Written Answers Nos. 275-292
275. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of applications for home help that have been approved in the past six months, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35465/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra276. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of applications for home help that have been approved, but not allocated hours due to financial constraints, in the past six months, per county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35466/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra281. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of home help hours allocated for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35471/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 275, 276 and 281 together.
As these are service matters they have 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.
277. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the amount of expenditure that the Mayo mental health service spent on nursing overtime from March to August 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35467/15]
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.
278. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health for an update on the development of the primary care centre in Westport in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35468/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Westport Primary Care Centre project is one of 14 to be delivered as a single PPP project. Following a detailed tender evaluation process the National Development Finance Agency announced the Prime-Balfour Beatty consortium as the preferred tenderer in May 2015. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2016 and it is expected that the primary care centres will be delivered by early 2017. In the meantime work is continuing on the financial and legal provisions of the project contract.
279. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if he considers the level of staffing in the mental health unit of Mayo General Hospital to be adequate; if staff are exposed to a health and safety risk due to staffing levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35469/15]
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.
280. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of community nursing beds that have been closed over the past ten years, by county, in tabular form; the reasons for the closure; the estimated savings per hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35470/15]
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.
282. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the amount of money spent on agency staff over each of the past five years, by hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35472/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the 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.
283. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if he has aware of the report of the Irish Cancer Society in respect of the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership; his views on the report; if his Department has brought any concerns in respect of the partnership to the attention of the European Commission, with respect to health matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35473/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have received a copy of the report of the Irish Cancer Society in respect of the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.
The EU’s mandate to negotiate the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) states that services supplied in the exercise of governmental authority as defined by Article I.3 of General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) shall be excluded from these negotiations. Both chief negotiators confirmed after the 7th Round of negotiations that no commitments will be taken on public services.
On the 20 March 2015, EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström and the US Trade Representative Michael Froman confirmed in a joint statement that trade agreements do not prevent governments from providing or supporting services in areas such as water, education, health, and social services. On the 8 July 2015, the European Parliament adopted a resolution which built on this statement to exclude current and future Services of General Interest as well as Services of General Economic Interest from the scope of application of TTIP. This includes but is not limited to water, health, social services, social security systems and education, to ensure that national authorities retain the right to introduce, adopt, maintain or repeal any measures with regards to the commissioning, organisation, funding and provision of public services as provided in the Treaties as well as in the EU's negotiating mandate. The resolution also stated that this exclusion should apply irrespective of how the services are provided and funded.
On the 16 September 2015, the European Commission published the text of its proposal for the Investment Chapter of TTIP. It will be presented as the EU text proposal in the EU-US trade talks following consultation with the Council and discussion with the European Parliament. The Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (DJEI) informs my Department that the proposal states that the right to regulate to achieve legitimate policy objectives such as the protection of public health is preserved; the proposal also clarifies that investment protection provisions shall not be interpreted as a commitment from governments not to change their legal framework, including in a manner that may negatively affect the investor’s expectations of profits.
DJEI leads on the negotiations for Ireland and liaises with the EU Commission as appropriate. DJEI commissioned Copenhagen Economics to prepare a report on TTIP and its impact in Ireland. This report is available on the Department's website http://www.djei.ie/trade/tradepolicy/news.htm.
As negotiations progress my Department continues to liaise with DJEI to consider potential impacts for the health sector.
I welcome the views of stakeholders in the interests of assessing the potential implications of TTIP for health.
284. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of applications made to date under the cross-border health directive; the number approved; the amounts paid by the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35474/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive operates the EU Directive on Patients’ Rights in Cross Border Healthcare in Ireland. The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine the matter of the data requested and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. 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.
285. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health his plans for the drug Sapropterin, also known as Kuvan, to be added to the drug reimbursement programme. [35478/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the community drug schemes in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. Prior to reimbursing any medicine, the HSE considers a range of statutory criteria, including clinical need, cost-effectiveness and the resources available to the HSE.
The decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds by the HSE on the advice of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics. They are not political or ministerial decisions.
Sapropterin (Kuvan®) was previously considered under the national pricing and reimbursement processes in 2009. At that time, insufficient evidence was available to support the pricing and reimbursement application submitted by the manufacturer, Merck Serono.
Merck Serono recently commenced the process of resubmitting a new application for pricing and reimbursement of Kuvan; this application will now be considered in line with criteria set out in the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 and using the processes outlined in national pricing framework agreements.
As the application process is still at a very early stage, it is not possible to discuss potential outcomes or comment further at this time.
286. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Health the reason for delay in performing a tonsillectomy procedure in Crumlin Children's Hospital in Dublin 12 for a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35480/15]
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.
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.
287. Deputy Eamonn Maloney asked the Minister for Health if the prevalence and incidence of dementia continue to follow current trends resulting in a trebling of its incidence within a generation; the plans to develop and implement a medium to long-term commitment to address dementia following the existing national dementia strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35490/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Irish National Dementia Strategy was launched in December 2014. This delivers on a commitment in the Programme for Government to develop a national Alzheimer's and other dementia strategy to increase awareness, ensure early diagnosis and intervention and develop enhanced community based services.
It is estimated that there are approximately 50,000 people with dementia in Ireland today. These numbers are expected to increase to over 140,000 by 2041 as the number of older people in Ireland increases. The Strategy emphasises that most people with dementia live in their own communities and can continue to live well and to participate in those communities for far longer than many people appreciate.
The Department of Health and the HSE have agreed a joint initiative with the Atlantic Philanthropies to implement significant elements of the Strategy over the period 2014-2017. This National Dementia Strategy Implementation Programme will represent a combined investment of €27.5m, with Atlantic Philanthropies contributing €12m, and the HSE contributing €15.5m.
This programme will promote a greater focus on timely diagnosis of dementia and on the value of early intervention, along with the long-term objective of making people in Ireland generally more aware and understanding of the needs of people with dementia, and of the contribution that those with dementia continue to make to our society.
Key elements of the initiative include:
- the roll-out of a programme of Intensive Home Supports and Home-care Packages for people with dementia;
- the provision of additional dementia-specific resources for GPs, who are the critical and initial point of contact with the health system for those with dementia. The resource material will include training materials and guidance on local services and contact points etc.;
- Measures to raise public awareness, address stigma and promote the inclusion and involvement in society of those with dementia.
A Monitoring Group, chaired by the Department of Health, has been established to assist with and advise on implementation of the National Dementia Strategy, including the National Dementia Strategy Implementation Programme. This Group includes health professionals, administrators, researchers and advocates. The Group also includes a person living with dementia and a representative of those who care for people with dementia. The most recent meeting of this Monitoring Group was held on 24 September 2015.
288. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase funding in the upcoming budget for independent living facilities for adults with learning disabilities; if he will consider the need for greater services and facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35492/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraWork is currently underway in the Department of Health in relation to the preparation of budget estimates for 2016. As part of this process, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has submitted an estimate of its proposed expenditure for 2016, including health and personal social services for people with a disability. As discussions on budgetary issues are ongoing within the Department of Health, with the HSE and with the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform, I am not in a position to comment on the outcome of the process at this stage.
290. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 454 of 29 September 2015, if the value of the site transferred in 2009 can be disregarded and capped after three years, as is the case with the family home; if he will use his discretion given that the person's spouse will have no option but to bring the person home, which would be detrimental to the person's health, as they cannot continue to pay the current rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35501/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has again 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.
291. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Health the number of Departmental officials who are allocated, involved and responsible for the introduction of universal health insurance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28223/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are currently 6 officials within the Universal Health Insurance (UHI) Unit. They comprise 1x Principal Officer, 2x Assistant Principal Officers, 1x Administrative Officer, 1x Higher Executive Officer and 1x Clerical Officer.
In addition to policy development on UHI, the Unit also has responsibility for research and economic support services for the Department. As part of this work, it is responsible for overseeing the three-year research programme on healthcare reform with the ESRI, the first year of which focussed on costing the proposals set out in the White Paper on Universal Health Insurance. This work also involves participation by other senior officials, as necessary, notably as regards participation in the Steering Group overseeing this joint Department/ESRI research programme.
292. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health his views on the case of a person (details supplied) in County Galway who is waiting for an orthopaedic procedure at University Hospital Galway; if he will provide home help for this person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35538/15]
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.
