Pearse Doherty
Question:730. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the reason a child (details supplied), who is a medical card holder, will be charged for a MRI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42741/24]
View answerHospital Charges
Questions (730)
Written answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Questions (731)
Pearse Doherty
Question:731. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the current waiting times for MRI scans in Letterkenny University Hospital for urgent and non-urgent referrals, per calendar month, in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and to date in 2024 in tabular form. [42742/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Health Services
Questions (732)
Carol Nolan
Question:732. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if gene therapy is available for persons diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy; if there are plans to make it available, as per the situation in the United States, the United Kingdom and a number of other jurisdictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42744/24]
View answerWritten answers
The 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. The HSE must comply with the relevant legislation when considering investment decisions around new medicines. Pharmaceutical companies are required to submit formal applications to the HSE if they wish their medicines to be added to the list of reimbursable items / funded via hospitals. In order to submit a formal application the medicine must hold a marketing authorisation. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is a centralised agency of the European Union (EU) responsible for the scientific evaluation, supervision and safety monitoring of medicines in the EU. The EMA plays an integral role in the authorisation of medicines in the EU. The national assessment and reimbursement decision process cannot commence in the absence of a marketing authorisation.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Questions (733)
Pauline Tully
Question:733. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the number of people on each outpatient waiting list in Cavan General Hospital, in tabular form. [42750/24]
View answerWritten answers
Adult and child Inpatient and Day Case and Outpatient waiting lists by hospital and specialty are published monthly and are available on the National Treatment Purchase Fund's website at: www.ntpf.ie/home/nwld.htm.
The information is now being made available through an interactive visual tool which provides users with a much-improved way of accessing and analysing waiting list information.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Questions (734)
Pauline Tully
Question:734. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health to detail the number of people on each inpatient waiting list in Cavan General Hospital, in tabular form. [42751/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Staff
Questions (735)
Pauline Tully
Question:735. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health to detail the number of staff working in the emergency department of Cavan General Hospital in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [42752/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Staff
Questions (736)
Pauline Tully
Question:736. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health to detail the number of staff working in the medical assessment unit of Cavan General Hospital in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [42753/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Staff
Questions (737)
Pauline Tully
Question:737. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health to detail the number of staff working in the paediatric assessment unit of Cavan General Hospital in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [42754/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Staff
Questions (738)
Pauline Tully
Question:738. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health to detail the number of staff working in the paediatric ward of Cavan General Hospital in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [42755/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Staff
Questions (739)
Pauline Tully
Question:739. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health to detail the number of staff working in the surgical wards of Cavan General Hospital in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [42756/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Staff
Questions (740)
Pauline Tully
Question:740. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health to detail the number of staff working in the maternity ward of Cavan General Hospital in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [42757/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Staff
Questions (741)
Pauline Tully
Question:741. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health to detail the number of staff working in the midwifery led unit of Cavan General Hospital in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [42758/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Staff
Questions (742)
Pauline Tully
Question:742. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health to detail the number of staff working in the intensive care unit of Cavan General Hospital in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [42759/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Staff
Questions (743)
Pauline Tully
Question:743. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health to detail the number of staff working in the coronary care unit of Cavan General Hospital in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [42760/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Staff
Questions (744)
Pauline Tully
Question:744. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health to detail the number of staff working in the oncology unit of Cavan General Hospital in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [42761/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Staff
Questions (745)
Pauline Tully
Question:745. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health to detail the number of staff working in the endoscopy unit of Cavan General Hospital in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [42762/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Staff
Questions (746)
Pauline Tully
Question:746. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health to detail the number of staff working in the renal dialysis unit of Cavan General Hospital in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [42763/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Staff
Questions (747)
Pauline Tully
Question:747. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health to detail the number of staff working in the physiotherapy unit of Cavan General Hospital in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [42764/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Staff
Questions (748)
Pauline Tully
Question:748. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health to detail the number of staff working in the acute psychiatry unit of Cavan General Hospital in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [42765/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Dental Services
Questions (749)
Richard Bruton
Question:749. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the number of dentists in County Mayo available under the dental treatment services scheme; the total number of dentists in County Mayo, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42779/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
Health Services
Questions (750)
Niamh Smyth
Question:750. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health in light of the opening of a step-down facility in Nenagh by the HSE in August, with a contract of only one year before it reverts to its intended purpose as a 50 bed nursing home; who is responsible for the care and oversight of the 32 patients currently residing in the facility; and given that the managing entity (details supplied) is only now advertising for multiple roles, the measures that are in place to ensure the safety of both patients and staff; and where concerns about the management of this facility can be formally raised. [42780/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Departmental Data
Questions (751)
Jim O'Callaghan
Question:751. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the amount paid out by the Children's Health Ireland hospital group in each of the last five years in leasing the buildings used as CHI Temple Street; and to set out to whom the lease payment is made. [42784/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Medicinal Products
Questions (752)
Brendan Griffin
Question:752. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the continued failure of the HSE and the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics to reconsider and approve the reimbursement of palforzia for the treatment of peanut allergy (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42785/24]
View answerWritten answers
Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines. The HSE have provided the following update regarding Palforzia®:
The HSE is committed to providing access to as many medicines as possible, in as timely a fashion as possible, from the resources available (provided) to it.
The HSE robustly assesses applications for pricing and reimbursement to make sure that it can stretch available resources as far as possible and to deliver the best value in relation to each medicine and ultimately more medicines to Irish citizens and patients.
HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds.
There are formal processes which govern applications for the pricing and reimbursement of medicines, and new uses of existing medicines, to be funded and / or reimbursed.
The HSE considers the following criteria prior to making any decision on pricing / reimbursement in line with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013:
(1) The health needs of the public,
(2) The cost effectiveness of meeting health needs by supplying the item concerned rather than providing other health services,
(3) The availability and suitability of items for supply or reimbursement,
(4) The proposed costs, benefits, and risks of the item or listed item relative to therapeutically similar items or listed items provided in other health service settings and the level of certainty in relation to the evidence of those costs, benefits and risks,
(5) The potential or actual budget impact of the item or listed item,
(6) The clinical need for the item or listed item,
(7) The appropriate level of clinical supervision required in relation to the item to ensure patient safety,
(8) The efficacy (performance in trial), effectiveness (performance in real situations) and added therapeutic benefit against existing standards of treatment (how much better it treats a condition than existing therapies) and
(9) The resources available to the HSE
In terms of the specific details of the application for pricing and reimbursement of Defatted powder of Arachis hypogaea L., semen (peanuts) (Palforzia®) for the treatment of patients aged 4 to 17 years with a confirmed diagnosis of peanut allergy. (Palforzia® may be continued in patients 18 years of age and older):
The HSE received a complete application for pricing / reimbursement on the 30th March 2022 from Aimmune Therapeutics (the applicant) for Defatted powder of Arachis hypogaea L., semen (peanuts) (Palforzia®) for the treatment of patients aged 4 to 17 years with a confirmed diagnosis of peanut allergy. (Palforzia® may be continued in patients 18 years of age and older).
• The first step in the process is the submission of a Rapid Review dossier (a clinical and economic dossier) to the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) for assessment. The HSE commissioned the Rapid Review process on the 1st April 2022.
• The NCPE Rapid Review assessment report was received by the HSE on the 5th May 2022. The NCPE advised the HSE that a full HTA was recommended to assess the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of Defatted powder of Arachis hypogaea L., semen (peanuts) (Palforzia®) compared with the current standard of care.
• The HSE commissioned a full Health Technology Assessment on the 26th May 2022 as per agreed processes.
• The NCPE Health Technology Assessment Report was received by the HSE on the 29th November 2023. The NCPE recommended that Defatted powder of Arachis hypogaea L., semen (peanuts) (Palforzia®) not be considered for reimbursement unless cost-effectiveness can be improved relative to existing treatments. (www.ncpe.ie/defatted-powder-of-arachis-hypogaea-l-semen-peanuts-palforzia-hta-id-22019/ )
• The HSE Corporate Pharmaceutical Unit (CPU) is the interface between the HSE and the Pharmaceutical Industry in relation to medicine pricing and reimbursement applications. CPU met with the applicant to discuss their application for Arachis hypogaea L., semen (peanuts) (Palforzia®).
• The 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 HSE Drugs Group consider all of the evidence and make a recommendation to the HSE Senior Leadership Team. The totality of clinical and economic evidence for Defatted powder of Arachis hypogaea L., semen (peanuts) (Palforzia®) for the treatment of patients aged 4 to 17 years with a confirmed diagnosis of peanut allergy was comprehensively and extensively reviewed by the Drugs Group at the September 2024 meeting. The HSE Drugs Group recommended in favour of reimbursement of Arachis hypogaea L., semen (peanuts) (Palforzia®) subject to an improved commercial offering.
• The decision making authority in the HSE is the HSE Senior Leadership Team. The HSE Senior Leadership Team decides on the basis of all the demands it is faced with (across all services) whether it can fund a new medicine, or new use of an existing medicine, from the resources that have been provided to it in line with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
The application remains under consideration. The HSE CPU has proposed a meeting with the applicant to discuss the HSE Drugs Group recommendation. The HSE cannot make any comment on possible outcomes from the ongoing process.