Written Answers Nos. 682-701
682. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if funding will be provided for the purchase of an epilepsy monitor for a person (details supplied); and the reason for the decision reached by the HSE, which classified the need as priority 2. [3680/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
683. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health when a renewed medical card will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3681/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
684. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to reports that up to 80 persons arrived in Ireland from the UK and South Africa up to 17 January 2021 without having provided evidence of a negative Covid-19 test; the person or body responsible for ensuring that newly arrived travellers or migrant workers from the UK and European countries with high rates of infection, South Africa or South America self-isolate for 14 days; the means by which they will ensure such self-isolation takes place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3686/21]
View answerThe requirement on international passengers to have a pre-departure test is given effect by S.I. No 11/2021, Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (Covid-19) (Restrictions upon Travel to the State from Certain States) (No. 2) Regulations 2021. The regulations place a requirement on arriving passengers to present evidence of a negative test result to an immigration officer on arrival to Ireland. My Department and the Department of Justice are in regular contact on operational aspects of the pre-departure test requirement.
In response to the elevated risk presented by new variants of concern of the SARS-Cov-2 virus, the Government introduced more stringent measures applying to travel from Great Britain, South Africa, Brazil and other South American countries:
- Passengers arriving from these areas are strongly advised to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival.
- These passengers are also asked to contact a GP to arrange for a COVID-19 test as soon as possible 5 days after arrival in Ireland. The test will help to identify positive cases and for those to be sent to the National Virus Reference Laboratory for genome sequencing to see if variants of concern are identified in Ireland. If arranged through a GP, the test will be free of charge.
- Regardless of the result of the test, passengers who have travelled from Great Britain, South Africa, Brazil or other South American countries are advised to self-isolate for the full 14-day period.
My Department has issued regular text messages to bring this advice to the attention of passengers who have travelled from Great Britain, South Africa and Brazil. In the case of passengers travelling from Brazil, the texts issue in both English and Brazilian Portuguese.
On 26 January, the Government decided to implement new measures applying to international travel including mandatory quarantine and testing policies, measures to enhance North South cooperation on international travel and the suspension of visa free travel from certain countries. The detailed work to implement these policies is underway.
685. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health the status of community assessment hubs in community healthcare organisation, CHO, west (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3690/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
686. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health the status of engagement between community healthcare organisation, CHO, west and Westdoc (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3691/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
687. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the reason the polymerase chain reaction, PCR, test is being used to test for Covid-19 rather than an antigen test; if there are significant cost or accuracy differences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3692/21]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has adopted RNA PCR as the gold standard test for diagnosing Covid-19 cases, as part of the HSE test and trace strategy, consistent with international best practice, and approved by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET). This platform is deployed in acute hospitals, the NVRL and HSE’s commercial partners.
It should be noted that testing for Sars-Cov2 does not confirm that an individual with a 'not detected' result is not incubating the infection or the level of virus is below detectable levels at the time of the test. The HSE has worked intensively over the last number of months to put in place a comprehensive testing and tracing operation and despite the very significant increase in demand over the last number of weeks, the median time for community referral to appointment is now 0.2 days with 95.7% of GP referrals provided with a COVID-19 test appointment within 24 hours.
While rapid antigen diagnostic tests (RADTs) are described as rapid, and simple to perform, they are not designed to be delivered in large numbers. RADTs are most effective in detection of symptomatic cases, particularly where there is swabbing capacity on-site, when symptom onset is within the last 5 days and when the likelihood of test positivity is greater than 10% among the target population.
Validation studies, both here in Ireland and in Europe are showing significant disparities in sensitivity and specificity of tests versus manufacturer claims. The studies also show that performance in symptomatic patients is much better than in asymptomatic patients. In asymptomatic patients, sensitivity results are being shown to be below the minimum performance requirements set by the World Health Organization and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
The National Public Health Emergency Team has endorsed recommendations on the use of Rapid Antigen Detection Tests (RADTs) as a supplement to PCR testing in certain situations, and particularly when the availability of PCR tests may be limited. The HSE is currently considering the use of RADTs for diagnosis of symptomatic persons and their close contacts in PCR confirmed outbreaks, and / or symptomatic persons where there is a high suspicion of an outbreak, pending PCR confirmation, if faster presumptive results will inform public health action.
On an ongoing basis, NPHET considers and reviews, based on public health risk assessments, how best to target testing to hunt the virus in populations where it’s most likely and where it will do most harm. This includes keeping Ireland’s testing policy under continuing review.
688. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health the progress on the provision of new orthopaedic theatre facilities at Merlin Park Hospital, Galway; the extent of current theatre facilities and the facilities planned; the reason for the delay in providing the additional theatre space since the reduction in existing theatre facilities three and a half years ago; the timeframe for the start of construction and completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3697/21]
View answerAs 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.
689. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health the average waiting times for persons on the waiting list for inpatient and outpatient treatment as orthopaedic patents at Merlin Park Hospital, Galway; and the longest time persons have been on the waiting lists. [3698/21]
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 are 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. The HSE continues to optimise productivity through alternative work practices such as the use of alternative settings including private hospitals, community facilities and alternative outpatient settings.
In regard to the information requested by the Deputy, The National Treatment Purchase Fund has advised my Department, that they do not receive any extract files for Merlin Park Hospital. Data for Merlin Park is instead incorporated into the Galway University Hospital waiting list. In light of this, the NTPF have provided the requested waiting times data at Galway University Hospital. This information is outlined in the attached document.
The Deputy should be aware that due to a recent upgrade to their Patient Management System (iPMS) GUH were unable to provide updated outpatient waiting list data for the last three months of 2020 to the NTPF. This issue is being resolved and it is expected that that full outpatient data from GUH will be included in NTPF's January figures.
Average and Max Wait Times (in days) for Orthopaedic Patients in Galway University Hospitals by List Type as at 23/12/2020
|
Date |
Hospital |
List Type |
Speciality |
Average Wait Time |
Max Wait Time |
|
23/12/20 |
Galway University Hospitals |
Inpatient |
Orthopaedics |
370 |
2309 |
|
23/12/20 |
Galway University Hospitals |
Outpatient |
Orthopaedics |
410 |
3913 |
690. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health the steps he will take to reduce the outpatient waiting lists for orthopaedic treatment at Merlin Park Hospital, Galway; and if he will take steps to ensure patients can be treated in other hospitals in view of the fact that the number of persons waiting for treatment for over 18 months has more than doubled in the past year. [3696/21]
View answer
If one party seeks to throw its toys out of the pram, the whole of the North lurches into crisis. The people of the North of Ireland deserve better than such instability and dysfunction. It is time for us to understand that Stormont is not fit for purpose and for the people of Ireland, North and South, to start working together to see how Stormont can be reformed and what comes next. That is why I ask the Minister to ensure that the Government constitutes an all-Ireland forum so that we can start the discussion on the development of stable, all-Ireland, democratic institutions.
691. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if urgent home help will be arranged in the case of a person (details supplied); if this will be arranged as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3699/21]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
692. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health when he plans to bring forward legislation for the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2019; when he expects the legislation to be enacted; if the Bill will come into effect retrospectively to when it was first introduced in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3704/21]
View answerUnder the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, participants contribute to the cost of their care according to their means, while the State pays the balance of the cost. The Nursing Homes Support Scheme, in its current form, does not place caps on the financial assessment of family farms or family businesses when calculating the means to pay for nursing home care, except in the case of sudden illness or disability.
The Department of Health has proposed a policy change to the Nursing Homes Support Scheme to cap contributions based on family owned and operated farm and business assets at 3 years where a family successor commits to working the productive asset. This change has been approved by Government and undergone pre-legislative scrutiny in the last Dáil. The stated policy objective of the general scheme of the Bill is to introduce further safeguards in the Scheme to further protect the viability and sustainability of family owned and operated farms and businesses that will be passed down to the next generation of the family to continue to work them as productive assets to provide for their livelihood.
Progress on the development of the Bill was negatively impacted by the dissolution of the last Dáil and by the COVID-19 pandemic. The response to the pandemic has been and continues to be a national and public health priority. However, work on this legislation has continued to progress. I have exchanged letters with the Business Committee requesting a waiver to conduct pre-legislative scrutiny, given this was already undertaken in the previous Dáil. I have met with the Attorney General to discuss this legislation, and there has been an ongoing and active engagement between the Department of Health and the Office of the Attorney General on the development of the legislation, which will be brought to the Houses of Oireachtas at the earliest possible opportunity. It is on the priority list for publication in the Spring legislative session.
The Bill will be enacted upon completion of all stages in the Oireachtas and signed into law by the President. The Bill will not be retrospective.
693. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health the position of veterinarian staff under the Covid-19 vaccination roll-out plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3710/21]
View answerThe COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy sets out a provisional list of groups for vaccination. The Strategy was developed by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) and my Department, endorsed by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), and approved by Government on 8 December 2020.
Vaccine allocation is a matter for my Department and further information is available here: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/39038-provisional-vaccine-allocation-groups/.
The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme is the responsibility of the HSE.
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.
694. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to lengthy delays in obtaining a date to sit the Dental Council examination; and the steps being taken to ensure those who need to sit the examination can do so at the earliest opportunity. [3716/21]
View answerThe Dental Council’s 2020 examination for non-EU trained dentists was deferred due to the safety concerns presented by Covid-19. It is the Dental Council’s intention to hold an examination in 2021 and planning is well underway for Part 1 of the examination to be held in April.
695. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if the cost of the gene therapy drug, Luxturna, that treats inherited retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa, RP, and Leber congenital amaurosis, LCA, will be included as part of the additional €50 million in funding for new medicines allocated as part of Budget 2021; if he will consider funding when making a recommendation to the HSE drugs group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3717/21]
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.
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 additional funding of €50m provided for new medicines in Budget 2021 will allow the HSE to provide access to medicines which have been recommended by the HSE Drugs Group, on the basis of efficacy and value for money in line with the 2013 Health Act, and ultimately provide more medicines to Irish citizens.
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 health technology assessment (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.
696. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the specific details of the national vaccine roll-out programme; the proposed locations of vaccine administration centres in each county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3718/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
697. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the overall number of persons who applied for Be On Call for Ireland in 2020; the number employed or hired since; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3721/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy, as soon as possible.
698. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if the vaccine projections being published at present are based solely on vaccines provided by companies (details supplied) alone; if not, if another vaccine is also included in these projections; and if the other vaccine is included, if it will enable the vaccination process to proceed at a faster pace. [3727/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
699. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health if he supports an inquiry into the children born to long-term residents of St. Brendan's psychiatric hospital, Grangegorman. [3758/21]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which is of great concern to me. I would ask her to forward any information she may have as soon as possible. My office will then be in contact to arrange a meeting.
700. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health if he will nationalise private hospitals to prevent an overrun due to Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3759/21]
View answerFollowing the termination of the agreement with private hospitals in June last year, the Government mandated the HSE to seek a new agreement with the private hospitals to provide the HSE with access to the private hospitals’ capacity in the event of a surge in Covid-19 cases.
The HSE has agreed a new safety net arrangement with all 18 private hospitals. They have signed Service Level Agreements to provide additional hospital capacity to the HSE, to deal with the current surge in Covid-19 cases and any further surges in the pandemic, if they arise within the next 12 months.
Under the arrangement, the hospitals have agreed to supply, depending on the incidence of the disease, up to 15% or 30% of their capacity. The HSE will be responsible for invoking the safety net arrangement. The decision will be determined on the basis of any one of three metrics which objectively indicate that a Covid-19 surge event is imminent or present. These metrics cover the level of community transmission, the number of hospital beds in the public system occupied by Covid-19 patients and the number of ICU beds in the public system occupied by Covid-19 patients. The agreement provides that the HSE shall exit the arrangement when the surge ceases. This will also be determined by metrics covering the level of community transmission, the number of hospital beds in the public system occupied by Covid-19 patients and the number of ICU beds in the public system occupied by Covid-19 patients.
The agreement also provides for additional capacity over the 30% to be made available by mutual agreement between the HSE and any of the hospitals.
The additional capacity provided by the private hospitals is critical to enabling the public health system cope with large scale surges in the incidences of the disease. It is intended to use the capacity of the private hospitals for urgent, time-dependant and complex care.
701. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health if he will prioritise members of Community First Responders to receive the vaccine in order that they can resume their valuable service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3761/21]
View answerThe COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy sets out a provisional list of groups for vaccination. The Strategy was developed by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) and my Department, endorsed by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), and approved by Government on 8 December 2020.
Vaccine allocation is a matter for my Department and further information is available here: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/39038-provisional-vaccine-allocation-groups/.
The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme is the responsibility of the HSE.
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.
Frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) in direct patient contact roles will be vaccinated in Group 2. This includes HCWs working in public, private, and voluntary settings. Other HCWs, not in direct patient contact, will be vaccinated in Group 4.
