Written Answers Nos. 642-662
642. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if exact waiting times for each Health Service Executive area are available for mastectomy prosthesis and surgical bras, swimsuits and so on, if so, if he will provide same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21246/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy's question relates to service delivery matters and accordingly I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he should contact my Private Office and my officials will follow up the matter with them.
643. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Clare, who is participating on a community employment scheme, will be issued with a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21249/15]
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.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
644. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will report on discussions with pharmaceutical companies regarding reducing the cost of drugs used in the health service. [21261/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra653. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Health if he will provide Dáil Éireann with an update on his work in reducing drug prices; the reason his Department has not entered negotiations with the pharmaceutical sector; his views that legislation will now be required to reduce the cost of medicine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21339/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra702. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the action he is taking to reduce the cost of medicines to patients and to the taxpayer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21636/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 644, 653 and 702 together.
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.
The State's existing price reduction Agreement with the IPHA commenced in 2012, and will run until the end of October 2015. Savings of over €400 million are to be delivered as part of this Agreement, with €210 million of these savings to be reinvested into provision by the State of new and innovative drugs.
Consideration is now being given to a range of options available to the State in seeking to deliver further savings on the cost of drugs. Such options include entering into a new Agreement with IPHA as well as the possibility of using the legislative powers afforded to the HSE under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 to review and alter prices.
Officials in the Department of Health are currently working with their colleagues in the HSE and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to ensure that the State achieves the best possible deal in terms of future price reductions on the cost of medicines. I am confident that a new arrangement will be put in place which will ensure that further price reductions are achieved for the benefits of patients and the taxpayer.
645. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health in view of the fact that under the Health Service Executive service plan 2015 money was allocated for four mental health high observation units, if he will provide the location of these units; the amount that has been spent on each unit; the status of said units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21264/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
646. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the reason a medical card was refused in the case of persons (details supplied) in County Kildare, in view of the fact that the person's circumstances, both financial and medical have not changed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21276/15]
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. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
647. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an application for specially fitted shoes in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow, in view of the fact that the shoes were to be ready a month ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21280/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
648. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure that the reporting system for deaths of babies in Irish hospitals is upgraded and streamlined to ensure that the national perinatal epidemiology centre may provide accurate figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21331/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt must be pointed out that perinatal mortality statistics are complex. Reporting on these rates has been hampered by different definitions of stillbirth both nationally and internationally. In Ireland, four difference agencies are involved in the compilation and reporting of perinatal data mortality data. The analysis presented in the Report of the Chief Medical Officer into Perinatal Deaths in Portlaoise Hospital (February 2014) showed that there are weaknesses and inconsistencies in perinatal data collection, collation and reporting.
A number of actions are being taken to address these discrepancies as follows:
- The notification of stillbirths is a mandatory requirement in the Civil Registration Act (2004). This Act was amended in 2014 to make notification of early neonatal deaths mandatory. The General Registration Office is working on the commencement of this.
- In addition the HSE has agreed to progress agreement of definitions and reporting of perinatal statistics in Ireland. This would include systems such as the NPRS and the NPEC.
Recommendation 4 of the CMO's Report states that the HSE should ensure that the National Perinatal Reporting System (NPRS) and the National Perinatal Epidemiological Centre (NPEC) are consolidated to create a single national reporting system for official statistics on perinatal events in Ireland. I am aware that the HSE has commenced work on this recommendation and I have asked the Executive for an update on progress.
Perinatal death is a rare event in Ireland. Given the small numbers involved the use of perinatal mortality rates by hospital as an indicator of patient safety creates a risk of false reassurance and also can raise false alerts. It is, therefore, important to look at these in conjunction with, for example, confidence intervals per hospital and other methods in order to distinguish between the stability of estimates based on small versus large numbers. Therefore, caution needs to be exercised in the interpretation of perinatal data by hospital for the reasons set out.
649. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Health the number of claims to the State Claims Agency against individual maternity units for the years 2008 to 2014 and for 2015 to date; if he will provide the information, in tabular form, for each individual maternity unit, by year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21332/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State Claims Agency has supplied the information requested by the Deputy in aggregate format as follows:
|
Year Claim Received |
No. of claims |
|
2008 |
88 |
|
2009 |
90 |
|
2010 |
117 |
|
2011 |
128 |
|
2012 |
131 |
|
2013 |
182 |
|
2014 |
126 |
|
2015 |
56 |
|
Grand Total |
918 |
*The table reflects the number of claims made under the Speciality of Maternity Services against the Maternity Units in the years 2008 – 2015 (to date). The spike in claims received for 2013 is due to the receipt of historical Symphysiotomy claims.
The State Claims Agency has indicated that the reason it does not publish data concerning the number of legal claims against individual maternity units is that publication of such data could potentially identify a particular plaintiff. Many claims are settled in circumstances where the plaintiffs wish to retain confidentiality concerning the settlement of their cases. The other concern that the Agency has is that if it publishes claims’ data by maternity unit, this could lead to a “league tables” interpretation of the data without any further contextualisation of the data. Under Freedom of Information Legislation claims’ data is expressly exempt.
650. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Health if he will acknowledge that there is a conflict of interest in the Health Service Executive drawing up the terms of reference into the independent report of all levels of its management following the publication of the Health Information and Quality Authority report into maternity services in Portlaoise hospital, County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21333/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe recent HIQA Report into Portlaoise Hospital raises serious questions and issues relating to the appropriateness and effectiveness of managerial actions.
These issues will be addressed through HSE internal disciplinary procedures. The investigation being undertaken will be conducted by an independent expert from overseas and will be done in accordance with the HSE's own disciplinary policy. This will allow disciplinary action to be taken and its outcomes will be binding. I did look explicitly at the possibility of an external review, separate to the HSE process, and I have not ruled out this possibility, but any findings arising from such a review would be ultra vires, would not be binding and could not be enforced. For the time being I believe that it is better to operate within the HSE's own disciplinary structures.
651. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the problem the Health Service Executive is having hiring obstetricians; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21334/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraOne of my priorities for 2015 is the publication of a National Maternity Strategy. This will provide a roadmap to better maternity services. It will ensure that women have access to safe, sustainable, well staffed maternity care in a setting most appropriate to their needs. An extra €2 million has been included in the HSE National Service Plan 2015 to address current pressures within the Maternity Service. The measures proposed by the HSE include the appointment of 7 consultant obstetricians.
Planning and providing for future manpower needs is pivotal. At present, there are 42 doctors on the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland’s Higher Specialist Medical Training (HST) programme for Obstetricians & Gynaecologists 2015/2016, which is a 5 year programme. This compares to 33 trainees in clinical posts at any given time as approved by HSE, up to 2014. For the 2014/2015 intake year this was increased to 38 trainees in clinical posts.
I also expect that the revised pay scales for new entrant consultants agreed between Management and the IMO at the LRC on 7th January 2015 will help us to keep more of our medical graduates at home and persuade consultants who are working overseas to return to Ireland. I want this new package to send a strong message to Irish medical graduates that pay and also working conditions are improving again and that they can be part of the health recovery in Ireland. The recruitment of additional consultants, in particular, obstetricians, is a priority and arrangements are in train to recruit consultants. A joint HSE/Public Service Appointment project team has been appointed to progress the recruitment process for consultants.
652. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Health the amount the Health Service Executive's compliance unit will spend hiring forensic accountancy services to assess work that some hospital consultants are doing in private hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21338/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. 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.
654. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Health the amount the establishment of the new patient identity numbers system within the Health Service Executive will cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21340/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Identifiers Act 2014 provides for the establishment of systems of identifiers for client and healthcare providers, both professionals and organisations. My Department is completing the legal work to allow for the Act to be formally commenced. The Act provides that operational responsibility for the identifiers may be assigned to the HSE. It is intended that the register of Individual Health Identifiers will be implemented first. Preparations for the implementation of the Individual Health Identifier are at an advanced stage by the HSE. The necessary management and organisational structure to enable the establishment of the register are being put in place, a development plan is currently being drafted which will give indicative costs for the lifetime of the project, some technical implementation work has begun and a Privacy Impact Assessment has been commissioned and is nearing completion. When the establishment of the Individual Health Identifier register is complete the next phase will be to allow for other health ICT systems in both primary and acute care to access the register and make it available as the Act allows. This work will take time to complete and I must emphasise that this is primarily a patient safety initiative. The work will be done on a phased basis over a number of years.
All ICT elements of the project are subject to project approval by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. HSE has estimated the ICT related costs for the initial phases of the project to set up the register for completion in 2015 will cost €1.3 million approximately. Further work on estimating ICT related costs for the roll out the system of identifiers to other areas such as acute hospitals, mental health, etc have yet to be completed.
HIQA are currently engaged in a public consultation exercise on "Draft Governance and Management Standards for Health Identifiers Operator in Ireland" which will assist in underpinning a governance framework for the operation of the system of identifiers to ensure trust and confidence of the health identifiers system in the country. It is important to point out that the roll out of a system of health identifiers for patients, professionals and organisations has no linkage with any eligibility for any type of health service or benefit. It is primarily a patient safety initiative and a fundamental building block for eHealth and ICT developments into the future.
655. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if there is assistance available to families (details supplied) towards the cost of residential alcohol rehabilitation for a family member; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21347/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe provision of services to prevent and treat addiction to alcohol is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive and as such, I have referred this question to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
As the Deputy may recall, on 3 February 2015, the Government approved the General Scheme of a Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. The aim is to reduce alcohol consumption to the OECD average by 2020 (i.e. 9.1 litres of pure alcohol per capita) and the harms caused by alcohol. The Bill is part of a suite of measures agreed by the Government in 2013 on foot of the recommendations in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy. The other measures (eg for the HSE, professional bodies etc) set out in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy, were endorsed by Government and are to be progressed by the relevant departments and organisations. The HSE has responsibility for implementing a number of recommendations and some of these measures are reflected in the HSE Service Plan for 2015. The remit of the Drugs Task Forces was extended to include the problem of alcohol misuse last year, in view of the key they play in co-ordinating the response to substance misuse at local level.
656. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that the Barrymore programme at the Stanhope Centre, Lower Grangegorman, Dublin 7 will not go ahead as planned in June 2015 and the service provider at the centre has been forced, by lack of funding, to advise participants that the unique addiction course is cancelled; the action he will take to ensure the June 2015 course goes ahead, and remaining courses for 2015 are also guaranteed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21366/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe provision of services to prevent and treat addiction to alcohol is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive and as such, I have referred this question to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
As the Deputy may recall, on 3 February 2015, the Government approved the General Scheme of a Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. The aim is to reduce alcohol consumption to the OECD average by 2020 (i.e. 9.1 litres of pure alcohol per capita) and the harms caused by alcohol. The Bill is part of a suite of measures agreed by the Government in 2013 on foot of the recommendations in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy. The other measures (eg for the HSE, professional bodies etc) set out in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy, were endorsed by Government and are to be progressed by the relevant departments and organisations. The HSE has responsibility for implementing a number of recommendations and some of these measures are reflected in the HSE Service Plan for 2015. The remit of the Drugs Task Forces was extended to include the problem of alcohol misuse last year, in view of the key they play in co-ordinating the response to substance misuse at local level.
657. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will consider, as part of his maternity review, the establishment of a number of perinatal hospice care centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21371/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is currently developing a National Maternity Strategy which will seek to ensure that women have access to safe, high quality maternity care in a setting most appropriate to their needs. While the issue of perinatal hospice care is outside the scope of the Strategy, I would like to draw the attention of the Deputy to the Palliative Care For Children with Life-Limiting Conditions in Ireland - A National Policy, which was published by my Department in March 2010. The policy places significant emphasis on caring for children in their own homes rather than recommending the development of a children's hospice. With regard to perinatal services, the best location of care is within the maternity or paediatric setting.
The HSE is working to ensure that quality palliative care is available to all those who need it. In that regard, the HSE’s Acute Hospitals Division, in partnership with the Clinical Palliative Care Programme, the Primary Care Division and the Irish Hospice Foundation, has recently commenced a programme of work to support general, maternity and paediatric hospitals to develop comprehensive plans for palliative, end-of-life and bereavement care. Each maternity unit will identify how it can best support the palliative care needs of parents and their babies. It is considered that this approach is preferable to establishing a very limited number of separate services.
A programme of care for children with life-limiting conditions has been established including the appointment of a Paediatric Consultant with a Special Interest in Palliative Care, based in Crumlin. As well as supporting other paediatricians, the Consultant also provides clinical support and advice to maternity hospitals and neonatologists. Eight Children’s Outreach Nurses have also been appointed, and a further two nurses will be appointed this year.
658. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 618 of 15 April 2015, the amount of time it currently takes to register as a nurse, from the time of submitting an application; his plans to tackle the delays in nurse registrations by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, which is directly impacting on the public, private and voluntary nursing sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21377/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to thank the Deputy for the matter raised.
With regard to the first part of the Deputy's question, the Deputy will recall that I confirmed in my answer, dated 15 April 2015, that I have referred your question to the NMBI for their attention and direct reply. If you have not received a reply from the NMBI within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
In relation to the second part of the Deputy's questions, I note the reference to delays in nurse registrations. Given that this is also an operational matter, it is therefore appropriate that it should also be dealt with by the NMBI. I have referred that issue to the NMBI for attention and direct reply.
If you have not received a reply from the NMBI within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
659. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, by county, the current delays being experienced in processing applications under the fair deal scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21378/15]
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.
660. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Health if financial assistance will be provided in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick, who is not in a position to pay hospital invoices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21385/15]
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.
661. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Health if an application will be processed for a primary medical certificate in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21387/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
662. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the recent situation where the Health Service Executive had no supplies of the BCG tuberculosis vaccine; if he has sought a report on this from HSE; the measures he has initiated to ensure that there is no repetition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21393/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra761. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the number of times the BCG tuberculosis supply has been inadequate over the past ten years; if there are similar situations across Europe; the possibility of sourcing same elsewhere; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21790/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 662 and 761 together.
BCG vaccine is currently part of the primary childhood immunisation schedule and is provided by the HSE for newborn babies. It is given to prevent the most serious forms of tuberculosis in children such as TB meningitis. The vaccine is given by HSE community doctors in health centres or maternity hospitals as it is administered intradermally.
The licensed supplier of BCG vaccine has informed the HSE that the delivery of BCG vaccine has been further delayed. A lack of BCG vaccine stock is an international problem for EU member states as well as UNICEF who are having difficulty obtaining supplies of BCG vaccine. BCG vaccination clinics in HSE sites and Maternity hospitals have been deferred until new stock arrives. The HSE is in close contact with the vaccine manufacturer to expedite delivery of new stock as soon as possible. Local Health Centres will arrange appointments for BCG vaccination clinics when the BCG vaccine supply is restored.
The HSE is aware of alternative suppliers of BCG vaccine which are not licensed in Ireland and is in consultation with the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) about sourcing this alternate supply.
No cases of TB were reported in Ireland in children less than 4 years of age in 2014. There is no threat to public health from this temporary vaccine shortage.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
