Written Answers Nos. 121 - 141
121. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a cataract operation in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21152/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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.
The National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
122. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Health the current staffing levels in all the community hospitals in west Cork; his plans to recruit additional nursing staff and attendants in each of these hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21154/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the specific information sought. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform announced in Budget 2015 that he intends to delegate greater autonomy to Departments and Agencies to manage their own staffing levels. The change from the application of a rigid employment control framework, with its particular focus on a moratorium on recruitment and compliance with employment ceilings and targets, to one operating strictly within allocated pay frameworks will allow for recruitment where it is determined that this can achieve more economical service delivery. This delegation is currently subject to the finalisation of a Pay and Numbers Strategy by the HSE and approval of the Strategy by this Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
Although there had been a significant reduction in the number of nurses and midwives employees in the period between 2009 and 2013, numbers are now increasing. Between the end of 2013 and the end of 2014 nursing and midwifery numbers increased by 365. More importantly, the recruitment rate has accelerated, and an extra 493 nurses and midwives have been employed between December 2014 and March 2015. The HSE are actively recruiting nurses. A total of 1,986 nurses were interviewed in the past 10 weeks and 906 of these have started or are currently being appointed.
123. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Meath will receive an appointment for orthopaedic surgery at Cappagh Hospital, Dublin 11; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21160/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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.
The National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
124. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health his plans to enhance the regulation of counselling and psychotherapy services; his further plans to make it a requirement for practitioners to hold a minimum educational qualification in order to maintain industry standards; if consideration has been given to the benefit to the sector of introducing such regulation, particularly with regard to safeguarding the public; the consultation with industry professionals that is planned as part of introducing new regulations; the expected time frame as to when such regulation will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21162/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraPsychotherapists and counsellors are not currently regulated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005. However, the Act provides that the Minister for Health may, under section 4(2), designate a health and social care profession not already designated if he or she considers that it is in the public interest to do so and if specified criteria have been met.
My predecessor, Minister James Reilly T.D, wrote to the The Health and Social Care Professionals Council last year seeking advice on the question of specifically designating counsellors and psychotherapists under the 2005 Act.
A number of issues require clarification and there are varying views among the professional bodies representing counsellors and psychotherapists in Ireland. The main questions to be resolved include whether counselling and psychotherapy should be treated as one or two professions for the purposes of regulation, the title or titles of the profession(s) to be protected, and the minimum qualifications that would be required of applicants for registration. The readiness and compatibility of the professions for designation under the 2005 Act also need to be determined.
The Council's detailed report on the matter has now been received and is being carefully examined in the Department. The matter remains at an early stage of consideration and consultation with industry professionals and other stakeholders will be considered in due course.
125. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the current position in regard to the next stage of development at Naas General Hospital, County Kildare; when the relevant works will be undertaken and completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21182/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE is developing a substantial infrastructure project at Naas General Hospital which will deliver an endoscopy unit, an oncology unit and a physical medicine department. Therefore your question has been referred to the Executive to provide a progress update by direct reply.
If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office who will follow up.
126. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which extra nursing staff have been recruited at Naas General Hospital, County Kildare, as per previous indications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21183/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the specific information sought. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform announced in Budget 2015 that he intends to delegate greater autonomy to Departments and Agencies to manage their own staffing levels. The change from the application of a rigid employment control framework, with its particular focus on a moratorium on recruitment and compliance with employment ceilings and targets, to one operating strictly within allocated pay frameworks will allow for recruitment where it is determined that this can achieve more economical service delivery. This delegation is currently subject to the finalisation of a Pay and Numbers Strategy by the HSE and approval of the Strategy by this Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
Although there had been a significant reduction in the number of nurses and midwives employees in the period between 2009 and 2013, numbers are now increasing. Between the end of 2013 and the end of 2014 nursing and midwifery numbers increased by 365. More recently, the recruitment rate has accelerated, and an extra 493 nurses and midwives have been employed between December 2014 and March 2015. The HSE are actively recruiting nurses. A total of 1,986 nurses were interviewed in the past 10 weeks and 906 of these have started or are currently being appointed.
127. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which overcrowding at the accident and emergency unit in Naas General Hospital in County Kildare has been alleviated; if consideration continues to be provided to the re-activation of decommissioned existing space within the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21184/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
128. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the degree to which hospital staffing levels in the public sector compare with staffing levels in other jurisdictions throughout Europe, with particular reference to nursing and/or medical staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21185/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe OECD reports that on average across EU countries there were about eight nurses per 1,000 population in 2012. The number of registered nurses per capita was highest in Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. While registrations do not convert directly to numbers in employment, it has been estimated that Ireland has 9.22 working nurses per 1,000. Though numbers in employment fell between 2008 and 2013, given the recruitment embargo, numbers employed have increased in the last year and a half and continue to do so.
It is Government policy to move to a consultant delivered service. While the ratio of consultants to patients is lower in Ireland than in other countries, reflecting a historical low base, significant progress has been achieved. There has been a large increase in the number of consultants since the establishment of the HSE, the number having increased by 737 from the end of 2004 to the end of March 2015 (1,905 to 2,642 - Whole Time Equivalents). There are some specialties in which there are international shortages and which have been traditionally difficult to fill. This means that progress in improving the ratios is more difficult. Shortages in specialties such as emergency medicine, anaesthesia and psychiatry are a worldwide phenomenon and not specific to the Irish health services.
The number of NCHDs has also increased significantly in the past decade, reflecting service demands and ongoing efforts to achieve full compliance with the requirements of the European Working Time Directive. From 1 January 2005 to 30 April 2015 the number increased from 4208 to 5,280, and increase of 1,072.
The HSE is actively pursuing the recruitment of additional nurses, consultants and NCHDs at present to fill vacant posts.
129. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which the total number of patients on waiting lists for various procedures throughout the public hospital sector has been identified; the degree to which cases are being dealt with on a weekly basis; the number of new or extra patients seeking procedures each week; when the numbers may decline arising from provisions being made to deal with the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21186/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
130. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to ensure strict adherence to health and safety standards throughout the public hospital sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21187/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn June 2012 the HIQA National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare were approved by the previous Minister for Health. The National Standards are aimed at protecting patients and they provide a strategic approach to improving safety, quality and reliability in our health services. They describe high quality safe healthcare services. Such services deliver care which is safe, effective, person centred and which promotes better health for service users. The National Standards also describe what capacity and capability factors service providers require to implement these standards. Service providers, including the private (independent) service providers, can use the National Standards as a framework to organise, manage and deliver their services safely. It is envisaged that the proposals being developed for the licensing of healthcare providers will be based on key concepts within the National Standards.
HIQA continues to monitor the quality and safety of healthcare service with the National Standards through the delivery of a programme of thematic monitoring reviews based on identified priorities and consultation with stakeholders. HIQA also carries out a programme of announced and unannounced infection prevention and hygiene inspections in hospitals in line with the National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections.
The National Clinical Effectiveness Committee (NCEC) was established in 2010. Clinical effectiveness is a key component of patient safety and quality. The integration of national and international best available evidence in service provision through utilisation of clinical effectiveness processes promotes healthcare that is up to date, effective and consistent.
Clinical effectiveness incorporates the utilisation of quality assured National Clinical Guidelines, National Clinical Audit and general clinical practice guidance. This is a quality improvement approach which promotes cost-effective healthcare that is evidence-based, with subsequent improved clinical decision-making and clinical outcomes. Clinical effectiveness will underpin the models of care for the HSE's national clinical programmes.
To date, the NCEC has quality assured 6 National Clinical Guidelines which have been endorsed by respective Ministers and mandated for implementation in the Irish health system. These include:
1. National Early Warning Score (NEWS);
2. Prevention and Control of MRSA;
3. Clostridium difficile;
4. Irish Maternity Early Warning System ( IMEWS);
5. Clinical Handover in Maternity Service; and
6. Sepsis Management.
Their implementation will be monitored through the HSE Assurance Reports, compliance with HIQA's National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare and increased alignment with the Clinical Indemnity Scheme.
131. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the reason nursing numbers have decreased more significantly than other categories of staff in the public hospital sector over the past six years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21188/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere was a requirement to reduce public service numbers and maximise savings in the public service from the time of the downturn in the economy. The HSE introduced an embargo on recruitment in 2007, and this was followed by the moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the public sector in 2008. Overall, numbers employed fell by 11,000 between April 2009 and April 2015, while nursing numbers fell by over 3,500 in the same period. Nursing staff account for approximately one third of the workforce, it is the biggest staff category, and consequently has experienced a greater reduction in number terms than other categories.
Although there was a significant reduction in the number of nurses and midwives up to the end of 2013, the position is now improving. Between the end of 2013 and the end of 2014 nursing and midwifery numbers increased by 365. The recruitment rate has accelerated, and an extra 493 nurses and midwives have been taken on between December 2014 and March 2015.
132. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which he may provide for extra step-down beds in the public sector, thereby alleviating overcrowding in public hospitals; the extent to which such provision has been matched to the level of overcrowding in the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21189/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra134. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which the private nursing home sector has been utilised in efforts to alleviate overcrowding in the public sector hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21191/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 134 together.
Delayed Discharges arise when a patient has been judged clinically to no longer have a requirement for acute hospital care but remains in an acute hospital bed, thus rendering that bed unavailable for patients who need admission. As of 19 May, there are 668 delayed discharges nationally, of whom 381 are in the Dublin Academic Teaching Hospitals. This compares to a high of 830 in December 2014.
In Budget 2015, €25m was provided to support services that provide alternative to, and relieve pressures on acute hospitals.
Of this €25m:
- €10m was used to provide an additional 300 places under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme reducing the waiting time from a peak of 17 weeks to 11 weeks;
- €8m was allocated to provide access to an additional 115 short-stay beds across the Dublin area;
- €5m was used to provide 400 additional Home Care Packages which will benefit 600 people in the course of the year; and
- €2m was used to expand the community intervention team services in primary care across Dublin and the surrounding region.
At the beginning of April 2015, it was announced that an additional €74m has been allocated to further tackle the on-going issue of delayed discharges, to reduce length of stay in hospitals and have faster assessment of patients in emergency departments.
Of this €74m:
- €44m has been allocated to the Nursing Homes Support Scheme which will provide 1,600 places and has already reduced the waiting time for approved applicants down to 4 weeks from 11 weeks in March; the numbers on the national placement list have reduced down to 565 as of the 19 May 2015.
- The remaining €30m will meet the cost of measures additional to those covered by the above €25m allocation which were needed because of the severity of the on-going pressures. This included the provision of 1,819 (at 1st April 2015) additional transitional care beds on a temporary basis. As a measure to address delayed discharges, 250 community care beds are to be opened up outside of acute hospitals on a permanent basis.
- 173 beds have been identified which can be opened on a short or long term basis and as a mix of short stay, rehab and long-term care.
As of 8 May, 110 of these beds are opened.
- 24 beds have been opened at Moorehall in Co. Louth.
- 65 beds are to be opened on a phased basis in Mount Carmel - as of 8 May 10 of these beds are opened.
The HSE is continuing to look at every possible options for alternative accommodation to address the issue of delayed discharges. Among the priority areas identified for the health sector is the commitment to "modernise health facilities". This includes pursuing alternative public/private options to provide new community nursing units.
The Department has commissioned a research project to identify and assess the various policy options available to Government to encourage the provision, including the upgrading and refurbishment of nursing home and community nursing unit facilities in areas where they are needed. This project is currently underway and is due for completion in July 2015.
133. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if an audit has been done of the various public hospitals or nursing homes to ascertain the extent to which overcrowding in public hospitals may be alleviated; if St. Brigid's Hospital, Crooksling, County Dublin, continues to play its part in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21190/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
135. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the total number of medical and surgical hospital beds currently available throughout the public sector; the extent to which this number has fluctuated in the past seven years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21192/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
136. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the current position in regard to the provision of the new children's hospital; the extent to which the necessary provision has been made to date in terms of forward planning, site preparation and utilisation of data available from previous proposals in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21193/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Paediatric Hospital Development Board is the statutory body responsible for planning, designing, building and equipping the new children's hospital. The new hospital will be co-located with St James's Hospital, and ultimately tri-located with a maternity hospital to be developed on campus. In addition to the main hospital, the project includes two satellite centres at the campuses of Tallaght and Connolly Hospitals.
Much of the work undertaken for the project on the Mater site was transferable to the project in its new location. This includes in particular development of activity projections and capacity requirements, development of functional requirements, and decisions on workflow, adjacency planning and logistics. This work has been built on in developing the preliminary Project Brief for the hospital on the St James's campus, which was approved in 2014 and which sets out details of the specialties to be provided and the planned accommodation.
Site surveys and investigations have been completed, decant plans are being progressed, and a design team is working on detailed design development with planning submission to be made in mid-2015. Subject to planning, work is scheduled to commence at the main site at St. James's, and at satellite centre sites at Connolly and Tallaght, in early 2016.
I hope this provides some clarification on the matter.
137. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the total number of children currently awaiting assessment for orthodontic treatment; the number currently awaiting treatment in respect of categories 1 and 2; the extent to which new patients are referred for treatment on a monthly basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21194/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE provides orthodontic treatment to those who have been assessed and referred for treatment before their 16th birthday. It should be noted that the nature of orthodontic care means that immediate treatment is not always desirable. It is estimated that in up to 5% of cases it is necessary to wait for further growth to take place before treatment commences. Patients are assessed by the HSE Orthodontic Service under the modified Index of Treatment Need. Patients with the greatest level of need i.e. Grade 5 or Grade 4 are provided with treatment by the HSE.
Waiting lists are compiled quarterly and for the intervals as shown. The most recent figures available relate to Quarter 1 of 2015. 5,653 patients were awaiting assessment. This compares with 6,003 for the same period last year. The number of patients awaiting treatment has risen from 15,697 in Quarter 1 2014 to 18,025 in Quarter 1 2015. Information on waiting times for treatment is as follows:
|
Waiting time from assessment to commencement of treatment |
1 - 6 months |
7 - 12 months |
13 - 24 months |
25-36 months |
37-48 months |
Over 48 months |
TOTAL |
|
Grade 4 |
1,326 |
1,523 |
2,715 |
2,024 |
1,371 |
873 |
9,832 |
|
Grade 5 |
1,694 |
1,727 |
2,588 |
1,505 |
551 |
128 |
8,193 |
|
TOTAL |
3,020 |
3,250 |
5,303 |
3,529 |
1,922 |
1,001 |
18,025 |
The HSE has established a pilot scheme in Dublin North East which will involve the use of orthodontic therapists in the treatment of a number of eligible children. Consideration will be given to expanding this Scheme to other HSE areas in the future. In addition to the services provided by HSE staff, orthodontic treatment for certain categories of misalignment will be provided by a panel of independent practitioners under contract to the HSE over the next three years. A national procurement process is being finalised. This initiative will especially focus on those waiting for 4 years or longer. It is expected that this initiative will commence later this year and will have a positive impact on waiting times.
138. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the degree to which the medical card application process may be streamlined or simplified, with a view to speeding up the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21195/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE is obliged to operate within the legal parameters as set out in the Health Act 1970 (as amended), which includes the overall financial situation of a person, while also having regard to the variety of circumstances and complexities faced by individuals who apply for a medical card. It aims to ensure that every person who is entitled to a medical card or a GP visit card is given the opportunity to avail of his or her entitlement which necessitates, in some cases, the provision of detailed personal and financial data and supporting documentation. In addition, the HSE routinely examines for indications of medical or social circumstances, which might result in undue financial hardship in arranging medical services, and may seek additional information. In exercising discretion, the HSE may grant eligibility for a medical card. If a more streamlined application process, which required less information from people, were to apply, it could result in a more simplified but less sensitive assessment process relative to an individual's circumstances.
Following on from the publication of the Report of the Expert Panel on Medical Need for Medical Card Eligibility and the Medical Card Process Review in November 2014, a range of actions were identified to improve the operation of the medical card system, particularly for people with significant medical needs.
A detailed programme of reform was drawn up by the HSE with short, medium and long-term actions to be addressed over the period 2015-2016. The HSE appointed a senior manager, at Assistant National Director level, with specific responsibility for Primary Care Schemes and Eligibility, to lead the reform. A Clinical Advisory Group was appointed to provide oversight and guidance to the operation of a more compassionate medical card system and will focus initially on the development of a framework for assessment and measurement of the burden of disease in this context. The Group will provide an interim update on its work in June.
The HSE has already implemented a number of short term and medium term processes identified in the programme of reform and work is underway on the longer term actions, some of which will be informed by the findings of the Clinical Advisory Group. I can advise the Deputy that the HSE has put arrangements in place for a more integrated and sensitive processing of medical card applications involving significant medical conditions with greater interaction between the central office regarding the assessment of a person’s eligibility and the local health office regarding the person’s medical condition and the services that they may require. The HSE has also appointed a senior manager to lead the reform of the systems for handling medical card application and reviews.
139. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which he remains satisfied that the child and adolescent psychiatric services remain adequate to meet demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21196/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE Mental Health Division ( MHD) supports timely access to appropriate services to address the mental health needs of all children, from a preventative care model and early intervention perspective. It should be noted, however, that the response to mental health issues is not the sole remit of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), and may for example, be more appropriately addressed in other care areas, such as Primary Care, or Disability.
While a broad range of services support the mental health of children and adolescents, the term ‘CAMHS’ is usually applied very specifically to services that provide specialist mental health treatment and care to young people up to 18 years of age, through a multidisciplinary team. In 2015, the HSE National Service Plan objective for improved performance for the year is for 72% or greater of accepted referrals to Child and Adolescent Community Mental Health Teams to be seen within three months, together with an overall 5% reduction in the waiting list, combined with a position where no-one is waiting over 12 months at end December 2015.
In relation to waiting times for an appointment, the following should be noted:
- All cases are triaged and urgent cases seen as a priority. Many of these urgent cases are seen within days. 55% of children seen in 2014 were seen in under 4 weeks.
- There has been an increased number of referrals to the service, including 16 and 17 yr. olds (over 50% of teams are seeing new referrals up to the age of 18 years, and the remainder new referrals up to the age of 17 years).
- In March last, there were around 1,800 children and adolescents waiting for a first appointment for longer than three months, of which some 480 were waiting more than 12 months for a first appointment with CAMHS.
- In March 2015, 75% of referrals nationally were offered a first appointment and seen within 12 weeks, with the year-to-date performance consistently ahead of the target of 72%.
A targeted approach to addressing the needs of those waiting over 12 months, combined with maintaining targets for first appointments and seeing individuals within three months, is a priority for 2015. A number of factors can contribute to an individual waiting longer than 12 months. The HSE has an on-going CAMHS Service Improvement Project and is currently carrying out a specific Validation Exercise on the waiting lists, to improve various aspects of CAMHS service provision.
I, and the HSE, will continue to progress and monitor the development of the CAMHS service, in line with agreed HSE Service Plan commitments, to ensure the adequacy of the service to meet current and future demands.
140. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which the cost of medicine has been reduced as a result of strategic sourcing of products, generic prescribing or other methods to reduce costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21197/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government has introduced a series of reforms in recent years to reduce the prices of drugs and medicines which are paid for by the HSE. This has resulted in reductions in the price of thousands of medicines. Price reductions of the order of 30% per item reimbursed have been achieved between 2009 and 2013; the average cost per items reimbursed is now running at 2001/2002 levels.
In recent times, the Government has entered into a number of price reduction Agreements with both the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) and the Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers in Ireland (APMI) delivering a number of important benefits, including, significant reductions for patients in the cost of drugs, a lowering of the drugs bill to the State, timely access for patients to new cutting-edge drugs for certain conditions, and reducing the cost base of the health system into the future. Cumulative savings and cost avoidance generated from these Agreements between 2006 and 2014 amount to approximately €1.5 billion.
Another important reform measure introduced to reduce the cost of drugs was the implementation of generic substitution and reference pricing, as provided for under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. Reference pricing has generated approximately €50 million in savings in 2014 and is expected to deliver a further €25 million in 2015. Reference prices will ensure that generic prices in Ireland will fall towards European norms.
Further reductions in the price of medicines in Ireland remains a priority for the Government.
141. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will provide funding for dental treatment in respect of a child (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21201/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
