Written Answers Nos. 851-870
851. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health how far short of optimum staffing levels of psychologists primary care centres across the country are; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34124/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
852. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of podiatrists who are employed in primary care centres across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34125/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
853. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health how far short of optimum staffing levels of podiatrists primary care centres across the country are; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34126/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
854. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the estimated amount that it would cost to extend free general practitioner care to children under nine years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34127/22]
View answer855. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the estimated amount that it would cost to extend free general practitioner care to children under 12 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34128/22]
View answer856. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the estimated amount that it would cost to extend free general practitioner care to children under 15 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34129/22]
View answer857. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the estimated amount that it would cost to extend free general practitioner care to children under 18 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34130/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 854 to 857, inclusive, together.
As per the Programme for Government, the Government is committed to increasing access to GP care without charges for more children, an important healthcare measure that will remove a potentially prohibitive cost barrier to accessing GP care and will help to improve children’s health as they develop.
My officials and the HSE are engaged in preparatory work for the commencement of the initial stage of the phased expansion of GP care without fees to all children aged 12 years and under, the provision of GP care without fees to all children aged 6 and 7. Consultations with the IMO, representing GPs, are currently underway with the intention of introducing this service this year.
The consultations with the IMO include discussions on the scope of services to be provided and the rate of fees payable to GPs for the provision of that service, variables that will affect the cost of the service. For this reason, it is not possible to give an estimate of the cost of extending GP care without fees to all children aged under 9 years of age. Similarly, it is not possible to give an estimate of the cost of extending GP care without fees to further cohorts of the population.
858. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if radiography treatment will be resumed at Altnagelvin Hospital, Derry to facilitate cross-Border patient treatment, given the shared island Initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34141/22]
View answerThe provision of radiotherapy services for Irish patients at the North West Cancer Centre (NWCC), Altnagelvin Area Hospital, Derry, continued throughout the Covid-19 period.
Since the centre opened in 2016, over 900 patients from Ireland have received radiotherapy treatment at the NWCC. In 2021, 253 Irish patients were treated at the NWCC, an increase of 53 on 2020. From January - March 2022, 72 Irish patients were treated at the NWCC, an increase of 26 on the same period in 2021.
This cross-border initiative ensures that patients can receive their radiotherapy treatment as close to home as possible. The reduction in travel time, and the overall ease of access, has been hugely beneficial for patients, their families and carers.
I look forward to the continuation of this service and exploring new ways in which cross-border collaboration, such as the NWCC, can lead to continued improvements for patients and their families.
859. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health if there has been a decision made to refer dental services provided in health clinics to private dentists who take medical card patients (details supplied). [34145/22]
View answerImproving and enabling easy access for the public to oral healthcare services is a key component of the National Oral Health Policy, Smile agus Sláinte. Implementation of that policy will require a substantive reform of dental services and this work has already commenced.
I can advise that at this time there has been no change in policy regarding the provision of services by the HSE’s Public Dental Service, which provides dental services for children up to 16 years of age and persons of all ages with special needs through its dental clinics. However, it is the responsibility of the HSE to take clinical decisions in individual cases based on whether an individual is deemed to be a candidate for attendance at the Public Dental Service.
For medical card holders not attending the HSE Public Dental Service, the Dental Treatment Services Scheme allows medical card holders to avail of a specified list of treatments at a private dental practice which holds a contract with the HSE. I have been assured by the HSE that their local services on the ground will assist any persons who are experiencing problems in accessing a dental service.
860. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if arrangements will be made with Altnagelvin Hospital, County Derry for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal to receive radiotherapy who is due to commence radiotherapy in Galway on 30 June 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34146/22]
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 Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health when assessments will take place for children (details supplied) in Dublin 11; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34180/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
862. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the additional services that the HSE considers are necessary to ensure that the accident and emergency department in Navan Hospital is safe. [34194/22]
View answerOur Lady’s Hospital Navan is one of nine designated Model 2 Hospitals under the Smaller Hospitals’ Framework which was approved by Government in 2013. Navan will be the last of those hospitals to transition to Model 2.
As the Deputy will be aware, the HSE has proposed a process of planned service changes at Navan and has advised that these changes are necessary to support safe service delivery on a sustained basis, and are driven first and foremost by patient safety considerations and very real clinical concerns. The HSE has said that, as a small hospital, Navan does not have the range of specialties needed to deal with the relatively small number of critically ill and unstable patients who may present to the ED currently.
While recognising the very real clinical concerns identified, the Government is clear that several important issues, including additional capacity in other hospitals impacted and the continued ability of people in the Navan area to access emergency and urgent care, would need to be fully addressed before any proposed transition by the HSE could be considered.
863. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he plans to extend the drugs payment scheme to cover the cost of ozempic semaglutide for those prescribed it off-label for reasons other than those associated with diabetes. [34207/22]
View answerThe Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for medicine pricing and reimbursement decisions, 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 Minister for Health has no role in these decisions.
Ozempic® (semaglutide) is licensed with the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) in Ireland, and is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Ozempic® (semaglutide) was approved by the HSE for addition to the Reimbursement List for the treatment of Diabetes in 2018. Semaglutide has not been approved for reimbursement for any other indication to date.
Controls are in place within the HSE management systems on claiming processes to ensure that only HSE approved indications are reimbursed across a range of medicines. Controls are currently in place in relation to Ozempic® (semaglutide) to restrict reimbursement support to the HSE approved indication of Diabetes. Persons with Diabetes are eligible for the Long Term Illness scheme and may access Semaglutide via that eligibility. Therefore, it is not made available on the Drug Payment Scheme.
864. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) can expect to receive an appointment for a procedure. [34208/22]
View answerUnder 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.
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.
866. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health if a new drug (details supplied) will be prescribed for all those with long-Covid regardless of medical card status; his views on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34215/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
867. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made to date in the development of an emergency department and women’s and children’s block in University Hospital Galway; when the business case was submitted to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform; when a decision will be made on same; the progress to date with the Strategic Assessment Report for the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34219/22]
View answerThe proposed new Emergency Department (ED) and Women & Children’s project is a large and complex project, which is in the early stages of design progression.
Originally, the proposal was for a new multistorey ED block, likely costing in the tens of millions, but now, driven by local requirements and the need to build more efficiently on a constricted site, the Department of Health expects to receive proposals costed in the hundreds of millions. Since the scale, complexity, and investment proposed now is much greater than the original proposal, this major project must be subject to the necessary scrutiny under the Public Spending Code (PSC) for projects in excess of €100m.
The PSC is designed to ensure that investment decisions are underpinned by a clear policy rationale, and that costs are well understood. In 2019, the PSC was updated and introduced a new project lifecycle, tightening the arrangements for project decision-making, and clarifying the roles of the parties involved including the responsibilities for Sponsoring Agencies and Approving Authorities.
These are defined processes in which all Departments and agencies are subject to and must follow to ensure that Government, as the approving authority for all major projects, can be satisfied that the project is the best means to achieve a policy goal and that we achieve maximum value for money for the taxpayer.
The HSE is nearing completion of drafting a Strategic Assessment Report, to ensure full compliance with PSC requirements for the more substantial proposals. It is now expected to be submitted to my Department by early Q3 2022 for review and, if Departmental review is successful, to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (D/PER) for review in due course in line with PSC Gate 0 requirements. This additional scrutiny, required under the PSC, can ensure fuller risk mitigation, early identification of potential obstacles, and smoother execution of later stages of the project lifecycle.
If approval-in principle is granted, the preliminary business case can be updated by the HSE and be brought forward for PSC Gate 1 review.
Meanwhile, approval was given for the Galway University Hospital interim emergency department, including additional resuscitation spaces, support accommodation and improved infection prevention and control measures. This is currently under construction using a rapid build solution. The critical services are now expected to be completed in the coming weeks (July 2022). This interim ED and associated works will also serve as enabling works for the larger project; freeing up the site required for the proposed new block.
869. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the number of children awaiting physiotherapy appointments in counties Roscommon and Galway; the current waiting times for appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34283/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
870. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an electronic device for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34293/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
