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Tuesday, 20 Feb 2018

Written Answers Nos. 360-375

Mental Health Services Data

Questions (360)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

360. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for community psychology services by community healthcare organisation, CHO, age category and time waiting. [8422/18]

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Written answers

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Mental Health Services Data

Questions (361)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

361. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for CAMHS by community healthcare organisation, CHO, age category and time waiting. [8423/18]

View answer

Written answers

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Mental Health Services Data

Questions (362)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

362. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for counselling services by community healthcare organisation, CHO, age category and time waiting. [8424/18]

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Written answers

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Services for People with Disabilities

Questions (363)

Michael McGrath

Question:

363. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 302 of 23 January 2018, when the HSE disability service plans to revert to the service provider with a recommendation regarding progression of the works. [8428/18]

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Written answers

The Deputy's question has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply as the delivery of infrastructure projects is a service matter.

Question No. 364 answered with Question No. 347.
Question No. 365 answered with Question No. 346.
Question No. 366 answered with Question No. 347.

Vaccination Programme

Questions (367)

John Curran

Question:

367. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the date the Health Information and Quality Authority will complete a health technology assessment that will inform his Department if the HPV vaccination programme should be provided to boys; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8477/18]

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Written answers

The immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). NIAC is a committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland comprising of experts in a number of specialties including infectious diseases, paediatrics and public health. The committee's recommendations are informed by public health advice and international best practice. All relevant and appropriate information is taken into account when deciding to make changes to the State's immunisation programmes.

NIAC has made a recommendation that the HPV vaccine should be given to boys. My Department asked the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) to carry out a health technology assessment (HTA). Work has commenced on the HTA and is expected to be completed in 2018. Any decision to extend the current programme which offers HPV vaccination to all girls in their first year of second-level education to a programme that also offers vaccination to boys will be informed by the evidence contained in the HTA.

Mental Health Services Data

Questions (368)

John Curran

Question:

368. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the number of children waiting for an appointment with a HSE psychologist in 2015, 2016 and 2017 for each HSE area, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8478/18]

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Written answers

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Mental Health Services Data

Questions (369)

John Curran

Question:

369. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the number of community-based HSE counsellors and other therapeutic support personnel assigned to each HSE area in each of the years 2012 to 2017, inclusive, in tabular form. [8479/18]

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Written answers

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Home Help Service Data

Questions (370)

John Curran

Question:

370. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the HSE’s 2017 home help hours target for 2018; the number of home help hours delivered in 2017; the number of hours to be targeted in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8480/18]

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Written answers

The Government is committed to promoting care in the community so that people can continue to live with confidence, security and dignity in their own homes for as long as possible. To support this, we plan to establish a new statutory scheme for the financing and regulation of home care services. The Department is currently engaged in a detailed process to progress this.

In the meantime, the Department and HSE are continuing efforts to incrementally improve the existing services. As detailed in its National Service Plan, the HSE is streamlining home care services by moving towards a single funded service. This combines the funding for home help and standard home care packages which will operate as a single home support service from 2018 onwards.

Home support services are a particular area of focus in Budget 2018, with an additional €18.25m allocated. The additional resources bring the budget for the direct provision of home support services to €408m delivering over 17m home support hours to about 50,500 people. This compares with the estimated 16.34m hours delivered to 50,000 people last year. In addition 235 intensive home care packages will provide 360,000 home support hours for people with complex needs.

Medicinal Products Reimbursement

Questions (371)

Jack Chambers

Question:

371. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to assist those persons who can no longer avail of pain-relieving medication (details supplied) following its removal from the medical card scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8520/18]

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Written answers

Medicines play a vital role in improving the health of Irish patients. Securing access to existing and new and innovative medicines is a key objective of the health service. However, the challenge is to do this in an affordable and sustainable manner. The medicines bill for the community drugs schemes – primarily the GMS, Long Term Illness and Drugs Payment schemes and the High Tech Arrangement - was approximately €1.8 billion in 2017.

To ensure patients receive the highest quality care, resources invested in medicines must be used efficiently and effectively. This requires an integrated approach to secure best value for money for all treatments, greater efficiencies in the supply chain and the use of the most cost-effective treatments.

Lidocaine 5% medicated plaster is licensed for the symptomatic relief of neuropathic pain associated with previous herpes zoster (shingles) infection, known as post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), in adults. It has been reimbursed in the community drugs schemes since 2010. The projected budget impact on introduction was low due to the specific licensed indication but total expenditure trebled between 2012 and 2016, from €9.4 million to over €30 million, mainly from off-license use for pain not associated with shingles.

An HSE Medicines Management Programme (MMP) review of this product highlighted that the clinical evidence for its use in PHN is limited due to lack of comparative data, and its value is uncertain for other types of pain. The National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics estimated that, in Ireland, only 5-10% of prescribing of this product has been for the licensed indication of PHN.

Following the MMP review, the HSE introduced a new reimbursement system for the product from 1 September 2017. This process supports its appropriate use, ensuring that PHN patients continue to receive this treatment.

Under the protocol, all patients who were receiving antivirals for shingles were automatically approved for the lidocaine medicated plaster. No action was required by GPs and the patient’s pharmacy was notified of his or her approval status.

However, since 1 December 2017, non-shingles patients no longer automatically receive this item under the community drugs schemes. In August 2017, the HSE advised GPs and pharmacies of the changes and of treatment alternatives.

It is possible for non-shingles patients to be approved for the patch through the community drug schemes. The patient's GP should apply to the Medicines Management Programme through the online system, and the MMP will review the application and inform the GP of its decision.

I am advised that the MMP has received over 4,700 applications from GPs, of which some 14% have been approved. For many of the conditions applied for, prescribing of the patch was inappropriate, for example for conditions such as deep venous thrombosis, angina, gout and endometriosis.

Where a GP’s application is rejected, it may be appealed. The HSE advises that over 60% have been accepted on clinical grounds.

Full details of the review are available on the HSE website at http://hse.ie/eng/about/Who/clinical/natclinprog/medicinemanagementprogramme/yourmedicines/lidocaine-plaster/lidocaine-medicated-plaster.html.

This decision is a matter for the HSE. However, I fully support the objectives of the HSE Medicines Management Programme.

Services for People with Disabilities

Questions (372)

Brendan Smith

Question:

372. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the level of funding provided in 2017 and the level of expenditure by the end of December 2017 in relation to the provision of a service (details supplied); the level of funding provided in 2018 for this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8522/18]

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Written answers

As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for investigation and direct reply to the Deputy.

Hospital Services

Questions (373)

Michael Harty

Question:

373. Deputy Michael Harty asked the Minister for Health if the University of Limerick hospital group proposes to reduce the medical assessment unit at Ennis Hospital from a seven-day service to a five-day service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8526/18]

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Written answers

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

Primary Care Centres Data

Questions (374)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

374. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the primary care centre projects announced on 17 July 2012, in tabular form; the status of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8527/18]

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Written answers

Delivery of primary care infrastructure is a dynamic process, which evolves to take account of changing circumstances including the feasibility of implementation.

The table below gives details of the 35 locations announced on 17 July 2012, and their current status including estimated opening dates. Five of these primary care centres are already operational and eleven are projected to open by the end 2018.

In addition, it should be noted that 67 primary care centres have been opened since 2011, and a further 6 primary care centres are projected to open in 2018, in addition to those shown in the table below.

Count

HSE Region

County

Location / PCT Name

Delivery Method

Project Status - Q4 2017

1

DML

Dublin

Rowlagh / North Clondalkin

Direct build

Stage 2a design team report completed. Purchase agreement finalised with adjoining school, subject to planning permission being granted for the development. HSE awaiting letter from Dept of Education in order to submit planning application.

2

DML

Dublin

Curlew Road / Crumlin / Drimnagh

Direct build

Planning permission in place. Options being reviewed following reconfiguration of services in the area.

3

DML

Dublin

Knocklyon / Rathfarnham

Direct build

Planning permission in place. Purchase of site being progressed.

4

DML

Wicklow

Rathdrum

Operational Lease

Planning approved for retrofit of existing building, but now needs new building. Discussions ongoing with developer.

5

DML

Kildare

Kilcock

PPP

Construction complete. Projected opening Q1 2018

6

DNE

Dublin

Coolock / Darndale

PPP

Construction nearing completion. Projected opening Q2 2018

7

DNE

Dublin

Summerhill, north inner city Dublin

PPP

In construction. Projected opening Q3 2018

8

DNE

Dublin

Balbriggan

Operational Lease

Operational since Q3 2017

9

DNE

Dublin

Swords

Operational Lease

Preferred bidder selected. Letter of Intent issued August 2017.

10

DNE

Louth

Drogheda north

Operational Lease

Existing building requires fitout. Projected completion Q1 2018 and operational Q2 2018.

11

DNE

Meath

Laytown and Bettystown

Operational Lease

Re-advertised in November 2017. Submissions received, currently under review.

12

DNE

Meath

Kells

Operational Lease

Operational since Q1 2016

13

DNE

Monaghan

Carrickmacross

Operational Lease

Layouts agreed. Finalising Agreement for Lease.

14

South

Carlow

Tullow / Rathvilly / Hacketstown

Direct build

Adjoining landowner has re-engaged with HSE. Options being reviewed.

15

South

Kilkenny

Kilkenny city (East)

Operational Lease

Letter of Intent issued. Layouts being reviewed. Legal discussions progressing.

16

South

Wexford

Wexford town

PPP

In Construction. Projected opening Q2-Q3 2018

17

South

Waterford

Dungarvan

PPP

In Construction. Projected opening Q2-Q3 2018

18

South

Waterford

Waterford city (east)

PPP

In Construction. Projected opening Q2-Q3 2018

19

South

Cork

Cork city - Ballyphehane / Togher / Greenmount / The Lough

Operational Lease

Letter of Intent issued. Layouts being developed. Planning in discussion with local authority.

20

South

Kerry

Tralee

Operational Lease

Letter of Intent issued. Layouts being reviewed. Planning permission received.

21

South

Tipperary

Carrick-on-Suir

PPP

In Construction. Projected opening Q2 2018

22

South

Tipperary

Clonmel

Operational Lease

Reviewing accommodation requirements before progressing to stage 3. Existing HSE facilities being reviewed.

23

West

Tipperary

Thurles

Operational Lease

Letter of Intent issued. Agreement for Lease signed. Planning application submitted.

24

West

Limerick

Limerick city (Ballinacurra / Weston)

PPP

Operational Q1 2018

25

West

Clare

Ennis

Operational Lease

Stage 3 priced offers being evaluated.

26

West

Galway

Tuam

PPP

Operational since Q4 2017.

27

West

Galway

Gort

Operational Lease

Letter of Intent withdrawn 24/05/2016. Possible re-advertisement.

28

West

Roscommon

Boyle

PPP

Operational Q1 2018

29

West

Roscommon

Ballaghadereen

Operational Lease

Letter of Intent issued 27/10/2015. Project progressing to Agreement for Lease.

30

West

Mayo

Westport

PPP

In Construction. Projected opening Q2 2018

31

West

Mayo

Claremorris

PPP

Construction complete. Projected opening Q1 2018

32

West

Sligo

Ballymote

PPP

Construction complete. Projected opening Q1 2018

33

West

Donegal

An Clochán Liath - Dungloe

Operational Lease

Re-advertised for Operational Lease option. Expressions of interest received. Stage 2 responses received, preparing to issue stage 3 letters.

34

West

Donegal

Donegal town

Operational Lease

Expressions of interest received. Currently being reviewed

* Coolock and Darndale were announced as two separate locations

Emergency Departments Data

Questions (375)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

375. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of persons aged 75 years of age or over who experienced an emergency department wait time of more than 24 hours in January 2018; and the hospitals in which the wait occurred. [8528/18]

View answer

Written answers

As this is a service matter I have referred this question to the HSE for a direct response to the Deputy.

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