Tuesday, 10 May 2022

Disability Services

Questions (681)

Noel Grealish

Question:

681. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22582/22]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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

Disability Services

Questions (682)

Noel Grealish

Question:

682. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22583/22]

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Written answers

Residential Support Services Maintenance and Accommodation Contributions (RSSMACs) are affordable contributions paid by certain recipients of non-acute residential support services (including in disability settings) provided by or on behalf of the Health Service Executive (HSE) under sections 67A to 67D of the Health Act 1970 and related Regulations. RSSMACs are contributions towards accommodation and maintenance costs, not charges for care services.

Comprehensive information regarding the RSSMACs framework, including the relevant guidelines, is published by the HSE at: www.hse.ie/longstaycontributions.

Disability Services

Questions (683)

Noel Grealish

Question:

683. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if he will support a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22584/22]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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

Court Judgments

Questions (684)

Gerald Nash

Question:

684. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health his views on the ongoing delays with payments to the victims of a person (details supplied); the status of the dispute between the HSE and the religious order regarding the party that should pay legal costs relating to the High Court case concerned; his views on whether this dispute should not represent an impediment to the immediate payment of the settlements agreed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22585/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Neither I nor the HSE are impeding or have impeded in any way the resolution of any of the proceedings referred to.

The HSE is engaged in a process seeking the recovery of legal costs due to it under an indemnity agreement; however this process presents no obstacle to the claims being settled or payments being made under settlement agreements.

Hospital Services

Questions (685)

David Cullinane

Question:

685. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of cancellations at each acute hospital for January, February, March and April in 2022; the number, by quarter, for 2019 and 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22595/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

I fully acknowledge the distress and inconvenience for patients and their families when elective procedures are cancelled, particularly for clinically urgent procedures. While every effort is made to avoid cancellation or postponement of planned procedures, the HSE has advised that planned procedures and operations can be postponed or cancelled for a variety of reasons including capacity issues due to increased scheduled and unscheduled care demand.

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.

In relation to the particular queries raised, as these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Child Abuse

Questions (686)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

686. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if legislation is in place under the Children First Act 2015 in cases in which a child is being abused while under the care of the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22628/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

I wish to advise the Deputy that the Children First Act 2015 is a matter for the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

Pharmacy Services

Questions (687)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

687. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the shortage of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in the State. [22630/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Pharmacists wishing to practise in Ireland must be registered with the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI – the Pharmacy Regulator). The number of registered pharmacists on the Register of Pharmacists held and maintained by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI), the pharmacy regulator has continued to grow steadily, with an average increase of 187 registrants each year over the past five years. 6846 pharmacists are currently registered with the PSI, under established processes based in Irish and EU law.

Pharmacy technicians are employed and play an important role in many pharmacies, supporting the operation of the pharmacy and the work of pharmacists, and make a valuable contribution to pharmacy service delivery. In Ireland, however, there is no definition of “pharmacy technician” in legislation, and technicians are not subject to a statutory professional regulatory regime, nor is the qualification standardised across the various providers of pharmacy technician education and training.

I understand that currently there are reports to the PSI of a current acute workforce issue, particularly in relation to community pharmacy, and indicate that this is being driven in part by an increasing number of pharmacists choosing to work in a locum capacity. This has a knock-on impact on pharmacist vacancies, and potentially on continuity and consistency of service. The PSI has been liaising with stakeholders, including the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) on efforts being taken within the sector to understand and address the issue. In February 2022, PSI met with a number of superintendent pharmacists and the IPU. The PSI also circulated a survey on behalf of the IPU to all registrants to support in efforts in understanding and addressing the issue in the short term, the results of which are pending. I understand that the IPU are seeking to establish a stakeholder group to examine the issue.

The PSI is currently undertaking a project, due to run across 2022-’23, ‘Emerging Risks to the Future Pharmacy Workforce’. In 2022, this project is set to “assess emerging risks to the continued availability of a professional pharmacy workforce within community and hospital pharmacy in Ireland”.

The European commission is also currently supporting a health and social care workforce planning strategy and action plan, a health and social care workforce planning model, health and social care workforce projections and gap analysis project. Support includes recommendations for health and social care workforce reforms.

This is a complex problem with many contributing factors and multiple stakeholders. Workforce challenges are being experienced in other sectors nationally, and in the pharmacy sector in a range of other countries. However, robust data for Ireland is needed to be able to determine the current landscape, assess future health system needs and understand existing sectoral challenges now and into the future. It will be on the basis of gathering and analysing this up-to-date, robust and relevant data, that recommendations can be proposed to address Ireland’s needs as Ireland’s healthcare system evolves, and in the context of Sláintecare implementation.

Mental Health Services

Questions (688)

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

688. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the steps that he will take to ensure that there is a permanent psychiatrist in the Dublin north-east mental health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22636/22]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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

Medicinal Products

Questions (689, 690)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

689. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which provision continues to be made for pharmaceutical companies providing for rare and orphan diseases; the extent to which applications are in hand for approval; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22639/22]

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Bernard Durkan

Question:

690. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the number of applications that remain on hand for approval for drugs to treat rare and orphan diseases; the length of time taken to process such applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22640/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 689 and 690 together.

The Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 gives full statutory powers to the HSE to assess and make decisions on the reimbursement of all medicines taking account of a range of objective factors, clinical benefits, cost effectiveness and expert opinion as appropriate.

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 Drugs Group is the national committee which the HSE has in place to make recommendations on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines. The role of the Drugs Group is to make a recommendation to the HSE Executive Management Team (EMT) in relation to each individual application having considered the criteria under the 2013 Act.

The Drugs Group considers the NCPE assessment, the outputs from commercial engagements, patient interest group submissions, any inputs provided by the Rare Disease Technology Review Committee (RDTRC) and any other pertinent information in advance of providing its recommendation to the HSE EMT.

As the decision-making authority within the HSE, the HSE EMT decides on the basis of all the demands with which it is faced (across all services) whether it can fund a new medicine, or new uses of an existing medicine, from the resources that have been provided to it in line with the 2013 Act.

The 2013 Health Act does not include provision for a different ruleset when assessing orphan medicines. However, the criteria that apply to the evaluation process allow the HSE to have particular regard for the unique circumstances surrounding orphan drugs, such as small patient populations and unmet clinical need. The overriding factor in medicines, including orphan medicines, making it through the process to reimbursement is the availability of Exchequer resources.

Budget 2021 allocated €50 million for the approval of new drugs and 19 of the 52 new medicines approved by the HSE in 2021 were orphan medicines, representing over one third of approvals.

The pipeline of new medicines coming to market remains strong and this government wants to secure fast access to medicines for the most vulnerable of our patients, including those for the treatment of rare diseases. The budget allocation of €30m funding for new medicines in Budget 2022 will provide for the reimbursement of both orphan and non-orphan new medicines this year.

To date in 2022, 24 approvals for reimbursement have been progressed by the HSE. There are a further 125 applications for reimbursement of new medicines in process with the HSE. A number of the medicines undergoing assessment currently have orphan designation and the HSE anticipates that a number of medicines with orphan status may be approved throughout 2022.

The Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP) is the European Medicine Agency’s committee responsible for recommending orphan designation of medicines for rare diseases. The European Commission decides whether to grant an orphan designation for the medicine based on the COMP's opinion. The HSE does not maintain a register of which medicines are designated orphan drugs, as the orphan status for a drug is subject to change at European level.

Question No. 690 answered with Question No. 689.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (691)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

691. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); if the appointment will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22668/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Questions (692)

Robert Troy

Question:

692. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health when HSE workers who did not receive the €1,000 payment by the end of April 2022 will receive the payment (details supplied). [22669/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

On 19th April, the HSE published additional details on this payment, including full eligibility criteria, particulars, and terms and conditions that apply to HSE and Section 38 organisations' employees. This information is available at www.hse.ie/eng/staff/resources/hr-circulars/hr-circular-012-2022-pandemic-special-recognition-payment.html

On the Deputy's particular question, I have referred the question to the HSE for direct answer and reply.

Disability Services

Questions (693)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

693. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health when a wheelchair will be provided in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22670/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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

Nursing Homes

Questions (694)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

694. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the assistance that will be provided to a family (details supplied) in terms of a fair deal application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22673/22]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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

Health Services Staff

Consequently, work is on-going within the Department of Health to progress the development of the new statutory scheme for the financing and regulation of home-support services. Taking place within the broader context of the Sláintecare reforms, this work encompasses the development of the regulatory framework for the new scheme; the examination of the options for the financing model for the scheme; and the development of a reformed model of service-delivery.

In April 2021, Government gave approval to draft a General Scheme and Heads of a Bill to establish a licensing framework for home-support providers. This is being progressed by the Department with a view to bringing it through the Houses of the Oireachtas at the earliest opportunity. It is expected that the primary legislation will give the Minister for Health the power to make regulations in respect of minimum requirements which will form the criteria against which a provider’s eligibility to hold a licence will be determined. A regulatory impact analysis will be undertaken by the Department in 2022 to ensure effectiveness and mitigate risks.

In collaboration with HIQA and in consultation with the Health Service Executive and other key informants, the Department developed draft regulations and a targeted stakeholder consultation was undertaken in January 2022. Evaluating the feedback of this consultation is informing amendments in the draft regulations in advance of a public consultation planned in Q2 2022.

On 24th February, the ESRI published a report on the demand for and cost of home support. This is the final output from a programme of research that the ESRI has undertaken to support the Department of Health to progress the development of the new home support scheme. This research will form an important part of the evidence base for the development of a sustainable funding model for home support services in the context of our ageing population. Government approval will be sought in due course on any proposed legislation to provide for a financial support scheme, taking into consideration the cost associated with the various options.

In addition, work is ongoing in relation to the development of a reformed model of service delivery for the new scheme. The Pilot for testing of a reformed model of service for the delivery for home-support is fully operational. The pilot site evaluation will be critical to the development of the new home-support scheme.

Hospital Services

- to make arrangements with persons, whether resident in the State or elsewhere, for the provision of hospital treatment to such classes of persons as may be determined by the Minister, from time to time;

- to collect, collate and validate information in relation to persons waiting for hospital treatment and to put in place information systems and procedures for that purpose;

- to furnish whenever it is so required by the Minister or on its own initiative, advice to the Minister on issues relating to its functions under this Article; and

- to perform any other function in relation to the purchase of hospital treatment that the Minister may from time to time assign to it.

The NTPF has also been designated by the Minister for Health pursuant to Section 40 of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act, 2009 as a body authorised to negotiate with proprietors of registered nursing homes to reach agreement in relation to the maximum price(s) that will be charged for the provision of long-term residential care services to Nursing Homes Support Scheme residents.

Copies of S.I. 179 of 2004 and the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act, 2009 are attached for reference.

Establishment of NTPF

Nursing Home Support Scheme

General Practitioner Services

Questions (702, 703, 737, 772, 774)