Written Answers Nos. 203-215
203. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the number of children waiting for orthodontic treatment through the national school programme in counties Cavan and Monaghan; the length of time they have been waiting on their assessment and appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35528/16]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
204. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if services provided at a centre (details supplied) will be enhanced, invested in and developed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35530/16]
View answer205. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the number of beds available at a centre (details supplied); the number that are occupied at present; if there is space for further beds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35537/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 204 and 205 together.
As these are service matters they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
206. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will consider extending enhanced medical card provision similar to that of survivors from the Magdalene laundries to survivors of abuse in other institutions of the State, in particular those who are eligible to apply to the Caranua organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35542/16]
View answerAs part of a support package, including a range of financial payments, that was approved by Government for former residents of Magdalen Laundries, eligibility for health services for the Magdalen women is provided by the Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Act 2015. The Act sets out the primary and community health services made available, free of charge, to qualifying women. The health services included in the legislation are: a general practitioner service; prescribed drugs, medicines, aids and appliances; dental, ophthalmic and aural services; home nursing; home support; chiropody; physiotherapy; and counselling services. In addition, the prescription fee is not be payable for all medicines, medical devices or other medical products that are reimbursed by the community drug schemes. A specific card has been issued to the qualifying women so that they can access the health services they require without charge, as set out in the Act. There are no proposals at present to extend automatic eligibility to other victims of institutional abuse.
Caranua is an organisation which offers support, information, advice and advocacy to survivors. For example they will help members get the services they are entitled to as citizens, and improve access to those services. They can also pay for services so that each member has the supports needed, and can give grants to individuals to source services themselves. The areas Caranua provide help with will depend on the needs and circumstances of each individual.
However, where there are people with medical needs it is important that they should be able to access necessary assistance in a straightforward manner. It is clear greater discretion is being exercised by the HSE because the number of discretionary medical cards in circulation has increased from about 52,000 in mid-2014 to over 113,210 as of 1 November this year.
207. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the drug Kalydeco; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35543/16]
View answer211. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the drug Kalydeco; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35559/16]
View answer213. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health if he will allow the drug Kalydeco to be available to a person (details supplied); the reason this drug is not available for children aged two to five years of age at the same agreed price as it is available to the over six age group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35573/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 207, 211 and 213 together.
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.
In line with the 2013 Act, if a Company would like a medicine to be reimbursed by the HSE pursuant to the Community Drug Schemes or as a hospital medicine, the Company must first submit an application to the HSE to have the new medicine added to the Reimbursement List or to be priced as a hospital medicine.
Within 180 days of receiving the application (or such longer period which may arise if further information is sought from the Company), the HSE will decide to either:
- add the medicine to the Reimbursement List/agree to reimburse it as a hospital medicine,
or,
- will refuse to reimburse the medicine.
In reaching its decision, the HSE examines all the evidence which may be relevant in its view for the decision (including the information/dossier submitted by the Company) and will take into account such expert opinions and recommendations which may have been sought by the HSE at its sole discretion (for example, from the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics).
In considering an application, the HSE will also have regard to Part 1 and Part 3 of Schedule 3 of the 2013 Act. Part 3 requires the HSE to have regard to the following criteria:
1. the health needs of the public;
2. the cost-effectiveness of meeting health needs by supplying the item concerned rather than providing other health services;
3. the availability and suitability of items for supply or reimbursement;
4. the proposed costs, benefits and risks of the item or listed item relative to therapeutically similar items or listed items provided in other health service settings and the level of certainty in relation to the evidence of those costs, benefits and risks;
5. the potential or actual budget impact of the item or listed item;
6. the clinical need for the item or listed item;
7. the appropriate level of clinical supervision required in relation to the item to ensure patient safety;
8. the efficacy (performance in trial), effectiveness (performance in real situations) and added therapeutic benefit against existing standards of treatment (how much better it treats a condition than existing therapies); and
9. the resources available to the HSE.
I am informed that the HSE received a request and economic dossier from the manufacturer of Ivacaftor, brand name Kalydeco, for the treatment of cystic fibrosis patients aged 2 years and older weighing less than 25kg. In March of this year the HSE asked the NCPE to carry out a health technology assessment of the applicant’s economic dossier on the cost effectiveness of this treatment.
The NCPE completed its assessment and made a recommendation in October 2016. The NCPE determined that the manufacturer failed to demonstrate cost-effectiveness of the drug for its intended cohort of patients and did not recommend that it should be reimbursed for this indication at the submitted price.
A summary of the health technology assessment has been published on the NCPE website and is available at: http://www.ncpe.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Ivacaftor-2-5-years-web-summary.pdf.
The HSE will enter into negotiations with the manufacturer in an effort to secure significant price reductions for Kalydeco.
The HSE will consider the outcome of these engagements, together with the NCPE recommendation, in making a final decision on reimbursement. This decision will be made on objective, scientific and economic grounds by the HSE in line with the 2013 Act.
As you will appreciate, I cannot comment on the case of any individual, or intervene in individual patient cases.
208. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the reason a decision was made to disallow persons (details supplied) in County Donegal a full medical card on a discretionary basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35544/16]
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 was issued to Oireachtas members.
209. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the proposed location for primary care centres throughout the State; the stage the planning or construction of these primary care centres are currently at; if Dundalk has been included as a location for a primary care centre; if so, the proposed location of this centre; and when construction will commence. [35548/16]
View answerAs this 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.
210. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the number of appointments with practitioners connected to counties Louth and Meath mental health services which patients did not attend in each month for 2015 and 2016. [35549/16]
View answerAs this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
212. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health the reason a power wheelchair was sanctioned for a person (details supplied) in July 2016 but was not ordered until October 2016 with a waiting time of 12 weeks for delivery; if the HSE will fast forward the delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35572/16]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
214. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if a medical card will issue in the case of persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35608/16]
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 was issued to Oireachtas members.
215. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if he will meet with a group (details supplied) in relation to palliative care services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35609/16]
View answer221. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will meet with a group (details supplied) at an early date as requested some months ago due to the urgency attaching to a project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35647/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 215 and 221 together.
The provision of an inpatient hospice in Cavan/Monaghan has been included in the HSE Capital Plan for 2020/21 and is the subject of discussion between the HSE and the local Hospice Group. I understand that the HSE National Lead for Palliative Care will meet with the local Hospice Group and visit St. Christopher's facility in the near future.
I will be very happy to meet with the group in question but I think this would be most productive after a further meeting with the HSE has taken place and the issues arising on both sides have been clarified insofar as this is possible. I have accordingly asked my office to arrange a meeting for me with the Group once I have received a full report of the above meeting with the HSE.
