Results 23,881-23,900 of 46,197 for speaker:Simon Harris

Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (28 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: Deputy Byrne and others are right that we have to be careful that none of us second-guesses the Irish people. One of the reasons we published a general scheme, and one of the reasons many Deputies in the House called on me to do so, was so we would not be in this position after the referendum, whereby we would all look into our hearts and decide what the Irish people thought. We published...

Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (28 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank colleagues for their contributions. For Deputy Donnelly, I confirm that his understanding in respect of viability is correct. We discussed this on Committee Stage and doctors have already told us all through the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and through the Oireachtas special committee that they do not need this to be in law as it is the practice. However, we have put it in...

Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (28 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: I am not in a position to accept the amendments. They propose to delete lines in sections 11 and 13, which require an obstetrician to carry out the termination of the pregnancy concerned or, alternatively, propose to allow the certifying obstetrician to make arrangements for the carrying out of the termination of pregnancy. Sections 11 and 13 both set out four steps which must be carried...

Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (28 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: To be clear, the draft Bill I published in March, before the referendum, did not contain a reference to "examined". I want the Deputy to know that, from a policy perspective, I did not deem it to be necessary. From a legal perspective, and based on significant and deep consultations with the Office of the Attorney General, there was a very strong view that it provided a degree of legal...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Home Care Packages Provision (28 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: I will respond to the Deputy upon receipt of clarification regarding the details supplied sought by officials in my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (28 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Correspondence (28 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: Correspondence received from the Deputy on this matter is being examined by my Department and a response will issue once this is completed.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Legislative Measures (28 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: The General Scheme of the Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination, and Public Display) Bill will include provisions on: - Organ donation and transplantation; - Post-mortem practices; - Anatomical examination (including medical education and training); and - Public display of bodies after death.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Haddington Road Agreement Implementation (28 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Reports (28 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: The detailed 2019 Action Plan to implement Sláintecare is currently in the process of being compiled. It is linked with service plan discussions with the HSE. The action plan will be submitted, before year end, to the High Level Delivery board comprised of the Secretaries General of the Departments of Health, Taoiseach and Public Expenditure and Reform, the CEO of the HSE and the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Service Capacity Review (28 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: In line with the Sláintecare implementation strategy, the HSE is developing a three year unscheduled care plan, the first element of which will be the implementation of measures at acute hospital and community level to achieve an initial increase in capacity. In this context, €10 million in funding is being made available in 2019 to increase acute bed capacity in line with...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Contracts (28 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: The Department and HSE recommenced engagement with the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) in early October on a package of measures comprising service improvements and contractual modernisation and reform. The goal is to develop a contractual framework that has a population health focus, providing in particular for health promotion, disease prevention and for the structured care of chronic...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Patient Safety (28 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: The Department of Health has been engaged in the development of policy in relation to the areas of Patient Safety, Complaints and Advocacy for considerable period of time. Notably, in December 2015, the Government approved the establishment of a new Patient Safety Office to bring forward legislation and provide the policy lead for patient safety. Patient Safety Complaints and Advocacy Policy...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Reform (28 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: The Sláintecare Programme Office is currently in the process of compiling a detailed action plan for 2019. As part of this process the lead executives with responsibility for each action will be identified. Following on from this the Executives Task Force will be established and will be chaired by the Executive Director of the Sláintecare Programme Office. The role of the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospitals Funding (28 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 200 and 201 together. An Irish Outpatient classification system (IOCS) has been created based on the Australian Tier 2 Non-admitted and Sub-acute care classification. A pilot project collecting Outpatient data at the patient level has commenced in 10 hospitals. This is the first time that Outpatient data is being collected at individual patient level. The...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Governance (28 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: My Department is currently preparing a mini-tender to appoint an external firm to undertake a review of the HSE governance of the drugs assessment process. This will be undertaken by the Department in conjunction with the Office of Government Procurement. The successful tenderer will complete a review of the governance arrangements and resources in place in the HSE to support...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Staff Recruitment (28 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: As this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (28 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Screening Programmes (28 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter, the question has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Screening Programmes (28 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: The National Clinical Effectiveness Committee (NCEC) in the Department of Health has published a National Clinical Guideline on Sepsis ‘Sepsis Management, National Clinical Guideline No.6’ which was accredited by the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Sepsis screening is considered in this guideline, which is available on the Department of Health...