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Gnáthamharc

Thursday, 7 Nov 2019

Written Answers Nos. 126-140

Hospital Appointments Status

Ceisteanna (126)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

126. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if an appointment will be expedited for a person (details supplied). [45799/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí 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 National Waiting List Management Policy, a standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, since 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 HSE, 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 the Deputy directly.

Vaccination Programme

Ceisteanna (127)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

127. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter regarding the HPV vaccine (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45811/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I am advised by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) that suspected adverse reaction reporting rates are highly variable and are influenced by a number of factors, including the seriousness of the reaction/event, their ease of recognition and the extent of use of a particular medicine. Reporting rates may also be stimulated by promotion and publicity about a medicine. The number of reports received should not be used as a basis for determining the incidence of reactions/events as neither the total number of reactions/events occurring nor the number of patients using a medicine is known. Numerical comparisons should not be made between reactions/events associated with different medicines as comparisons may be misleading because of the limitations of the data.

The level of reporting of suspected adverse reactions/events associated with Gardasil vaccines is indicative of the positive response to calls for reporting of national experience associated with use of the vaccine following its introduction into the national immunisation programme in May 2010. According to the HPRA the extensive media coverage that vaccines have received in recent years has raised awareness of the need to report suspected adverse reactions/events associated with vaccination, thereby contributing in part to the volume of reports received.

The majority of reports received by the HPRA for Gardasil have been consistent with the expected pattern of adverse reactions/events for this vaccine, as described in the approved product information (Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) and Package Leaflet (PL)). The SmPC and PL are issued when a medicine is first licensed for use and are reviewed and updated as necessary throughout the lifetime of the medicine. The SmPC is mainly intended for use by healthcare professionals and includes detailed information on the use, dosing recommendations, precautions for use and the known side-effects of the medicine concerned. SmPCs for all products currently authorised in Ireland are accessible from the HPRA website. The package leaflet (PL) reflects the more comprehensive information described in the SmPC but is required to be presented in an abbreviated and easy-to-read format for patients. Copies of the SmPC and PL for Gardasil are accessible via the HPRA website.

It is important to note that reports submitted to the HPRA concern ‘suspected’ adverse reactions/events. This means that the effects experienced may represent side effects associated with the vaccine/vaccination process, or may be coincidental in terms of timing, due to an underlying or previously undiagnosed condition that would have occurred in the absence of vaccination.

Vaccination Programme

Ceisteanna (128)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

128. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the evidence that the HPV vaccine prevents cancer (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45812/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The HSE National Immunisation Office is responsible for managing vaccine procurement and distribution, developing training and communication materials for the public and health professionals. All vaccines administered through the Primary Childhood Immunisation Schedule and School Immunisation Programme are provided free of charge.

As the question raised by the Deputy is a matter for the National Immunisation Office, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Hospital Appointments Status

Ceisteanna (129)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

129. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45818/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí 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 National Waiting List Management Policy, a standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, since 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 HSE, 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 the Deputy directly.

Hospital Appointments Status

Ceisteanna (130)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

130. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45819/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí 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 National Waiting List Management Policy, a standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, since 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 HSE, 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 the Deputy directly.

Hospital Appointments Status

Ceisteanna (131)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

131. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45820/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí 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 National Waiting List Management Policy, a standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, since 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 HSE, 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 the Deputy directly.

Hospital Overcrowding

Ceisteanna (132)

Mary Butler

Ceist:

132. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the overcrowding issue being experienced in the adult psychiatric unit at University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45824/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Hospitals Data

Ceisteanna (133)

Mary Butler

Ceist:

133. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the number of adult cases admitted to the psychiatric unit at University Hospital Waterford in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019; the number of adult discharges that occurred in the same period at the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45825/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Hospital Transfers

Ceisteanna (134)

Mary Butler

Ceist:

134. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the number of adult cases transferred from the psychiatric unit at University Hospital Waterford to another similar facility due to overcrowding issues at University Hospital Waterford in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45826/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Hospital Staff Recruitment

Ceisteanna (135)

Mary Butler

Ceist:

135. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase the staffing numbers at the psychiatric unit at University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45827/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly as soon as possible

Hospital Facilities

Ceisteanna (136)

Mary Butler

Ceist:

136. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a new psychiatric unit at University Hospital Waterford; the progress made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45828/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Mental Health Services Provision

Ceisteanna (137)

Mary Butler

Ceist:

137. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health his plans to provide appropriate step-down services for psychiatric patients - both adults and children - at University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45829/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (138)

Mary Butler

Ceist:

138. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure all staff are trained in Children First to address the needs of children being admitted to mental health services at University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45830/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Provision

Ceisteanna (139)

Mary Butler

Ceist:

139. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health his plans to improve access to appropriate facilities for all child cases being admitted to mental health services at University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45831/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Provision

Ceisteanna (140)

Mary Butler

Ceist:

140. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure that children will not be admitted to the adult psychiatric unit at University Hospital Waterford and that appropriate care is provided to children in the appropriate setting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45832/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

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