Written Answers Nos. 394-412
394. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the reason dental treatment such as X-rays are not covered by the medical card; the supports available to help those with limited means to meet such costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39731/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
395. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health his plans to deliver child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, from a premises in Dundalk; the location of the premises; and the operational hours of such a facility [39732/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
396. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if community mental health is being moved from the Ladywell premises to another location; and if so, the details of same [39733/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
397. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason the initial three hours of home help allocated to a person (detailed supplied) in May 2018 have not been provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39755/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
398. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health his views on whether there is a need to follow up on the issues raised by all political parties and groups in Dáil Éireann on 28 June 2018 as part of the statements on the national drugs strategy in view of budget 2019. [39760/18]
View answerAs a first step in implementing the national drugs strategy, the Government provided an additional €6.5 million for drug-related actions. This is on top of the €250 million spend every year on drug and alcohol services and programmes across all government departments and state agencies. The main priority in 2018 was to expand provision of drug and alcohol treatment services and to reduce waiting times.
Over €27.85m has been allocated to Task Forces by the HSE and the Department of Health for community-based drugs initiatives this year. This level of funding is consistent with the amounts provided for the last four years. This included an additional €250,000 in one off funding to improve the organisational effectiveness of the Task Forces in implementing the national drugs strategy.
I recently announced €1 million in once-off funding to support and enhance addiction services nationwide. This included €290,000 in funding for Task Forces for community-based initiatives. In addition, €710,000 was allocated to the HSE to fund priority projects and services and new initiatives in the nine CHO areas, to be identified following consultation with the task forces.
I am very conscious of the growing demands and pressures on drug and alcohol treatment services around the country. The provision of additional funding for drug and alcohol addiction services, including task forces, will be considered in the context of the estimates process for 2019. As the estimates process is ongoing it is not possible for me to comment in advance on the outcome of this process.
399. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of increasing funding for BreastCheck in 2019 by 15%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39769/18]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below;
|
Programme |
Est Cost 2018 |
15% Increase on 2018 Costs |
|
BreastCheck |
€24.1m |
€3.6m |
It is planned to continue the implementation of the BreastCheck age extension to women aged 65 to 69 years on an incremental basis to achieve full implementation by 2021.
400. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the HSE has refused access to the drug Translarna when only five young children have the rare condition Duchenne muscular dystrophy which this drug is prescribed for and which will benefit these children greatly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39775/18]
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 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.
The HSE has received a new application for the reimbursement of Ataluren (Translarna) from the company.
The application is being assessed at present in accordance with the criteria set out in the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
401. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Health if he has received correspondence from a person (details supplied) regarding the person's medical card and that of the person's spouse being withdrawn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39776/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy
402. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in CHO 9 waiting for a podiatry appointment in primary care; the number waiting between zero to three, three to six, six to 12 and over 12 months, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39781/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
403. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the recent publication of a code by an organisation (details supplied); if this code has no standing in publicly funded hospitals here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39787/18]
View answerI can assure the Deputy that care provided in publicly funded hospitals is delivered is in accordance with current laws and regulations. Publicly funded health service providers have a statutory responsibility to comply with the provisions of health legislation. The HSE has signed detailed service arrangements with health service providers to ensure people in Ireland can access safe, compassionate and quality care when they need it.
The Deputy may wish to note that an Independent Review Group has been established by me to examine the role of voluntary organisations in publicly funded health and personal social services. Its work covers voluntary organisations providing services across a range of areas, and the overall relationship between these voluntary organisations and the State.
The terms of reference of the Independent Review Group set out that the group shall "Outline the issues which, in the view of the Review Group, arise at present from the model of providing services to the public in the area of health and social care through voluntary organisations, and any particular issues arising in connection with providing services through religious or faith-based organisations."
The Independent Review Group is in the final stages of its work and is expected to submit its final report shortly.
404. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the work of the group under a person (details supplied) on the ownership and governance of publicly funded healthcare facilities; if he has received an interim report; and when he expects to receive its final report [39788/18]
View answerAn Independent Review Group (IRG) was established last year to examine the role of voluntary organisations in publicly funded health and personal social services. The IRG is composed of Dr Catherine Day (who is chairing the group), Prof Jane Grimson and Prof Deirdre Madden.
The IRG was established to examine current arrangements with regard to the role of voluntary agencies in the provision of services across the health and social care sector; to consider the issues currently arising, and those that are likely to arise in the future; and to make recommendations on how the relationship between the State and voluntary organisations should evolve in the future.
As part of its work the IRG has examined a wide range of issues, conducted a public consultation process, and met with a number of key stakeholders as well as experts from a number of other countries.
The IRG’s Terms of Reference do not provide for an interim report. However, I understand that the IRG is in the concluding stages of its work and I expect to receive its final report shortly.
405. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the specific treatment services that are available to address the widescale use of cocaine, including crack cocaine; the location of these services; and the specific funding allocated in each case [39793/18]
View answerAs these are service matters, they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
406. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the negotiations for the provision of a new national maternity hospital; if this publicly funded hospital will remain in full public ownership; if the full range of healthcare services permitted under Irish law will be available within this hospital; if there will be no denominational influence in the ethics underpinning practice in this hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39794/18]
View answerFollowing extensive mediation discussions, agreement was reached between the St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group and the National Maternity Hospital (NMH) on the relocation of the NMH to the Elm Park campus.
The terms of this agreement provides for the establishment of a new company which will have clinical and operational, as well as financial and budgetary independence in the provision of maternity, gynaecology and neonatal services.
A draft legal framework is currently being finalised which will inter alia ensure that the State's significant investment in the new hospital will be protected.
I can assure the Deputy that care in the new maternity hospital will be delivered without religious, ethnic or other distinction and any medical procedure which is in accordance with the laws of the land will be carried out there.
407. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of pharmaceutical assistants regarding a proposal by an organisation (details supplied) to restrict the work practices of pharmaceutical assistants; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that the implementation of such restrictions would cause extreme difficulty for smaller pharmacies throughout the country and would have serious adverse employment consequences for long-serving and highly professional assistants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39795/18]
View answerThe Pharmacy Act 2007 established the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) and the functions of the Society are set out in the Act. The functions of the PSI are carried out on its behalf by the Council of the Society.
Section 30 of the Act provides for an exception to the general provision in the Act which requires the sale and supply of medicines at a pharmacy to be conducted under the personal supervision of a registered pharmacist, and specifies that no offence is committed where a registered pharmaceutical assistant “acts on behalf of a registered pharmacist during the temporary absence of the registered pharmacist”.
Section 30 also permits the Council to make rules as to:
1. What may or may not be done by a registered pharmaceutical assistant when acting on behalf of a registered pharmacist; and
2. What constitutes the temporary absence of a registered pharmacist.
On June 21, the Council of the Society approved for issuance for public consultation the proposed draft Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (Temporary Absence of Pharmacist from Pharmacy) Rules 2018. This public consultation commenced on 17 July and ran until 14 August and afforded any interested party the opportunity to make representations on the matter directly to the PSI.
Following completion of the public consultation phase, the Council of the PSI considered the proposed draft Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (Temporary Absence of Pharmacist from Pharmacy) Rules 2018 at its meeting on the 20th September 2018 where Council approved the draft rules without amendment.
Correspondence outlining the concerns of registered pharmaceutical assistants has been received by my Department. My role in relation to this process is limited to the consideration of any such Rules once submitted for my approval. I must consider any Rules presented to me from a fair and impartial perspective, without prejudice or prejudgement. This includes consideration of concerns raised by, or on behalf of, registered pharmaceutical assistants.
I await the receipt of the Rules for my consideration from the PSI and until that time, I am unfortunately not in a position to comment any further on the matter raised.
409. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1873 of 24 July 2018, if a further breakdown by age and gender of the number of persons discharged from emergency departments suffering from steroid use, steroid addiction or other ailments relating to the use of illegal drugs for enhancing sporting performance in each of the years 2011 to 2017 and to date in 2018, in tabular form [39801/18]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
410. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, was informed by Tusla during its investigation into the management of allegations of child sexual abuse against adults of concern, that the final draft of Tusla's policy and procedures for responding to allegations of child abuse and neglect was issued by the relevant committee within Tusla and sent to senior management in 2016, not 2014, in view of a statement on page 135 of the HIQA report; and if HIQA received a copy of this 2016 policy during its investigation [39846/18]
View answer411. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if HIQA was informed by Tusla that a draft practice guidance note (details supplied) for social workers in regard to responding to allegations of child abuse and neglect had issued in 2016 and was circulated by email and hard copy to senior management within Tusla; and if HIQA received a copy of this practice guidance note during its investigation into the management of allegations of child sexual abuse against adults of concern [39847/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 410 and 411 together.
As the Deputy's questions relate to an investigation report completed by The Health Information Authority, I have arranged for the question to be referred to HIQA for direct reply to the Deputy.
412. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the call by an organisation (details supplied) to invest up to €12 million in community supports for persons with dementia. [39848/18]
View answerAs a response to the challenges facing people with dementia and their families and carers, the National Dementia Strategy was launched in December 2014. The Strategy contains 35 priority and additional actions and its implementation is being led by the National Dementia Office in the HSE. The office has made substantial progress towards developing evidence-based care pathways for people with dementia. Progress made to date and future plans, are recorded in the mid-term review of the Strategy's implementation, which was published in May this year.
The Strategy’s implementation was boosted at the time of its launch through a joint programme of investment by the HSE and the Atlantic Philanthropies. This €27.5 million investment allowed for a number of key actions within the strategy to be resourced and implemented. It funded the PREPARED programme, which offers education and clinical resources for GPs and Primary Care Teams; intensive homecare packages for people with dementia; the Understand Together awareness campaign; and the establishment of the National Dementia Office, which has an important role in implementing the Strategy. The Office has made substantial progress towards developing evidence-based care pathways for people with dementia. Additional projects are being funded through €6.26 million in Dormant Accounts funding secured by the Department of Health in the 2016, 2017 and 2018 Dormant Accounts Fund Action Plans.
In 2016 and 2017, the National Dementia Office partnered with the Alzheimer Society of Ireland on a project to map dementia-specific community-based services and supports. It provides a useful snapshot and baseline study into what, where and when dementia services are being offered. The study has also been used to inform a service finder hosted on the National Dementia Office’s website. This allows people to search for dementia-specific community services in their area. There are gaps in access to services and a large variance in what services are provided across the country. The National Dementia Office has met with senior HSE officials in each Community Healthcare Organisation region to highlight gaps in each area and to develop local action plans to improve service provision.
The National Dementia Office has also developed a needs analysis framework to support local dementia service planning and development. This framework is a mechanism to help the Office direct time, energy and resources into dementia care that most appropriately meets the needs of people with dementia. It will be used to make dementia service development more responsive and consistent across the country.
The National Dementia Strategy calls for the HSE to consider the provision of dementia advisers, based on the experience of demonstrator sites. An evaluation of the Dementia Adviser Service was published on 26th September. and recommends the continuation and expansion of the service to ensure equity of access countrywide. I welcome the positive results of the evaluation and will continue to work to improve service delivery for people with dementia.
A priority action in the National Dementia Strategy is the appointment of key workers to coordinate each patient's care and promote continuity, and ensure that the patient knows who to access for information and advice. It is proposed that the key worker will be responsible for the coordinated planning and delivery of individually tailored care plans, developed in consultation with the person, their family carers and a range of health and social care practitioners. The key worker will also provide expert knowledge and leadership in dementia.
The Department of Health has secured funding through the 2018 Dormant Accounts Action Plan to continue funding in 2019 for the Dementia Community Activation Coordinator post which has been co-funded through a partnership between the Alzheimer Society of Ireland and the HSE during 2018. The Community Activation Coordinator is working with national organisations and key community stakeholders to support community dementia champions across Ireland. The Coordinator will seek to grow the number of champions and people within communities to take action to create sustainable dementia inclusive communities.
With regard to the specific requests for funding referred to by the Deputy, the level of funding available for the Department of Health in 2019 and the quantum of services to be provided by the HSE will be considered as part of the national Estimates and budgetary process and National Service Planning.
