Results 2,321-2,340 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney
- Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (11 May 2005)
Mary Harney: The national service plan is the first such plan to be submitted to a Minister for Health and Children under section 31 of the Health Act 2004. The plan covers all the main programmes of care and treatment of the health services and sets down projected activity levels for those programmes. The plan also describes the objectives of the programmes and the actions to achieve these objectives. It...
- Written Answers — Health Service Reform: Health Service Reform (11 May 2005)
Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 121 and 130 together. The report of the national task force on medical staffing is a significant contribution to the development of acute hospitals services and to the organisation of medical staffing. The report makes important proposals for reducing the working hours of non-consultant hospital doctors, NCHDs, in line with the EU working time directive. It...
- Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (11 May 2005)
Mary Harney: Responsibility for the collection and reporting of waiting lists and waiting times now falls within the remit of the national treatment purchase fund, NTPF. A new on-line national patient treatment register is being developed by the fund. This register will allow for more accurate identification of waiting lists and, more importantly, waiting times. It is intended the register will be...
- Written Answers — Ambulance Service: Ambulance Service (11 May 2005)
Mary Harney: The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, HSE, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for the provision of ambulance services. Accordingly, my Department has requested the chief officer for...
- Written Answers — National Cancer Strategy: National Cancer Strategy (11 May 2005)
Mary Harney: The National Cancer Forum is finalising the new national cancer strategy. The forum, a multidisciplinary group of experts in cancer care, has conducted an extensive consultation process with professional bodies, voluntary organisations and the general public. In developing an organisational model for the delivery of cancer treatment services, the forum's considerations have been informed by...
- Written Answers — Hospital Accommodation: Hospital Accommodation (11 May 2005)
Mary Harney: The possibility of utilising facilities at St. Bricin's Hospital to ease the pressure on accident and emergency departments in Dublin, and in particular at the Mater Hospital, was examined by the Northern Area Health Board some years ago. At that time, the facility was found to be unsuitable as a consequence of the considerable capital investment that would be required. I recently asked that...
- Written Answers — Pharmacy Regulation: Pharmacy Regulation (11 May 2005)
Mary Harney: The pharmacy review group submitted its report on 31 January 2003 and it was published in February 2004. I have given the complex issues raised in the report careful consideration and I have had a memorandum for Government prepared. This memorandum outlines my plans to consolidate and update the existing legislation to provide for the safe and effective delivery of pharmaceutical services to...
- Written Answers — Health Expenditure: Health Expenditure (11 May 2005)
Mary Harney: The latest information available from the OECD database, as set out in the following table, shows total health expenditure per capita in Ireland in 2002 to be US$2,367 â purchasing power parity, PPP. This places Ireland eighth among the EU 15 and above the EU 15 average per capita spending of US$2,326 â PPP. The OECD database also enables comparison of 19 EU countries â EU 15 plus Czech...
- Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (11 May 2005)
Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 138 together. I am committed to the national rollout of a cervical screening programme in line with international best practice. International evidence demonstrates the proven efficacy of programmes that are effectively managed and meet quality assurance standards. Careful planning and consultation with relevant professional and advocacy stakeholders...
- Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (11 May 2005)
Mary Harney: The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, Comhairle na nOspidéal was dissolved on the day the Health Service Executive was established and the functions of Comhairle have been transferred to the Health Service Executive. My Department has, therefore, requested the interim chief executive of the Health Service...
- Written Answers — Hospital Accommodation: Hospital Accommodation (11 May 2005)
Mary Harney: On foot of the commitment in the health strategy, funding has been provided to open an additional 900 inpatient beds and day places in acute hospitals. Health agencies have informed my Department that at the 6 May 2005, 780 beds were in place. The Health Service Executive has informed my Department that the remaining 120 beds-places will come on stream during 2005. My Department will provide...
- Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (11 May 2005)
Mary Harney: I take it the Deputy is referring to the announcement made by the previous Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, on 15 September 2004 approving the commissioning of a number of new units in acute and non-acute hospitals throughout the country which have been funded under the national development plan. New units in the following locations have opened since September 2004: a new...
- Written Answers — National Treatment Purchase Fund: National Treatment Purchase Fund (11 May 2005)
Mary Harney: The national treatment purchase fund, NTPF, which is now a statutory body, was established as one of the key actions for dealing with public hospital waiting lists arising from the health strategy. My Department has, therefore, asked the chief executive of the NTPF to reply directly to the Deputy with regard to the issue raised.
- Written Answers — Company Privatisation: Company Privatisation (11 May 2005)
Mary Harney: The Government's legislative programme provides for legislation to be brought forward before the end of the year which will address the VHI's future corporate status. As part of the process of preparing the legislation I recently met the chairman of the VHI board and the senior management of the company. Officials of my Department have also been meeting representatives of the company on a...
- Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (11 May 2005)
Mary Harney: The HSE advises me that it has indicated that it is prepared to engage in discussions with the staff representative bodies, including IMPACT, regarding the introduction of the GP-visit cards. I do not anticipate any difficulties in this regard.
- Written Answers — Risk Equalisation: Risk Equalisation (11 May 2005)
Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 147 together. My Department received the Health Insurance Authority's report on 29 April. However, as I am sure the Deputies are aware, there is a statutory process to be adhered to, following receipt of the report. Given that the statutory process assigns specific functions to me as Minister, it would be inappropriate for me to make any comment on...
- Written Answers — Hospital Accommodation: Hospital Accommodation (11 May 2005)
Mary Harney: Funding has been provided to open an additional 900 in-patient beds and day places in acute hospitals throughout the country. Health agencies have informed my Department that by 6 May 2005, 780 were in place. The Health Service Executive has informed my Department that the remaining 120 beds places will come on stream during 2005. In addition, extra beds will be provided in the new acute...
- Written Answers — General Practitioner Co-operatives: General Practitioner Co-operatives (11 May 2005)
Mary Harney: Funding for full out of hours co-operatives commenced in 2000. Between 2000 and 2004 a total of â¬72.882 million was allocated to the Health Service Executive for out of hours co-operatives nationally and in 2005 â¬31.98 million has been included in their baseline funding which includes â¬5.6 million in additional funding. These figures do not include the fees of the participating doctors....
- Written Answers — Accident and Emergency Services: Accident and Emergency Services (11 May 2005)
Mary Harney: The actions to improve the delivery of accident and emergency services take a wide-ranging approach and are aimed at improving access to accident and emergency services, improving patient flows through accident and emergency departments, freeing acute beds and providing appropriate longer term care for patients outside of the acute hospital setting. While we all wish to see more immediate...
- Written Answers — Health Service Reform: Health Service Reform (11 May 2005)
Mary Harney: On foot of proposals from the interim Health Service Executive my predecessor, as Minister and the executive chairman of the interim HSE, announced the four regional areas of the Health Service Executive, which are the western region, the southern region, Dublin and north-east and Dublin and mid-Leinster. The function of these units is to assist in the co-ordination of services delivered...