Written answers

Tuesday, 31 January 2006

Department of Health and Children

Vaccination Programme

8:00 pm

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 282: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of children who received out-of-date polio vaccine between January 1998 and December 2000 and who have now been revaccinated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2890/06]

Photo of Mary HarneyMary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 283: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the revised systems and protocols that were put in place post 2000 by the health boards to prevent the administration of out-of-date vaccine in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2891/06]

Photo of Mary HarneyMary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 284: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the national immunisation steering committee has made recommendations safeguarding against the use of out-of-date vaccines; if same has been implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2892/06]

Photo of Mary HarneyMary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Health Service Executive, which has statutory responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services, has provided the following information regarding the national immunisation steering committee recommendations safeguarding against the use of out of date vaccines. HSE staff and general practitioners contracted by the HSE provide immunisation as recommended by the national immunisation advisory committee and in line with good clinical practice. A national review of immunisation and vaccination programmes took place in 2001. One of the main recommendations of this report was the central control and monitoring of all vaccines.

In September 2004 a national vaccine cold chain delivery service was established. This centralised system is managed through the HSE national population health directorate which oversees the procurement, ordering, distribution, stock control and payment of all vaccines provided by the HSE. The distribution of all vaccines is carried out through a third party distribution system following a procurement process. All information is held on a database from which weekly and monthly reports are produced. The main activities of the service include ordering all childhood vaccines; monitoring of all GP and HSE vaccine orders; monitoring and ensuring that all vaccines are stored and distributed within optimum temperature; monitoring all batch numbers of stock and expiry dates; detailing receipt of all out-of-date vaccines returned from the HSE and GP surgeries; dealing with emergency situations. The cold chain delivery of services is dedicated to ensuring that vaccines are delivered and used in line with best practice.

To safeguard against the use of out of date vaccines a service is also provided for the return of out-of-date stock from each delivery site on a monthly basis. When an order is placed and delivered all sites are asked to return out of date stock. To safeguard further against use of out of date stock, the delivery service wrote to all GPs and HSE sites in April 2005 specifically asking that all fridges be checked and that all out of date vaccines be collected, irrespective of vaccines type. The response to this initiative was excellent with approximately 63,000 doses received. This initiative will be repeated again early in 2006.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.