Written Answers Nos. 531-554
531. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health when a decision will be made on a drugs repayment fund request for persons (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4252/20]
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.
532. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if an appointment will be expedited for speech and language therapy for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4258/20]
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.
533. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an evaluation for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4263/20]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
534. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the provision of new hospital beds and hospital accommodation at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Athy, County Kildare. [4277/20]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of the public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
535. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the services which were being provided through Rochfortbridge health centre as of 31 December 2018 and 31 December 2019; and the services now available at the centre. [4280/20]
View answerAs 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.
536. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health his plans to review the panel system regarding the recruitment of therapy staff such as physiotherapists and occupational therapists in view of the fact there are candidates on such panels for a number of years without being offered positions and subsequently the panels are disbanded and candidates have to apply again; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4296/20]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
537. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health the internal processes and safeguards in place when HSE employed medical professionals are asked to provide supporting medical commentary and evidence in procurement litigation cases to ensure that the opinions expressed are not influenced by procurement or legal advisers. [4312/20]
View answerSince the Deputy’s question relates to HSE processes I have referred this to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
538. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health the reason the HSE does not publish quarterly reports on prompt payment of accounts on its website as required by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation; and if he will provide the reports on the HSE prompt payment of accounts for each quarter in each of the years 2011 to 2019. [4313/20]
View answerThe Health Service Executive is responsible for publishing it's own reports on prompt payment returns, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
539. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital beds in the system by hospital in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4321/20]
View answerThe Open Beds Report, published by my Department monthly, provides a summary of the average numbers of open inpatient beds and day beds/places in the acute hospital system based on data provided by the HSE.
It can be found on the Department's website:
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/0de977-department-of-health-open-beds-report-for-december-2019/
According to provisional data received from the HSE Acute Business Information Unit, there were on average 10,952 inpatient beds and 2,290 day case beds/places available nationally in December 2019.
Information relating to closed beds is collated at a particular date in time. The number of beds closed can fluctuate greatly from day to day for a variety of reasons, including on-going refurbishment, maintenance work, and infection control measures.
With regard to the Deputy's specific question, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly with the requested information
540. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) experienced a delay between providing a cervical screening sample on 22 November 2018 and receiving a positive cancer diagnosis based on that sample on 25 October 2019; the reason for the delay in commencement of treatment for the diagnosis until March 2020; the recourse that will be provided to them as a result of the failures and delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4326/20]
View answerAs this is an operational matter that incorporates very personal clinical matters, I have referred this PQ to the HSE for direct response.
541. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) will be issued with a medical card without delay due to extenuating circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4327/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
542. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to deficiencies in the CAMHS helpline services made available to those in north County Dublin on CAMHS waiting lists; the solutions planned to ease the deficiencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4358/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
543. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if the main phone number for the north County Dublin CAMHS is serviced during business hours; if the service level targets are being met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4359/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
544. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the levels of clinical staffing for CAMHS in each region; the annual targets for increasing clinical staff for CAMHS nationwide in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4360/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
545. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health his plans to address STIs as a public health issue and ensure the provision of contraceptives for persons under 21 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4362/20]
View answerSexual health is a priority for my Department, as evidenced by the implementation of the National Sexual Health Strategy 2015 -2020, which was launched in October 2015. The Strategy’s key aims are to improve sexual health and well-being and to reduce negative sexual health outcomes. A mid-term review of the Strategy, conducted in 2018, found that implementation is going well and that the Strategy will remain relevant beyond 2020. It is planned to develop a refreshed version of the strategy.
A number of priority actions under the Strategy were significantly progressed in 2019. A national HIV PrEP prevention programme was commenced in November 2019, and funding of €5.4 million allocated to the HSE in Budget 2020 for full national roll-out this year. In addition, last year, Ireland joined the Fast Track Cities Initiative, a global partnership project to drive the response to HIV/AIDS, including action on awareness, outreach and community HIV testing, and stigma reduction.
Supports for accessing contraception is provided through the GMS scheme, GP visit cards and the National Condom Distribution Service (NCDS), which was established by the HSE Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme in October 2015.
The NCDS functions as a central point of distribution of free condoms and lubricant sachets to HSE services and other organisations who work directly with people at an increased risk of negative sexual health outcomes. In 2018, 409,000 condoms were ordered by 67 organisations working directly with individuals and groups across the country who are at increased risk of unplanned pregnancy or acquiring HIV or an STI. The NCDS commenced roll-out of condom dispenser services in third level colleges and universities in 2019 to provide further sexual health supports to young people.
The HSE has developed a number of safer sex, contraception and consent messaging resources which are accessible online via the website www.sexualwellbeing.ie.
A Working Group was established in April 2019 to consider the range of policy, regulatory and legislative issues arising in relation to improving access to contraception in Ireland. The Group’s report, which was published in October 2019, identified the barriers that exist to accessing contraception and the mechanisms available to overcome those barriers. It is clear that there is a sizeable body of work to be addressed in order to develop policy and legislative proposals and then to ensure the implementation of service delivery arrangements.
546. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 478 and 480 of 5 March 2020, the reason the HSE has not published its quarterly payment performance reports on its website; if the HSE compiles such reports; and the steps he has taken to ensure the HSE is compliant with the measure. [4374/20]
View answerThe Health Service Executive is responsible for publishing its own reports on prompt payment returns. I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
547. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Health if osimertinib will be reimbursed for patients suffering from non-small cell lung cancer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4382/20]
View answer548. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Health if he has received an update from the NCPE on the reimbursement of osimertinib. [4383/20]
View answer550. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in reimbursing osimertinib for patients suffering from non-small cell lung cancer; and the reason Ireland is not reimbursing the drug in line with other European countries. [4385/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 547, 548 and 550 together.
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.
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.
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.
Reimbursement is for licensed indications which have been granted market authorisation by the European Medicines Agency or the Health Products Regulatory Authority.
I am advised by the HSE that it has received two applications for the reimbursement of osimertinib (Tagrisso):
1) The treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFR T790M mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In May 2018, the NCPE recommended that osimertinib not be considered for reimbursement for this indication unless cost-effectiveness can be improved relative to existing treatments. The application has had a positive recommendation from the HSE Drugs Committee and is currently under consideration by the HSE in line with the 2013 Health Act.
2) The first-line treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with activating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations.
In respect of this indication, a health technology assessment was completed on 6 August 2019 with the NCPE recommending that osimertinib not be considered for reimbursement unless cost effectiveness can be improved relative to existing treatments. The HSE will assess this application for reimbursement in line with the 2013 Health Act.
549. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Health if public patients who have the EGFR mutation have been tested for the T790M mutation. [4384/20]
View answerThere are some drugs with dedicated molecular targets, including in relation to the EGFR mutation, that are approved for use by the HSE. The HSE ensure that required molecular tests, used to inform specific drug treatment, are available to patients attending public hospitals providing cancer services.
There are no drugs approved by the HSE that require testing for the T790M mutation and, as such, testing is not the standard of care in Ireland.
A standard process is in place for the HSE reimbursement of new drugs, and new indications for existing drugs. This assessment process is intended to arrive at decisions on the funding of drugs that are clinically appropriate, fair, consistent and sustainable.
551. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health if a decision will be made on a medical card application by a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4387/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
552. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 813 of 5 March 2020, the details of the major EU programme of work relating to the code of practice for food and beverage promotion, marketing and sponsorship that Ireland will be engaging in; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4395/20]
View answer553. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the status of progress in implementing the non-broadcast media advertising and marketing of food and non-alcoholic beverages, including sponsorship and retail product placement and voluntary codes of practice; when the monitoring body will be set up to monitor the codes of practice; the timeframe for the designation of the body; the timeframe for the development of guidelines for implementation of the code; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4396/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 552 and 553 together.
Under the auspices of the Obesity Policy and Action Plan, in 2018 I launched the Voluntary Codes of practice for Non-Broadcast Media Advertising and Marketing of Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, including Sponsorship and Retail Product Placement. These Codes of Practice were developed in collaboration with the food industry, and the Department had good engagement with the industry during this process. I expect that this engagement will continue in the future.
The process of setting up an implementation and monitoring framework for the Codes of Practice is one which has taken longer than expected with respect to determining the most robust monitoring mechanism to preserve the integrity of the implementation of the Codes for the benefit of public nutritional health. A particular issue with this is the challenge involved in regulating the digital environment, given the sophisticated and rapidly developing techniques which can be used in marketing, including to children.
To progress the Department’s work in this area, Ireland is participating in a Joint Action under the 3rd EU Health Programme called Best ReMaP (which stands for Best practice in Reformulation, Marketing and Public Procurement). Ireland will be co-leading on one of the Work Packages under the Joint Action, on “Best Practices in the field of marketing of unhealthy foods to children and adolescents”. Among the key objectives of this are: to develop effective policies to reduce the exposure of children to unhealthy food marketing, and to deliver protocols and tools to measure the reduction in the marketing of unhealthy food to children, with a particular focus on digital marketing and health inequalities. Seventeen EU countries will be participating in this Work Package and this sharing of expertise and experience is expected to be greatly beneficial in informing Ireland’s overall approach to implementing and monitoring the Codes of Practice.
The Joint Action application is awaiting final approval from the EU Commission. This was delayed due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 crisis, but it is hoped that approval will be received in the coming weeks. It is expected that work under the Joint Action will commence in September 2020.
554. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will receive an appointment with CAMHS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4400/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
