Mary Butler
Ceist:260. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has not yet received a PIN from An Bord Altranais; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4751/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraNursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland
Ceisteanna (260)
Freagraí scríofa
My Department sought a report on this matter from the NMBI. The NMBI advised that it could not process this application until all of the required documents were submitted by the applicant. The last of these documents was received by the NMBI on 15 December 2016. The applicant's file was reviewed in the Registration Department and, following this review, it was referred for an education assessment. The applicant's file is currently being reviewed by an educational officer and a decision will issue shortly.
Drugs Payment Scheme Coverage
Ceisteanna (261)
John Brady
Ceist:261. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health the reason medical card holders cannot avail of the drug Antipain on the medical card and therefore have to bear the cost of €38 every three weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4755/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the community drug schemes; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
National Maternity Hospital
Ceisteanna (262)
Clare Daly
Ceist:262. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the provision that has been made to ensure that a Catholic ethos will not impinge on clinical care or decisions at the new national maternity hospital on the St Vincent's University Hospital campus; and the steps the Government has taken to ensure that the ethos of the hospital will be independent of religious influence. [4761/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In relation to this particular query, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
Hospital Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (263)
John Brassil
Ceist:263. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4765/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under 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 scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
Hospital Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (264)
Robert Troy
Ceist:264. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an appointment for nasal surgery for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4773/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under 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 scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
Medical Card Applications
Ceisteanna (265)
Eugene Murphy
Ceist:265. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an application by a person (details supplied) for a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4782/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The 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 was issued to Oireachtas members.
Medicinal Products Availability
Ceisteanna (266, 267)
Marc MacSharry
Ceist:266. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Health the timeframe for approval of the provision of Orkambi to cystic fibrosis patients in view of ongoing negotiations between a company (details supplied) and the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4784/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMarc MacSharry
Ceist:267. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Health when the drugs committee will conclude its deliberations (details supplied); when the drugs committee recommendations will be considered by the HSE board; when the Cabinet will consider the HSE recommendations on the provision of Orkambi in terms of sanction of the necessary resources to facilitate its provision to patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4785/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 266 and 267 together.
The HSE's Drugs Committee met last week where it considered the latest price offering by Vertex for the drug Orkambi. The matter will now progress to HSE Leadership where it will be considered at the next available HSE Leadership meeting.
It is important to note that in considering an application for reimbursement, the HSE will have regard to Part 1 and Part 3 of Schedule 3 of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. Part 3 requires the HSE to have regard to the following criteria:
1. the health needs of the public;
2. the cost-effectiveness of meeting health needs by supplying the item concerned rather than providing other health services;
3. the availability and suitability of items for supply or reimbursement;
4. the proposed costs, benefits and risks of the item or listed item relative to therapeutically similar items or listed items provided in other health service settings and the level of certainty in relation to the evidence of those costs, benefits and risks;
5. the potential or actual budget impact of the item or listed item;
6. the clinical need for the item or listed item;
7. the appropriate level of clinical supervision required in relation to the item to ensure patient safety;
8. the efficacy (performance in trial), effectiveness (performance in real situations) and added therapeutic benefit against existing standards of treatment (how much better it treats a condition than existing therapies); and
9. the resources available to the HSE.
Where the HSE decides that it cannot fund a new medicine from within existing resources, it may inform the Department of its decision in this respect. The Department may, as it deems appropriate, bring a memorandum to Government in relation to the funding implications and requesting consideration of same.