Written Answers Nos. 858-882
858. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Health if discussions are expected regarding the existing roll-out plan for the Covid-19 vaccine; and if consideration has been given to prioritising other frontline workers such as teachers or essential retail workers who have worked throughout the pandemic. [45058/20]
View answer968. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that family carers and registered home helps will receive priority in the Covid-19 vaccine programme in view of their importance to care in the community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1239/21]
View answer972. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if taxi drivers will be given some priority in terms of the Covid-19 vaccination for their own safety and the safety of their passengers given that the NTA has deemed taxi drivers to be essential workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1250/21]
View answer979. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the reason persons with serious underlying conditions from 18 to 64 years of age are so far down the list to receive a vaccine; and if this position will be reconsidered as the roll-out continues. [1263/21]
View answer980. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1264/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 858, 968, 972, 979 and 980 together.
The aim of the COVID-19 vaccination programme is to ensure, over time, that vaccine will become available to vaccinate all of those for whom the vaccine is indicated. Given that there will be initially limited vaccines available, it will take some time for all to receive those vaccines and that has necessitated an allocation strategy to ensure that those most at risk of death and serious illness receive the vaccine first.
The priority is to first vaccinate and protect directly the most vulnerable amongst us, that is, those most likely to have a poor outcome if they contract the virus. The priority is to directly use vaccines to save lives and reduce serious illness, hence the focus on the over 65 year old cohort in long term residential care facilities, and healthcare workers in frontline services often caring for the most vulnerable.
All of the groups will be covered as further vaccine supplies become available and the immunisation programme is rolled out nationally.
The evidence will be kept under review and the allocation groups may be updated, where necessary, in light of new evidence.
Further information on the Strategy can be found at:
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/39038-provisional-vaccine-allocation-groups/.
859. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if a homecare package will be reinstated as a matter of urgency in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45072/20]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
860. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that patients suspected of having cancer are facing waiting times of five months from initial specialist referral to the appointment for a biopsy such as in the case of a person (details supplied); the steps he is taking to reduce these waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45073/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
861. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health the status of a matter (details supplied) in relation to the student nurse allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45084/20]
View answerAs this is a operational matter, I have asked the HSE to consider it and respond directly to the Deputy.
862. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if matters raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied) on access to Luxturna for persons with degenerative retinal disease will receive a response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45088/20]
View answer864. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health his plans to offer reimbursement for Luxturna which is essential for treatment of rare retinal disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45093/20]
View answer869. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health if a gene therapy (details supplied) will receive recognition under the medical card and drug refund schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45109/20]
View answer883. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health when the drug Luxturna will become widely available for persons suffering from degenerative retinal disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45145/20]
View answer1054. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health his views on the decision of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics to refuse reimbursement for life-changing gene therapy Luxturna for inherited retinal diseases which are rare, serious and life limiting; his plans to support the treatment in view of the commitments made in the programme for Government (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1643/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 862, 864, 869, 883 and 1054 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Oireachtas 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 reimbursement of medicines, taking account of a range of objective factors and expert opinion as appropriate.
In line with the 2013 Health 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 licensed 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 Act to have regard to a number of criteria including efficacy, the health needs of the public, cost effectiveness and potential or actual budget impact.
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 HSE has advised that on 23 September 2019 an application was received for the reimbursement of Voretigene neparvovec (Luxturna) for the treatment of adult and paediatric patients with vision loss due to inherited retinal dystrophy caused by confirmed biallelic RPE65 mutations and who have sufficient viable retinal cells.
On 29 October 2019, following the completion by the NCPE of a rapid review, the HSE commissioned a full pharmacoeconomic assessment with respect to this indication.
On 3 April 2020, the NCPE received the applicant’s submission for this assessment. On 18 September 2020, the NCPE completed its assessment and recommended that Voretigene neparvovec not be considered for reimbursement unless cost effectiveness can be improved relative to existing treatments.
The final HTA report will be reviewed by the HSE Drugs Group, along with the outputs of commercial negotiations which took place in November 2020 and the patient group submission received during the HTA process. The HSE advises that Voretigene neparvovec is expected to be included on a Drugs Group agenda in early 2021.
The HSE Executive Management Team is the decision-making body for the reimbursement of medicines under the Health Act 2013 and it will, following receipt of the outcome of the Drugs Group's deliberations, make the decision on whether Voretigene neparvovec will be reimbursed.
863. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if a required appointment at the gynae clinic can be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45091/20]
View answerIt is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last year as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The HSE is currently recommending that only critical time dependent elective procedures are undertaken at this time due to the on-going and significant increased demand for bed capacity related to Covid-19.
This decision was made arising from the rapid increase in Covid-19 admissions and to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related activity and time-critical essential work.
Patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.
Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The National Waiting List Management Policy is a standardised approach used by the HSE to manage scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures. It sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists and was developed in 2014 to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
865. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health if the progressing disability services plan will include supports for those children who do not receive their therapy in the home but in a special school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45104/20]
View answer866. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health if continuity measures will be put in place under the progressing disability services plan to ensure those children who do receive their therapy and services outside of the home will be supported and allowed to continue to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45105/20]
View answer867. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health if assurances will be given that children outside of special school catchment areas will be able to transfer to the children's disability network teams associated with the school and to have their therapy within the school setting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45106/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 865 to 867, inclusive, together.
The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, recognises the need to improve services for both children and adults with disabilities through better implementation and by working together across Government in a better way.
The Government commits to prioritising early diagnosis and access to services for children and ensuring that the most effective interventions are provided for each child, to guarantee the best outcomes.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
868. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if a homecare package can be reinstated in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45107/20]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
870. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) is entitled to seek medical treatment in another EU country and make a claim for reimbursement for the cost of treatment from the HSE under current Irish and EU law particularly Directive 2011/24/EU. [45111/20]
View answer871. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) will subsequently be able to exercise their EU rights to seek treatment abroad when the UK ceases completely to adhere to EU regulations after 31 December 2020; and the basis on which a person is receiving a state pension from another EU member state and Ireland is construed as being their member state of affiliation under the terms of Directive 2011/24/EU. [45112/20]
View answer872. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Health if prohibition in respect of access to cross-border healthcare under 2011/24/EU applies equally to legally resident citizens in Ireland who receive a pension from another non-EEA country such as the USA, Australia and so on; if not, if it is only applicable to citizens receiving a state pension from the UK given that their state of affiliation will no longer be an EU member; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45113/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 870 to 872, inclusive, together.
The EU and the UK reached a deal on the Trade and Cooperation Agreement in late December 2020. The Agreement includes provisions relating to Social Security and health rights for certain categories of persons including pensioners. Social security and healthcare rights for pensioners are also provided for by the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement.
The question raised by the Deputy is a complex one and requires careful consideration of the interaction between the current EU Cross Border Directive and that of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the Withdrawal Agreement. This matter is currently being reviewed by officials and a response will issue to the Deputy when matter has been clarified.
In the interim the Deputy may wish to note that the Government has recently agreed to provide for the implementation of a new Northern Ireland Planned Healthcare Scheme from 1 January 2021 which will operate for 12 months. This will enable persons resident in Ireland to avail of healthcare from private providers in Northern Ireland and be reimbursed for that care by the HSE. The scheme and will operate on the same parameters as the EU Cross Border Directive scheme.
Finally, anyone wishing to seek care under the Directive or the NI Planned Healthcare Scheme should contact the HSE's CBD office at St Canice's Hospital, Dublin Road, Kilkenny, Tel: 056 7784546 or crossborderdirective@hse.ie to check their eligibility for these schemes.
873. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if an appointment will be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45114/20]
View answerIt is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last year as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The HSE is currently recommending that only critical time dependent elective procedures are undertaken at this time due to the on-going and significant increased demand for bed capacity related to Covid-19.
This decision was made arising from the rapid increase in Covid-19 admissions and to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related activity and time-critical essential work.
Patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.
Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The National Waiting List Management Policy is a standardised approach used by the HSE to manage scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures. It sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists and was developed in 2014 to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
874. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health his plans to deal with ongoing symptoms of long Covid; if general practitioners, consultants and employers have been provided with guidelines in relation to dealing with long Covid patients; if he will consider setting up multidisciplinary clinics throughout the country as in the UK; the resources being deployed to deal with the persons who suffer from long Covid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45115/20]
View answerI have asked the HSE to examine the matters raised by the Deputy and to reply directly to her as soon as possible.
875. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the services in place to allow persons to receive therapy and counselling on a face-to-face basis under the current restrictions. [45119/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
876. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if an appointment will be facilitated through the national treatment purchase fund for a person (details supplied). [45124/20]
View answerIt is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last year as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The HSE is currently recommending that only critical time dependent elective procedures are undertaken at this time due to the on-going and significant increased demand for bed capacity related to Covid-19.
This decision was made arising from the rapid increase in Covid-19 admissions and to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related activity and time-critical essential work.
Patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.
Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The National Waiting List Management Policy is a standardised approach used by the HSE to manage scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures. It sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists and was developed in 2014 to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care.
The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) works with public hospitals, as opposed to with patients directly, to offer and provide the funding for treatment to clinically suitable long waiting patients who are on an inpatient/day case waiting list for surgery, having been referred on to such a list following clinical assessment by a consultant/specialist at an outpatient clinic.
The key criteria of the NTPF is the prioritisation of the longest waiting patients first. The clinical suitability of the patient to avail of NTPF funded treatment is determined by the public hospital.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
877. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will reinstate the automatic exceptional extension of all medical cards for the rest of the Covid-19 emergency period as was in place for medical cards that were due to expire between March and August 2020 which were automatically extended for up to one year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45133/20]
View answerEligibility reviews were temporarily suspended by the HSE Primary Care and Eligibility Reimbursement Service (PCERS) during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cards that were due to expire during March and August 2020 were automatically extended for up to one year and will be re-assessed on a planned basis. This temporary measure was taken in the initial phase of the Covid-19 pandemic in order to preserve necessary resources for emergency HSE Covid-19 responses and to also ensure continued eligibility for individuals during that unprecedented time in the health service.
While the HSE PCERS have resumed eligibility reviews, it is important to note that where any medical or GP visit card holders has a review process initiated, he/she will continue to retain their eligibility for the duration of the review process. It is noted that every effort is made by the HSE, within the framework of the legislation, to provide an eligibility assessment process that is responsive and sensitive to people’s needs, in particular, to take full account of the difficult circumstances in the case of applicants who may be in excess of the income guidelines. Social and medical issues are also considered when determining whether undue hardship exists for an individual accessing general practitioner or other medical services and to that end, the HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card where an applicant exceeds his or her income threshold.
878. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the current waiting time for orthopaedic appointments in University Hospital Galway; the measures being taken to reduce the waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45134/20]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is being collated by Department officials and a deferred reply will be submitted within ten working days.
879. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if an appointment will be expedited for a person (details supplied). [45135/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
880. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to improve detection, diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45139/20]
View answerThe HSE's National Cancer Control Programme, in conjunction with the National Clinical Effectiveness Committee, published a National Clinical Guideline on Ovarian Cancer in August 2019. The guideline is based on best research evidence, in conjunction with clinical expertise and patient preferences, and was developed using a clear evidence-based methodology that is used internationally.
The overall objectives of the National Clinical Guideline on Ovarian Cancer are:
- to improve the quality of clinical care, improving patient outcomes by reducing morbidity and mortality;
- to reduce variation in practice and improve consistency and standards of care by promoting interventions of proven benefit - and discouraging ineffective ones; and
- to address areas of clinical care with new and emerging evidence.
A total of €20m additional funding has been allocated for the National Cancer Strategy in 2021. The 2021 funding will facilitate significant progression of key priorities of the National Cancer Strategy, including prevention measures, improved access to diagnostics, the further development of medical, radiation and surgical oncology and expanded services to support those living with and beyond cancer.
881. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) will receive an assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45141/20]
View answerThe Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, recognises the need to improve services for both children and adults with disabilities through better implementation and by working together across Government in a better way.
The Government commits to prioritising access to disability services for children and ensuring that the most effective interventions are provided for each child, to guarantee the best outcomes.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
882. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) will receive an assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45142/20]
View answerThe Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, recognises the need to improve services for both children and adults with disabilities through better implementation and by working together across Government in a better way.
The Government commits to prioritising access to disability services for children and ensuring that the most effective interventions are provided for each child, to guarantee the best outcomes.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
