Results 4,041-4,060 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Other Questions: Obesity Strategy (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: Hear, hear.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Issues (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme allows GMS patients (medical card and GP visit card holders) to choose their GP from a list of locally based contracted doctors, or GMS patients may be assigned to a GP contractor's panel in certain circumstances specified in the contract. The purpose of a GMS patient either choosing or being assigned to one GP is to ensure continuity of care. A...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Alcohol Sales (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: Proposals are currently being finalised on foot of the recommendations in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy 2012. These proposals cover all of the areas mentioned in the report, including legislation on minimum unit pricing; controls on alcohol advertising and sponsorship; labelling of alcohol products, and measures on access and availability of alcohol. The...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Strategies (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The National Model of Care for Asthma is currently being finalised and will be sent for stakeholder consultation after 30th June 2013. The Model of Care cannot be completed until stakeholder responses have been received and considered.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Pharmacy Services (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: Pharmacists play an important role in the delivery of healthcare in Ireland. Over the past two years, I have broadened the range of services provided by community pharmacists. They now provide the seasonal flu vaccination to patients, including adults in “at risk” groups. Pharmacists have recently commenced emergency hormonal contraception services. They provide advice on...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Alcohol Sales Legislation (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The Report of the National Substance Misuse Strategy Steering Group, 2012 is the road map for the future direction of policy to deal with the use and misuse of alcohol. The Report specified that adults in Ireland drink in a more dangerous way than in any other country. In effect, Irish adults drank 11.6 litres of pure alcohol per capita in 2011. The Steering Group reported that if every...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Insurance Prices (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The Health (Amendment) Bill 2013 was published on 14 June. The Bill was read a second time in the Seanad on 20 June. It is envisaged that the Bill will be enacted before the end of the Summer session and that the charges would take effect shortly thereafter.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Long-Term Illness Scheme Eligibility (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: Persons suffering from prescribed conditions, who are not already medical card holders, can get free drugs, medicines and medical and surgical appliances for the treatment of that condition under the Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme. The HSE Local Health Office is responsible for approving medication to be supplied to a patient under the scheme. A patient who has been prescribed new...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Dental Services Provision (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The Government has decided that the numbers employed across the public service must be reduced in order to meet its fiscal and budgetary targets. The health sector must make its contribution to that reduction. However, the HSE can make staff appointments once it remains within its overall employment ceiling and has the financial resources to do so. As the provision of public dental services...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Issues (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Provision (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: As this is a service matter, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff Recruitment (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The National Integrated Care Diabetes Programme is being implemented on a phased basis. The programme will improve patient access and manage patient care in an integrated manner across service settings, resulting in better outcomes, enhanced clinical decision making and the most effective use of resources. The Government has approved funding for the appointment of 17 Integrated Care...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: Under the provisions of the Health Act 1970, the assessment for a medical card is determined primarily by reference to the means, including the income and expenditure, of the applicant and his or her partner and dependants. There is no automatic entitlement to a medical card for persons with a specific illness, such as cancer. However, under the legislation, there is provision for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Aids and Appliances Provision (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The Health Service Executive Community Audiology service administers and monitors hearing tests for adults who are at risk for hearing loss and prescribes hearing aids as required. Appointments for the audiology service are sent in a strict chronology according to clinical priorities and date of receipt of referral. The HSE has been asked to examine the specific query raised by the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Schemes (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The processing of optical forms is carried out by the HSE through Local Health Offices and Primary Care Units around the country. The current processing time for optical forms is approximately two working weeks. In some areas this may take longer due to resource constraints. However, every effort is made to process the forms within an appropriate time frame, which according to the agreement...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: EU Regulation 883/04 provides for and supports the movement of people within the European Union/European Economic Area and Switzerland. Under this regulation, if a person aged 70 years and over is not entitled to a contributory social insurance payment (e.g. pension) from Ireland and is in receipt of a contributory pension from another/or multiple other EU states, excluding Ireland, they can...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Long-Term Illness Scheme Coverage (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 564, 607 and 624 together. There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the Long Term Illness scheme. Under the Drug Payment Scheme, no individual or family pays more than €144 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The scheme significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals incurring...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (25 Jun 2013)

Alex White: The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to...