Written Answers Nos. 766-782
766. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 630 of 16 June 2020, the position regarding appointments for a child (details supplied) in Dublin 11; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42019/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, recognises the need to improve services for both children and adults with disabilities through better implementation and by working together across Government in a better way.
The Government commits to prioritising early diagnosis and access to services for children and ensuring that the most effective interventions are provided for each child, to guarantee the best outcomes.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
767. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if a data analysis survey carried out by a company (details supplied) referenced in an article can be published; the cost of commissioning this report; if the contract for the report was tendered publicly; if the expertise exists in his Department or the HSE for analysing the data; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42020/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe report referred to in the RTE article was compiled using existing datasets brought together by EY data analysts and analysed to give composite insights. It is not as a result of any specific survey conducted. The report is available to be released under FOI in the normal manner and a detailed overview of the work is available on the Gov.ie website under the heading of ‘Data Analytics Insights: 27.11.2020’.
The report was compiled under an existing HSE contract for the provision of data analytics expertise which has been extended under a specific arrangement with EY and other firms in response to the needs generated by pandemic pressures. EY were specifically requested to provide analysis and reporting capability to government under this contract regarding the health, social and economic impacts and effects observed through the implementation and relaxation of restriction in line with the framework. This reporting capability is intended to enable additional ongoing analysis to support government decisions regarding actions to be taken in response to the pandemic. The contract extension was made to an existing publicly tendered contract with EY.
Yes expertise exists in my Department and in the HSE to provide deep analysis on health data. However, these resources have been significantly stretched in providing analytical support to the public health response as well as to existing services and new services such as Test and Trace operations. It has been necessary to augment these resources in response to the Pandemic.
768. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health if the cardiac service extension at University Hospital Waterford will include primary PPI service activity; if the extended opening hours will be notified to the National Ambulance Service (details supplied); if the PPCI service activity will extend to seven days either before or after Christmas 2020; the date the seven day regional PCI and PPCI service will be copperfastened within the in-house extended cath lab schedule service schedule of the hospital; if the additional budget to support extended cath lab procedural activity has been secured and is being ring-fenced from the SSWHG operational budget aside from the three day diagnostic service commencing at a private hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42038/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
769. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health his plans to change the clinical guidance in relation to abortion to enable those persons who initiate legal abortion care before 12 weeks to be provided with continuity of medical care by the HSE until their abortion completes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42042/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra770. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the assessment being undertaken in relation to reports that failed medical abortions in Ireland resulted in the pregnant person being forced to travel to the UK for healthcare in 2020; the number of such instances since the enactment of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42043/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 769 and 770 together.
Section 12 of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 states that a termination of pregnancy may be carried out by a medical practitioner where, having examined the woman, he or she is of the reasonable opinion formed in good faith that the pregnancy has not exceeded 12 weeks of pregnancy.
The medical practitioner must certify this opinion and three days must elapse between certification and the procedure being carried out.
It should be noted that sections 9, 10 and 11 of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 set out other grounds on which termination of pregnancy is permitted in this country.
Changes to Clinical Guidelines for the provision of termination of pregnancy services, within the legal framework set out in the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, are a matter for the relevant professional medical bodies.
Notification forms submitted to the Minister under section 20 of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 do not require the detail the Deputy is seeking to be included on the form or notified to the Minister.
771. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the status of the upcoming review of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018; when and the way in which the review will take place; if there will be a special Oireachtas committee for the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42044/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, section 7 of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 states that
“The Minister shall, not later than 3 years after the commencement of this section, carry out a review of the operation of this Act.”
The review clause was included in the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 in order to facilitate monitoring of the operation of the legislation in practice, as well as of the delivery of services in the area.
Details of the process for the Review, which will be conducted in 2021 as set out in the Programme for Government Our Shared Future, are currently being worked on by my officials.
772. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the counties that do not have access to abortion care via their general practitioners, in tabular form; the counties with no general practitioners providing early medical abortions; the actions being taken by his Department and the HSE to address these gaps in services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42045/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
774. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health his plans for the roll out of Covid-19 vaccines (details supplied); the information technology supports that will be used to assist in deploying the vaccines and developing patient registries; if the individual health identifier along with suitable barcoding technology will be used to underpin patient safety and efficiency in the planned roll out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42058/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
775. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health if Ireland has decided to partake in the RescEU stockpile of medical equipment; if not, the reason; if so, the breakdown of the supplies received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42082/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of its response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the European Commission has developed the rescEU medical stockpile and distribution system under the umbrella of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM). The stockpile, which is currently hosted across six Member States (Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Romania and Sweden), enables the delivery of medical equipment to Member States and other participating countries at a reduced cost, or free of charge in some instances.
To date, Ireland has not submitted any requests for medical equipment under rescEU, which is primarily intended as a last line of defence for countries with urgent, short-term supply issues.
776. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to banning the sale of e-cigarettes to those under 18 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42083/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra777. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to banning the advertisement of e-cigarettes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42084/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra778. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health the policies in place to curtail the use of e-cigarettes among young persons in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42085/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra779. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health the policies in place to discourage the use of cigarettes or e-cigarettes among persons under 18 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42086/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra781. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health the percentage of young persons that use tobacco products regularly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42088/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 776 to 779, inclusive, and 781 together.
The General Scheme of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill contains provisions to prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes to, and by, those under 18 years of age. The General Scheme was approved by the Government and has been referred to the Oireachtas Committee on Health for pre-legislative scrutiny. The Office for Parliamentary Counsel has also begun work on drafting the Bill in coordination with the Department; a first draft is awaited in the context of competing priorities such as COVID-19 and Brexit related law.
E-cigarettes are regulated under the European Union (Manufacture, Presentation and Sale of Tobacco and Related Products) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 271/2016). These Regulations prohibit advertisements for e-cigarettes online and in printed publications except for those directed at persons in the e-cigarette industry. In addition, advertisements for e-cigarettes are prohibited on television, on-demand television services and on radio. Finally, any form of contribution to an event, activity or person with the aim of promoting e-cigarettes and with a cross-border effect is also prohibited. The Programme for Government also includes a commitment to curb the advertising of nicotine-inhaling products near schools, on public transport and in cinemas.
The protection of children is at the heart of Tobacco Free Ireland, Ireland’s current tobacco control policy. Measures including the workplace smoking ban in 2004 which brought an end to smoking in restaurants and cafes, prohibitions on the advertising of tobacco products at the point of sale and the introduction of plain packaging, have greatly reduced young people’s exposure to tobacco products. Local initiatives, such as Not Around Us in Limerick that promote smoke free environments have sought to further reduce the areas where smoking and vaping are present in daily public life. At a national level, the HSE adopted a Tobacco Free Campus policy for its facilities in 2012, and that was extended to electronic cigarettes in 2014. Under the Tobacco Free Ireland Programme the HSE has held discussions with several Irish universities and colleges a number of which have introduced similar policies for their own campuses.
The most recent data on smoking among young people in Ireland is from the European Schools Project on Alcohol and other Drugs 2019 Ireland report. The survey was completed by almost 2,000 Irish students aged 15 and 16 years and found that 32% of respondents had tried smoking, 14% were current smokers (reported smoking in the last 30 days) with 5% smoking daily. Separately, the Health Behaviour in School Age Children Study 2018 found that the number of 12-17 year olds who reported having tried smoking dropped by 5%, from 16% in 2014 to 11% in 2018.
780. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health the research that has been done into a lung cancer screening programme in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42087/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraLung cancer screening is receiving increasing attention worldwide, both with medical professionals and the general public. Ireland has too small a population to undertake a sufficiently powered randomised lung cancer screening trial. Multiple randomised trials including the US National Lung Screening Trial (NLST), the Multicentric Italian Lung Detection trial, and results from the Dutch-Belgian NELSON trial have provided evidence that low-dose CT screening can reduce lung cancer mortality. However, all population cancer screening programmes are associated with both benefits and harms, and lung cancer screening is no different. In the UK and throughout Europe, there remains considerable debate in the research community about whether, when, and how screening should be implemented.
Most recently, England's National Health Service announced a planned rollout of low-dose CT screening at ten pilot sites. My Department through its attendance at the UK National Screening Committee and through the work of our own National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) intends to keep this topic under continuous review and to work collaboratively with our colleagues in the HSE and our counterparts in the UK and Europe to determine the appropriateness of examining the case for lung cancer screening in Ireland.
I should emphasise that population screening is no substitute for primary prevention which is the key policy initiative in Ireland when it comes to lung cancer. Cigarette smoking is the single biggest risk factor and is responsible for between 80-90 percent of all cases of lung cancer. The best way to prevent lung cancer is to avoid smoking or if someone already smokes to quit.
In addition to primary prevention the HSE through the National Cancer Control programme has operated rapid access ‘lung cancer’ clinics since 2012. These provide direct access to Consultant led assessment and diagnostic services for patients with suspected lung disease or cancer. This service was rolled out by The National Cancer Control programme in 2012.
782. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health the additional measures that will be introduced to support lung cancer patients through the psychological burden of their diagnosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42089/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraPsycho-oncology supports for cancer patients continue to be developed in designated cancer centres and community cancer support centres in line with the National Cancer Strategy. The HSE's National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) emphasises psycho-oncology services as a core part of complete cancer care. While individual programmes are not in place for different tumour types, supports for lung cancer patients would be regarded as particularly important given the seriousness of the disease.
The NCCP has appointed a Clinical Lead for Psycho-Oncology who is working on the development of services, including through following up on the outcomes of the National Survivorship Needs Assessment.
Also, a Together 4 Cancer Concern initiative was launched in April as a collaboration between the National Cancer Control Programme, the Irish Cancer Society and Cancer Care West. This initiative provides a range of support to cancer patients and their families during the Covid-19 period, ranging from a dedicated support phone line to psychological assessment and intervention.
