Results 22,741-22,760 of 46,197 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Prices (18 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: The HSE has statutory responsibility for medicine pricing and reimbursement decisions, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. The Act specifies the criteria for decisions on the reimbursement of medicines. As Minister for Health, I do not have any statutory power or function in relation to the reimbursement of medicines. The 2013 Act requires the...

Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Referral to Select Committee (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I move:That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Health pursuant to Standing Orders 84A(3)(a) and 149(1).

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: HSE Expenditure (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Donnelly for the question. A number of areas within the HSE are contributing to the overspend in 2018. These include higher payouts under the State Claims Agency, a shortfall in private patient income, a higher level of spend in the acute and disability services sectors and, for example, the additional costs associated with Storm Emma, which amounted to about €40...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: HSE Expenditure (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: The HSE did not just tell me, it told us all in the HSE service plan, as it does most years, the challenges and risks that exist in an organisation like the HSE. This is not the first year the HSE has needed a supplementary budget. If one looks back to 2006, we had a long-stay charges repayment scheme of €1 billion. We had shortfalls of €240 million and overrun of demand led...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: HSE Expenditure (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: That is not what the HSE said. The HSE did not say it could not deliver the service plan. The HSE produced a service plan. It was launched by the then director general and me. It was discussed at the Oireachtas health committee. I am pretty sure it was debated on the floor of the House. It produced it in the knowledge of the resources it had available to it. It did spell out, in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Nursing Staff Recruitment (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: As Minister for Health, the recruitment and retention of nurses and midwives has been and is a consistent priority for me. Challenges exist in recruitment and retention of these professions, which is not news to the Deputy, as she knows and shares my view. We operate against a backdrop of a global shortage of nurses and midwives. Despite these challenges, however, the data show that we...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Nursing Staff Recruitment (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: What the Government will do is respect the PSSA to which we asked public service unions to sign up, which they did, and to which the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, signed up. I understand the INMO is a member of ICTU and I understand all parties to the PSSA have signed up and have agreed there would be no cost-increasing claims for improvement in pay for the duration of the agreement....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Nursing Staff Recruitment (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I do not wish to engage in a back and forth about industrial relations matters on the floor of the Dáil because I want there to be serious engagement between my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, where appropriate, and the INMO in advance of its executive meeting on 5 November to see if there is a way forward. I must respect an agreement that the vast...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I will answer this question on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly. Budget 2019 allocated an additional €55 million for the development of mental health services, and I acknowledge Deputy Browne's commitment to this area also. The additional funding allocated to mental health services since 2012 has provided for the recruitment of more than 1,500 posts in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his point acknowledging that recruiting psychiatrists is a challenge but also highlighting the increase in numbers while vacancies remain. Given its analysis, the Public Service Pay Commission proposed that the parties to the public service stability agreement jointly consider what further measures could be taken to address the pay differential between pre-existing and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I agree that more must be done on this and I will pass on the Deputy's observations in the context of drawing up the service plan for 2019 with the HSE. In addition to the psychology posts and the benefits they bring to the service, we are also committed to increasing the number of psychiatric nurse undergraduate places by 130 annually by 2021-22. That will increase from 270 undergraduate...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for highlighting this important issue and continuing to return to it, as we rightly should. The development of a sustainable scoliosis service has been prioritised by my Department and the HSE in 2018. An additional €9 million was provided to the Children’s Hospital Group, CHG, in 2018 to support the development and implementation of a sustainable and safe...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I do not have the figure for how many people have been offered surgery abroad but I will get it for the Deputy quickly. I want to re-emphasise that the CHG advises that clinical criteria for determining a care plan for scoliosis-related surgeries and other spinal procedures is complex, which we appreciate, and is based on established clinical guidelines and best practice, both nationally and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: Funding has been provided to increase the capacity for additional consultants in order that even more procedures can be carried out in the hospital. The reconfiguration of the existing orthopaedic post in Crumlin hospital is being worked through the consultant appointment approval committee. Funding for an additional two new consultant posts for paediatric orthopaedics has been provided...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Medicinal Products Reimbursement (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy not just for raising this matter but for his advocacy in this area and for introducing me to the family of Marion Kelly. I have seen first hand, through his work, their dedication to making sure that this issue is resolved for the 19 families. I share that determination. The HSE assessed the application for the pricing and reimbursement of Respreeza and in August 2017,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Medicinal Products Reimbursement (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I accept that this has been going on for a long time, and I would be interested to hear directly from the Deputy about the failure to respond to emails so that I can pursue that matter. He has separated the two issues. The broader reimbursement issue for patients beyond the 19 on the trial is a matter of, in the first instance, the company submitting an application. I am open to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Medicinal Products Reimbursement (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I also hope that this can be concluded quickly. On the question of the administration costs, I have no information other than what I have in front of me. The HSE agreed that because of the unique and exceptional circumstances these 19 patients find themselves in, it would fund the provision of the necessary nursing services to ensure patients could continue to receive the medicine. I will...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disease Management (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I have received correspondence from the Deputy on this issue on which he has advocated strongly. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has a Lyme disease sub-committee which has been tasked with producing a report which covers awareness of Lyme disease among clinicians and members of the public; identification of best international practice in raising awareness about Lyme disease;...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disease Management (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: My record on this is not one of doing nothing but asking that we update our scientific advice, not just based on our experiences and evidence but also looking at what has been done across the water in the UK. We will have the basis of information next month, which will enable us to make informed decisions in this regard. Lyme disease can be very successfully treated in many cases using...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disease Management (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I recognise that reports are only as good as their implementation and the commitment I give the Deputy is that when the report goes to the scientific advisory committee I and the Department will base our actions, and I use the word actions, based on the scientific advice. I would be happy to meet the Deputy to discuss further these actions and implementation, once the report has been...