Mark Ward
Question:667. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if there are national standards for assessing ADHD; if so, if these are applied in each CHO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29381/23]
View answerDisabilities Assessments
Questions (667)
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.
Disability Services
Questions (668)
Mark Ward
Question:668. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health for an update on the work carried out by the Changing Lives Initiative to date; the plans that are in place for the further roll-out of the Changing Lives Initiative; what funding is available; what steps are being taken to secure additional funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29382/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Disabilities Assessments
Questions (669)
Mark Ward
Question:669. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of young people on CAMHS waiting lists who are waiting on an ADHD assessment, by CHO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29383/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (670)
Mark Ward
Question:670. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of people on CAMHS waiting lists by CHO and length of wait for May 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29384/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Question No. 671 answered with Question No. 640.
Health Services
Questions (672, 673)
John Brady
Question:672. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to analysis conducted (details supplied) which shows that Ireland is slipping down the rankings when it comes to the number of diseases screened for in the heelprick test when compared to European counterparts, falling from 21st place last year, to 23rd place; if he is aware that, despite his announcement in January that severe combined immunodeficiency is to be included in the heelprick test, no babies have yet been screened for this disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29403/23]
View answerJohn Brady
Question:673. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health when parents in Ireland can expect to have their babies screened for severe combined immunodeficiency disease as part of the heelprick test, given his announcement that it is to be included in January of this year; the other diseases that use the same T-cell receptor excision circle screening and may be added to the newborn screening programme easily as a result; the resources that the HSE has requested from his Department in order to implement this new screening methodology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29404/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 672 and 673 together.
The expansion of the National Newborn Bloodspot (NBS) Programme is a priority for me, and the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) has been progressing work on this expansion.
In January 2023, I approved a recommendation from the Committee for the addition of T-cell receptor excision circle (TREC)-based screening for all types of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) to the NBS programme. The Committee made its recommendation to me based on their consideration of a comprehensive Health Technology Assessment report from HIQA.
The HSE is now undertaking an extensive body of work to prepare for implementation. Provision for this addition will be included in the relevant HSE service planning processes in line with HSE budgeting procedures.
Therefore, as your additional queries raised relate to implementation, these are a service matter and have been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to you.
As you may be aware, any decisions about further changes or expansion of cancer screening will be made on the advice of the 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. As you will appreciate, these are lengthy and complex processes.
Ireland is not taking longer than other countries to assess and implement additions to the newborn bloodspot screening programme and patient advocates and clinicians are involved in these processes. While I accept that we currently screen fewer than many European countries, we now have the processes underway to safely accelerate expansion over the next few years.
The expansion of newborn bloodspot screening is being continually reviewed across Europe where the number of conditions screened for varies significantly. For example, the UK currently screens for a similar number of conditions (nine) as Ireland.
I look forward to receiving further recommendations from the Committee, and I wish to assure you that I remain committed to the further expansion of screening in Ireland in accordance with internationally accepted criteria and best practice.
Question No. 673 answered with Question No. 672.
Medicinal Products
Questions (674)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:674. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if his Department or the HSE has plans to fund the drug, dupilumab which is used to treat a form of asthma, under the reimbursement scheme; if so, when; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29408/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Health Service Executive (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.
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). There are formal processes which govern applications for the pricing and reimbursement of medicines, and new uses of existing medicines, to be funded and/or reimbursed.
In terms of the specific details of the application for pricing and reimbursement of Dupilumab (Dupixent®):
The HSE received an application for pricing / reimbursement for Dupilumab (Dupixent®) on the 10th December 2021 from Sanofi (the applicant) indicated for adults and adolescents 12 years and older as add-on maintenance treatment for severe asthma with type 2 inflammation characterised by raised blood eosinophils and/or raised fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), who are inadequately controlled with high dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) plus another medicinal product for maintenance treatment.
• The first step in the process is the submission of a Rapid Review dossier (a clinical and economic dossier) to the National Centre for Phamacoeconomics (NCPE) for assessment. The HSE commissioned the Rapid Review process on the 13th December 2021.
• The NCPE Rapid Review assessment report was received by the HSE on the 8th February 2022. The NCPE advised the HSE that a full HTA was not recommended and that Dupilumab (Dupixent®) not be considered for reimbursement at the submitted price. (www.ncpe.ie/dupilumab-dupixent-for-severe-asthma-hta-id-21063/)
• The HSE Corporate Pharmaceutical Unit (CPU) is the interface between the HSE and the Pharmaceutical Industry in relation to medicine pricing and reimbursement applications. CPU met with Sanofi in relation to their application for Dupilumab (Dupixent®) indicated for adults and adolescents 12 years and older as add-on maintenance treatment for severe asthma with type 2 inflammation characterised by raised blood eosinophils and/or raised fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), who are inadequately controlled with high dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) plus another medicinal product for maintenance treatment.
• The Drugs Group is the national committee which the HSE has in place to make recommendations on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines. The membership of the HSE Drugs Group includes public interest members. The totality of clinical and economic evidence for Dupilumab (Dupixent®) was comprehensively and extensively reviewed by the Drugs Group at the October 2022 meeting. The Group recommended in favour of reimbursement of Dupilumab (Dupilumab®) in this indication, subject to the establishment of a HSE managed access protocol (MAP).
• The decision making authority in the HSE is the HSE Executive Management Team. The HSE Executive Management Team decides on the basis of all the demands it is faced with (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 Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. The HSE EMT supported reimbursement of Dupilumab (Dupixent®) indicated for adults and adolescents 12 years and older as add-on maintenance treatment for severe asthma with type 2 inflammation characterised by raised blood eosinophils and/or raised fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), who are inadequately controlled with high dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) plus another medicinal product for maintenance treatment subject to a managed access protocol being implemented.
• As a condition of reimbursement, an individual patient approval system will be put in place by the HSE, to enable reimbursement for patients who meet the pre-defined criteria as per a HSE devised managed access protocol. The processes necessary to implement this required managed access protocol are currently being developed by the HSE.
The HSE cannot comment on the specific timeline for the HSE approval to be formalised while processes that involve a number of stakeholders and certain service development requirements to implement the managed access protocol are ongoing.
Question No. 675 answered with Question No. 566.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (676)
Robert Troy
Question:676. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an appointment for a hip replacement surgery for a person (details supplied) through the national treatment purchase fund. [29422/23]
View answerWritten answers
The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) works with public hospitals, as opposed to with patients directly, to offer and provide the funding for treatment to clinically suitable long waiting patients who are on an inpatient/day case waiting list for surgery, having been referred on to such a list following clinical assessment by a consultant/specialist at an outpatient clinic.
The key criteria of the NTPF is the prioritisation of the longest waiting patients first. While the NTPF identifies patients eligible for NTPF treatment, it is solely on the basis of their time spent on the Inpatient/Daycase Waiting List. The clinical suitability of the patient to avail of NTPF funded treatment is determined by the public hospital.
Under 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.
Health Services Staff
Questions (677)
Paul Donnelly
Question:677. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE emergency nurses working in each of the three children's emergency departments within Dublin in the years of 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [29434/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is an operational matter for the Health Service Executive, the HSE has been asked to reply directly to the Deputy.
Health Services Staff
Questions (678)
Paul Donnelly
Question:678. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE staff, by job title, working in the eating disorder teams based in CHO7 and CHO9; the number of WTE vacancies, by job title, in each of these teams; and when each of these vacancies will be filled, in tabular form. [29435/23]
View answerWritten 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 Procedures
Questions (679)
Paul Donnelly
Question:679. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of laparoscopic gastric bypass surgeries performed at St. Vincent's University Hospital in 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [29436/23]
View answerWritten 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 Closures
Questions (680)
Mattie McGrath
Question:680. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health to outline how donors to St. Brigid's District Hospital Carrick-on-Suir can claim their money back after the hospital was closed in 2020. [29444/23]
View answer
Awaiting reply from Department.
Health Services
Questions (681)
Duncan Smith
Question:681. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health how much each section 38 and 39 organisation receives from the HSE per hour to fund personal assistant services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29454/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Question No. 682 answered with Question No. 566.