Written Answers Nos. 160-168
160. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in determination of an application for a medical card in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39562/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
161. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the retention fee for nurses to remain on the register with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland; the amount the fee will cost in 2015; his views that this fee is justified and fair at the current rate; if he will consider reducing the rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39582/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraA new Nurses and Midwives Act was passed into legislation in 2011. The Act provides, inter alia, for the protection of the public in its dealings with nurses and midwives and the enhancement of their high standards of professional education and competencies. The Department of Health is responsible for oversight of the governance of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). The Department has no role in setting or approving registration fees.
The Board is an independent body, answerable to the Oireachtas, with the responsibility to ensure that it has the financial capacity to undertake all its legal obligations. The cost of enacting the additional requirements under the Nurses and Midwives Act 2014 was set out in the Regulatory Impact Analysis that was carried out prior to the enactment of the legislation. These costs include an enhanced regulatory process with supporting systems for continued professional development and certain education and training requirements for the professions.
It was also made clear at the time of the legislation that the Board would continue to be self-funding and needed to plan and cost how it would fulfil its legal obligations. Following detailed negotiations with the Executive and Board members in 2013 it was agreed in October 2013 that an initial once-off sum of €1.6 million would be granted by the Department to the Board to cover 2013/2014 costs, but that the Board would have to increase its income in 2015 to undertake its commitments in the legislation. The Board of the NMBI made the decision to increase the annual registration fee at its meeting on 17th September, 2014. A helpline, email address and website information page have been made available by the NMBI to provide clarification for registrants who may have queries on this matter.
162. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if a decision has been made by the Health Service Executive to include the drug Eculizumab in the community drugs scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39583/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe decisions made on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer, are not political or ministerial decisions. These are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and often on the advice of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE).
The HSE received an application for the inclusion of Eculizumab in the community drugs schemes. The application was considered in line with the procedures and timescales agreed in 2012 by my Department and the HSE with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA). In accordance with these procedures, the NCPE conducted a pharmacoeconomic evaluation of Eculizumab and concluded that, at a total cost per patient per year of €437,247 and a cumulative gross budget impact over 5 years estimated at €33 million, the therapy did not represent value for money for the treatment of patients in the Irish healthcare setting. In addition, the manufacturer did not include an economic model as part of their submission and failed to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of this therapy. Consequently, the NCPE was unable to recommend reimbursement of the product under the community drug schemes. The report is available on the NCPE's website www.ncpe.ie.
Many countries have struggled to accept the pricing point put forward by Alexion. The HSE continues to try to engage with the pharmaceutical company to arrive at a pricing point that would assist it in its efforts to fund this medicine for as many patients as possible. The HSE has sought to meet the company again in October but Alexion are unavailable to meet this month. The current Irish list price of €4,557.50 per vial substantially exceeds the list price in the UK (£3,150 sterling).
I would like to assure the Deputy that the Department, and the HSE, fully understand the concerns of patients regarding the availability of this drug. While I appreciate that some may take the view that the taxpayer should reimburse every licensed medicine for whatever the price the drug company demands, I hope the Deputy will appreciate that the better interests of the health service require that we reimburse only the most effective medicines and only at a fair price.
163. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a hospital appointment in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39589/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the particular patient query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to him directly.
164. Deputy Derek Keating asked the Minister for Health the reason an application for a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied), was assessed on net income but when calculating for the over 70 medical card, gross income was assessed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39592/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
165. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if a discretionary medical card will be returned in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 13 under the guidelines announced in May 2014 following the card having been withdrawn in March 2012 [39594/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
166. Deputy Eamon Gilmore asked the Minister for Health if an adult suffering from chronic schizophrenia and diabetes, and who suffered from poliomyelitis as a child would qualify for the long-term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39613/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act, 1970 (as amended). Regulations were made in 1971, 1973 and 1975 specifying the conditions covered by the LTI Scheme, which are as follows: Acute Leukaemia; Mental handicap; Cerebral Palsy; Mental Illness (in a person under 16); Cystic Fibrosis; Multiple Sclerosis; Diabetes Insipidus; Muscular Dystrophies; Diabetes Mellitus; Parkinsonism; Epilepsy; Phenylketonuria; Haemophilia; Spina Bifida; Hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide.
If an individual is suffering from one or more of these conditions he/she can apply to their local health office for admission to the long-term illness scheme. Once eligible they are issued with a long-term illness book which lists the drugs and medicines for the treatment of their condition.
167. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the measures he has taken and will be taking to prevent an outbreak of Ebola in Ireland; his views that this very serious contagious disease is being given the priority it deserves; and the assistance he and the Government are providing to the Governments of West Africa to contain and eliminate the disease [39630/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra171. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if the Irish health service is prepared for an outbreak of Ebola; if so, the plans in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39661/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 167 and 171 together.
The Management of Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers in Ireland (VHF) of which Ebola is one form is the national guidelines for the management of any case of VHF, including Ebola, in Ireland. They were published by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) in 2012. Parts of this guidance have been updated in light of the recent Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa.
The key elements to the guidelines include:
- the need for vigilance in considering the possibility of VHF in a person with a fever who has recently returned (within 21 days) from travel to an endemic area;
- the institution of appropriate infection control measures if a case is suspected;
- rapid testing and diagnosis of the case; and
- the management of his/her contacts.
Given appropriate infection control measures, an outbreak with extensive community transmission is extremely unlikely.
Following the declaration of the Ebola outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 8 August 2014, a number of additional actions in relation to guidance, communications and transport were put in place, beyond those already in existence.
Extensive guidance together with appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is available for hospital clinicians, paramedical staff, general practitioners and other healthcare workers, to enable rapid identification of suspected Ebola patients, in other settings, and their urgent management. There is also extensive guidance on the necessary steps that staff must take to ensure that they protect themselves and other patients.
Healthcare staff in the National Isolation Unit (NIU) and hospitals around the country have received information and advice on identification and management of EVD. In addition, staff in the NIU have received specific training in the use of the appropriate PPE to be used in the management of a suspected EVD patient.
Advice for airport and port managers that had been developed was circulated to all relevant stakeholders. This information was posted on the HPSC website. The guidance document, Update for Airport Managers and Airlines on Ebola Virus Disease was posted on 22 August 2014 and the guidance document Update for Port Managers and Ferry Companies on Ebola Virus Disease was posted on 5 September 2014.
Posters (in English, French and Irish) - Returning from West Africa? Important information about Ebola – were printed and distributed to all Airports and the main designated Seaports. They have been placed in prominent positions in full line of sight of all arriving passengers/crews in the arrivals areas of these locations.
My colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade has responsibility for overseas development. Ireland's total contribution to the Ebola response, through a range of different supports, stands at €2.5 million. This includes €1.1 million for International Medical Corps (IMC) to scale up treatment facilities in both Liberia and Sierra Leone and €1 million for organisations working directly on the Ebola response in Sierra Leone and Liberia, including Concern Worldwide, Goal, World Vision Ireland and UNICEF. It includes 42 tonnes worth of practical equipment which Irish Aid has dispatched through its Rapid Response Initiative.
My Department continues to work closely with the HSE, the WHO, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the EU Commission, Member States and other partners.
168. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when a medical card will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39651/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
