Results 29,341-29,360 of 46,456 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ministerial Meetings (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: The Minister for Health did not meet with either person in 2018 or 2019. The Vhi Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer meet regularly with Department of Health officials to ensure the Minister is kept updated on important matters relating to the Vhi, and quarterly meetings are held to discuss governance issues.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Charges (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 487 and 488 together. Where venesection is classed as a day case procedure and is not carried out in an out-patient setting, the public in-patient charge applies. The issue of the provision of therapeutic phlebotomy services for hereditary haemochromatosis patients, including the issue of charges, is under consideration by my Department and the HSE. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Reports (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: The aim of the National Review of Specialised Cardiac Services is to achieve optimal patient outcomes at population level with particular emphasis on the safety, quality and sustainability of the services that patients receive through establishing the requirements for an appropriate configuration of specialist cardiac services throughout Ireland. While much work has been completed in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: Reducing waiting times for hospital appointments and procedures is a key commitment of government. While the last 18 months have seen considerable progress in the reduction of waiting times for Inpatient and Daycase treatments, I am conscious that the Outpatient Waiting List remains a significant challenge as demand for acute hospital services continues to grow. Budget 2019 announced...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: Reducing waiting times for hospital appointments and procedures is a key commitment of government. While the last 18 months have seen considerable progress in the reduction of waiting times for Inpatient and Daycase treatments, I am conscious that the Outpatient Waiting List remains a significant challenge as demand for acute hospital services continues to grow. Budget 2019 announced...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: Reducing waiting times for hospital appointments and procedures is a key commitment of government. While the last 18 months have seen considerable progress in the reduction of waiting times for Inpatient and Daycase treatments, I am conscious that the Outpatient Waiting List remains a significant challenge as demand for acute hospital services continues to grow. Budget 2019 announced...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Treatment Purchase Fund Data (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy is currently being collated by officials in my Department and will be provided to the Deputy directly as soon as it becomes available.

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Treatment Purchase Fund Data (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy is currently being collated by officials in my Department and will be provided to the Deputy directly as soon as it becomes available.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Screening Programmes (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: All newborn babies (between 3 and 5 days old) are offered newborn bloodspot screening (generally known as the ‘heel prick’) through their parents/guardians for eight very rare conditions that are treatable if detected early in life. These include: - cystic fibrosis - congenital hypothyroidism - phenylketonuria - classical galactosaemia - MCADD (medium-chain acyl-CoA...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: The issue of new entrant consultant pay has been examined by the Public Sector Pay Commission. The Commission found that evidence of recruitment campaigns with very low levels of applications was indicative of on-going difficulties in regard to recruitment of consultants. Research undertaken on its behalf identified a number of relevant factors including relative pay, training opportunities...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: I am conscious that waiting times are often unacceptably long and of the burden that this places on patients and their families. In this regard, the Government is committed to improving waiting times for hospital appointments and procedures. The joint Department of Health/HSE/National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) Scheduled Care Access Plan 2019 was published in March and sets out...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Orthodontic Services Provision (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Promotion (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: Oral hygiene, particulary toothbrushing advice in line with best evidence, is central to oral heath promotion programmes in Ireland and internationally. Smile agus Sláinte, the National Oral Health Policy, which was published in April 2019 aims to enable people to achieve their personal best oral health. The Policy has three strategic strands. The first strand, "Health and oral...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Expenditure (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: The HSE National Service Plan (NSP) is an important accountability instrument in use by the Department in determining how the HSE is performing against its targets as it captures in a clear and quantified way the range of health and social care services to be provided by the HSE for the allocation it has received. It establishes links between funding, staffing and services and it...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: The HSE’s latest income and expenditure position at 30 April 2019 shows a revenue deficit of €116.2m which represents 2.3% of the available budget. The main drivers of the deficit are acute hospitals, PCRS and demand led schemes, disability services, and the treatment abroad scheme. Current gross expenditure on the Health Vote, year to date, is 8.8% higher than the same period...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: Comparing health expenditure across countries is not straightforward, and there are a variety of ways of measuring health spend e.g. as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), modified GNI* (a national indicator that excludes the globalisation effects that disproportionately affect the measurement of the size of the economy), or per capita; or the public versus private spend. The...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists Data (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: I am conscious that waiting times are often unacceptably long and of the burden that this places on patients and their families. In this regard, the Government is committed to improving waiting times for hospital appointments and procedures. Last year saw considerable improvement in the number of patients waiting for procedures. As a result of increased activity and the ongoing...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Expenditure (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: In any given year, the Government has a finite amount of money for allocation in the Budget and has many competing priorities. During the fiscal crisis, as with most areas of public spending, significant reductions in health funding were experienced. Including 2014, the budget provided for health was less than that provided in the previous years, with significant targeted savings through pay...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Governance (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: The report of the cross-party Oireachtas Committee on the Future of Healthcare, Sláintecare, identifies four core building blocks that underpin a well-functioning health system. The first of these building blocks is a clear governance and accountability framework. In that respect, I was pleased to meet the new HSE Board last week prior to their inaugural meeting, who will assist in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Screening Programmes (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.