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Wednesday, 15 Sep 2021

Written Answers Nos. 711-729

Hospital Staff

Questions (711)

Jackie Cahill

Question:

711. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health the status of the appointment of a full-time consultant to the medical assessment unit of Nenagh General Hospital as a matter of priority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43871/21]

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Written answers

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

Health Services

Questions (712)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

712. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has not been added to the waiting list for occupational therapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43874/21]

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Written answers

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

Mental Health Services

Questions (713)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

713. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the need for additional specialist rehabilitation units and psychiatric intensive care units. [43898/21]

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Written answers

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

Hospital Staff

Questions (714)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

714. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health if funding will be approved for the recruitment of an additional full-time consultant paediatric endocrinologist for CHI Temple Street. [43899/21]

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Written answers

Funding for all service developments, including additional posts, is considered in the first instance as part of the annual estimates process, in the context of overall prioritisation of available funding. This is currently ongoing for 2022.

I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, with an update on the paediatric endocrinology service at CHI at Temple Street.

Hospital Staff

Questions (715)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

715. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of recruiting 20 additional full-time Parkinson's disease nurse specialist posts in 2022. [43900/21]

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Written answers

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

Hospital Staff

Questions (716)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

716. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the number of full-time transplant and pulmonary hypertension pharmacists at the Mater Hospital in each of the years of 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [43901/21]

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Written answers

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

Health Services Staff

Questions (717)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

717. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the number of additional full-time speech and language therapists, psychiatrists and psychologists recruited for early intervention and school age assessments teams in 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [43902/21]

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Written answers

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

Hospital Staff

Questions (718)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

718. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the recruitment process used to advertise for nurses and other medical staff in community hospitals. [43903/21]

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Written answers

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

Hospital Staff

Questions (719)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

719. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied with the number of cranial facial specialists for paediatrics here; and his plans to recruit additional specialists. [43904/21]

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Written answers

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

General Practitioner Services

Questions (720)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

720. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if he will request the HSE to grant an extension to a general practitioner (details supplied) in view of the circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43920/21]

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Written answers

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

General Practitioner Services

Questions (721)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

721. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the number of general practitioners across the country who have been granted an extension by the HSE to allow them to continue to see GMS patients beyond the age of 72 years and continue to see those patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43921/21]

View answer

Written answers

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

Hospital Facilities

Questions (722, 723)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

722. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the current permanent ICU bed capacity; the further plans there are to increase capacity given that the HSE recommended in 2009 an ICU capacity of 579 beds; if he aims to reach the number of beds recommended in 2009; if not, the reason; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43922/21]

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Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

723. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the projected cost of achieving the ICU bed capacity fully staffed of 579 recommended by the HSE in 2009. [43923/21]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 722 and 723 together.

The Health Service Capacity Review, which was noted by Government in 2018, recommended that an additional 190 critical care beds should be in place by 2031, bringing the total to 430. Accordingly, the Strategic Plan for Critical Care, which was noted by Government in 2020, aims to increase capacity from the 2020 baseline of 255 critical care beds, to 446 over time, to fully address the Capacity Review’s recommendations in regard to critical care.

Very significant funding of €52m was provided by Government in Budget 2021 to commence implementation of Phase 1 of the Plan. This provides for the permanent retention of 40 additional critical care beds which were funded temporarily in 2020 as part of the Covid response, and for the opening of a further 26 beds in new build capacity. The HSE has advised that 41 of these beds are now open, bringing baseline capacity to 296 although the number of beds open on any given day fluctuates as a result of a variety of factors.

In relation to cost, the HSE has advised that the average annual cost of running a critical care bed is estimated to be in the region of €750,000. It should be noted that this figure includes costs for both ICU and HDU beds, with ICU beds being the more costly. Capital costs associated with new critical care beds are estimated by the HSE at typically between €1m and €1.5m, including design, construction, equipping and all other associated capital costs.

Health Services Staff

Questions (724)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

724. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the number of staff in public health across the country at each of the grades broken down by public health area; the plans to increase these numbers; the timescale for these increases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43924/21]

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Written answers

In September of last year, I committed to significant investment in Public Health when I announced plans to double the workforce by recruiting an additional 255 permanent staff, at an annual cost of over €17m.

In a highly competitive employment market, created by the pandemic, the HSE has to date filled 156 of these roles, increasing staffing levels in our Public Health system from 254 to 410 employees. The cyber-attack on the HSE has had an impact on this recruitment, in some cases extending the pre-employment timelines by a number of weeks. The HSE expects the pace of posts being accepted to quicken in pace in the coming weeks as campaigns close and move to the interview/offer stage. Recruitment for the remaining positions continues to be a priority for the HSE.

With regard to a breakdown of current staff across each public health area, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly on this.

Hospital Staff

Questions (725)

David Cullinane

Question:

725. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health when he expects the new Sláintecare public-only consultant contract to be fully operationalised as the standard contract for new consultant appointments; the date from which this will occur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43946/21]

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Written answers

Currently a process concerning the proposed Sláintecare public-only Contract is in train between officials from my Department, the HSE and the consultants' representative bodies (the IMO and IHCA) under an agreed independent chair. 

With these important talks ongoing, it would inappropriate for me to publicly pre-empt any potential outcome in relation to a specific date, save to say that I and my officials are fully committed to the Sláintecare vision, and to offering the new public-only contract to all consultants as soon as practicable. 

Medicinal Products

Questions (726)

Michael Moynihan

Question:

726. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the status of the reimbursement process for Zolgensma; the progress made on this issue to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43963/21]

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Written answers

The 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, 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 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).

I am advised by the HSE that, in April 2020, the NCPE received a reimbursement application dossier for Onasemnogene abeparvovec (Zolgensma) for the treatment of patients with 5q spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) with a bi-allelic mutation in the SMN1 gene and a clinical diagnosis of SMA type 1, or patients with 5q SMA with a bi-allelic mutation in the SMN1 gene and up to 3 copies of the SMN2 gene.

On 13 May 2020, the NCPE completed a rapid review with respect to this application and recommended a full Health Technology Assessment (HTA) to assess the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Zolgensma compared with the current standard of care.

The HTA was undertaken as a part of the Beneluxa collaboration between Ireland, the Netherlands and Belgium, with Austria acting as a reviewer in the Belgian procedure.

The HTA was completed in May 2021. The NCPE recommended that Zolgensma not be considered for reimbursement unless cost-effectiveness could be improved relative to existing treatments.

Pricing/reimbursement negotiations are currently underway, having commenced in July 2021.

A final decision on the pricing/reimbursement application for Zolgensma will be made in accordance with the 2013 Health Act.

Disease Management

Questions (727)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

727. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which efforts continue to eliminate hepatitis C here given previous aspirations in this regard; if a particular strategy is being pursued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43965/21]

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Written answers

The HSE established a National Hepatitis C Treatment Programme (NHCTP) in 2015 and began the process of providing treatment for Hepatitis C using Directly Acting Antivirals (DAA’s) to patients prioritised according to clinical need. The HSE in its National Service Plans has committed to the continued implementation of a multi annual public health plan for the therapeutic treatment of hepatitis C. The Programme is allocated funding of €25m each year by my Department.

The NHCTP aims to make Hepatitis C a rare disease in Ireland by 2026 and to achieve the World Health Organisation goal of eliminating Hepatitis C by 2030. Achieving this will require identification and treatment of the majority of chronically infected individuals in the community. In this regard, the NHCTP are currently engaged in a formal epidemiological study to determine prevalence and to facilitate informed decisions regarding screening.

With the outbreak of COVID-19, Hepatitis C clinics were significantly impacted. However, clinics are returning to normal and the NHCTP is confident that the Programme is on target to make Hepatitis C a rare disease in Ireland by 2026, and in alignment with the WHO goal, to fully eliminate the disease in Ireland by 2030. To ensure that these targets are met, the NHCTP has implemented the following:

1. The Community Prescribing Project

2. The Irish Prison Service Treatment Programme

3. Extending the Seek and Treat Approach to people who are non-methadone dependant

The National Hepatitis C Treatment Programme Strategy 2020-2026 is currently under consideration by the Department. This refreshed strategy will set a clear direction for the further expansion of the programme.

Medical Cards

Questions (728)

Réada Cronin

Question:

728. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health if his Department will provide a medical card and prescription card to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43969/21]

View answer

Written answers

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

Substance Misuse

Questions (729)

Patrick Costello

Question:

729. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health the action he and his Department are taking in view of a recent judicial review which overturned permission for medically supervised injection centres in Dublin city to ensure that these important services are offered without delay. [43979/21]

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Written answers

The High Court in a recent judgement set aside the decision of an Bord Pleanala to grant permission to Merchants Quay Ireland for a supervised injecting facility and provisionally proposed to remit the matter to the Bord for reconsideration.

It is understood that the matter is to be further considered by the Court in October, following submissions by the respective legal teams, including those representing An Bord Pleanála and Merchants Quay Ireland.

The Programme for Government commits to the opening a pilot medically supervised injecting facility inDublin City in order to reduce the number of lives lost through drug overdose. The Government has have passed legislation and provided resources to establish this harm reduction and lifesaving service. I remain very supportive of the establishment of the facility.

The next steps in the planning process for the facility will be determined by the High Court. It would be inappropriate for me to make any comment on this matter until the Court proceedings are concluded.

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