Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 April 2022
711. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health if his attention been drawn to the lack of mention of hyperemesis gravidarum or a commitment to tackling the prohibitive cost of treatment in the Women’s Health Action Plan 2022-2023; if this is an oversight; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17680/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI fully appreciate that hyperemesis, or severe sickness during pregnancy, is a debilitating condition for some women, and I am anxious that our health service should support women with this condition in every way possible.
The Women's Health Action Plan, published March 2022, provides the framework to address this and a range of other issues that impact women's health in a responsive way as the issues arise.
Hyperemesis gravidarum is an issue which impacts women in pregnancy and therefore falls within the auspices of our work to support maternal health and healthcare which is a core component of the Women’s Health Action Plan. While all issues impacting women's health in Ireland are not enumerated in detail in the Women’s Health Action Plan, I can confirm that the HSE and my Department are working with pace to improve the supports available to women with this condition.
In relation to the cost and availability of medications needed in some cases of the treatment of Hyperemesis Gravidarum, important work in this area has commenced in the HSE and officials are engaged with the HSE to progress this work in line with the Ministers request for urgent consideration of this matter. This is a key first step in considering options which can better support women suffering with hyperemesis in Ireland.
The Medicines Management Programme (MMP) has submitted a clinical review and the HSE are now considering if there are potential reimbursement options based on the MMPs recommendations. I am hopeful that the HSE can achieve a positive outcome and my Department and the HSE are continuing to work closely together on this issue.
Improving women’s health outcomes is a key priority for me and this Government. We made a strong commitment to Promoting Women’s Health in the Programme for Government and are fully committed to the development and improvement of Women’s Health services and to working with women and girls to improve their health across the whole life cycle. The Women’s Health Action Plan 2022-2023 is the first step to these important improvements. It is important to note that the Women’s Health Action Plan is the first of its kind in Ireland. This plan starts and ends by listening to the women of Ireland. The life cycle of this first plan is of an 18-month duration, is ongoing and will respond to issues as they arise and developing consistently over its life course. The Women’s Health Action Plan sets forward a wide range of positive initiatives to support women’s health, including maternal health, and provides a framework for further prioritisation as issues and needs arise. It does not enumerate every issue that impact a woman’s health but instead spotlights certain issues raised by women in the course of 2019 and 2020 and sets out a framework for regular review to ensure a responsiveness to women on the issues they want to see addressed is embedded in how the plan is implemented.
It is also supported by significant funding in Budget 2022, for example:
- An investment of almost €9 million additional funding to ensure continued implementation of the National Maternity Strategy into 2022 and beyond, building on the significant investment in 2021,
- Funding which will allow us to continue improvements in our gynaecology services by establishing a further 6 ambulatory gynaecology "see and treat" clinics, bringing the total to 20 clinics nationally.
