Written Answers Nos. 571-584
572. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to establish an organisation (details supplied) as an independent statutory body to ensure stronger governance and accountability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9655/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra573. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if an independent legal opinion has been commissioned to assess the suitability of the current structure of an organisation (details supplied), as recommended by a recent report; if so, if the report has been published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9656/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 572 and 573 together.
Organ Donation and Transplant Ireland (ODTI) is the office within the HSE with responsibility for oversight of all aspects of organ donation and transplantation in Ireland.
The HSE is currently engaged in a strategic planning process which is reviewing structures of organ donation and transplantation services including international benchmarking and comprehension of relevant reports which will inform delivery of services for next 5 – 10 years.
Once completed, the Department of Health will consider any findings or recommendations of the assessment and the review.
579. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive orthodontic treatment in Letterkenny University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9648/23]
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.
580. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on community neuro-rehabilitation teams (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9667/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
581. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the ongoing problems for patients availing of the cross-Border healthcare directive or the Northern Ireland planned healthcare scheme, in that the codes for the procedures do not match up between the private health care providers in the Northern Ireland and the HSE, with the consequence of those patients then being left with very significant additional costs; and if he will ensure that the private health care providers in the North of Ireland and the HSE urgently align their coding systems to prevent further reoccurrences. [9681/23]
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.
582. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the problems with obtaining Rivotril in Ireland at present; if his Department or the HSE are in contact with the company (details supplied) regarding this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9698/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraCheplapharm, the company responsible for supplying Rivotril 0.5mg tablets notified the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) of a shortage that began on 25th November 2022, due to a manufacturing issue. The HPRA has repeatedly offered the company regulatory flexibility, including expediting controlled drug licences required to transport the product to Ireland and offering temporary authorisation for the company to import its product from another market to help mitigate the impact of this shortage on patients in Ireland. The HPRA has also engaged with the HSE regarding the shortage, as clinical treatment of patients is the remit of the HSE.
Whilst the HPRA has no role in procuring medicines, the HPRA has liaised with suppliers of exempt medicinal products (EMPs*) during the shortage, confirming that the HPRA has no objection to the supply of EMP alternatives and has assurances that there has been some EMP availability.
The issue has been discussed with all other European countries and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The shortage also significantly impacts other European countries, including Spain, where the product is manufactured.
Cheplapharm has confirmed that the Irish stock has been released from the Spanish manufacturer and estimated that Rivotril would be resupplied to patients in Ireland during the week of 13th March.
*Schedule 1 of the Medicinal Products (Control of Placing on the Market) Regulations includes an exemption which enables practitioners to prescribe a medicine as an exempt medicinal product (EMP) under that practitioners direct responsibility, in order to fulfil the special needs of that specific patient. If a valid prescription is issued for an EMP in line with the above Regulations, an appropriately authorised wholesaler can source that product from another market for supply to the patient via their pharmacy in line with that prescription.
As EMPs have not been granted a marketing authorisation in Ireland by the HPRA, they would not be assessed by the HPRA for quality, safety or efficacy. If sourced in response to a bona fide unsolicited order as a licensed product from another market these medicines will have undergone an evaluation of their safety, quality, and efficacy for the granting of their marketing authorisation in that country carried out by the respective competent authority for medicines in that state.
583. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to recruit a chief pharmacist in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9716/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has professionally qualified pharmacists among its staff and does not have plans to appoint a Chief Pharmacist at the present time. The matter will be kept under review in the context of wider workforce planning considerations.
584. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an appointment for a person (details supplied). [9721/23]
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.
