Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The HSE has advised that in the previous situations where it considered reimbursement support appropriate, a number of steps were completed. The patient's consultant should be satisfied that all therapeutic options have been exhausted and be prepared to accept the responsibility for monitoring the patient's response to the cannabis product. A prescriber then applies to the Minister for a ministerial license and, following consideration, a ministerial licence may be granted. The consultant then completes an individual reimbursement form, setting out the therapeutic benefits for the patient. It is important that this is completed in sufficient detail for therapeutic benefit to be demonstrated. The individual's reimbursement form is considered by the medicines management programme, MMP. On review of the documentation, the MMP makes a recommendation for or against reimbursement support for the patient to the HSE, under the patient's eligibility, and informs the primary care reimbursement service of that recommendation. The Minister for Health has no role in the clinical decision-making process and section 6 of the Health Service Executive (Governance) Act 2013 bars the Minister from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.

I am sorry again for taking so long.

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