Written Answers Nos. 802-821
802. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if weekly Covid-19 testing turnaround time data will be published as is done in other jurisdictions similar to the daily and weekly reporting of Covid-19 testing numbers and case numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25345/20]
View answerThe HSE currently publishes a daily dashboard on its website providing testing turnaround time data.
The Dashboard can be accessed at the following link:
www.hse.ie/eng/services/news/newsfeatures/covid19-updates/integrated-information-service-testing-and-contact-tracing-dashboard-17-september-2020.pdf.
Data on testing numbers and case numbers is also published daily at:
www.gov.ie/covid19dashboard/.
803. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if Covid-19 infection advice will be provided for a person (details supplied). [25349/20]
View answerAs the Deputy will no doubt appreciate I am not in a position to comment on individual cases or outbreaks in order to protect the privacy and confidentiality of those involved.
The Departments of Public Health within the Health Service Executive (HSE) respond to notified cases or outbreaks of Covid-19. A risk assessment of the situation is carried out and appropriate investigations are undertaken and control measures put in place. If Public Health determines there is an outbreak, an Outbreak Control Team is convened who would then advise on control measures.
I would also like to draw the Deputy's attention to the “Return to Work Safely Protocol - COVID-19 Specific National Protocol for Employers and Workers” which was published on 9 May, 2020 by the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation. It provides clear guidance to employers and to workers on the measures that must be taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace.
The Protocol is mandatory, and it applies to all workplaces right across the economy.
Specific sectors may need to introduce additional safeguards, but this document sets out the standard set of measures to provide protection against the threat of COVID-19. It is a matter for the employer to make decisions relating to actions to be taken in the event of an outbreak of COVID-19 in a workplace. This should be described in the COVID-19 Response Plan to be developed by all employers and which is a requirement of the Protocol.
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is tasked with providing advice and support to employers and employees on what and how COVID-19 measures are applied in the workplace. Guidance on the Protocol should be sought from the HSA Helpline which can be contacted at 1890 289 389 or wcu@hsa.ie.
The Deputy may also wish to note that the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has published a range of guidance on COVID-19 documents for contractors, employers and employees. These guidance documents are available on the HPSC website at www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/guidance/employersemployeesguidance/.
The relevant HSE department of Public Health will also be available to assist and advise employers as to the appropriate steps that should be taken if such an outbreak occurs and as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
804. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the occupational grade of all persons employed for Covid-19 testing; the number at each grade; the additional hires being provided for as indicated in the Plan for Living with Covid-19 which sets a target of a 3,000+ dedicated workforce; the number of the 3,000+ that are new hires; the number that have been seconded or transferred within the health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25350/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
805. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of the 700 swabbers and 500 contact tracers outlined in the Plan for Living with Covid-19 that have been hired; the number in a pool; when all 1,300 staff will be hired; the locations in which the staff will be located by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25351/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
806. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if staff hired as part of a dedicated Covid-19 testing workforce that come from other parts of the health service will be replaced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25352/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy, as soon as possible.
807. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated percentage of the population which lives within one hour of a Covid-19 swab test centre; the estimated percentage which will have access to the service within one hour of their home as envisaged under the Plan for Living with Covid-19; the time frame for the service to materialise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25353/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
808. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the targets, and associated timelines for Covid-19 swabbing, testing, and contact tracing; if there is an ambition to test more than 100,000 a week; if so, the number and timeline for reaching same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25354/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
809. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if funding will be provided for the refurbishment of the accident and emergency department of Tullamore Regional Hospital. [25364/20]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly in relation to this matter.
810. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if the case of a person (details supplied) will be addressed and a service provided for them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25365/20]
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.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
811. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health if the practice of redeploying speech and language therapists and other allied health professionals to Covid-19 testing will be ceased; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the practice will have implications for students studying to be speech and language therapists and their requirement for student placement in view of the fact that there could be a lack of available speech and language therapists to act as practice educators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25369/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
812. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health if he will alter the Covid-19 tracking app to allow users to clearly see the number of close contacts that their app records on a daily basis in order to encourage users to reduce their number of close contacts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25377/20]
View answerAllowing users to see the number of close contacts that their app records on a daily basis in order to encourage a reduction in the number of close contacts was considered by the development team when designing the Covid Tracker App and has also been considered by other countries, such as Denmark.
In order to preserve privacy, the keys that are shared between phones when app users come into close contact with each other are randomised and rotate on a regular basis. This means that it is not possible to determine whether the app is storing keys from multiple contacts with the same person (for example a family member) or contacts with different people.
Preservation of privacy and adherence to data protection legislation were key considerations in the design and operation of the app. As GDPR requires organisations to process the minimum amount of data necessary to deliver the primary function of the app, recording additional data for other functions was not deemed appropriate at the time.
813. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to calls by persons living with amyloidosis to take actions (details supplied) with reference to the HSE amyloidosis working group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25384/20]
View answerThe HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. The HSE continues to receive and process pricing and reimbursing applications during the COVID-19 crisis.
In line with the 2013 Act and the national framework agreed with industry, a company must submit an application to the HSE to have a 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.
HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds, on the advice of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE).
The NCPE conducts health technology assessments (HTAs) for the HSE and makes recommendations on reimbursement to assist HSE decisions. The NCPE uses a decision framework to systematically assess whether a drug is cost-effective as a health intervention.
I am advised by the HSE that it has received an application for the reimbursement of patisiran (Onpattro®) for the treatment of hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis (hATTR amyloidosis) in adult patients with stage 1 or stage 2 polyneuropathy.
In January 2019, a full HTA was commissioned by the HSE. This assessment was completed in February 2020, with the NCPE recommending that patisiran not be considered for reimbursement unless cost-effectiveness can be improved relative to existing treatments.
The HSE Drugs Group is the national committee in place to make recommendations on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines. The decision-making authority in the HSE is the HSE Executive Management Team (EMT).
The HTA report with respect to patisiran was reviewed by the HSE Drugs Group, along with the outputs of commercial discussions with the applicant which took place in May 2020, and the patient group submission received during the HTA process.
The HSE Drugs Group have requested Patient and Clinician Engagement input via the Rare Diseases Technology Review Committee (RDTRC) to assist the group in making its recommendation to the HSE EMT regarding reimbursement of patisiran. The application for patisiran remains under consideration with the HSE and is being assessed in line with the 2013 Health Act.
The 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 2013 Act requires the HSE to have regard to both the clinical benefits and cost effectiveness. While the 2013 Health Act does not include provision for a different ruleset when assessing orphan drugs, the HSE seeks as far as possible to take into account issues such as the small patient numbers and the nature of the condition to be treated when evaluating these medicines. The criteria that apply to the evaluation process allow sufficient scope for the HSE to take on board the particular circumstances that pertain to orphan drugs.
I am pleased to report that there has been a number of key changes in the HSE assessment process of medicines within the confines of the 2013 Health Act. These have included changes to the HSE Drugs Group, whose membership has been expanded to include two representatives from the National Patients Forum and more clinical expertise in the area of rare diseases.
In June 2018, the HSE Leadership appointed a Technology Review Committee for Rare Diseases (RDTRC) which is responsible for:
1) reviewing proposals received from industry or expert groups in Ireland for funding of new products for rare diseases including orphan drugs, or expanded indications for existing products for rare diseases and making recommendations as to the implementation of the relevant recommendations from the National Rare Diseases Plan 2011-2018; and
2) providing contributions to the development of clinical guidelines for relevant Orphan Medicinal Products (OMPs) and supporting the implementation of guidelines in conjunction with the National Drugs Management Programme Office where applicable. The Committee’s recommendations for reimbursement of OMPs are not intended to replace any part of the existing medicines appraisal or reimbursement process but rather complement it.
The HSE has advised that, due to COVID-19 pressures, the RDTRC has not met in recent months. However, meetings are planned for in quarter 3 of 2020 at which time the Committee’s terms of reference will be reviewed. The updating of membership is currently underway.
Regarding a national programme or model of care for Irish patients with amyloidosis as mentioned by the Deputy, I have referred the question to the HSE for direct response, as the HSE would have operational responsibility for any such programme.
815. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the number of persons waiting to see a consultant cardiologist at St. James's Hospital; and the average waiting to see the consultant. [25402/20]
View answer831. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the number of persons waiting to see a consultant cardiologist at St. James's Hospital; and the average waiting to see a consultant [25477/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 815 and 831 together.
It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic the HSE had to take measures to defer most scheduled care activity in March, April, and May of this year. This was to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related activity and time-critical essential work. This decision was in line with the advice issued by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) in accordance with the advice of the World Health Organisation.
The resumption of services from June onwards has allowed for increased activity, with the HSE utilising innovative methods including telemedicine to facilitate patient appointments. Patient safety remains at the forefront of service resumption. To ensure services are re-introduced in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols which has resulted in reduced capacity and activity
The HSE continues to optimise productivity through alternative work practices such the use of alternative settings including private hospitals, community facilities and alternative outpatient settings.
The National Treatment Purchase Fund has also recommenced arranging treatment in both private and public hospitals for clinically suitable patients who have been waiting for long periods on public hospital waiting lists.
The data requested by the deputy concerning the average wait time and the number of persons waiting to see a consultant cardiologist at St. James's Hospital is outlined in the tables below.
St James Hospital Cardiology Outpatient Waiting list by time-band
|
.0-3 mths |
3-6 mths |
6-9 mths |
9-15 mths |
Grand Total |
|
186 |
192 |
52 |
3 |
433 |
Average wait time to see an outpatient consultant cardiologist in St James Hospital
|
Hospital |
Speciality |
Average wait time |
|
St James Hospital |
Cardiology |
108 days |
816. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if he will review a matter (details supplied); the days the service is operating and the location; if the matter will be clarified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25409/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
817. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health the number of calls made for an ambulance in the area covered by the Thurles ambulance depot between 8 am and 8 pm on 5 September 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25422/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
818. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the protocol in place between both jurisdictions on the island of Ireland for contact tracing as it relates to cross-Border workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25426/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
819. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the procedure for communication between the HSE and HSC to ensure that cross-Border workers are included in contact tracing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25427/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
820. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the procedures in place in circumstances in which a person works here but lives in Northern Ireland and is a close contact of a confirmed Covid-19 case at the workplace here; the jurisdiction responsible for contact tracing in this event; if residents of one jurisdiction are included in contact tracing conducted by the other jurisdiction; the situation in the inverse scenario; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25428/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
821. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if work colleagues in Northern Ireland of a person that lives here but works in Northern Ireland are included in contact tracing and considered close contacts and vice versa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25429/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
