Written Answers Nos. 709-723
709. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will give due consideration to the provision of dedicated funding for a children's, adolescents and young adults (CAYA) specific psycho-oncology service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33647/23]
View answerThe National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 emphasises psycho-oncology services as a core part of complete cancer care and recommends the establishment of multi-disciplinary psycho-oncology teams in each designated cancer centre to deliver a comprehensive hospital-based clinical service.
A Clinical Lead for Psycho-Oncology was appointed in December 2018 to engage with the designated centres with a view to establishing these teams.
Funding was allocated to follow up on the outcomes of the National Survivorship Needs Assessment and to advance the development of psycho-oncology services.
The National Cancer Control Programme's (NCCP) Psycho-Oncology Programme includes two models of care:
• The Psycho-Oncology Model of Care which aims to provide a blueprint for cancer patients and their families about the psychological impact of cancer and to identify professional support for coping with cancer as well as the pathways to access this support both in cancer treatment centres as well as the community at any point in the cancer experience.
• The National Model of Care for Psycho-Oncology Services for Children, Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer (CAYA), which focuses on supporting children or young adults, as well as their families with the psychological impact of a cancer diagnosis. This Model of Care was launched by the NCCP and Children’s Health Ireland (CHI), Crumlin in May of this year.
The NCCP Psycho-Oncology Programmes have a number of key projects which are focused on implementing the National Cancer Strategy recommendations. These include:
• Development of Psycho-Oncology multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) in the 8 designated cancer centres and at CHI, Crumlin;
• The development of Psycho-Oncology services for Children, Adolescents and Young Adults at hospital and community level;
• Development of an integrated patient pathway, paying particular attention to the needs of the whole family.
Funding for current expenditure, including cancer services, is allocated on an annual (single-year) basis through the Estimates process with future levels of funding considered as part of the national estimates and budgetary process. Decisions on the funding of cancer services are being made in the context of the Estimates process for 2024.
710. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will ringfence dedicated funding for sustained, regular investment in clinical trials, research, and infrastructure to offer cancer patients the best chance of survival; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33648/23]
View answerIn recent years, my Department has made significant progress in improving clinical trial infrastructure. In an effort to improve transparency, streamline approval mechanisms, and provide a robust framework for ethical approval process for clinical trials, my Department established the National Office for National Research Ethics Committees (NREC). This office, which plays a critical role in providing expertise and guidance on research ethics, hosts three NRECs in key clinical trial areas of medical products, medical devices, and in vitro diagnostics. In line with Sláintecare, the Department has also invested in the expansion of an HSE research infrastructure across the Health Regions to promote an equitable national research service within the public health sector.
The Health Research Board (HRB), as the leading funder of health research in Ireland, has been driving the growth of clinical trials in Ireland and putting in place the supporting research infrastructure with the overall aim of facilitating clinical trials that can benefit patients, the healthcare system, and the economy. In 2021, the HRB Board approved a multi-year €21.6m investment in cancer trials in Ireland, comprising support for a National Cancer Clinical Trials Network and funding for six cancer trials groups. Additionally, the HRB manages the only dedicated funding stream (i.e., Definitive Interventions and Feasibility Awards, DIFA) for clinical trials and interventions in Ireland, which supports studies evaluating a full scale, definitive trial of an intervention to provide high quality evidence on the efficacy, effectiveness, cost, and broad impact of the intervention. To date the HRB has made a total investment of €32m across 45 studies. In 2022, the HRB opened a specific cancer stream with €3m available for cancer clinical trials and interventions in the DIFA scheme.
The majority of HRB funding schemes are open to cancer related research offering continuous funding opportunities for cancer research. A 2018 report published by the HRB, which examined funding awards across seven national funders, recognised for cancer related research:
• between 2011 and 2015 seven national funding agencies including the HRB reported investment of €89,719,795 in 354 awards in cancer-related research, which was the second-largest portion of overall national investment
• Cancer-related research accounts for 20.2% of all HRB funding commitments
• HRB was the primary national funder for cancer-related research (54% of total cancer-related research), with Science Foundation Ireland also being an important funder in this area (35%)
Ireland has entered into a number of key European partnerships and activities to help expand its clinical trial capacity. In 2018, the Government approved Ireland’s membership of the ECRIN-ERIC network (European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network - a European Research Infrastructure Consortium) to increase access for Irish patients to multi-national clinical trials. Recently, the Department has also entered into the Horizon Europe Cancer Mission and is progressing entry into the Horizon Europe Partnership on Personalized Medicine. Participation in each of these initiatives will support the expansion of resources required to improve Irish cancer research capacity.
Funding for current expenditure, including cancer research, is allocated on an annual (single-year) basis through the Estimates process with future levels of funding considered as part of the national estimates and budgetary process. Decisions on the funding of research are being made in the context of the Estimates process for 2024.
711. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the up-to-date position with regard to the recruitment and funding of all outstanding psycho-oncology service posts in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33650/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
712. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the steps he will take to ensure the roll-out of the National Cancer Information System (NCIS) to remaining designated cancer centres nationwide; if he will ringfence funding to ensure that this be designated a priority and resourced in full; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33651/23]
View answerThis Government’s commitment to the implementation of the National Cancer Strategy is evidenced by significant investment in recent years. New development funding of €20 million was allocated to cancer services in 2021 and a further €20 million was allocated in 2022.
The model of care for hospital cancer treatment is centred on eight Designated Cancer Centres serving a defined population and geographic area. The eight designated cancer centres are Beaumont Hospital, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, St. James’s Hospital, St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Cork University Hospital, University Hospital Waterford, University Hospital Limerick and University Hospital Galway.
The National Cancer Information System (NCIS) is a single national computerised system that records and stores information relevant to a patient’s health care. NCIS is currently being introduced on a phased basis to all public hospitals providing cancer services. The roll-out will take a number of years and remains a key objective for the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP). Additional sites have been identified for roll-out of NCIS in 2023.
NCIS is now live in eleven sites nationwide: Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown, South Infirmary Victoria Hospital, Letterkenny University Hospital, Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) Crumlin, Midlands Regional Hospital Tullamore, University Hospital Kerry, Beaumont Hospital, St James’s Hospital, Mayo University Hospital, Galway University Hospital and St Luke’s Hospital Rathgar.
Funding for current expenditure, including cancer services, is allocated on an annual (single-year) basis through the Estimates process with future levels of funding considered as part of the national estimates and budgetary process. Decisions on the funding of cancer services are being made in the context of the Estimates process for 2024.
713. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will give due consideration to the inclusion of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and other smoking cessation supports in the drug payment scheme, in light of the costs of smoking on the health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33652/23]
View answerThe Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the Community Drug Schemes, in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
The Stop Smoking National Clinical Guideline, published in 2022, recommends Varenicline alone or in combination with Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) as a first-line treatment, and a combination of two forms of NRT if Varenicline is not available. Bubropion and single forms of NRT are recommended as second-line treatments.
Varenicline and Bubropion are currently included under both the General Medical Services Scheme (GMS) and the Drug Payment Scheme (DPS).
NRT is available under the GMS Scheme and is also available over-the-counter in pharmacy and retail settings. In order to reduce barriers to access for NRT, VAT was removed from all non-oral forms of NRT from 1st January 2023.
In February 2023, the HSE rolled out free stop smoking medication, such as NRT, to anyone availing of the Stop Smoking Service.
My Department will continue to monitor the framework for access to stop smoking medication in view of the Clinical Guideline and our continuing commitment to achieve a Tobacco Free Ireland.
714. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the cost of the average medical card, including the direct cost to the general practitioner; a breakdown of the indirect cost, to include the cost of drugs and other schemes which the medical card permits exemption; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33675/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
715. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the reason there was a delay in sending an ambulance to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33686/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
716. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health to urgently review a cessation of service contract (details supplied) in respect of the distribution of incontinence wear in Drogheda and surrounds; if he will urgently seek transparency on the reasons for this cessation and seek assurances that service users will not be affected by any change of service provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33697/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
717. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE vacancies by job title in the Accident and Emergency Department of Portlaoise Regional Hospital; when will these vacancies be filled in tabular form. [33704/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
718. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the amount of revenue generated through parking charges at the public car-park within the Mater Hospital in the years of 2022 and to-date in 2023, in tabular form; and of the money generated how was it spent. [33705/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
719. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant paediatric ENT surgeons based at Sligo University Hospital in the years of 2022 and to -date in 2023, in tabular form. [33706/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
720. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of mental health services that are available in each primary care centre in the area of County Roscommon covered by CHO2; and if there are plans to expand the mental health services available at these centres. [33707/23]
View answerAccess to counselling supports and talk therapies is a key priority under Sharing the Vision, our national mental health policy. Under the oversight of HSE Primary Care, as of end Q1 2023, a Talk Therapies working group has finalised a synopsis for a position paper on a layered care service delivery model, incorporating subject matter expertise from primary and specialist mental health services, as well as from the community and voluntary sector. In parallel, this working group is in the process of completing a mapping of current talk therapy offerings alongside a review of recent evaluation reports into existing talk therapy services. The position paper will be informed by meaningful engagement with service users, family members and carers, as well as with service providers and talk therapy staff, and all other relevant stakeholders.
The Mental Health in Primary Care Specialist Group was stood up in June 2022, tasked with delivering a thematic set of policy recommendation relating to the development of mental health supports in primary care settings, including talk therapies, as well as with promoting a shared care between primary and specialist mental health services. The Specialist Group meets approximately every 4-6 weeks and has stood up two working groups focusing on enhanced access to talk therapies and shared care respectively, in order to ensure timely delivery of these critical policy recommendations. Work is progressing to finalise a shared care implementation plan and to scope a structured approach to meeting the physical health needs in primary care of those with severe and enduring mental illness, which will be informed by lived experience, as well as the experiences of staff, services and other key stakeholders.
The Counselling in Primary Care service was launched in 2013 and is available to adults with medical cards who are experiencing mild to moderate psychological and emotional difficulties, such as depression, anxiety, panic reactions, relationship problems, loss issues and stress.
In addition, more than €80m a year is provided by my Department to Section 38 and Section 39 agencies to provide mental health services to those who require them on behalf of the HSE.
To the extent that this question relates specifically to local services, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
721. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of children currently on the waiting list for hearing examinations in County Kerry by length of time waiting, in tabular form. [33708/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
722. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will set up a national ambition to reduce the number of neo-natal deaths. [33709/23]
View answerAs the National Women and Infants Health Programme leads on the management, organisation and delivery of maternity, gynaecological and neonatal services, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
723. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if the budget for medical aids and equipment for children is ring-fenced within CHO9; if he will provide figures on the breakdown of difference types of aids/equipment, for example wheelchairs and walkers provided in CHO9 between 1 January 2022 and 30 June 2023. [33710/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
