Fiona O'Loughlin
Question:204. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health the status of the future of the vacant health centre in Rathangan, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23370/17]
View answerPrimary Care Centres
Questions (204)
Written answers
As this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
Home Help Service Provision
Questions (205)
Pearse Doherty
Question:205. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the status of home help assistance for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23401/17]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
Services for People with Disabilities
Questions (206)
Brendan Griffin
Question:206. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of all recreational and training activity providers who are currently employed by the Health Service Executive, HSE, in County Kerry; the services provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23404/17]
View answerWritten answers
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 a service matter, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (207)
Carol Nolan
Question:207. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) will be granted an appointment in Tallaght or in another hospital offering the same service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23405/17]
View answerWritten answers
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 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.
Departmental Funding
Questions (208)
Carol Nolan
Question:208. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding allocated to each of the various Alzheimer's associations across the State in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23406/17]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. A list of the organisations including dementia specific organisations, that received National Lottery funding in each of the years from 2011 to 2016 is available on the Department of Health's website:
http://health.gov.ie/about-us/list-of-organisations-who-received-lottery-funding-2009-2016.
Infectious Disease Incidence
Questions (209, 210, 211)
Carol Nolan
Question:209. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the reason tests in German laboratories for the detection of Lyme disease are not recognised here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23407/17]
View answerCarol Nolan
Question:210. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the concerns about the accuracy of tests carried out here to detect Lyme disease; the testing process; the mechanisms in place to ensure accuracy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23408/17]
View answerCarol Nolan
Question:211. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if there is a specific module or component in medical training covering the detection, diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease; if such training is compulsory; the length of training required on this particular issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23409/17]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 209 to 211, inclusive, together.
Lyme disease (also known as Lyme borreliosis) is an infection caused by a spiral-shaped bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi. It is transmitted to humans by bites from ticks infected with the bacteria. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) of the HSE has extensive information concerning Lyme disease on its website http://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/vectorborne/lymedisease/.
Lyme disease is diagnosed by medical history and physical examination. The infection is confirmed by blood tests which look for antibodies produced by an infected person's body in response to the infection. These normally take several weeks to develop and may not be present in the early stages of the disease. The standard approach to Lyme diagnostics is a two-stage approach and involves using a sensitive enzyme immunoassay (EIA) as an initial, screening step. Screening EIAs can be insufficiently specific, giving false-positive reactions in the presence of other similar bacteria, and certain other viral infections, including glandular fever. In addition, blood samples from patients with autoimmune disorders and other inflammatory conditions can also lead to false-positive results. Samples giving positive or equivocal results in screening tests are further investigated in a second-stage immunoblot (Western blot) tests. Use of immunoblot testing greatly increases specificity. Using this two stage approach will give a great degree of certainty around the diagnosis of Lyme.
All clinical (and other) laboratories in Ireland must undergo continuous quality assurance to ensure that the quality of the diagnostics they provide is maintained at the highest international level for human diagnostics. Some laboratories abroad do not use antibody tests like the EIA (screening ELISA test) and Western Blot and instead will use other types of tests, for example, testing for levels of a specific white blood cell (CD-57) or lymphocyte transformation tests (tests to measure how specific cells in a person's immune system respond when exposed to antigens against Borrelia burgdorferi - the bacterium responsible for Lyme disease). These types of tests are not currently recommended by international groups such as the CDC, Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) or BIA for a number of reasons:
1. There is not enough scientific evidence that they are suitable tests to diagnose Lyme disease;
2. There is no standard method to perform and interpret these kind of tests; and
3. Positive results in these kinds of tests may be due to other illnesses or conditions and not just Borrelia infection.
The Scientific Advisory Committee of the HPSC, the Infectious Diseases Society of Ireland, the Irish Society of Clinical Microbiologists, the Irish Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and the Irish College of General Practitioners agreed a Consensus Statement on the Clinical Management of Lyme Borreliosis, which endorsed the previously referenced, internationally recognised set of guidelines (those of the IDSA) to Medical Practitioners to ensure a standardised approach to the diagnosis and management of Lyme disease in Ireland.
The Scientific Advisory Committee of the HPSC has established a Lyme Borreliosis Sub-Committee, the aim of which is to develop strategies to undertake primary prevention in order to minimise the harm caused by Lyme Borreliosis in Ireland. In addition to staff from the HPSC, the membership of the Sub-Committee includes specialists in Public Health Medicine, Consultants in Infectious Diseases, Clinical Microbiology, Occupational Health an Entomologist from the Parks and Wildlife Service, a representative from the Local Government Management Agency, an Environmental Health Officer and, very importantly, a representative from Tick Talk Ireland, the primary Support Group for Lyme disease in Ireland.
The initial work of the Lyme Borreliosis Sub-committee involved a survey of laboratory methods for the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis in Ireland, the development of Lyme borreliosis guidance for general practitioners, the publication of medical media articles to highlight diagnostics and laboratory methods relating to Lyme borreliosis available in Ireland. Material has been produced which is aimed both at the general public and General Practitioners.
There is extensive information for the public and health professionals on the HPSC website. This information for the public includes:
- Lyme Disease Frequently Asked Questions;
- Laboratory testing for Lyme Disease: FAQs for general public;
- Lyme Disease Illustrations; and
- CDC's instructions on how to remove a tick.
There is significant support and information for health professionals on the HPSC website. These supports include a fact sheet on tick borne diseases, including Lyne Disease. This fact sheet gives information on clinical the disease, transmission routes, prevention measures, diagnosis, and management and treatment. There is also an erythema migrans (EM) diagnostic tool to aid health professionals in the diagnosis of EM, which is frequently the earliest clinical manifestation of Lyme borreliosis.
With regard to medical education and training, the content and composition of curricula and specialist training programmes is a matter for the Medical Council and the recognised medical education or postgraduate training bodies. Under the Medical Practitioners Act, all medical degree courses and specialist training programmes in Ireland are required to be accredited by the Council. As of May 2011, doctors are legally obliged to maintain their professional competence by enrolling in approved professional competence schemes and following requirements set by the Medical Council. In this context, the Council has established a range of professional competence schemes through formal arrangements with the recognised postgraduate training bodies. Schemes are operated by the postgraduate training bodies and have been developed to drive good professional practice, which is centred on patient safety and quality of patient care.
As testing and treatment for Lyme borreliosis is widely available in Ireland there is no requirement for people to travel to other EU Member States to access these services.
Services for People with Disabilities
Questions (212)
Carol Nolan
Question:212. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the reason the diagnosis of a person (details supplied) will not be confirmed in a report prior to the enrolment of the person in preschool; if the report can be provided in time for the person to enrol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23411/17]
View answerWritten answers
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.