Written Answers Nos. 611-628
611. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health if advice will be provided in relation to a matter raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied) with regard to Covid-19 vaccination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3273/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The Committee makes recommendations to my Department based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practices in relation to immunisation.
The NIAC develops guidance for the use of vaccines in Ireland which is contained in the Immunisation Guidelines. These guidelines are continuously updated and include guidance on all new vaccines as they are approved for use in Ireland
The Immunisation Guidelines state that if there is a precaution to a booster mRNA vaccine, consideration can be given to boosting with an authorised non-mRNA vaccine following an individual benefit-risk assessment.
612. 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. [3274/22]
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 Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
614. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the number of cases that have been recorded in which births of infants born alive following a termination of pregnancy as defined in section 2 of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 have been registered as a live birth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3286/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra615. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the number of cases of deaths of infants born alive following a termination of pregnancy as defined in section 2 of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 that have been notified under section 42A (1) of the Civil Registration Act 2004 as amended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3287/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra616. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the number of cases of comfort care that were recorded in respect to live births arising from the operation of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3288/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 614 to 616, inclusive, together.
Under the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, the following information is notified to the Minister for Health on the form entitled “Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 (Notifications) Regulations 2018” (Statutory Instrument No. 597 of 2018):
- Medical Council registration number of the medical practitioner who carried out the termination of pregnancy;
- The section of the Act under which the termination was carried out, i.e., section 9, 10, 11 or 12;
- Medical Council registration number(s) of the medical practitioner(s) who made the certification concerned;
- The county of residence, or place of residence (where the woman resides outside of the State) of the woman concerned;
- The date on which the termination of pregnancy was carried out.
No other information is notified to the Minister.
As the Deputy's questions relate to service matters, they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
617. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the intermediate care ambulance services currently operating in each CHO catchment area; the funding allocated to each CHO for the provision of such services in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3290/22]
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.
618. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the recruitment of neurology nurses for University Hospital Waterford; if he has plans to address the urgent need for these positions to be filled; his views on the recommendation by an association (details supplied) of the urgent need for six extra neurology nurses at the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3291/22]
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.
619. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Health if he will report on research carried out by his Department in relation to the HPV vaccine uptake; if further roll-out is being considered for qualifying persons who did not receive the vaccine at school age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3358/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practice in relation to immunisation. It makes recommendations on vaccination policy to my Department. The NIAC continues to revise recommendations to allow for the introduction of new vaccines in Ireland and to keep abreast of changes in the patterns of disease. Therefore, the immunisation schedule will continue to be amended over time. In 2009, the NIAC recommended HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination for all 12 to 13 year old girls to reduce their risk of developing cervical cancer when they are adults. In September 2010, the HPV vaccination programme was introduced for all girls in first year of secondary school. In June 2017, on foot of the NIAC’s recommendation that the HPV vaccine should also be given to boys, my Department asked the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) to undertake a health technology assessment (HTA) to establish the clinical and cost-effectiveness of extending the immunisation programme to include boys in the first year of secondary school. The HIQA completed the HTA in December 2018, recommending that the HPV immunisation programme be extended to include boys. A policy decision was made to extend the HPV immunisation programme to include boys, starting in September 2019, with the introduction of a 9-valent HPV vaccine. The ages at which vaccines are recommended in the immunisation schedule are chosen by the NIAC in order to give each child the best possible protection against vaccine preventable diseases. As the HPV vaccine is preventative it is intended to be administered, if possible, before a person becomes sexually active, that is, before a person is first exposed to HPV infection. Therefore, the gender-neutral HPV vaccination programme targets all girls and boys in first year of secondary school to provide maximum coverage. All vaccines administered through the School Immunisation Programme are provided free of charge.My Department will continue to be guided by NIAC's recommendations on any emerging evidence on this issue in the future. Anyone not in 1st year of secondary school or age equivalent in special schools or home schooled during the 2020/2021 school year who wishes to get the HPV vaccine, must go to their GP or sexual health clinic and pay privately for the vaccine and its administration. This applies to everyone whether or not they have a medical card/GP visit card, as it is outside of the HPV immunisation programme.
The programme for the academic year 2020/2021 was paused during the first few months of 2021 due to school closures and redeployment of staff to the COVID-19 immunisation programme. The inputting of uptake information for the schools-based programme was also delayed due to redeployment of administrative staff. The HSE has advised that the Schools Immunisation Programme 2020/2021 (of which the HPV programme is included) has been completed across the country. This means that all those who were eligible to receive the HPV vaccine have now been been offered it. The current recorded uptake rate for the first dose of the HPV vaccine, in the 2020/2021 academic year, is 76%. The current recorded uptake rate for the second dose of the HPV vaccine in this academic year is 65%. It should be noted that some areas are yet to input some, or all, of their data for both dose 1 and 2 so these figures are expected to increase.
My Department has asked the National Immunisation Advisory Committee to consider the clinical effectiveness of providing the HPV vaccine to:
- girls and boys in secondary school who were eligible to receive HPV vaccine in 1st year but who did not receive it; and
- women up to the age of 25 years who have left secondary school and who did not receive the vaccine when eligible.
If NIAC conclude that there is sufficient evidence to support providing the HPV vaccine to one or both groups, HIQA will undertake a cost-effectiveness assessment on that basis.
620. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the breakdown of the cost to the Exchequer of ShannonDoc services in County Clare between 2017 and 2021, inclusive in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3366/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra621. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the number of hours provided at each of the locations in County Clare in which ShannonDoc services operate in each of the years 2017 to 2021, in tabular form. [3367/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra622. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the level of demand, that is, appointments sought and scheduled by each of the locations in County Clare in which ShannonDoc services operate in each of the years 2017 to 2021, in tabular form. [3368/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra623. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the breakdown of in-person home visits and virtual consultations provided through each of the locations County Clare in which ShannonDoc services operate in each of the years 2017 to 2021, in tabular form. [3369/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 620 to 623, inclusive, together.
GP out-of-hours service providers are private organisations that are partially funded by the HSE. In the Mid-West region, the out-of-hours arrangements are discharged through Shannondoc.
As the issues raised are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
624. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his plans to review the ongoing attendance and visiting restrictions in hospitals; if the current HSE guidance will be reviewed to allow families and friends to visit their loved ones in hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3377/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraGuidance relating to visitor access in acute hospitals is developed by HSE AMRIC and published on the HPSC website. This guidance is implemented at a local level according to hospital policy and the prevailing situation in each hospital.
As the implementation of visiting guidance is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
625. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if the HSE has considered a recommendation from the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics which states that venetoclax in combination with obinutuzumab should be considered for reimbursement for patients with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3387/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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.
626. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of the booster campaign for immunocompromised persons who were offered a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine as part of their primary vaccine regime; if these persons were offered booster appointments; if not, if they were required to book appointments themselves; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3388/22]
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.
627. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of the €90 million allocation for antiviral drugs to treat Covid-19; the cohorts of patients he expects will be treated with antiviral drugs; the estimated timescale for delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3389/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraA National Therapeutics Advisory Group has been established by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to evaluate, advise, and provide recommendations on all therapeutics with potential for use in the treatment of COVID-19 in Ireland. This encompasses a range of antivirals and monoclonal antibodies currently awaiting, or having recently received, EMA approval.
In parallel, a Therapeutics Operational Group, to be informed by the recommendations of the Therapeutics Advisory Group, has been established by the HSE to develop the arrangements for provision of these treatments to patients who may benefit from their use and work is ongoing to establish the most efficient pathways toward identifying these vulnerable patients. The use of these treatments will be limited to these strictly defined patient cohorts.
The EU Commission is currently progressing a Joint Procurement Agreement (JPA) in relation to antivirals, which includes MSD’s Lagevrio (Molnupiravir) and Pfizer’s Paxlovid (PF-07321332; Ritonavir). Ireland has formally indicated its intention to participate in this arrangement. In addition, first deliveries of GSK’s Xevudy (Sotrovimab) monoclonal antibody treatment, procured via the EU JPA process, are imminently expected.
The HSE, in consultation with the Department of Health, is also exploring opportunities to procure antivirals through bilateral agreements at national level, in advance of the completion of the relevant EU JPA. These discussions are subject to EMA marketing authorisation.
628. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if there are specific guidelines and plans in place for treating Covid-19 in blood cancer patients similar to that which is provided for in the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3390/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised that a National Therapeutics Advisory Group has been established by the HSE to evaluate, advise, and provide recommendations on all therapeutics with potential for use in the treatment of COVID-19 in Ireland. This Group has developed clinical guidance and recommendations on the use of existing and emerging approved COVID-19 therapeutic medications, including Novel COVID-19 Antivirals and Novel COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody Therapies. A Clinical Prioritisation Framework, that includes blood cancer patients, is being finalised and it is expected that it will shortly be made available publicly.
