Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this matter. I know the Minister has other business in the Houses this evening but I am disappointed she is not here to take this extremely important matter.

The HSE must immediately reverse a decision it has made and provide high-frequency chest compression vests to those families seeking them for their young children. The decision by the HSE to stop funding the vests is wrong and unjust. We should listen to carers and parents who look after their children.

A constituent contacted me with regard to her two young children, one aged 2 and a half years and the other aged ten months, who suffer from cystic fibrosis and get great benefit from the vests. My constituent advises me that the vest is a godsend and should be supported. Daily physiotherapy sessions for this woman's daughters take approximately one hour using the vest. This is in comparison to taking at least two and a half hours if she were to use conventional methods such as chest clapping. Without the vest the physiotherapy would have to be given in sequence as only one adult is available to provide it. With the vest, physiotherapy can be provided to both children simultaneously which results in a much shorter session.

My constituent's children prefer this form of physiotherapy as they can continue to play, draw or watch television when the vest is being worn rather than being tugged and moved about into various positions which is particularly annoying for young children. The vest also means fewer hospital admissions. It has eased stress in my constituent's household and allowed the girls live more normal lives. This will result in a higher life expectancy for the children.

The children's consultant and the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland endorse the vests but they cannot help to fund them. Two types of vest exist, one costs €7,000 and the other costs €12,000, exclusive of VAT. In the United States, the vests are provided by private health insurance companies. It is in their interests to do so because on average it saves them $20,000 per annum due to the decreased need for hospitalisation and medication.

In Ireland, the life expectancy of children with cystic fibrosis is a mere 23 years, which is ten years less than the life expectancy of children born in the North. Various reasons exist for this, but we should be a world leader in this matter. Research in the United States shows these vests are highly effective and we should support and give hope to the adults and children affected by cystic fibrosis and their families.

The Government has let down the country with regard to this matter. Dr. Ron Pollock produced a report in 2005 and the cystic fibrosis working group has recommended a report. However, this has not been publicly produced which is shameful. Medical evidence may not exist that these vests help and improve the children but a case can be made for providing them to families where a number of children suffer from cystic fibrosis. It is less stressful for the family, particularly if there are several children awaiting physiotherapy. The Government should put its money where its mouth is in this case. We constantly hear the Government claiming it is standing up for the vulnerable, the young and the elderly. This is a prime opportunity for the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Finneran, to give us the good news this evening that the HSE will make an exception for families with several children suffering from cystic fibrosis. Otherwise, it would be cruel and callous, badly reflecting on the Government.

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney.

The Minister has identified the need to improve services to persons with cystic fibrosis in the Estimates process over recent years. Since 2006, additional revenue funding of €6.78 million has been allocated to the Health Service Executive to develop services for patients with cystic fibrosis.

The Health Service Executive has received several requests to fund the provision of high frequency chest compression, HFCC, vests to assist in the treatment of cystic fibrosis. A preliminary review undertaken by the Health Service Executive in early 2008 did not provide a sufficient evidence base in terms of effectiveness to recommend the use of the vest.

Following on from this, a more substantive review process was conducted to enable the Health Service Executive evaluate more comprehensively the benefits, or otherwise, of HFCC vests in the treatment of cystic fibrosis. Suitable expertise in the field of cystic fibrosis was identified and a cross-directorate group, including expertise from the Health Information and Quality Authority, was established by the Health Service Executive early this year. The evaluation group submitted its report last month. It found there was not sufficient evidence at this point to recommend the HFCC vest as an adjunct therapy in the treatment of cystic fibrosis. It concluded there was no significant benefit for the vest over conventional physiotherapy.

Based on the recommendations of this group, the Health Service Executive decided the HFCC vest could not be endorsed at this time for use in the treatment of cystic fibrosis. However, the Health Service Executive is open to reviewing this evaluation should relevant evidence-based information become available.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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That is unsatisfactory.

Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Thank you Deputy.