Results 25,421-25,440 of 46,260 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cardiac Service Provision (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: Deputy McLoughlin has plenty of influence within the party structures and the Government structures. I thank Deputy MacSharry for the question. The Government is committed to ensuring that all citizens have access to safe, high-quality and evidence-based care, in line with international norms. Sligo University Hospital, which I had the pleasure of visiting recently, provides high-quality...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cardiac Service Provision (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: Perhaps we should but I would like doctors to decide that. The national review of specialist cardiac services is independently chaired by the very eminent Professor Phillip Nolan who is president of Maynooth University. He is an independent chair. The aim of the national review is to achieve optimal patience outcomes at population levels. The scope of the national review is broad and was...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cardiac Service Provision (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: That was a good effort but there is no linkage between the national children's hospital and the decision to provide a cath lab in Sligo.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cardiac Service Provision (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: Let me explain why that is the case. We will make that decision on the cath lab in Sligo based on the clinical advice and the report that will be given to us by the national review group in June. I do not think that is being a commentator; that is asking medics and patients to come together under an independent chair and look at the best and fairest way to distribute specialist services...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services Provision (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to update the House on this project. My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, visited the project this afternoon. I am pleased to advise that construction is currently under way for the National Forensic Mental Health Service Hospital and is due to be completed at the end of the year. It is anticipated this new facility will open in 2020,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Directives (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 50, 67 and 68 together. The safety features delegated regulation introduces new rules for the supply of medicines from 9 February 2019. As Deputy Brassil noted, the safety features include a form of an anti-tamper device and unique identifiers embedded in a two-dimensional barcode on the pack. The purpose of the regulation is to improve patient safety...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Directives (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: A rare moment of harmony is to be welcomed. I thank Deputies Brassil, O'Reilly and McLoughlin, along with other Deputies, for their advocacy on this issue and for highlighting people's concerns. I will reflect on Deputy O'Reilly's comments and revert to her. We will adopt a pragmatic approach. Once the new system becomes live on 9 February, it should be considered to be in a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Directives (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: It is fair to say that in recent weeks concerns were raised by hospital pharmacists and other pharmacists about who might be prosecuted for a breach of the statutory instrument, as noted in my initial reply. Pharmacists who are employees of a pharmacy owner or the HSE are concerned that if they were to dispense a medicine where the pharmacy was not connected to the new system through an...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cancer Screening Programmes (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: The Deputy's party leader raised this matter in the Dáil last Tuesday week and referred to me making this "political promise", as she calls it, against official advice. I hope the Deputy or Deputy Michéal Martin will clarify the official advice I was not following because I clarified for the House this afternoon that I followed the advice of my officials, including the Chief...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cancer Screening Programmes (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: The Deputy has said I was advised month on month to end the repeat smear tests by officials, I presume, or medical experts working for me or the HSE. I ask her or her party leader to clarify who advised me to do that. I have told her in this House that I worked hand in glove with the officials in my Department, including the Chief Medical Officer, at a very intense time. I could reference...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cancer Screening Programmes (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: Accuracy is important. I did not know about this last November; I knew on 5 December that there was a potential issue highlighted by Quest Diagnostics that might or might not have required action, and that work was being done in that regard. I understand that only as recently as this week did my Department finally receive the report from the HSE as it was a major body of work to, first,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cancer Screening Programmes (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: With some laboratories the backlog is beginning to decrease as levels begin to return to more normal levels, but it has not decreased in all laboratories. Currently, the average waiting time is 22 weeks, which is far too long for women, for whom I understand it is causing significant concern. I want to see it reduced. Extra capacity is key in that regard. I should point out that not all...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Rabbitte for raising this matter. It is quite timely because improving access to hospital appointments and procedures is a key commitment of Government and of hers. As a result of some of the work we have done together in recent budgets I hope to publish the joint Department of Health, HSE and National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, scheduled care access plan 2019 shortly....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I agree with what the Deputy said. I assure her that we will do that. I will take the opportunity to put some of the new measures to deal with outpatient waiting lists that are being tried in the University Hospital Galway on the record of the House. There is a urology pathway pilot scheme which should result in significant progress on wait times. The plastic surgery service in Galway has...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Rabbitte for raising the specific issue of paediatric diabetics. I will certainly look into it and either myself or the HSE will revert to her directly to see if we can make improvements in that regard. I thank the Deputy very much for highlighting the issue.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists Data (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: Improving access to hospital appointments and procedures is a key commitment of Government. I hope to publish the Scheduled Care Access Plan 2019 shortly. This plan which is a joint collaboration between my Department, the HSE and the NTPF, will set out commitments aimed at improving access for patients waiting for hospital operations or procedures, as well as patients waiting for a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Occupational Therapy Waiting Lists (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I acknowledge that the current time to access occupational therapy services can be too long and that this may cause anxiety for parents and patients who are currently waiting to access services. That is why the HSE will be prioritising investment in OT in 2019 to reduce waiting times and improve access to services. Across the country, 40 additional OT posts will be recruited by the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Orthodontic Services Provision (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: Dental treatment for medical card holders is provided under the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS). Services available annually include an examination, two fillings and emergency extractions. More complex care and a broader range of treatments for patients with special needs and high risk patients is also provided, some of which requires prior approval. Preventive care, screening...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Services Provision (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I accept that the current time to access primary care therapy services can be too long and that this may cause anxiety for individuals who are currently waiting to access services. It is for this reason that the expansion of primary care was prioritised as part of the National Service Planning process for 2019. Overall funding for primary care increased by more than €50m or...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Groups (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I am committed to securing and further developing the role of the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise as a constituent hospital within the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group. Since 2014, the focus has been on supporting the hospital to develop and enhance management capability, implementing changes required to address clinical service deficiencies, and incorporating the hospital into the...