Written Answers Nos. 1112-1137
1112. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health to request that the HSE allow Kerry University Hospital to re-advertise the position of rheumatology nurse at the grade of advanced nurse specialist in order that the successful candidate who was interviewed earlier in 2016 can take up the position at the appropriate grade and pay scale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24827/16]
View answerIn relation to the specific query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
1113. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the provision in County Louth for adults and children with intellectual disabilities who need emergency respite care; the number and location of emergency respite beds, long-term emergency respite beds and short-term emergency respite beds; the procedure for persons who need this service in the absence of dedicated emergency respite beds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24836/16]
View answer1114. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the number of respite beds for adults and children with intellectual disabilities that are currently funded at St. John of God North East Services, Saint Mary's, Drumcar; if the designation of these beds is to provide short-term respite; and if all available beds are being utilised to provide short-term respite for adults and children with learning disabilities. [24837/16]
View answer1115. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the cost each year for the past five years of respite provision at St. John of God North East Services, Saint Mary's, Drumcar. [24838/16]
View answer1116. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to two persons who are receiving long-term emergency respite at St. John of God North East Services, Saint Mary's, Drumcar; if this facility is designed to cater for long-term emergency respite; if the provision of this emergency respite causes a reduction in respite provision to other service users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24839/16]
View answer1339. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health his views on the situation in St. John of God, Drumcar, County Louth, regarding the urgent need to provide alternative and age-appropriate respite care for persons with disabilities in County Louth who cannot be provided with this service at present in Drumcar. [25768/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1113 to 1116, inclusive, and 1339 together.
The 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.
The Programme for Partnership Government states that the Government wishes to provide more accessible respite care to facilitate full support for people with a disability.
As 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.
1117. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if he will initiate an inquiry into the provision of respite care at St. John of God North East Services, Saint Mary's, Drumcar. [24840/16]
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.
The Programme for Partnership Government states that the Government wishes to provide more accessible respite care to facilitate full support for people with a disability.
I have made enquiries with the HSE with regard to respite services at St. John of God North East Services, St. Mary's Drumcar . I am informed that St John of God North East Services and the HSE Louth Disability Service have actively worked in partnership to ensure that the respite services returns to its full provision as soon as possible. I am pleased to note that respite for children has recommenced in SJOG from 9th September.
Respite beds were previously provided by the SJOG Service in crisis situations however this is no longer possible due to HIQA requirements and the policy of decongregation. However the HSE and SJOG continue to work closely to examine ways in which respite can be delivered in a responsive manner and to work on alternative models of respite such as the Mo Shaol initiative which was piloted with Genio funding and is now delivered by the HSE.
The HSE has given a funding commitment to bring the Maria Goretti respite centre to full capacity. I welcome this very positive development and note that Louth Disability Services are working with the service provider, RehabCare, to get the centre to full capacity as soon as possible.
As 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, for any further information that they may be able to provide.
1118. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if he will meet the Save Our Services executive of Lifford, Ramelton and St. Joseph's community hospitals to discuss the future of long-term residential care services at the facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24845/16]
View answerThese are operational matters that fall in the first instance to the Health Service Executive rather than the Department of Health. I have asked the HSE to make contact with this Group to make arrangements for a direct meeting on the issues raised.
1119. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if the HSE has plans to fund the FreeStyle Libre monitor which monitors the blood sugars of persons who suffer from diabetes. [24847/16]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
1120. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the reason the drug Sativex is not available to persons who suffer from multiple sclerosis despite the former Minister of State for primary care signing a statutory instrument legalising its use in July 2014; and when it will be available. [24851/16]
View answer1121. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 61 of 2 February 2016, if he will provide an update on the issue of potential pricing for the Sativex drug, which was under consideration by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24852/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1120 and 1121 together.
On 11 July 2014, the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1988 were amended to allow for certain cannabis-based medicinal products to be used in Ireland. The Health Products Regulatory Authority subsequently granted a marketing authorisation for the cannabis-based medicinal product Sativex to be marketed in this State. It was then open to the holder of that authorisation to make the product available for prescribing in Ireland.
The HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the GMS and community drug schemes, under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. 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 HSE has received an application for the inclusion of Sativex on the High Tech Scheme. However, an NCPE health technology assessment report on Sativex did not recommend reimbursement at the submitted price. The NCPE report is an important input to assist the HSE in its decision-making process and informs engagement between the HSE and the supplier.
Sativex is not currently reimbursed; the HSE is awaiting further engagement from the supplier.
1122. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the Government has been contacted by the tobacco industry or any of its representatives on the possibility of a joint agreement on the joint use of the industry's Codentify system for the tracing of illegal tobacco; if so, the outcome of any such contact; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24859/16]
View answerI have not been contacted by the tobacco industry or any of its representatives on the possibility of a joint agreement on the joint use of the industry's codentify tracing of illegal tobacco system. The Revenue Commissioners on behalf of the Minister for Finance have informed me that they received communications from the tobacco industry on the implementation of the track and trace provisions of the Tobacco Products Directive and advised them to pursue the matter with my Department which has primary responsibility for implementation of the Directive.
The Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) 2014/40/EU, transposed into Irish legislation by the European Union (Manufacture, Presentation and Sale of Tobacco and Related Products) Regulations 2016 (S.I. No. 271 of 2016) introduces an EU-wide tracking and tracing system and security features for tobacco products which aims to facilitate enforcement and assist authorities and consumers to detect illicit products. The tracking and tracing of tobacco products will be phased in, with cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco the first required to comply in 2019, followed by all other tobacco products in 2024.
In July 2016, the European Commission launched a public consultation on the implementation of a EU system for traceability and security features pursuant to Articles 15 and 16 of the TPD. The Commission is seeking views on the relevance and impact of the policy options they have outlined in their Inception Impact Assessment.
In particular the consultation aims to:
- gain insight into which policy options are capable of fulfilling the TPD requirements whilst at the same time imposing least burden on stakeholders concerned;
- gain realistic estimations of the financial impact of the envisaged policy options on stakeholders;
- gain insight into the impact of the envisaged policy options on SMEs; and
- seek the feedback of consumers regarding aspects of particular relevance for them.
The submissions received by the Commission will provide important input for the ongoing implementation work on a future EU system for traceability and security features, and will feed into the preparation of the legislative acts.
1123. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of staff, by grade, who will be employed in each of the new 14 primary care centres announced earlier in 2016 under the PPP scheme; the services that each centre will provide; the number of additional staff who will be employed on a centre-by-centre or CHO-by-CHO basis as a result of the building of these centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24862/16]
View answerAs this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
1124. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the current cost of the drugs payment scheme; if costings can be made available for the effect of reducing the current maximum payment threshold from €144 per month to €72 per month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24865/16]
View answerI am informed by the HSE that the gross cost of the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS) was approximately €68 million in the twelve months to end May 2016. The estimated cost of reducing the monthly threshold to €72 per month is €40 million.
The Deputy should note that estimates surrounding the DPS are approximate at best, as pharmacies do not routinely submit DPS claim data below the current monthly threshold of €144.
1125. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the revenue currently being generated from prescription charges; the number of persons who would benefit and the cost of abolishing prescription charges for medical card holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24866/16]
View answerI am informed by the HSE that revenue from medical card prescription charges amounted to almost €118 million in the twelve months to end May 2016, while the number of people eligible for medical card services stands at approximately 1.7 million. The estimated cost of abolishing prescription charges is approximately €120 million.
1126. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Health the reason elderly persons on pensions who have been in receipt of a medical card for over ten years are having their medical cards renewed for only six months. [24867/16]
View answerI have confirmed with the HSE that the standard period of a medical card is usually a three year period, after which an individual's eligibility is reviewed. If the Deputy is aware of any individual instances where a medical card has only been issued to an elderly person for six months, can he please contact my Department and I will have the matter investigated.
1127. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the reason there are no institutionalised referral pathways from Irish hospitals to the specialist counselling and information services provided by the IFPA to women who have received a diagnosis of fatal foetal abnormality; the steps he will take to institute such official referral pathways in view of the fact that, as it stands, women do not receive essential information (details supplied) from hospitals and are referred to the IFPA's information service on an entirely ad hoc basis. [24868/16]
View answerBereavement care must be an integral part of any maternity service. Accordingly, the National Maternity Strategy - Creating a Better Future Together 2016 - 2026 recognises the importance of improving and standardising bereavement care throughout maternity services. The Strategy supports the implementation of the HSE National Standards for Bereavement Care following Pregnancy Loss and Perinatal Death, which I launched last month.
I am pleased that the standards will ensure that clinical and counselling services will be in place to support women and their families in all pregnancy loss situations, from early pregnancy loss to perinatal death, as well as situations where there is a diagnosis of foetal anomaly that may be life limiting or fatal. I trust that they will ensure that all families who have the terrible experience of a pregnancy-related bereavement will receive the care and compassion they need.
Under the Health Act 2004, the HSE is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to the specific service issue raised.
1128. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health the HSE's recruitment policy, particularly in County Kerry, for the hiring of emporary mental health nurses who have been employed over the past number of years while the recruitment embargo has been in place; the policy for employment for these temporary nurses vis-á-vis 2016 graduate nurses; if there are provisions in place to ensure that these temporary nurses are afforded the same opportunity for employment, given their experience and acquired knowledge of patient profiles over the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24883/16]
View answerAs this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 10 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
1129. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding mental health staffing issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24886/16]
View answerAs this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 10 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
1130. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (detail supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24889/16]
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.
1131. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding waiting times for orthodontic care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24895/16]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for reply to the Deputy.
1132. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24926/16]
View answerThe National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) figures have shown a continued increase in the number of patients waiting for appointments and/or procedures within the health system in 2016. There are currently over 530,000 patients waiting for an outpatient appointment, an in-patient or daycase procedure as of end of August 2015. As such it is clear that the health system is currently dealing with a considerable demand for health services that must be planned for and effectively managed. The Department and HSE are committed to driving the necessary process improvements and resources to tackle this issue.
The HSE has developed an action plan aimed at reducing the number of patients on waiting lists to be implemented in the later half of 2016. Key actions include clinical validation of patients waiting for an in-patient or daycase procedure for over 15 months, focusing on providing procedures for the 5% of patients on inpatient and daycase waiting lists for over 18 months and driving process improvement at Hospital Group and individual hospital level. This work will be supported by the Special Delivery Unit of the HSE.
Last week the HSE published the Winter Initiative 2016-2017 which includes a €7 million fund for a targeted waiting list programme to reduce the numbers of patients waiting for orthopaedic, spinal and scoliosis procedures in designated sites. The NTPF's recently launched Endoscopy Initiative 2016 will assist in reducing the waiting lists and waiting times for endoscopy procedures for those patients who are currently waiting over 12 months. Separately, additional 'once-off' funding of €1 million has been provided to the Children's Hospital Group to address cardiac catheterisation waiting lists and assist further with scoliosis waiting lists.
The Programme for Partnership Government (PfPG) clearly commits €50 million in 2017 for waiting list initiatives, with at least €15 million of this allocated specifically to the NTPF. The Department of Health is working closely with the HSE and the NTPF to develop specific initiatives focused on reducing waiting lists in 2017 in accordance with the PfPG's commitments.
1134. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health if he will reinstate the primary school optical scheme for children in fifth and sixth class until such time as he has implemented and introduced reform measures towards a more community-based model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24928/16]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for reply to the Deputy.
1135. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an operation in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24932/16]
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.
1136. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an operation in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24933/16]
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.
1137. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 225 of 14 July 2016, if he will take steps in order that a staff member from St. Joseph's Service in Portrane, County Dublin, is available to residents while they are patients in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9 (details supplied). [24935/16]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the HSE is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services including such services to people with a disability. Section 10B of that Act (inserted by Section 6 of the Health Service Executive (Governance) Act 2013) prohibits the Minister for Health from, inter alia, directing the HSE as respects any function of the HSE relating to the provision of treatment or a health or personal social service to any particular person and prohibits the Minister from directing the HSE as respects any function of HSE relating to a decision concerning whether or not a particular person is eligible for a particular health or a personal social service or the extent to which and the manner in which a person is eligible for any such service.
The Minister is prohibited by law from directing the HSE as respects the provision of treatment or a health and personal social service to an individual.
As 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.
