James Lawless
Question:581. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health to examine an issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17388/24]
View answerHealth Services
Questions (581)
Written answers
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for pricing and reimbursement decisions under the community drug schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
The HSE advise that the following pain relief patches are currently available on the reimbursement list:
• Durogesic DTrans Transdermal patches
• Fental Matrix Transdermal patches
• Matrifen Transdermal patches
• Fentadur Transdermal patches
• Butrans Transdermal patches
• Versatis plasters (subject to a managed access system, indicated for post-herpetic neuralgia)
Patients prescribed Versatis plasters are reviewed by the Medicines Management Programme (MMP) for reimbursement approval, on foot of an application by the patient’s clinician, through the HSE online system.
In exceptional circumstances, Versatis plasters may be approved for supply for unlicensed uses. If an application is refused, the clinician may make an appeal to the MMP by email, making a clear clinical case for the patient.
This process ensures that post-shingles patients, and other patients as clinically appropriate, can continue to have this specific treatment.
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 HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Questions (582)
Sorca Clarke
Question:582. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time to see a consultant paediatric ophthalmologist at CHI Temple Street. [17409/24]
View answerWritten answers
It is acknowledged that many patients still must wait too long for hospital appointments and treatments.
As part of the multi-annual approach to reducing waiting lists, and just as importantly the length of time that patients are waiting, I published the 2024 Waiting List Action Plan on 27th March. Total funding of €360 million has been provided for the plan this year which sets out 19 Actions across three themes: Delivering Capacity, Reforming Scheduled Care and Enabling Scheduled Care Reform.
The Waiting List Action Plan, multi-annual approach, initiated in 2021, encompasses a two-pronged approach of short-term actions to increase capacity and activity in the short to immediate term, and longer-term reform measures to sustainably reduce and reform hospital waiting lists and waiting times.
The 2024 Plan builds on the work of previous plans which have achieved significant progress in overall waiting list reduction and in addressing long waiting times, against a backdrop of significantly increased demand for scheduled care services. This year’s plan aims to achieve a reduction in the overall number of patients on waiting lists while three of the four overarching targets in the Plan are specifically focused on improving waiting times.
With regard to the information requested by the Deputy, the NTPF has advised that the health system does not collect the data necessary to calculate true average wait times. In particular, the time to treatment of patients who have already received their care is not collected. The NTPF collects data on patients currently on the waiting list. The average waiting time to see a consultant paediatric ophthalmologist at CHI Temple Street is provided in the tables.
|
Outpatient waiting list, Paediatric Ophthalmology CHI Temple Street, by time band as of 28/03/2024 |
|||||
|
Time Bands (Months) |
0-6 Mths |
6-12 Mths |
12-18 Mths |
SmallVol TimeBands |
Grand Total |
|
CHI at Temple St |
418 |
200 |
49 |
1 |
668 |
|
Grand Total |
418 |
200 |
49 |
1 |
668 |
|
Average wait time to see a Consultant Paediatric Ophthalmologist at CHI Temple Street as of 28/03/2024 |
|||
|
Hospital |
Specialty |
Mean Wait(Days) |
Median Wait(Days) |
|
CHI at Temple St |
Ophthalmology (Paed) |
153 |
124.5 |
The health system does not collect the data necessary to calculate average wait times. In particular, the time to treatment of patients who have already received their care is not collected. The NTPF collects data on patients currently on the waiting list and the average time that these patients have been waiting is provided here.
Hospital Facilities
Questions (583)
Sorca Clarke
Question:583. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the nature of refurbishment works that were carried out at Mullingar Regional Hospital in the years 2022 and 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [17410/24]
View answerWritten answers
As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
Health Services
Questions (584)
Sorca Clarke
Question:584. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health how the €1.4 million new development funding in 2024 for the expansion of the newborn bloodspot screening will be spent. [17411/24]
View answerWritten answers
The expansion of the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening (NBS) Programme continues to remain a key objective of mine as Minister for Health, and I am pleased to note that the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) has been actively progressing work in this regard.
NSAC is an independent expert group that considers and assesses evidence in a robust and transparent manner, and against internationally accepted criteria. It is important that we have rigorous processes in place to ensure our screening programmes are effective, quality assured, validated and operating to safe standards, and that the benefits of screening outweigh the harms.
Significant progress continues to be made on the expansion of the NBS Programme under this Government. As the Deputy will be aware, in November 2023, I endorsed the recommendation from NSAC on the addition and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) to the NBS programme. This was in addition to Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) and January 2023 and will bring the number of conditions screened for as part of what is commonly known as the ‘heel prick’ test in Ireland to 11, once the implemented, representing a 37% increase over the lifetime of this Government.
In February of this year, I was pleased to allocate €1.4m of new development funding in 2024 to support the expansion of the NBS programme. This funding will allow for the rollout of testing for both SCID and SMA in 2024 and represents a significant increase in a single year. The announcement further demonstrates my ongoing commitment to reducing the impact of these rare but serious diseases in children and infants. This investment will be crucial to providing additional funds for new equipment, recruitment of additional staff and training to facilitate addition of new conditions to NBS programme.
I am glad to confirm that work commenced at the start of this year between officials in my Department and the HSE National Children’s Screening Programme on implementing an ambitious timeline for the introduction of screening for SMA and SCID.
Hospital Staff
Questions (585)
Sorca Clarke
Question:585. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant urologists and urology registrars part of each hospital in the Ireland East Hospital Group in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [17413/24]
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.
Departmental Data
Questions (586)
Sorca Clarke
Question:586. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of births in the maternity unit of Mullingar Regional Hospital in the years 2022 and 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [17414/24]
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 Facilities
Questions (587)
Patrick Costello
Question:587. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if there are longer-term plans to bring the vacant units in Cherry Orchard Hospital back into use in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17427/24]
View answerWritten answers
As Minister for Mental Health and Older People I take the health and safety of residents in long-term residential care facilities very seriously. I will not ignore a directive from the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) stating that there is a fire and safety risk in any facility.
In May 2023, a HIQA inspection identified concerns in relation to the flooring in both the Sycamore and Willow Units at Cherry Orchard Hospital. These presented a significant potential health and safety risk. A subsequent HSE review indicated that the flooring has underlying structural issues which require immediate remedial work.
After due consideration by the HSE, the most expedient option is to close both Units and relocate the residents to Clondalkin Lodge, which is a private nursing home, on a temporary basis while the necessary structural works are completed. It is expected that the works will take a minimum of 12 months to complete.
The HSE are working closely with the residents and their families to ensure that the transfer of residents to an alternative nursing home causes as little distress and disruption as possible.
When these extensive remedial structural works are complete, all residents will move back to the Cherry Orchard site.
As your query in respect of the remaining units at Cherry Orchard Hospital relates to operational matters, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly, as soon as possible.
General Practitioner Services
Questions (588)
Joe McHugh
Question:588. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Health when the diagnostics for bloods will be reinstated for GPs in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17434/24]
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 Appointments Status
Questions (589)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:589. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if an appointment will be offered to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17440/24]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Hospital Appointments Status
Questions (590)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:590. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if a surgical procedure can be expedited, given the circumstances (details supplied). [17441/24]
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 or Outpatient waiting list.
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 a 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.
General Practitioner Services
Questions (591)
Michael Fitzmaurice
Question:591. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that approximately 15 retired GPs over the age of 72 unhesitatingly responded to the pleas of the HSE to remain in their posts, given the critical shortage of family doctors in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17445/24]
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.