Mr. Liam Woods:

The Vice Chairman asked about the use of PPS numbers. An arrangement has been in place for a number of years to reimburse high-cost drugs on a named patient basis through primary care reimbursement service, PCRS, drugs prescribed through hospitals. It has been working very successfully and has been expanded into a new area of care recently. There was some dialogue around the use of a PPS number for that purpose but it is not yet in use and no decision has been taken at this stage.

The point about waiting lists was addressed. We hear the comment about representation on the neurorehabilitation group, which has a manager in place and is a key piece of the overall trauma strategy to which the Minister referred earlier. The National Rehabilitation Hospital and Peamount Hospital in Donnybrook are engaging in a networked approach as a part of the strategy. We will take away the Vice Chairman's comments on representation on the group. I am not familiar with the full details of its representation.