Code regarding Transfers of Value to healthcare professionals and healthcare organisations and this came into place from 1 July 2016. Under the Code summary details of how IPHA member companies engage with and support healthcare professionals and healthcare organisations through direct or indirect financial support, or ‘Transfers of Value’, will be made public on www.transferofvalue.ie from that date. This means that each IPHA member company and also some non-IPHA voluntary contributors will provide an annual report that includes details of supports provided to healthcare professionals and organisations related to research and development, events, donations and grants and fees for services and consultancy.
Medical research and the collaborative work of industry, healthcare organisations and healthcare professionals have a profound and positive influence on the quality of patient treatment and the value of future research. Joint research and co-operation has not only helped develop life-saving medicines but also led to advancements in patient care and medical science.
Regulation of the medical profession is undertaken by the Medical Council, the key objective of which is to ensure patient safety. We all know doctors work in a challenging environment and make decisions affecting the health and well-being of others - some decisions are indeed a matter of life or death. So at all times they have to guard against potential conflicts which would interfere with their clinical judgment. The Medical Council updated its Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Medical Practitioners in May this year. While the Guide is not a legal code, it sets out the principles of professional practice and conduct that all doctors registered with the Medical Council are expected to follow.
The Guide advises that doctors "should not accept gifts (including hospitality) from pharmaceutical, medical devices or other commercial enterprises". However, it further states that "This does not prevent you attending educational meetings or receiving payment of reasonable fees for professional services to commercial enterprises". The Guide directs doctors to tell patients and any other relevant party about any professional relationship they may have with pharmaceutical companies in order to show that they are acting without influence from commercial enterprise. It also gives advice on how any funding received should be channelled to avoid conflict of interest.
I view the publication of the details on funding through IPHA, which had to obtain the consent of doctors to publish their personal information, as a validation of the fact that doctors are adhering to the principles set in the Council's Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics for Medical Practitioners and that they are transparent about any supports received. It should help to reassure patients that doctors consider that the clinical management of their patients is paramount.
If a member of the public, employers or other healthcare professionals has concerns about a doctor's fitness to practice medicine they may make a complaint about a doctor to the Medical Council, which will investigate any such complaint.
194. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health his views on proposals to remove trauma treatment from nine hospitals, including Cavan General Hospital, and the impact this could have on emergency departments. [21813/16]
View answerI would like to reassure the Deputy that the work under way in developing a policy on a national trauma policy is about getting the best outcomes for a particular, small category of patients who sustain traumatic injuries. It is not about closing Emergency Departments or diminishing services. There are currently no plans to close or remove trauma services from any hospital.
A trauma patient needs access to the best service that has the right resources to match their often multiple and critical needs in the shortest time possible. The aim of developing national policy on trauma networks is to ensure that trauma patients are brought to the right place at the right time for the right care so they can make the best recovery possible. It is about building on the strengths of pre-hospital care, all of our acute hospitals and post-acute services to provide an optimal configuration of trauma services. The implementation of Hospital Groups provides an opportunity for hospitals to work together to enhance trauma services for patients.
The need for a national trauma system has been recognised for many years. In June 2015 the National Clinical Programme for Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery published the Model of Care for trauma and orthopaedic surgery and strongly recommended that a national approach to trauma services should be taken. The RCSI (the professional body representing all surgeons and emergency medicine specialists) also called for its establishment at their annual scientific meeting last year.
Last year, the then Minister for Health appointed a National Steering Group to develop policy on a major trauma system for Ireland. This is a joint initiative from the Department of Health and the HSE, developed in recognition that we do not have a co-ordinated trauma network structure in Ireland.
The Steering Group has been working with the Department of Health, the HSE and all relevant HSE national clinical leads including surgery, pre-hospital emergency care, critical care, orthopaedics and trauma on the development of the policy. The group has not yet reported, I have not seen any output from this group and the Group's recommendations are not expected until later this year.
195. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if it is acceptable that the Health Service Executive does not provide occupational therapist support to local authority tenants in Clondalkin and Lucan, County Dublin for the purpose of providing reports for disabled and mobility adaptation grants, while providing such occupational therapist services for local authority tenants in the Dublin 24 area; his views that the Health Service Executive treats local authority tenants differently, depending on the their postcode; if additional resources will be provided to the Health Service Executive in Clondalkin and Lucan to enable it to provide the occupational therapist services that local authority tenants applying for disability and mobility adaptation grants, require. [21819/16]
View answerThe Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.
With regard to the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, this is a matter for the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.
The Deputy's question concerning the role of Health Service Executive (HSE) Occupational Therapists in the provision of reports to local authorities for the purpose of the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability is a service matter. Therefore I have arranged for the question to be referred to the 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.
196. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health the steps he will take to have a person (details supplied) admitted to a hospital for a surgical procedure as soon as possible [21822/16]
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.
197. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health if he has received a report from the Expert Group on the Trauma Care Accident and Emergency Network which examined trauma care in the accident and emergency network; if recent reports indicating that there are nine accident and emergency departments across the country considered for rationalisation are correct; if in that context, he will ensure that such proposals are not allowed to proceed, particularly in the context of the midlands where in excess of 300,000 people living across counties Westmeath, Longford, Laois, Offaly and Kildare would be greatly affected by any such proposals which are not grounded in logic or reality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21825/16]
View answerI would like to reassure the Deputy that the work under way in developing a policy on a national trauma policy is about getting the best outcomes for a particular, small category of patients who sustain traumatic injuries. It is not about closing Emergency Departments or diminishing services. There are currently no plans to close or remove trauma services from any hospital.
A trauma patient needs access to the best service that has the right resources to match their often multiple and critical needs in the shortest time possible. The aim of developing national policy on trauma networks is to ensure that trauma patients are brought to the right place at the right time for the right care so they can make the best recovery possible. It is about building on the strengths of pre-hospital care, all of our acute hospitals and post-acute services to provide an optimal configuration of trauma services. The implementation of Hospital Groups provides an opportunity for hospitals to work together to enhance trauma services for patients.
The need for a national trauma system has been recognised for many years. In June 2015 the National Clinical Programme for Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery published the Model of Care for trauma and orthopaedic surgery and strongly recommended that a national approach to trauma services should be taken. The RCSI (the professional body representing all surgeons and emergency medicine specialists) also called for its establishment at their annual scientific meeting last year.
Last year, the then Minister for Health appointed a National Steering Group to develop policy on a major trauma system for Ireland. This is a joint initiative from the Department of Health and the HSE, developed in recognition that we do not have a co-ordinated trauma network structure in Ireland.
The Steering Group has been working with the Department of Health, the HSE and all relevant HSE National Clinical Leads including Surgery, Pre-Hospital Emergency Care, Orthopaedics and Trauma on the development of the policy. The group has not yet reported, I have not seen any output from this group and the Group's recommendations are not expected until later this year.
198. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the budget allocation to Midlands Regional Hospital on an annual basis for each of the years 2011 to 2016 to date, in tabular form. [21827/16]
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.
199. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the budget allocation to St. Joseph's hospital, Longford on an annual basis for each of the years 2011 to 2016 to date; and the number of patients in long-term care on an annual basis in same period. [21828/16]
View answer200. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the budget allocation St. Vincent's Hospital, Athlone on an annual basis in each of the years 2011 to 2016 to date; and the number of patients in long-term care on an annual basis in the same period. [21829/16]
View answer201. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the number of respite beds and the location of same for counties Longford and Westmeath.. [21830/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 199 to 201, inclusive, together.
As these are service matters they have 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
