Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016

Written Answers Nos. 597-612

Hospital Waiting Lists

Questions (597)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

597. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a cataract operation in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37538/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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 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.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Questions (598)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

598. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a cataract operation in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37540/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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 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.

Departmental Reports

Questions (599, 600)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

599. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the reports commissioned by his Department since 2006 which while completed or are in final draft form have not been published; the reason they have not been published; the expected publication date; the cost to date of each such report; if tenders were invited; if it is not intended to publish any such report the reason for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37550/16]

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

600. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the reports commissioned by the HSE since 2006 which while completed or are in final draft form have not been published; the reason they have not been published; the expected publication date; the cost to date of each such report; if tenders were invited; if it is not intended to publish any such report, the reason for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37557/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 599 and 600 together.

The Department does not collect data in a manner which would allow the Deputy’s question to be answered in full. Published reports for the years in question are available on the Department’s website at http://health.gov.ie/publications-research/publications/. Presented in the table below are details from the Department's A7 expenditure for consultant reports commissioned by the Department from March 2011 to December 2015 together with associated costs and publication status. Data for 2016 are not yet available and will be collated and forwarded as soon as possible.

It is the policy in my Department only to engage the services of external consultants where it is felt to be appropriate and cost-effective, taking account of Government decisions and policy including procurement protocols on the matter. Should the Deputy have a particular report for which details are required please provide details to my office and I will ensure that the matter is investigated further.

I have forwarded your question regarding the HSE to the HSE for direct reply.

Year	Organisation/ Consultants	Name of Report	Current status	Cost to December 2015
2015	Amarach Research	Alcohol Labelling Research	Report being drafted.	€86,138
2015	NUIG	Suite of Literature Reviews to support National Clinical Guideleines	Work commenced	€159,645
2015	UCC	Systematic literature review National Early Warning Score update	Ongoing	€22,743
2015	ICF Consulting Services/DKM Economic Consultants	An assessment of the economic costs of smoking in Ireland	Ongoing	€12,449
2015	Prospectus	Code of Conduct for Health and Social Service Providers	Extracts will be published within clinical guidelines	€86,138
2015	UCD	Clinical Handover Guideline	Work ongoing	€86,292
2015	DCU	Management of the Acute Adult Asthma Patient – provision of research	Extracts to be published within clinical guideline	€9,973
2015	DCU	Paediatric Early Warning Score – Pre-implementation research	Extracts to be published within clinical guideline	€24,000
2015	INDECON Economic Consultants	Analysis of potential measures to encourage the provision of Primary Care facilities	Work ongoing	€0
2015	DKM Economic Consultants	Analysis of potential measures to encourage the provision of Nursing Homes and Community Nursing Unit facilities	Work ongoing	€40,221
2014	DCU School of Nursing	Report to support the Taskforce on Staffing and Skill mix for nursing	Will be used to inform the final Report on the Taskforce on Staffing and Skill Mix	€7,418
2014	DCU School of Nursing	Literature Review and Nursing Workforce Evaluation to Support the Taskforce on Staffing and Skill Mix	Will be used to inform the Report of the Taskforce on Staffing and Skill Mix	€19,845
2014	Crowe Horwath	Thematic Analysis of Submissions in response to a Public Consultation on the White Paper for Universal Health Insurance	Published on Department’s website	€39,176
2014	NUI Galway	Systematic literature review Maternity Early Warning Score	Extracts published within clinical guideline	€23,935
2014	DCU	Systematic literature review Paediatric Early Warning Score	Extracts will be published within clinical guideline	€20,095
2014	UCC	Systematic literature review Clinical Practice Guidance	Published on Department’s website	€20,712
2014	Sinéad Shannon	Review of the international evidence and literature on selection criteria for the Outcomes Framework (Whilst this piece of research which was commissioned in December and approved in January, no payments have been made to date)	Ongoing	€5,000
2013	Prospectus Strategy Consultants	Review of Staffing Resources and Organisational Structure of the Department of Health	Report completed but not published, for Department's use only	€72,940
2013	Deloitte and Touche Consultants Ltd	Review of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme	Ongoing	€36,900
2013	Matheson Ormsby Prentice	Legal Research and advisory services on the design and implementation of an insurance based health system providing universal coverage in Ireland	Not Published	€123,000
2013	Prof Oonagh Walsh	Report on symphysiotomy in Ireland, 1944-1984	Not published	€49,500
2013	Ernst & Young	Reports relating to the development of the Programme Management Office (cost includes a range of consultancy services)	Ongoing – internal reports	€79,212
2013	Dr Sinead Hanafin & Associates	Review of the Traveller Health Advisory Committee	Finalised	€6,150
2013	Prospectus	Overview of the development of the Health & Wellbeing Programme	Finalised	€15,156
2013	Research Matters	Provision of Research Management Services	Ongoing	€74,490
2013	Institute of Public Health	Analysis re Consultation (Tobacco Products Directive)	Completed - not yet published	€5,000
2013	Professor Hammond	Research on Standardised Packaging- Irish Context	Ongoing	€5,000
2013	CJP Consultants	Preparation of report on the efficacy of minimum pricing and other public policies for alcohol.	Published on website	€31,488
2013	Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland	Annual Report of the Alcohol Marketing Communications Monitoring Body (AMCMB)	Published	€21,115
2012	McGee Pharma International	Labelling of Medicinal Products in both Irish and English	Completed	€13,644
2012	Goodbody Stockbrokers and Matheson Ormsby Prentice Solicitors	Further Analysis of Options in relation to the restructuring of the Irish Private Health Insurance Market	Report completed	€62,349
2012	Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with the assistance of PwC	Review of the Department of Health's Parliamentary and Legislative Processes	Report completed but not published - for Department's use only	€18,020
2012	Department of Public Expenditure and Reform	A survey of experience and qualifications in the Department of Health	Report completed but not published - for Department's use only	None
2012	Michael Collins Associates	Supplementary Report and Addendum on Cost Comparison for the Dolphin Review Group	Completed not published, commercially sensitive	€12,423
2012	John Martin	Further assessment of planning issues in relation to proposed sites for the Dolphin Review Group	Published	€6,000
2012	Simon Clear	Further assessment of planning issues in relation to proposed sites for the Dolphin Review Group	Published	€9,475
2012	The Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, UCC, in conjunction with the Centre for Health Policy and Management, TCD.	The Efficiency Review of the BreastCheck Screening Programme	Published	€71,270
2012	Mr Gerard Mullaly	Reforming Chronic Care: Financing and Delivering Integrated Chronic Care	Not published	€5,227
2012	Mr Gerard Mullaly	The Integrated Continuing Care System (ICCS): Reforming Elderly Care in Ireland	Not published	€7,558
2012	Matheson Ormsby Prentice	Options Appraisal of multi-payer universal health insurance models: Preliminary advice	Not Published	€6,150
2012	Department of Health / SIRA Consulting	Report on the baseline measurement of the administrative burden from the Department of Health (as part of a cross Departmental project coordinated by Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation)	Published 2013	€14,000
2011	Goodbody Stockbrokers and Matteson Ormsby Prentice Solicitors	Commissioned to undertake are review of the Irish Private Health Insurance Market in Relation to the options which may exist for re-balancing	Report completed	€300,000

Health Services Staff Data

Questions (601)

Mick Wallace

Question:

601. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if there are psychotherapists in direct full time State employment; if so, the number of such positions that exist; the areas they relate to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37558/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Mental Health Services Provision

Questions (602)

Mick Wallace

Question:

602. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the number of meetings of the Wexford Advancing Recovery Ireland (ARI) group that have taken place since its establishment; if he has satisfied himself with the progress of the group to date; if they are any closer to their objective to introduce peer-to-peer support services in mental health services in County Wexford than they were when they started; the cost of the Wexford ARI group to the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37559/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Hospital Services

Questions (603)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

603. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the detail in relation to acute hospital intensive care (details supplied) by acute hospital location for 2016 to date under each heading; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37578/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

In 2014 the HSE National Clinical Programme for Critical Care designed and launched a ‘hub-and-spoke’ Model of Care for Adult Critical Care, which is a centralised critical care delivery model, designed to meet the complex needs of critically ill patients across the acute healthcare system.

The Programme carries out an annual census of critical care capacity and activity which includes critical care bed capacity and critical care staff in hospitals.

In 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.

Disability Support Services

Questions (604)

Paul Murphy

Question:

604. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his Department will investigate the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37593/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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.

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.

Hospital Services

Questions (605)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

605. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the number of critically ill patients needing level three care that were transferred from an existing acute hospital with level three care, by location, to another acute hospital with level three care in 2016 to date; if an analysis has been carried out on the health outcomes for such patients; if concerns have been expressed regarding this situation; the urgent steps needed to address this situation and actions now proposed by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37594/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.

Cannabis for Medicinal Use

Questions (606)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

606. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37595/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Since becoming Minister for Health I have met with a number of patients and carers who believe that cannabis should be a treatment option for their medical condition. My Department is aware that cannabis for medicinal use has been legalised in some countries and that there have been several studies internationally on the therapeutic effects of cannabinoids for a number of medical issues.

I understand the concern of these and many other people who believe that cannabis should be a treatment option for certain medical conditions and I recognise the urgency and constant worry felt by patients with very distressing illnesses. As a result I am committed to urgently reviewing Ireland’s policy on medicinal cannabis.

Cannabis-based preparations are strictly controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Acts. However, it is open for an Irish registered doctor to apply for a licence for such preparations for an individual, named-patient. Such applications will be considered on a case by case basis. The appropriateness of any particular treatment is a matter between the patient and their doctor.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is derived from cannabis. However, since it does not have psychoactive properties it is not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Acts.

While I am aware that CBD oil is sometimes marketed as a nutritional or dietary supplement, it should be noted that it is not authorised as a medicinal product in Ireland.

I recently asked the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) to examine the issue of permitting the use of cannabis-based products for medical purposes in Ireland. The HPRA’s statutory role is to protect and enhance human health by regulating medicines and other health products and it has the necessary clinical and scientific expertise to provide advice on this issue.

Separately the Oireachtas Health Committee has now also begun to examine the issue of medicinal cannabis.

I hope to receive the report from the HPRA and the output from the Oireachtas Health Committee early in the New Year and I will then be in a position to consider future policy and progress any legislative changes that may be recommended.

Health Services

Questions (607)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

607. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health when facilities (details supplied) will be opened; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37600/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Medical Card Eligibility

Questions (608)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

608. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will engage with the Department of Health to ensure an anomaly in budget 2017 (details supplied) does not result in groups of pensioners losing their entitlement to medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37617/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Under the Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Act 2013, when a person attains the age of 70, the medical card income limits are €500 gross income per week for a single person and €900 gross income per week for a couple. Any revision of these medical card income thresholds requires primary legislation.

Persons aged 70 or older, who are assessed as ineligible under the gross income thresholds, may also have their eligibility assessed under the means-tested medical card scheme if they so wish, for example in the event that they face particularly high expenses, e.g. nursing home or medication costs. This scheme is open to all persons, irrespective of their age and assessment is based on net income and assessable outgoing expenses. The qualifying income thresholds under this scheme are lower than over-70s gross income thresholds. In setting the assessment guidelines, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has regard to Government policy as outlined by the Minister for Health, changes in the consumer price index and other issues which may be relevant. Furthermore, persons, including those aged over 70 years, may be deemed eligible for a medical card on a discretionary basis, if they are judged to face undue hardship in arranging GP services as a result of medical or social circumstances. In addition, from August 2015, all persons aged 70 or older qualify for a GP Visit Card, regardless of income.

The Deputy will be aware that the increase in the State pension takes effect from March 2017. In the meantime, I have asked my Department to consider with the HSE the impact, if any, this increase may have on people's ability to qualify for a medical card under the gross income threshold arrangements. It would be the Government's intention that people would not be adversely affected.

HSE Reports

Questions (609)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

609. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 506 of 18 October 2016 and the outcome of the HSE report that has yet to be received, if he will consent to an independent inquiry once all parties have examined the findings of the report as is the desire of the family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37620/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As mentioned in the HSE reply to PQ No. 30737/16 of the 7 November, this report is currently in the process of being finalised by the HSE. Pending the outcome of this report I will consider what next steps should be taken then.

Non-Disclosure Agreements

Questions (610)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

610. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if his Department, or the agencies that report to his Department, entered into any non-disclosure or confidentiality agreements with any organisation due to court action or a threatened court action; and if so, the persons or groups with which these agreements exist. [37630/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The State Claims Agency, within the National Treasury Management Agency, which is under the aegis of the Department of Finance, manages personal injury, property damage and clinical negligence claims brought against certain State authorities, including Government ministers and health enterprises. The vast majority of claims under the remit of the State Claims Agency are resolved without confidentiality agreements attaching. Confidentiality agreements typically apply to claims in respect of minors or claims associated with abuse or specific medical negligence issues. The agreements, where entered into at the behest of either party, preclude the disclosure of settlement details by either party.

Regarding other settlements in the Department, in September 2012 the Minister entered into an agreement with the Medical Defence Union in settlement of litigation. This agreement is subject to a confidentiality clause.

My officials are awaiting further clarification from the Deputy in relation to the specific details he requires on non-disclosure or confidentiality agreements with persons or groups and when this is supplied I will forward a reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. I will also send the question to the HSE and the other agencies under the aegis of my Department, when the specific details of the question are clarified and they too will be requested to reply directly to the Deputy.

Medical Card Applications

Questions (611)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

611. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if a medical card can be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37639/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The 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.

Question No. 612 answered with Question No. 508.