Written Answers Nos. 493 - 506
493. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the sections of the Disability Act 2005 that have not yet been implemented in full; the nature of the provisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36844/16]
View answerAll parts of the Disability Act 2005 have been commenced except for Part 2, relating to the Assessment of Need, which has been partly commenced. Part 2 of the Disability Act 2005 provides for a statutory system for the assessment of individual health and personal social services needs for persons with a disability. This section of the Act was partly commenced in 2007 and currently all children born on or after 1st June 2002 have been deemed as being eligible to apply for an assessment of need under the Act.
In 2008, the Government decided, in the light of financial circumstances, to defer further implementation of the Disability Act 2005 and the Education for persons with Special Education Needs Act 2004.
Questions in respect of other aspects of the Disability Act 2005 should be referred to my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality in the first instance.
494. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Health when he expects to release money to the HSE in order to satisfy a recommendation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37207/16]
View answerI understand the Deputy is referring to Home Help workers who are employed by voluntary providers of home help services which are funded under section 39 of the Health Act 2004. It is important to note that these home help workers are not employed by the HSE and therefore the HSE and the Department has no role in determining the salaries or other terms and conditions applying to these staff including any pension arrangements.
A joint working group has been established, as agreed as part of the Lansdowne Road talks, to consider a number of issues in relation to section 39 organisations. The work of this group is still ongoing and is expected to conclude in the near future.
495. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the number of children awaiting a first assessment from the HSE under the Disability Act 2005 for each local health office area, in tabular form. [36845/16]
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.
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.
496. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the categories of the population that are currently prevented from giving blood; and the percentage of the population that falls within these categories. [36846/16]
View answerThe IBTS has extensive deferral criteria for donors, and only a minority of these are permanent. The rate in donor deferral in the year to date is 21.96% and the most common categories for deferral are as follows:
|
Category of Deferral |
% of Deferrals |
|
Low Haemoglobin |
39.93% |
|
Recent medical investigation |
5.23% |
|
Donor left clinic |
3.1% |
|
Actively deferred |
2.98% |
|
Letter required from GP/Consultant |
2.76% |
|
Recently had an infectious disease |
2.38% |
|
Had/has a cold sore |
2.37% |
|
Visited malarial area |
2.16% |
As many individuals de-select themselves from donating blood due to the fact that they know they fall into a deferral category, the statistics available to the IBTS are based on those who attend clinics, rather than the population as a whole. In 2016 to date, 102,009 people have given a total of 113,652 blood donations.
497. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of newly recruited speech and language therapists in 2016; the average contract provided to these new recruits; and the number of these which had the contract extended. [36847/16]
View answer498. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the total number of speech and language therapists currently employed. [36848/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 497 and 498 together.
I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
499. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the policy of the HSE on the replacement of speech and language staff that are on maternity leave; the percentage of staff on maternity leave which have had their position covered by an additional member of staff in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36849/16]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
500. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health when the national cancer strategy 2016-2025 will be published; and the engagement he has had with the steering group established in 2015. [36852/16]
View answerThe draft National Cancer Strategy is currently being finalised and I expect it to be submitted to me before the end of the year, after which it will be brought to Government in advance of publication.
Officials in my Department have worked with the Steering Group over the past year to develop a Strategy aimed at providing the best possible outcomes for Irish patients. The Strategy will seek to address all aspects of cancer, including prevention, early diagnosis, treatment and the quality of life of those living with and beyond cancer.
501. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36857/16]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
502. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a dental appointment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36859/16]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
503. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health when an operation will be provided in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36862/16]
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.
504. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health if it is the policy of his Department that all workers on the job initiative scheme would be entitled automatically to a medical card in view of the low wage they receive and the nature of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36888/16]
View answerIn accordance with the provisions of the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is determined by the Health Service Executive (HSE). The Act obliges the HSE to assess whether a person is unable, without due hardship, to arrange general practitioner services for himself or herself and his or her family, having regard to his or her overall financial position and reasonable expenditure and every application must be assessed on that basis.
If a person's only income is a means tested Social Welfare Allowance, he/she will qualify for a Medical Card.
The Job Initiative scheme is a Department of Social Protection (DSP) programme which provides full-time employment for people who are 35 years of age or over, who are unemployed and are in receipt of Jobseeker’s Benefit, Jobseeker’s Allowance or a One-Parent Family Payment for 5 years or more.
The main purpose of the programme is to assist long-term unemployed people to prepare for work opportunities. The programme achieves this by providing participants with work experience, training and development opportunities. The programme is sponsored by groups wishing to benefit the local community, namely voluntary organisations, public bodies and those involved in not-for-profit activities.
The DSP provides financial support to assist with the Job Initiative scheme, for example participant wages. Also, while on the programme, participants can retain their medical cards.
On foot of changes the then Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment introduced in 2004, there is currently no recruitment onto this scheme.
505. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 222 of 17 November 2016, when the HSE intends to enter into negotiations with the manufacturer in an effort to secure significant price reduction for the drug Kalydeco; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36909/16]
View answerAs outlined in previous reply, 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. The Company must submit a separate application to extend a treatment to a new cohort of patients. Each application is considered separately on its merits and in line with the 2013 Act.
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: www.ncpe.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Ivacaftor-2-5-years-web-summary.pdf.
As the HSE is responsible for the negotiations with manufacturers I have asked them to reply to the Deputy directly in relation to the status of negotiations with the manufacturer.
506. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36912/16]
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.
