Results 37,881-37,900 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 May 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: Then perhaps the Deputy is involved in the campaign. I want to be-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 May 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I want to be absolutely clear to everybody in County Donegal that this Government is investing in and growing LUH. For some reason, people are putting it about that LUH is being downgraded. I want to be unequivocal in this regard, and the facts back this up. We are investing in and growing LUH and we are investing in hospital services and community services in County Donegal. I have...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 May 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: The initial results are extremely positive in respect of filling those posts, which I think we both agree must be filled.

Seanad: Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Senator for the amendment. Essentially, while I cannot accept the amendment to this Bill, I support the intent of it. As the Senator said, there is not a statutory requirement for continuing professional development for dentists. Many dentists obviously engage in continuing professional development and the Irish Dental Association provides much of that. It is legislated for...

Seanad: Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I look favourably on the amendment but I cannot accept it in the context of this Bill. As we have discussed here previously, the current dental treatment services schemes is not fit for purpose. As we develop a broader response to oral healthcare, which we must do on a legislative basis, we certainly will be cognisant of this amendment within what will be a fuller updating of the 1985 Act.

Seanad: Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I acknowledge the constructive manner in which the Bill has passed through both the Dáil and Seanad. I thank colleagues for their assistance. I also thank the Chairs in both Houses for facilitating its speedy progress. The legislation is really important as it will allow those graduating as doctors in the UK to come to the HSE for their internships. They will be delighted to be able...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Health Services (1 Jun 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy for his supportive comments in terms of moving in this direction. I want to start by acknowledging the really extraordinary dedication our healthcare professionals have shown. To the Deputy's question, we have seen an unprecedented growth in that workforce. One of the things we must do, obviously, in moving from five to seven days is increase the workforce. As the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Health Services (1 Jun 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: The answer is "Yes". There are informal discussions going on. It is something I discussed with the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, when I was at its conference, and the chief executive and I raised it when we spoke at the Fórsa conference. Most importantly around this, the people I hear supporting this are the healthcare professionals themselves. They are fully aware...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Health Services (1 Jun 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: Yes, it is. One of the big groups we will rely on to work in this way, for example, who typically are not on the five-seven contracts yet, are the health and social care professionals. My view is that as part of the upcoming round of pay talks, certainly from a health perspective, that is something at which we would be looking. To the Deputy's point, a lot of the workforce are already...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Health Services (1 Jun 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: Yes. We are now looking at putting a formalised framework around this so that we can transition to this and that it becomes the norm.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Overcrowding (1 Jun 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I will start by acknowledging the enormous distress the overcrowded emergency departments are causing, first of all to patients and their families and second to our healthcare workers. I am regularly in emergency departments meeting with patients and their families and our healthcare workers. Part of the answer to the question lies in the discussion Deputy Cullinane and I just had. One...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Overcrowding (1 Jun 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: The conversation has moved in a positive way in recent years. I recall when we had these sorts of discussions at the health committee four years ago and there was quite a lot of resistance. The idea that we would move from five to seven days was not being entertained. However, the engagement I have had right across the board has been very positive. The new consultant contract moves from...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Overcrowding (1 Jun 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: The next question, in the name of Deputy Cullinane, relates to exactly that matter. We have two plans, which are, the short-term plan and the multi-annual plan. The direction I have given to the Department and HSE is clear. We must have structural change such that, month by month, the trolley numbers we are seeing come down. What happened last year because of the impact of Covid - and I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Emergency Departments (1 Jun 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I agree that the current situation in too many hospitals, although not all, is unacceptable. I think we all agree that it is especially the case in respect of older people who are waiting too long. As the Deputy quite rightly said, those figures are averages and do not include the people who are waiting on trolleys for 24 hours, 48 hours or longer. It is not an acceptable situation. ...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Emergency Departments (1 Jun 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: That is a frustration. We have seen an unprecedented expansion in capacity. There are nearly 21,000 extra people and 1,000 extra beds, with another 500 on the way. We are progressing new hospitals. There are new operating theatres and outpatient departments. We have built an entirely new community care service in the past two years. What we are seeing here is reflected in what other...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Emergency Departments (1 Jun 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I agree with all of that. The hospitals need to take a zero-tolerance approach to patients on trolleys. We have seen it. For example, Tullamore hospital is a very good case study where a new management team came in, they were on the ground in the emergency department and challenging why this patient and that patient were on trolleys and following that up right through the hospital. They...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Medical Cards (1 Jun 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: We have jumped forward significantly in the questions. I thank the Deputy for his question and recognise his ongoing advocacy on this topic, in particular to ensure that as many people as possible have access to medical cards and, or, GP cards. Medical card provision is primarily based on financial assessment by the HSE, with each applicant assessed on qualifying financial thresholds in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Medical Cards (1 Jun 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy. We have to keep these things under constant review, particularly as part of the Estimates process. I can confirm that there has been an increase in the number of medical cards since the 2019 figures. Therefore, the numbers are going up rather than being suppressed because of inflation, for example. There has been a 1.4% increase in medical cards and a 6.6% increase in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Medical Cards (1 Jun 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank both Deputies. We have to keep an open mind to patient cost generally. One of the priorities for the Government has been reducing healthcare costs for patients. We increased the medical card thresholds for the over-70s; we are looking at about half a million more GP cards; we have introduced free contraception and will go further in September when we will introduce State-funded...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pharmacy Services (1 Jun 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I fully agree and acknowledge this is something the Deputy has been advocating for and pushing on repeatedly. We greatly value the work that pharmacists and pharmacies do in terms of their place within the health and social care service. I fully agree that the practice of pharmacy and the provision of pharmaceutical care has the potential to be substantially enhanced to deliver more care...