Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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580. To ask the Minister for Health if supports, financial or otherwise, have been put in place for persons who had side effects from the swine flu vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22931/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The State Claims Agency (SCA) has a statutory remit to manage personal injury claims on behalf of Delegated State Authorities including the Health Service Executive. The management of cases taken by persons who allege they developed Narcolepsy and/or Cataplexy as a result of receiving the H1N1 vaccine, Pandemrix, is delegated to SCA and, as such, the Government has no role in determining how these cases are conducted. I understand that it is the Agency’s preference to resolve claims using mediation where possible and that that has been offered in these cases.

Separately, an Expert Group was established by the Government in June 2018, chaired by Mr Justice Charles Meenan, to examine the law in relation to personal injuries arising in the healthcare context and to explore alternative mechanisms by which claims could be managed more effectively, particularly from the perspective of the person on whose behalf a claim has been made. Government noted the contents of the Final Report and agreed to its publication on 16 December 2020. The Report contains seventeen recommendations for change, eleven of which relate to the Department of Health. My Department is currently considering these recommendations.

Since 2012, the HSE, the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, and my Department have worked together to provide a wide range of services and supports for those affected. The HSE’s Advocacy Unit acts as liaison with service and support providers and other Government Departments to facilitate access to required services. Regional co-ordinators have been appointed to assist individuals by providing advice, information and access to local services.

The ex-gratia health supports include:

- clinical care pathways to ensure access to diagnosis and treatment;

- multi-disciplinary assessments led by clinical experts;

- counselling services for both the individuals and their families;

- discretionary medical cards for those who have been diagnosed;

- physiotherapy and occupational therapy assessments.

Treatment and individual medical needs are reassessed over time to take account of changes in their condition or circumstances.

In conjunction with the above, a centre of excellence for narcolepsy (based in St. James’s Hospital) for treating all forms of narcolepsy in adults as well as children transitioning from paediatric services has been in development. A sleep lab is now complete at this facility, with equipment installed and commissioned. Additional sleep technicians have also been recruited. The sleep lab completed its first sleep studies in July 2019. Sleep studies are now continuing on a regular basis. A consultant neurologist with specialist interest in sleep medicine and two consultant respiratory physicians with specialist interest in sleep medicine have been appointed. They have all commenced their full-time positions and are seeing narcolepsy-related referrals in the clinic. A dietician also joined the service as part of its multidisciplinary team.