Written Answers Nos. 728-740
729. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if all homeless services workers who worked throughout the pandemic in homeless support roles will be paid the pandemic payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26045/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
730. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm whether it is permissible for terminations of pregnancy based on sex-selection criteria to take place under the provisions of the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26046/23]
View answerAs the Deputy might be aware, the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022 (AHR Bill) passed Second Stage in the Dáil in March 2022 and has been referred to the Select Committee on Health for Third Stage. This complex and far-reaching legislation will encompass the regulation for the first time of a wide range of practices undertaken in this jurisdiction, including: gamete and embryo donation for assisted human reproduction (or AHR) and research; domestic altruistic surrogacy; pre-implantation genetic testing of embryos; posthumous assisted human reproduction; and embryo and stem cell research.
Part 6 of the published Bill is titled “pre-implantation genetic diagnosis and sex selection” and includes provision for sex selection – defined as “AHR treatment provided to a person for the purpose of ensuring, or increasing the probability, that an embryo will be of a particular sex” – in very limited circumstances and under strict conditions. However sex selection essentially involves the diagnosis, screening or testing of embryos prior to implantation and is therefore not related to the termination of an existing pregnancy.
Termination of pregnancy services in Ireland are provided under the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018. The Act allows termination to be carried out in cases where there is a risk to the life, or of serious harm to the health, of the pregnant woman; where there is a condition present which is likely to lead to the death of the foetus either before or within 28 days of birth; and without restriction up to 12 weeks of pregnancy.
731. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of an issue with a systematic failure of a number of HSE payroll divisions to correctly calculate the pay of non-consultant hospital doctors such as a person (details supplied), through a failure to correctly complete ASC 10 forms by sections of the HSE; if he will request the HSE to instigate an investigation into the number of doctors affected, and to ascertain whether the underpayment was as a result of a deliberate policy; if he will request the HSE to ensure that those affected are automatically reimbursed rather than having to chase up underpayments in multiple employments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26047/23]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
732. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when an urgent hospital transfer from Letterkenny University Hospital to Galway University Hospital will take place for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26056/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
733. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Cork who was referred on 22 December 2022 will have a date for cataract surgery. [26075/23]
View answerUnder 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.
734. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Health the budget allocated to each hospital in the RCSI Hospital Group in each of the years 2019 to 2023, in tabular form. [26076/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
735. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the establishment of the HSE implementation group to progress the operational recommendations raised in the review of the Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26079/23]
View answerThe final Report of the independent Review of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 was considered by Cabinet on 25 April. There are a number of operational recommendations. Government agreed that the HSE will establish an implementation group to progress these recommendations. The HSE is currently in the process of establishing this group. There are also a number of proposals around legislative change and those have been referred to the Joint Committee on Health for consideration. The report was published in full on 26 April.
736. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the progress in implementing the recommendations raised in the review of the Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26080/23]
View answerThe final Report of the independent Review of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, was considered by Cabinet on 25 April. There are a number of operational recommendations. The Government agreed that the HSE will establish an implementation group to progress these recommendations. There are also a number of proposals around legislative change and those have been referred to the Joint Committee on Health for consideration. The report was published in full on 26 April.
737. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he could outline the roles and responsibilities of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics as defined by statute; the reporting requirements it has to the Minister and the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26088/23]
View answerThe National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) was established in 1998 with the aim of promoting expertise in Ireland for the advancement of the discipline of pharmacoeconomics through practice, research and education. The NCPE is an independent Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Agency responsible for evaluating drug treatments for use in the Irish healthcare setting.
The NCPE conducts the HTA of drugs for the health service in Ireland in collaboration with the Health Service Executive's Corporate Pharmaceutical Unit. They assess comparative clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of drugs compared to current standard of care. The NCPE engages with stakeholders, including patients and clinicians, throughout the assessment process.
The NCPE also has a research function, with staff holding numerous teaching commitments, including with patient facing organisations. They report to the HSE via the Chief Clinical Officer. The NCPE responds to all requests from the Minister as and when required.
738. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the specific expenditure on new medicines and new uses of existing medicines in 2021 and 2022; if the information could be provided on an in-year basis and not solely on the projected five-year budget impact basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26089/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
739. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the details of the contract between the HSE and the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics that underpins pharmaceutical product applications for reimbursement; what the agreement requires of the NCPE in conducting its role; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26090/23]
View answerThe Health Service Executive's Corporate Pharmaceutical Unit (CPU) commissions the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) to assess medicines following receipt of an application for reimbursement. The NCPE are commissioned to review the following classes of medicines:
- New active substances seeking reimbursement in Ireland.
- New indications for currently reimbursed drugs.
- Drugs which are already reimbursed by the HSE and are associated with high expenditure or uncertain clinical benefit.
All medicines are initially subjected to a Rapid Review. Products with a high-cost relative to potential comparators and/or those with a net impact on the drugs budget will be subjected to a full Health Technology Assessment (HTA). Similarly, products where there is a query in relation to the comparative clinical efficacy and/or value for money will also be selected for full HTA.
A full HTA is a systematic assessment of the clinical, cost-effectiveness and potential budget impact of a medicine. Following a full HTA, an assessment report outlining the NCPE’s conclusions and recommendations is sent to the HSE CPU to support evidence-based decision-making on reimbursement. In the case of oncology drugs, a report is also sent to the HSE National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP).
The process is outlined in the Framework Agreement on the Supply and Pricing of Medicines between IPHA, the Department of Health, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the HSE (2021-2025), available at www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/cpu/drugs-group-minutes/%20ipha%20agreement%202021-2025%20supporting%20materials.pdf. The scientific/ technical aspects of the NCPE's work are independent of the HSE.
740. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of medicines and the level of expenditure in 2022 on exempt medicinal products by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26091/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
