Written Answers Nos. 351-368
351. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the status of the ongoing infrastructure improvements to the neo-natal intensive care facilities at the Rotunda Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5657/23]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
352. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the home support waiting list for funding and for carers in each month of 2021 and 2022 for each LHO and CHO, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5658/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
353. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the number of home support hours delivered in each LHO and CHO in 2021 and 2022, compared to the targeted hours of delivery, including the split between directly and indirectly delivered care, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5659/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
354. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the rationale for not including the average length of time waiting for a home support package in national KPI reporting requirements; if consideration has been made for reporting the same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5660/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
355. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the opening hours of Southdoc, Blackpool. [5661/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
356. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if GP charges for employee medical certificates are available free of charge for medical card holders (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5662/23]
View answerThe HSE reimburses GPs for services provided under the GMS contract to medical and GP visit card holders. Under the terms of the GMS contract, a medical certificate (sick note) shall be furnished to a person the medical practitioner has examined in relation to any illness noticed during the examination which is reasonably required by the patient.
However, Section 11 of the GMS contract stipulates that fees in respect of certain medical certificates which may be required, for example, "under the Social Welfare Acts or for the purposes of insurance or assurance policies or for the issue of driving licences" are not covered by the contract. Any fees charged by GPs for services provided outside the terms of the GMS contract are a matter of private contract between the GP and their patient.
If a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card believes he or she has been incorrectly charged for services by his or her GP, then that patient should report the matter to their HSE Local Health Office. The local management, upon being notified of potential inappropriate charging of GMS patients, carry out an investigation into each complaint and will, where appropriate, arrange for a refund of charges incorrectly applied by the GP.
357. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health if the HSE has plans to relocate the Kilrush unit of Shannondoc from its current location on the Cooraclare Road to Kilrush primary care centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5667/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
358. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the counties where out-of-hours GP services have service level agreements with the HSE, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5668/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
359. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital admissions that occurred through the University Hospital Galway emergency department or the acute medical assessment unit due to hypoglycaemia in each of the years 2017 to 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5669/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
360. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital admissions that occurred through the University Hospital Galway emergency department or the acute medical assessment unit due to hypoglycaemia in the age ranges of 18-24 years, 25-34 years, 35-44 years, 45-54 years, 55-64 years, and over 65 years of age, in each of the years 2017 to 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5670/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
361. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital admissions that occurred through the University Hospital Galway emergency department or the acute medical assessment unit due to diabetic ketoacidosis in each of the years 2017 to 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5671/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
362. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital admissions that occurred through the University of Limerick Hospitals Group accident and emergency unit or the acute medical assessment unit due to diabetic ketoacidosis in the age ranges of 18-24 years, 25-34 years, 35-44 years, 45-54 years, 55-64 years, and over 65 years of age, in each of the years 2017 to 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5672/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
363. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the number of dedicated whole-time equivalents of consultant endocrinologists, dietitians, advanced nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, staff nurses and administrative support posts currently dedicated to the outpatient adult diabetes clinic in each of the hospitals under the University Hospital Galway hospitals group; the dedicated whole-time equivalents of consultant endocrinologists, dietitians, advanced nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, staff nurses and administrative support posts currently in place in the paediatric diabetes and endocrinology service at University Hospital Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5673/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
364. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the number of times adult diabetes outpatient clinic services were cancelled at University Hospital Galway during the years 2021 and 2022; the number of patients scheduled to attend on each date that was cancelled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5674/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
365. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the total staff working in IT-related roles and digital transformation within the HSE, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5675/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy, as soon as possible.
366. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if he will instruct Southdoc to operate a text service for people who are hard of hearing. [5687/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
367. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health if the drug romosozumab will shortly be regulated by the Health Products Regulatory Authority in Ireland and be made available on the drug payment scheme and to medical card holders, given that this drug is used to treat osteoporosis in many countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5689/23]
View answerThe Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical items, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
In line with the 2013 Act and the national framework agreed with industry, a company must submit an application to the HSE to have a new medicine added to the formal Reimbursement list. Reimbursement is for licensed indications which have been granted market authorisation by the European Medicines Agency or the Health Products Regulatory Authority.
In making a relevant reimbursement decision, the HSE is required under the Act to have regard to a number of criteria including efficacy, the health needs of the public, cost effectiveness and potential or actual budget impact. HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds, on the advice of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE). The Minister for Health has no role in these decisions.
The HSE received an application on the 20 April 2021 for pricing and reimbursement of Romosozumab (Evenity®), which is indicated for the treatment of severe osteoporosis in postmenopausal women at high risk of fracture.
The first step in the process is the submission of a Rapid Review dossier (a clinical and economic dossier) to the National Centre for Phamacoeconomics (NCPE) for assessment. The HSE commissioned the Rapid Review process on the 21 April 2021.
The NCPE Rapid Review assessment report was received by the HSE on the 27 May 2021. A full health technology assessment (HTA) was recommended to assess the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of Romosozumab (Evenity®) compared with the current standard of care. The HSE commissioned a full HTA on the 28 June 2021 as per agreed processes.
The NCPE publishes details of medicines where the HSE has commissioned a Rapid Review assessment and/or a full HTA assessment on their website. The website is updated at regular intervals and includes assessment outcomes and updates on reimbursement for each individual medicine and indication listed.
Details of the assessment(s) of Romosozumab (Evenity®) are available at: www.ncpe.ie/drugs/romosozumab-evenity-hta-id-21016/.
The HSE Corporate Pharmaceutical Unit (CPU) is the interface between the HSE and the Pharmaceutical Industry in relation to medicine pricing and reimbursement applications.
The HSE Drugs Group is the national committee which the HSE has in place to make recommendations on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines. The membership of the HSE Drugs Group includes public interest members.
The pharmacoeconomic report will be reviewed by the HSE Drugs Group along with the outputs of commercial negotiations, and any patient group submission(s) received. The HSE Drugs Group will consider all of the evidence and make a recommendation to the HSE Executive Management Team. Therefore, the application for Romosozumab (Evenity®) remains under consideration.
368. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the assessment of needs for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5695/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
