Written Answers Nos 237-246
237. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health when a decision will issue regarding an application by a person (details supplied) for a home care package; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13001/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
238. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health when additional home care hours will be made available for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13013/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
239. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the status of the reimbursement of the FreeStyle Libre Flash glucose monitoring systems for diabetics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13014/18]
View answerUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the community drug schemes; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
240. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health his plans to address issues raised (details supplied) in an audit of neurology services here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13018/18]
View answer241. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health when additional investment will be provided for services (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13019/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 240 and 241 together.
The Model of Care for Neurology was launched by the Director General of the HSE in late 2016. This was developed by the HSE’s National Clinical Programme for Neurology in collaboration with consultants, nurses, health and social care professionals and patient support groups. It aims to address the need for strategic development of neurology services in the provision of better care for these Irish patients. This year, funding has been allocated by the HSE to commence development of peri- and post-operative services to support patients receiving Deep Brain Stimulation.
In relation to the particular queries raised, as these are service matters, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
242. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the reason CORU will not recognise qualifications certified by an organisation (details supplied); the reason it will not include the organisation's members in its regulation process; if his attention has been drawn to the potential impacts on members seeking employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13035/18]
View answerI have met with Athletic Rehabilitation Therapists Ireland as have my officials on a number of previous occasions regarding this matter. Athletic rehabilitation therapists are a separate profession to that of Physiotherapist which is the profession designated for regulation by CORU under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005. As a separate profession they do not use and are not seeking to use or practice under the title physiotherapist /physical therapist and there is no risk of confusion in the public mind with regard to the services of those practising under the title athletic rehabilitation therapist.
I have assured the ARTI on a number of occasions that once work concludes on the regulation of the professions currently designated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act, 2005, CORU will be requested to undertake a risk assessment of a number of other professions seeking regulation by CORU, including Athletic Rehabilitation Therapists, and to make recommendations to me in this regard.
243. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) will be facilitated at a community hospital. [13040/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
244. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when the process for developing a better procurement system for drugs announced in November 2017 will commence. [13041/18]
View answerThe Oireachtas has put in place a robust legal framework in the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, which gives full statutory powers to the HSE to assess and make decisions on the reimbursement of medicines, taking account of a range of objective factors and expert opinion as appropriate.
The Act specifies the criteria to be applied in the making of reimbursement decisions, which include the clinical and cost effectiveness of the product, the opportunity cost and the impact on resources that are available to the HSE.
In reaching its decision, the HSE will examine all the relevant evidence and will take into account such expert opinions and recommendations that are appropriate, including from the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE). This ensures that reimbursement decisions are made on objective scientific and economic grounds.
In 2016, a new Framework Agreement was made with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association on the supply and pricing of medicines. The terms of the Agreement are aligned with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
As the Deputy will be aware, the pipeline for new medicines is growing significantly and this poses affordability challenges for the health service in Ireland as it does in many other countries.
I want to maximise the potential for patients in Ireland to have timely access to these new innovative drugs, and it was in that context that I sought a new dialogue with industry on how we can secure access to new innovative drugs at affordable and sustainable prices.
My Department will be progressing this agenda in the coming months.
245. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if an operation will be arranged for a person (details supplied); the waiting times for such operations; and his plans to reduce the waiting times. [13049/18]
View answerLast October’s Budget announced a total 2018 allocation of €55m for the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) for 2018 which more than doubles its 2017 total allocation which was €20m. This significant increase in funding reflects the fact that reducing waiting times for patients is one of this Government's key priorities.
The Department of Health, the HSE and the NTPF are finalising an Inpatient/Daycase Action Plan 2018 which will set out ambitious targets for both the HSE and NTPF to reduce the overall number of patients waiting for treatment.
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 queries raised, as these are service matters, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
246. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in Country Donegal was first referred to a pain management specialist; when they will receive an appointment to attend such a specialist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13054/18]
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 National Waiting List Management Policy, a standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for inpatient, 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 the Deputy directly.
