Written Answers Nos. 477-492
477. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health when further discussions will take place with representatives of general practitioners in relation to the GMS contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32145/18]
View answerReform of the GMS contract will enable GPs to better meet the needs of their patients while promoting general practice as a viable and rewarding career for both existing doctors and future medical graduates. Agreement on the delivery of service improvements and contractual reform has the potential to facilitate a substantial increase in the resourcing of general practice on a multiannual basis.
Officials from my Department and the HSE met with the Irish Medical Organisation at the beginning of May to set out the State's position in relation to reform of the GMS contract. The Department subsequently wrote to the IMO setting out these proposals formally. While officials remain available for further discussion, the Organisation has yet to respond.
In line with the long-established approach to such processes, and by agreement of the parties concerned, I am not in a position to give further details at this stage.
478. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Health the status of plans for the development of a new endoscopy unit at Naas Hospital. [32146/18]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of healthcare infrastructure projects, my Department has asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly in relation to this matter.
479. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 239 of 5 July 2018, the reason there was no response from either the HSE or Dublin Fire Brigade to a 999 call placed on 10 May 2018 for a sick child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32180/18]
View answerAs this is a service issue, I have asked the Dublin Fire Brigade to reply to you directly.
480. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health his views on concerns expressed by surgeons (details supplied) in the north west (details supplied); if requests for dedicated surgical elective beds, enhanced emergency general surgery access and additional services after hours and at the weekend to deal with the waiting list will be responded to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32182/18]
View answerImproving waiting times for hospital procedures is a key commitment in the Programme for Government. Investing in additional capacity, including beds and theatre space; the progression of recruitment and retention of staff; the delivery of the NDP project including dedicated elective only hospitals and the ambitious reform agenda in the SláinteCare Report will improve waiting times and access for patients.
As Minister for Health, I am committed to continuing the efforts to address the capacity of the hospital system and in particular its ability to respond during periods of peak demand. In this context, I have asked my Department to work with the HSE to identify the location and mix of beds across the hospital system, which can be opened and staffed this year and into 2019 in order to improve preparedness for Winter 2018/2019.
A submission received from the HSE in this regard is currently under consideration by my Department. I can confirm that this proposal includes both new beds which incur capital costs and new beds within existing space which have little or no capital cost requirement.
There are also a number of waiting list initiatives currently underway to improve access this year. In particular, the Inpatient and Day Case Action Plan which was launched in April 2018 and the allocation of €50 million to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) in Budget 2018 to secure treatment for patients and reduce waiting times.
The NTPF have provided funding for a number of outsourcing initiatives across the Saolta University Health Care Group and including Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH). As a result, these almost 500 patients have received treatment through both outsourcing and HSE insourcing initiatives.
The HSE also advise that LUH have also run additional lists in order to address waiting times in urology, general surgery and endoscopy. Furthermore LUH have commenced a cross-border initiative in conjunction with CAWT for patients on vascular waiting lists. Patients that require varicose vein surgery will be offered treatment in the Western Trust, thus reducing the number of patients awaiting vascular surgery on Letterkenny waiting lists.
Data from the NTPF shows that the inpatient/daycase waiting list for LUH have seen improvements to date this year reducing from 3646 in January to 3,146 at the end of June. While performance since June 2017 has also seen some improvements when it stood at 3,299. Figures also show that at the end of June 2018, 67% of patients are on the waiting list 6 months or less.
481. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the cost of implementing a living wage of €11.90 for all employees directly employed and-or in agencies funded by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32225/18]
View answerI have asked that the HSE respond to you directly on the aspect of the question that relates to their public sector employees. In relation to Non-Commercial State Agencies under the remit of the Department, this information is being sought and will be forwarded to the Deputy when collated.
482. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the reimbursement of the drug Translarna; if he has received a submission regarding same from a group (details supplied); the timeframe in which the submission will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32236/18]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drug schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. The 2013 Act does not give the Minister for Health any powers in this regard.
The Act specifies the criteria to be applied in making 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.
Ataluren (Translarna) is a high cost medicine for the treatment of a subgroup of patients with Duchene muscular dystrophy, a rare disease. Ataluren has conditional market authorisation from the European Medicines Agency for Europe - the condition being that the company carries out further clinical trials to determine the clinical efficacy of the drug.
Applications for reimbursement of ataluren were considered by the HSE Drugs Committee and Leadership Team in 2016 and 2017. The HSE's final decision was that it was not in a position to fund the medicine on the basis of the current clinical evidence of effectiveness and the prices being sought by the applicant company.
The HSE informed the applicant of this decision, in keeping with the requirements of the 2013 Act. The applicant appealed the decision to the High Court, as part of the statutory process under Section 27 of the 2013 Act.
On 6 July 2018, my Department was informed by the HSE that a settlement of the High Court action had been reached.
The Terms of Settlement stipulate that, in the event that the applicant submits a new reimbursement application for ataluren, it would be reviewed by the HSE in a timely fashion, having regard to the relevant statutory framework.
483. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Health the number of homecare packages delivered in County Kildare to date in 2018; if they are still being approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32241/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
485. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if women who are concerned in regard to the possibility that a cervical smear test may have returned a false negative, and who wish to see a consultant in order to have their test results reviewed and to clarify the state of their health and choose to do so privately in order to speed up the process, cannot then return to the public system for treatment (details supplied). [32246/18]
View answerThe cervical screening programme has reduced the risk of women developing cervical cancer and there was a significant downward trend in in the incidence of invasive cervical cancer between 2010 and 2015. Also, cervical cancers are being diagnosed at an earlier stage and five-year survival rates have improved. The clinical advice from the HSE and the Department of Health is clear that there is no evidence that the clinical and technical aspects of CervicalCheck have performed outside or below international standards or the quality guidelines set for the programme. All laboratories currently contracted by CervicalCheck meet the programme’s standards and have ISO accreditation, certified by the relevant national authorities.
However, I am conscious of the need to provide reassurance to women who may have concerns about the results of a smear test they had through the national screening service. Therefore, a woman who has previously had a CervicalCheck smear test, and who following consultation with her GP determines that she wishes to have a further test, may do so without charge.
The Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides that all persons ordinarily resident in the country are, subject to certain charges, eligible for public in-patient hospital services. As provided for by the Health (Amendment) Act 2013, the current public hospital statutory in-patient charge for public in-patient and day-case services is €80 per day, subject to a maximum of €800 in any period of twelve consecutive months.
Section 55 of the Health Act 1970 (as amended) also provides that the HSE may make available private in-patient services to persons who are not entitled to, or who do not have or have waived their eligibility to public in-patient services. In these circumstances the statutory hospital charges under Section 55 that apply depends on the category of hospital, duration of stay and whether the accommodation was provided in a single or multi-occupancy room. It is noted that patients opting to be treated privately must also pay the consultant fees associated with their treatment. Patients may wish to pay all costs as self-payers or via their private Health insurance.
Should a patient decide to avail of private treatment they will remain as a private patient for the duration of that episode of care.
486. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the rationale for there being no mental health roles on primary care teams. [32247/18]
View answerAs this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
489. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding children with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32263/18]
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.
490. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his plans regarding out-of-hours acute emergency mental health admissions to a centre (details supplied); if acute emergency admissions can attend directly in the centre and not via Beaumont accident and emergency unit; the timeframe for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32264/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
491. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of young persons waiting for a first appointment with CAMHS at the end of December 2017, March 2018 and June 2018, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32266/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
492. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if CAMHS services in any CHO area had demands that exceeded capacity in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32267/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
