Written Answers Nos. 939-957
939. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the number on the waiting list for speech and language therapy in County Kerry; the number waiting assessment; the number assessed and awaiting therapy treatment; the number that are assessed and waiting for over one year for therapy treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31169/15]
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 for direct reply to the Deputy. 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.
940. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding staff shortages in the national ambulance service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31177/15]
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.
941. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding private health insurance companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31178/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe main legislative provisions for the regulation of the Irish health insurance market are included in the Health Insurance Acts 1994 to 2014 and insurers are free to design their own health insurance schemes and to enter into agreements with health service providers under this governing legislation. The Minister for Health has no role in the day to day operations of any health insurance company.
Minimum benefit is one of the key principles on which the Irish health insurance regulatory system is based. Minimum Benefit Regulations, made under the Health Insurance Acts, require insurers to provide a minimum benefit to every insured person. The key purpose of the Regulations is to ensure the continued availability of the type of broad hospital cover traditionally held as a minimum by the insured population and to ensure that individuals do not significantly under-insure. Minimum Benefit Regulations were introduced in 1996, under Section 10 of the Health Insurance Act, 1994 and cover in-patient, out-patient and day-patient services provided by publicly funded hospitals, private hospitals, registered nursing homes and hospital consultants.
In the public hospital system, there is no statutory requirement for the HSE to provide Patient Transport Services (PTS). PTS are provided by the HSE on a discretionary basis as opposed to there being a mandatory requirement for provision. It is expected that, as a rule, patients should be in a position to make their own arrangements for journeys unless there are clear medical and/or mobility factors involved. An individual who is transported from one hospital to another hospital for a specific treatment or care is transferred medical advice. It is not intended to amend the Minimum Benefit Regulations to require health insurers cover the cost of such transport. This is consistent with the treatment of a public patient, where no statutory charges apply for such a transfer.
942. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the amount of funding that was spent in County Kerry from January 2010 to January 2011, from January 2011 to January 2012, from January 2012 to 2013 and from January 2013 to January 2014 on hiring private ambulances to transfer patients in public hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31179/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra944. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding community hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31181/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 942 and 944 together.
As these are service matters, 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.
943. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the national ambulance service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31180/15]
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.
945. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding ambulance services here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31182/15]
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.
946. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the human papillomavirus vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31184/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraImmunisation is regarded as one of the safest and most cost-effective of health care interventions. International studies and scientific assessments suggest that the best way to prevent most disease due to human papillomavirus (HPV) is to vaccinate as many girls and women as possible. The HPV vaccine protects girls from developing cervical cancer when they are adults. It is available free of charge from the HSE for all girls in 1st year of secondary school. This is in accordance with the recommendation received from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) which indicated that the HPV vaccine should be offered on an annual basis to all girls aged 12. The advice, based on public health considerations and supported by the cost-effectiveness analysis, is that HPV vaccines confer maximum benefit both individually and on a population basis if administered prior to HPV exposure.
In Ireland, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) is the regulatory authority for medicines in Ireland. Gardasil® is a medicinal product which has been authorised for use across the European Union since September 2006 following a positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) at the European Medicines Agency (EMA). With this authorisation, the vaccine can be marketed in all EU Member States. Since first authorisation the HPRA has continuously monitored the safety of Gardasil®. This monitoring includes a review of global safety data in addition to national experience with use of the vaccine. The EMA is responsible for the scientific evaluation of medicines developed by pharmaceutical companies for use in the European Union.
While no medicine (including vaccines) is entirely without risk, the safety profile of Gardasil® has been continuously monitored since it was first authorised both nationally and at EU level. This is done by both monitoring of individual adverse reaction reports received by competent authorities across Europe (including the HPRA) and Periodic Safety Update Reports (PSURs) submitted by the Marketing Authorisation Holder (i.e. license holder) for the vaccine on a regular basis. The most recent EU review of cumulative global safety update data completed in December 2014 concluded that the benefit/risk profile for Gardasil® remains positive and concluded that no updates to the product information (Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) and Package Leaflet (PL)) were considered necessary.
Up to the 15 July 2015, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) has received 901 reports of suspected adverse reactions/events notified in association with the use of HPV vaccines (Gardasil® 899 and Cervarix® 2). National monitoring experience has been consistent with the expected pattern of adverse effects known to occur with the vaccine, as outlined in the approved product information (Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) and Package Leaflet (PL)) for Gardasil®. The majority of the reports received to date involved events/reactions related to injection site reactions, malaise, headache, myalgia, fatigue, gastrointestinal symptoms and skin reactions. Vaccination related events such as dizziness and syncope (fainting) was also reported and would not be unexpected in this patient population.
Healthy Ireland, the Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013 - 2025, is the national Framework for action to improve the health and wellbeing of the population of Ireland over the coming generation. Vaccination against HPV types 16 and 18, which protects girls from developing cervical cancer when they are adults, is a long-term investment as the initial costs of vaccination will be offset by improved health outcomes and treatment savings 15 to 30 years in the future.
The vaccine protects against two high risk types of HPV (16 & 18) that cause 73% of all cervical cancers. Vaccinated women and girls will still be at risk from other high risk types of HPV that can cause cervical cancer and will therefore need to continue to have regular cervical smear tests.
In the trials that led to the approval of Gardasil® and Cervarix®, these vaccines were found to provide nearly 100 percent protection against persistent cervical infections with HPV types 16 and 18 and the cervical cell changes that these persistent infections can cause.
To date, protection against the targeted HPV types has been found to last for at least 8 years with Gardasil® and at least 9 years with Cervarix®. Long-term studies of vaccine efficacy that are still in progress will help scientists better understand the total duration of protection.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is to evaluate data from a new epidemiology study on the safety of human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccines, Gardasil® and Cervarix®. The study conducted jointly by the French medicines agency (ANSM) and the French national health insurance fund (CNAMTS) compared the incidence of autoimmune conditions in girls given HPV vaccines with the incidence in girls not given the vaccines. In the meantime, the EMA has advised healthcare professionals that available data does not warrant any change to the use of these vaccines. Healthcare professionals should therefore continue using Gardasil® and Cervarix® in accordance with the current product information.
947. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if he will review the application for a medical card by a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12; the other options open to the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31188/15]
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.
948. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time for occupational therapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31190/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra949. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health the waiting time for occupational therapy in Dublin 15 and Dublin 7. [31191/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 948 and 949 together.
As these are service matters, they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy. 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.
950. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health the waiting time for an occupational therapy assessment for the purposes of the Housing Adaptation Grant applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31192/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra951. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health the waiting time for occupation therapy assessments for the purposes of the Housing Adaptation Grant applications for those in the Dublin 15 and Dublin 7 areas. [31193/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 950 and 951 together.
As the Deputy's questions relate to service matters, I have arranged for the questions 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, please contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
952. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Health when the Health Service Executive will appoint a surgeon who is capable of performing pancreas transplants; the provisions in place for persons awaiting a pancreas transplant should a suitable organ become available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31194/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra953. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who are awaiting a pancreas transplant in the health care system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31195/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 952 and 953 together.
Six patients are currently waiting for simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplants and a further 3 patients are waiting for pancreas only transplants.
In recent months Beaumont Hospital has been collaborating with St Vincent’s University Hospital in relation to a combined approach to kidney/pancreas transplants, as well as the development of an intra-abdominal organ retrieval service. As St Vincent’s University Hospital is already established as the national liver transplant centre, and is a designated centre for pancreas cancer services, it is well placed to undertake pancreas transplants. The arrangements being put in place will involve transplant surgeons from both St Vincent’s University Hospital and Beaumont Hospital working together on the St Vincent’s campus.
The two hospitals, together with the HSE and my Department, are putting the necessary arrangements and protocols in place to facilitate the commencement of pancreas transplantation in St Vincent’s University Hospital in the coming weeks, should a suitable donor/recipient match occur.
Approval has been given for the appointment of a new consultant transplant surgeon for St. Vincent’s University Hospital to support the pancreatic transplant programme and recruitment will now progress. St. Vincent’s has also established a link with the pancreas transplant programme in Edinburgh's Royal Infirmary Hospital to provide oversight of the transfer of the pancreas transplant service.
954. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health in relation to the programme for primary health care centres, the number in the planning or construction stage and the location of each of these; the further locations identified for such a centre and the possible timescale for delivery of these projects; if he will provide this information on a location by location basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31204/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraYour question has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply as the delivery of the health care infrastructure is a service matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office who will follow up.
955. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter regarding special needs assistant care provision in respect of a child (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31206/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the particular issue raised by the Deputy relates to an individual case, this is a service matter for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy. 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.
956. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if a specialised public funded service for adults suffering from eating disorders is in place; if the clinical programmes under the 2013 national service plan in relation to this have been implemented to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31212/15]
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.
957. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical assessment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31216/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the particular issue raised by the Deputy relates to an individual case, this is a service matter for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy. 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.
