Written Answers Nos. 1791-1806
1791. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health the number of follow-up calls that have arisen from the 50808 text helpline broken down over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40432/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1792. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the number of vacant public health nurse posts in Dublin at present; if he intends to fill these posts as a matter of urgency; if he will be making more resources available to allow public health nurses carry out the important role of childhood developmental checks for babies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40444/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1793. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health when the national review of cardiac services being conducted by a person (details supplied) will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40479/22]
View answerThe National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services commenced in January 2018 under the Chairmanship of Professor Phillip Nolan and a Steering Group formed from nominations of interested stakeholders representing medical, professional/technical staff, nursing and patient representatives.
The aim of the Cardiac Services Review is to achieve optimal patient outcomes at population level with particular emphasis on the safety, quality and sustainability of the services that patients receive, by establishing the need for an optimal configuration of a national adult cardiac service. This aligns with the Sláintecare reform programme. In terms of scope, the National Review covers scheduled and unscheduled hospital-based services for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease in adults.
The COVID-19 Pandemic impacted on the progress of the review during 2020 and into 2021 as the Chair of the Cardiac Services Review has played a key role in the national COVID-19 response.
Substantial progress has been made on the National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services since the Steering Group reconvened in September 2021 and it is currently in its concluding stages. The Steering Group met most recently in May and is due to meet again in August with a view to completing the recommendations and draft Report.
1794. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the actions that have been undertaken by his Department to participate with other European Union member states in the prevention and detection of cardiovascular disease in the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40480/22]
View answerIrish cardiovascular health policy is shaped by the European Heart Health Charter and highlights the need to work through the lifespan from childhood to promote and protect cardiovascular health. The Department of Health’s Changing Cardiovascular Health: Cardiovascular Health Policy 2010-2019 established a framework for the prevention, detection and management of cardiovascular to reduce the future burden of cardiovascular disease.
The current EU approach to the challenge of cardiovascular disease as a Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) involves an integrated response focusing on prevention across sectors and policy fields, combined with efforts to strengthen health systems. In June 2022. the European Commission launched a new Healthier Together EU Non-communicable diseases initiative to support EU countries in reducing the burden of NCDs, focusing on 5 key action areas which includes cardiovascular diseases. While focusing on promotion and prevention, this initiative will support better knowledge and data, screening and early detection, diagnosis and treatment management, and quality of life of patients. Support will focus on implementation, helping EU countries to transfer best practices, develop guidelines, roll out innovative approaches. Yet very little of the EU budget is presently being spent on prevention, which is something the initiative seeks to change. This is why 30% of the EU4Health budget is allocated to health promotion and disease prevention.
In 2018, National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services was established by the then Minister for Health to review the delivery of cardiac services nationally. The evidenced based review seeks to achieve optimal patient outcomes at population level with particular emphasis on the safety, quality and sustainability of the cardiac services that patients receive. Moreover, the review considers the delivery of cardiac services nationally with a focus on the current cardiovascular disease prevention, detection and treatments of cardiovascular diseases and how they align with international best practice guidelines.
Substantial progress has been made on the National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services and it is currently in its concluding stages. The Steering Group met most recently in May and is due to meet again in August where recommendations will be finalised to achieve the aims set out above.
It is important to note, I am aware, population level approaches to cardiovascular prevention centre around upstream measures requiring broad public-health interventions targeting lifestyle and promoting monitoring of cardiovascular diseases. Healthy Ireland, A Framework for Improved Health and Well-being 2013-2025, a cross government well-being policy, lays the foundations to improve the health and well-being of our nation over the coming generation. It gives significant emphasis to improving well-being across the life course, addressing key lifestyle challenges, health inequalities and the wider determinants of health. The Healthy Ireland Framework is further supported by the Sláintecare Implementation Strategy and Action Plan 2021- 2023 and the Healthy Ireland Strategic Action Plan 2021-2025.
1795. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if he will introduce a national screening programme for those over the age of 65 years to identify those most at risk of structural heart disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40481/22]
View answerI am fully committed to supporting our population screening programmes which are a valuable part of our health service, enabling early treatment and care for many people, and improving the overall health of our population.
It is important to be aware that any decisions about changes to our national screening programmes, or the introduction of new programmes, such as screening for structural heart disease, will be made on the advice of our National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC). This independent expert group considers and assesses evidence in a robust and transparent manner, and against internationally accepted criteria. It is important we have rigorous processes in place to ensure our screening programmes are effective, quality assured and operating to safe standards, and that the benefits of screening outweigh the harms.
It may be of interest to note that the NSAC held its first 'Annual Call’ in 2021, which gave the public an opportunity to suggest new screening programmes or modifications to existing ones and the Committee are currently reviewing the submissions received. I will be guided by their advice to ensure Ireland’s population-based screening programmes continue to evolve in line with new evidence and developments.
It is important to remember that population-based screening programmes are for healthy people without symptoms. If anyone becomes aware of symptoms, or if they have concerns or worries, they should contact their GP who will arrange appropriate follow-up care.
To note, the National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services commenced in January 2018 under the Chairmanship of Professor Philip Nolan and a Steering Group formed from nominations of interested stakeholders representing medical, professional/technical staff, nursing and patient representatives.
The aim of the Cardiac Services Review is to achieve optimal patient outcomes at population level with particular emphasis on the safety, quality and sustainability of the services that patients receive, by establishing the need for an optimal configuration of a national adult cardiac service. In terms of scope, the National Review covers scheduled and unscheduled hospital-based services for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease in adults which includes structural heart diseases.
The National Review of Specialist Cardiac Services is in the concluding stages and the Steering Group is currently working on the development of the proposed recommendations of the draft Report with the next meeting planned for late early August 2022. Any newly proposed heart disease screening recommendations resulting from the review will be subject to consideration and advice of NSAC.
1796. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that children who have eyesight issues and are entitled to an annual eye examination are being refused on the basis of lack of capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40484/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1797. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the reason that a person (details supplied) who was due to get abdominoplasty surgery under the National Treatment Purchase Fund has been informed that they can no longer get the procedure under the fund; the reason that this surgery is no longer available under the fund; the options that are available to this person to get the procedure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40516/22]
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.
1798. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Irish patients have to wait on average four months longer than their counterparts in the European Union to access new cancer medicines (details supplied); the work is underway in his Department to speed-up the current reimbursement process to enable priority access to medicines with high unmet need including cancers and rare-diseases, such as is occurring in France through an agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40517/22]
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.
Reimbursement is for licensed indications which have been granted market authorisation either by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or by the Health Products Regulatory Authority.
In line with the 2013 Health Act and the national framework agreed with industry, once a new medicine has received marketing authorisation, a company must submit an application to the HSE to have the product added to the reimbursement list.
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 final decision-making authority in the HSE is the HSE Executive Management Team (EMT). 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 Health Act.
As outlined in the Framework Agreement with industry on the pricing and supply of medicines, and in line with the 2013 Act, the HSE will decide, within 180 days of receiving a company’s pricing/reimbursement application (or a longer period if further information is sought from the company), whether to approve a new medicine for reimbursement.
The HSE must ensure that the best possible price is achieved for new medicines as these commitments often represent multimillion-euro investments over several years. This can lead to protracted commercial negotiations.
The fundamental challenge that applies to consideration of almost all new medicines in Ireland is their price and affordability in a budget-limited health service. However, the allocation of dedicated funding for new medicines has had a positive impact on the reimbursement of oncology and rare disease drugs.
The allocation of €50m for new medicines in 2021 enabled the HSE to approve 52 new medicines/expanded uses of existing medicines in 2021, 19 of which were for the treatment of rare diseases and 27 for cancer. Budget 2022 allocated a further €30m for new medicines this year which will provide access to new innovative medicines for patients, including those with rare diseases. To date 36 new medicines have been approved for reimbursement, 3 of which are for the treatment of rare diseases.
1799. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the employment of healthcare support assistants by the HSE (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40530/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1800. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if the HSE has plans to establish a second ambulance at Tuam Ambulance Base on a 24-hour, seven-day-per-week basis to meet the increased demand for ambulance services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40532/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1801. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure that all positions within the children's disability network teams are filled and that there are no staffing gaps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40536/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1802. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the status of establishing a new national medicines agency as per the commitment in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40539/22]
View answerThe Programme for Government includes a commitment to establish a National Medicines Agency.
The establishment of a National Medicines Agency would require a significant body of work to be undertaken, to map out an integrated pharmaceutical policy function for the Agency and to consider the resources necessary for its establishment.
That work has yet to commence and must be considered in the context of the Department of Health’s existing 2022 priorities.
1803. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in counties Roscommon and Galway, respectively who submitted an application for home care in 2021 and to date in 2022; the number of applications that were approved; the number of persons in the counties waiting for care; and the average waiting time that they have been waiting for home care. [40541/22]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1804. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the data which is recorded by his Department in respect of cancer diagnosis and treatment; the way that data informs policy; the number of persons in Ireland who were diagnosed with cancer in 2021; the number who were treated for cancer by HSE facilities in 2021; and the number of persons who were being treated for cancer in a HSE facility who died from the illness in 2021. [40543/22]
View answerThe National Cancer Registry Ireland (NCRI) is charged with collecting and classifying information on all cancer cases that occur in Ireland. The NCRI produces annual reports covering cancer incidence, mortality and survival.
NCRI data is used widely in the development of cancer services, service planning and in monitoring progress being made under the National Cancer Strategy. The NCRI Strategic Plan 2020-2022 sets out the high-level goals of the NCRI over three years. The strategic priorities for the NCRI, as laid out in the plan, cover Data Capture; Information Communication; and Organisational Development. The Strategic Plan focuses on increasing and optimising the uses of available data to drive improvements in cancer care for patients.
The most recent year for which the NCRI has published incident cancer case counts is for 2020. This data was published in its 2021 annual report, which is available at www.ncri.ie/sites/ncri/files/pubs/NCRI_Annual%20Report_2021.pdf. At the time of publication in December 2021, 21,906 cases of invasive cancer (excluding Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer) were registered for the year 2020. However, the full accurate data for 2020 will not be available until the NCRI has collected and verified all data. The NCRI has advised that it aims to publish updated incidence figures for 2020 and preliminary figures for 2021 before the end of 2022.
Neither the HSE's National Cancer Control Programme nor the NCRI collect information on the number of cancer patients who finish active treatment. This is as many cancer survivors require life-long, evidenced-based health care, whether preventive, general medical, psychosocial or care specific to their cancer diagnosis, meaning that their care can continue long after their primary treatment.
The NCRI compiles mortality figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and has advised that the most recent year for which figures are available is 2019. The NCRI normally publishes a moving 3-year annual average for stability and consistency. It estimates the annual average mortality figure for 2017-2019 at 9,644.
1806. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health his plans to extend free dental care to all children in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40555/22]
View answerSmile agus Sláinte, the National Oral Health Policy, which was published in April 2019 supports a preventive approach to oral healthcare. It includes proposals for the introduction of packages of care for children from birth to 16 years of age to be delivered by local dental practices.
The implementation of the policy by the HSE has been delayed because of the necessary concentration of resources to manage the Covid-19 pandemic. The timeframe for the delivery of the Policy is over 8 years by 2030 to align with the WHO Oral Health Strategy timeframe. Work is currently underway to design a framework to oversee implementation of the Policy.
