Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

426. To ask the Minister for Health the number of staff in the pharmacoeconomics unit; the budget allocated to same for 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7236/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) was established in 1998. Its remit is to advise the HSE and the Department of Health in relation to the cost-effectiveness of medicines.

The NCPE's workload has increased dramatically since its establishment, from less than five assessments in 2007 to over 80 in 2017. A review of the NCPE and its work by Grant Thornton in 2017 indicated that the NCPE was understaffed and that an additional 9 staff would be required in order to meet the additional workload.

The NCPE currently has a staff of 10.5 full time equivalents, at an annual cost of €994,000 per annum. As part of budget 2018, I announced an additional allocation of €750,000 in 2018 to support the NCPE's work, and recruitment of additional staff has commenced. When the additional staffing is in place, the annual budget will be in the order of €1.74 million.