Thursday, 5 Mar 2020

Written Answers Nos. 683-702

Services for People with Disabilities

Questions (683)

Paul Murphy

Question:

683. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will pay for a person (details supplied) to be accommodated in healthcare facilities. [3248/20]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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.

Hospital Staff Recruitment

Questions (684)

Marian Harkin

Question:

684. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health the timeframe for the employment of a replacement radiologist at Our Lady’s Hospital, Manorhamilton, County Leitrim, following the retirement of the radiologist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3270/20]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is an operational matter, I have referred the question to the HSE for direct reply.

Medicinal Products Reimbursement

Questions (685)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

685. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the status of the approvals process for osimertinib; the date on which the drug will be approved for reimbursement; if his attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied) in County Meath spending €5,270 per month on the medication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3273/20]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The HSE has statutory responsibility for medicine pricing and reimbursement decisions in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 which specifies the criteria for decisions on the reimbursement of medicines.  The 2013 Act does not give the Minister for Health any powers in this regard.  The HSE does not require approval or consent from the Minister or Government when making a reimbursement decision.  As Minister for Health, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on individual cases.

In line with the 2013 Health Act and the national framework agreed with industry, if a company would like a medicine to be reimbursed by the HSE, the company must submit an application to the HSE to have the new medicine added to the reimbursement list.

Reimbursement is for licenced indications which have been granted market authorisation by the European Medicines Agency or the Health Products Regulatory Authority.

In making a relevant reimbursement decision, the HSE is required under the 2013 Health Act to have regard to a number of criteria. These reimbursement criteria are comprehensive and must all be carefully considered by the HSE when reimbursement decisions are under consideration, particularly as many of these reimbursement decisions represent multi-million euro investments by the State.

I am advised by the HSE that it has received two applications for the reimbursement of osimertinib (Tagrisso). The application received for osimertinib for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFR T790M mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has had a positive recommendation from the Drugs Committee and is currently under consideration by the HSE in line with the 2013 Health Act.

The HSE has confirmed that it is in contact with the applicant company and will keep them updated of all developments in relation to this matter.

Home Care Packages Data

Questions (686)

Mary Butler

Question:

686. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the number of persons waiting for home care support packages by county in tabular form. [3283/20]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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

Home Care Packages Data

Questions (687)

Mary Butler

Question:

687. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the number of the 1 million home care hours promised in budget 2020 that have been allocated in January and February 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3284/20]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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

Disability Services Funding

Questions (688)

Mary Butler

Question:

688. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the timeline for funding for the new build to replace a centre (details supplied) for children with physical and learning disabilities which is queued for funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3285/20]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.

Hospitals Building Programme

Questions (689)

Mary Butler

Question:

689. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the status of the new mortuary building at University Hospital Waterford; the timeline for completion of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3286/20]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter. 

Hospice Services Provision

Questions (690)

Mary Butler

Question:

690. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the status of the recruitment of hospice nurses for Waterford hospice located at the Dunmore wing, University Hospital Waterford; the timeline for the recruitment of hospice nurses; the opening date of the facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3287/20]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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

Stroke Care

Questions (691)

Thomas Byrne

Question:

691. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Health if stroke patients in County Meath will be reassured that their life and safety is not being compromised by bypassing Navan hospital. [3288/20]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The stroke bypass protocol for Our Lady’s Hospital Navan (OLHN) has been introduced by the HSE and the National Ambulance Service.

The reason that this stroke bypass has been put in place is for patient safety. There is no stroke unit in OLHN nor does the hospital have a consultant specialist in stroke.  The Mater Hospital, which will accept the majority of these patients, will provide stroke care to patients from the Navan catchment area. 

Under the stroke bypass protocol, it will be possible to ensure that patients from Meath return to OLHN, closer to their families, as soon as possible.  Once assessed at the stroke unit in the Mater, the patients who do not require thrombolysis will return to Navan to complete their care. Those patients who do require thrombolysis treatment will be repatriated to Navan within a 48/72-hour period to complete their care.

Navan will continue to provide rehabilitation care for stroke patients in the catchment area. This new protocol will improve patient safety and outcomes for the people of Meath who have a stroke. 

HSE Properties

Questions (692)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

692. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health his plans for a former HSE property (details supplied); the services that will be provided there; the number of staff that will be employed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3309/20]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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

Home Care Packages Funding

Questions (693)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

693. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in counties Roscommon and Galway that have been awarded home care but are still waiting for same due to funding not being made available. [3310/20]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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

Emergency Departments Closures

Questions (694)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

694. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to reopen the accident and emergency unit at Roscommon Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3311/20]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The Smaller Hospitals Framework defined the role of smaller hospitals and outlined the need for smaller hospitals and larger hospitals to operate within Hospital Groups. The Framework identified the activities that can be performed in smaller Model 2 hospitals, like Roscommon Hospital, in a safe and sustainable manner. In developing our smaller hospitals, the first and over-riding concern is the safety of patients. 

Significant progress has been made in the establishment and development of Hospital Groups over the last few years. Our hospitals are now working together and supporting each other in Groups.  This new way of working provides a stronger role for smaller hospitals, like Roscommon Hospital, in delivering a higher volume of less complex care in many cases closer to patients’ homes. It also ensures that patients who require true emergency or complex planned care are managed safely in a larger hospital environment.

Through reconfiguration and consolidation of services, demonstrably better outcomes can be achieved for patients, as has already been shown in the case of cancer treatment.

Minor Injuries Clinics and similar units provide valuable services to local communities and alleviate the pressures on Emergency Departments. The Roscommon Injuries Unit is located in the urgent care centre in Roscommon Hospital,  is open 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm, and can treat both adults and children aged 5 and over with non-life-threatening or limb-threatening injuries.

In recent years, the recorded number of patients attending the Roscommon Injuries Unit have continued to rise, from approximately 5,000 in 2016, to 6,100 in 2017, up to 6,600 in 2018.

There are no plans to reopen the accident and emergency unit at Roscommon Hospital at this time.

Hospital Staff Recruitment

Questions (695)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

695. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if additional nursing staff will be hired to staff the new 50-bed unit planned for Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe; the current stage the plans are at for the unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3312/20]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of healthcare infrastructure projects and services, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.

Hospital Services

Questions (696)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

696. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to move services currently available at Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe elsewhere; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3313/20]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The establishment of Hospital Groups has enabled a better configuration of hospital services with benefits relating to safety, quality, access, cost and sustainable medical staffing. The structure ensures that Hospitals working together in a Group will be able to support each other, providing a stronger role for smaller hospitals in delivering less complex care, and ensuring that those who require emergency or complex planned care are managed safely in larger hospitals.

The Smaller Hospitals Framework focuses in particular on the future role of smaller hospitals and outlines the wide range of services that can be provided within these smaller hospitals.  The Department of Health is committed to securing and further developing the role of our smaller hospitals, including Model 3 hospitals such as Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe, with the expansion of services delivered in these hospitals, especially in services such as day surgery; ambulatory care; medical services and diagnostics.

As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly as soon as possible.

Medical Products

Questions (697)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

697. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of braces for a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3347/20]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.

Nursing Home Services

Questions (698)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

698. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health the situation at a nursing home (details supplied); the number of staff vacancies at the home; the duration of the vacancies; the duration of the contracts offered in the recruitment process; the number of vacant beds; the date the last patient was admitted; and when full day care services will be reinstated to four or five days per week. [3353/20]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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

Primary Care Centres Provision

Questions (699)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

699. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health the progress made on the provision of the primary care centre scheduled for Bangor Erris, County Mayo; and the timeline for delivery of same. [3354/20]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As the HSE has responsibility for the provision, along with the maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres and other Primary Care facilities, the Executive has been asked to reply directly to the Deputy.

General Medical Services Scheme Expenditure

Questions (700)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

700. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health if the two general medical services, GMS, allowances will remain in place to enable the Bangor Erris, Glenamoy and Geesala clinics to remain open with two full-time nurses and two full-time secretaries in Bangor and Glenamoy as is the case; and if his attention has been drawn to the savings made by reducing to one general practitioner covering the area from Doohoma Head, Bellacorick and Carrowteige. [3355/20]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As the status of the GMS panels in Bangor Erris and Glenamoy is an operational issue, I have asked the HSE to provide an update on this matter directly to the Deputy.

Under the General Medical Services (GMS) contract, GPs are reimbursed for the range of services they provide to medical card and GP visit card holders. GPs are remunerated for these services by the HSE primarily on a capitation basis, with a range of additional support payments and fees for specific items of service.

Capitation payments are made in respect of each medical card and GP visit card patient on a GP's panel, with capitation rates varying across gender and age cohort to reflect differences in health need; therefore the cost associated with the provision of GP care to GMS patients is largely determined by the number of GMS patients rather than the number of GPs concerned.

HSE Reports

Questions (701)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

701. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the Valproate Project Response report; when it will be published (details supplied); if an independent inquiry will be established to examine the matter; if his attention has been further drawn to the French compensation scheme for persons affected by foetal anti-convulsant syndrome and a UK report due to be published on 24 March 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3356/20]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The HSE's report on its Valproate Response Project has been considered within my Department, and I have received briefing from officials. The report describes the HSE's work on sodium valproate issues since the Valproate Response team was established in May 2018. This work has included the provision of an expert support service for people with concerns about exposure to sodium valproate; establishing a dedicated genetics clinic in Our Lady’s Hospital Crumlin to improve access to genetic testing; supporting the development of a diagnostic pathway for foetal valproate syndrome; and improving the structures in place to support families affected by valproate syndrome. The HSE has also begun the development of a Programme for Women's Health in Epilepsy, which will coordinate the national response to issues relating to sodium valproate. The Project report was not written with a view to publication; however, I will ask the HSE to consider doing so. 

There are no plans to hold an independent inquiry at present. 

I am aware of the French Government’s compensation scheme and the scheduled publication of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review in the UK later this month. I have asked officials to monitor developments on both of these issues.

Medicinal Products Reimbursement

Questions (702)

Denis Naughten

Question:

702. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 653 of 11 July 2019, the payments (details supplied) for 2019 for the medical card, drugs payment, methadone and long-term illness schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3360/20]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Under 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.