Written Answers Nos. 1017-1039
1017. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health the number of children awaiting occupational therapy in CHO6 and CHO7 in County Wicklow, broken down by the lengths of time three, six, and 12-plus months, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37890/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1018. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health the number of persons waiting on the CAMHS waiting list in County Wicklow; the average waiting time broken down by the lengths of time three, six, and 12-plus months, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37891/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1019. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health the number of persons currently awaiting a clinical assessment, broken down by waiting list timeframe and by county, and the wait time involved, that is, by one, three, six, 12 and more than 12 months, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37892/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1020. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health the number of referrals that have been made to a service (details supplied) in 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37893/22]
View answer1021. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health the level of qualifications that the staff working in a service (details supplied) must have; and if users who are referred to this service have access to clinical supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37894/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1020 and 1021 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1022. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Health if he will intervene in relation to an urgent case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37901/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1024. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will provide funding immediately and on an ongoing basis to directly fund a group (details supplied) in Cork, which provides essential care for a large number of children with sight loss and other disabilities, given that it currently relies on donations for funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37915/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1026. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the progress made in addressing the backlog of audiology appointments in counties Cavan and Monaghan. [37925/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1027. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the minor injury unit at Monaghan Hospital secures additional opening hours. [37926/22]
View answerMonaghan Hospital and Cavan General Hospital operate as a single entity, with an integrated managerial and clinical governance system, care pathways and support functions. The Emergency Department is located at Cavan General Hospital, while the facilities at Monaghan Hospital are focused on elective care and the streaming of appropriate patients to the Minor Injuries Unit located on site.
It is the HSE, under the Health Act 2004, that is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. In that regard, the RCSI Hospital Group advises that there are no plans to extend the operating times of the Minor Injury Unit at Monaghan Hospital.
1028. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the mechanism by which a family can secure a wheelchair for a child (details supplied) who was involved in a car crash. [37928/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1029. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if the cost of the drug Ozempic will be refunded under the drugs payment scheme if it is prescribed by a doctor to prevent the development of diabetes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37935/22]
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 entitled to be registered under the Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme to enable them to obtain this product free of charge. The form can be downloaded at www2.hse.ie/file-library/long-term-illness/long-term-illness-schemeapplication-form.pdf.
The HSE advise that effective of 1st August 2020, reimbursement for Ozempic® (semaglutide) is confined to those persons with full GMS and LTI eligibility. Therefore reimbursement of Ozempic® is no longer available under the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS).
1030. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that thalidomide survivors will now receive lifetime funding from the Scottish Government; and if he will consider similar supports for thalidomide survivors in Ireland. [37938/22]
View answerThe Government is committed to continue to provide survivors of thalidomide with the necessary health supports to meet their related needs.
Since 1975, Irish survivors of thalidomide have been in receipt of monthly payments for life from the Irish State. The range of supports provided by the Irish State to each Irish survivor also include a medical card on an administrative basis regardless of means, which includes access to a full range of primary care, hospital and personal social services, provision of appliances, artificial limbs, equipment and housing adaptations. There is a designated senior manager in the Health Service Executive who liaises with Irish thalidomide survivors and assists them to access supports towards their ongoing health and personal social service needs.
Work is underway in the Department to provide these health and personal social supports on a statutory footing as committed to by the Government.
1031. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1556 of 14 June 2022, if he will ensure that a facility (details supplied) receives funding to extend its property in the 2023 HSE estimates process; when a decision is likely on projects included in same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37948/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1032. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with diabetes who required in-hospital treatment for foot complications and lower-limb amputations in University Hospital Waterford over the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37949/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1033. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with diabetes who required in hospital treatment for foot complications and lower-limb amputations in St. Luke's General Hospital over the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37951/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1034. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with diabetes who required in hospital treatment for foot complications and lower-limb amputations in South Tipperary Hospital over the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37952/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1035. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health the updated status of the vascular surgical consultant position at University Hospital Waterford (details supplied); if this post has been recognised and approved by the Consultant Applications Advisory Committee; if not, the status of any such application required from the South West Hospital Group management to the Committee; the timeline for such an application; if the post has been approved; the timelines that are envisaged for filling the post; the status of the interview panel being put in place and the requisite advertising of the position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37953/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1036. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health the advertising, if any, to date that has taken place with respect to filling the vascular surgery post at University Hospital Waterford (details supplied); if he will provide a copy of the job specification as advertised or that will be advertised on foot of approval by the Consultant Applications Advisory Committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37954/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1037. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health when the Minister of State with special responsibility for disability will meet a person (details supplied), as committed to by her officials on 22 March 2022. [37961/22]
View answerAwaiting reply from the Department.
1038. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Health the number of fully crewed ambulances operating by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37967/22]
View answer1039. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Health the average ambulance waiting time per county, in tabular form. [37968/22]
View answer1040. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Health the number of fully crewed ambulances operating in County Wexford from 2012 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37969/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1038 to 1040, inclusive, together.
As these are service matters I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
