Results 4,701-4,720 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Aids and Appliances Applications Data (18 Apr 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: 149. To ask the Minister for Health the waiting list for mobility appliances in each CHO; the number of persons waiting over six months and over one and two years by CHO, respectively; the number of those that are children in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16865/18]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Service Capacity Review: PA Consulting (18 Apr 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: As I have a number of questions, will I just ask one or two now and contribute again later? How does the Vice Chairman want me to go about this? Should I lay all of them out now?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Service Capacity Review: PA Consulting (18 Apr 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: They will.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Service Capacity Review: PA Consulting (18 Apr 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Service Capacity Review: PA Consulting (18 Apr 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: The delegates are welcome and I thank them for their work. My first question is about the numbers. The main table shows the numbers of GPs, acute beds, ICU beds, physios and everything else, but it is not a full systems review. It is only a review of acute services and excludes mental health and palliative care services. My understanding is that within primary community care services...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Service Capacity Review: PA Consulting (18 Apr 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: I will repeat my main question for the purposes of clarity. How close do Mr. Nightingale and his colleagues believe the figures they have presented - they have referred to 2,600 acute beds and 1,500 new GPs - are to the full system requirement?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Service Capacity Review: PA Consulting (18 Apr 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: Could I follow up on that response quickly by asking a technical question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Service Capacity Review: PA Consulting (18 Apr 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: My question is specific to this area. It relates to one of the assumptions made. New evidence available shows that the introduction of free GP access for those aged six years and under has increased the number of visits by over 60%. It looks like that figure is going to trend downwards. We can assume that a figure of approximately 50% will apply. Behavioural economics provides us with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Service Capacity Review: PA Consulting (18 Apr 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: On the basis that we are probably seeing a 60% increase in GP visits due entirely to making the service free, should the element have been included?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Service Capacity Review: PA Consulting (18 Apr 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: I have a question about the comparative analysis and benchmarking. It is something that puzzles me about the healthcare system. The capacity review says that even to get to an 85% occupancy rate, 1,300 new beds are needed, which is a huge number. The international benchmarking chapter on page 16 of the main report, which is useful, shows that we have a younger population and, therefore,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Service Capacity Review: PA Consulting (18 Apr 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: I would like to respond on that question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Service Capacity Review: PA Consulting (18 Apr 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: It is on the same topic.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Service Capacity Review: PA Consulting (18 Apr 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: We should have fewer GPs. It would appear that we have more than enough, on the face of it, and more than enough acute beds. The reasons given are the lack of integration, misaligned incentives and public health. The witness may well be correct on the lack of integration. However, when taking a systems view, it probably does not matter that much. What does a lack of integration mean?...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Service Capacity Review: PA Consulting (18 Apr 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: I have not finished the question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Service Capacity Review: PA Consulting (18 Apr 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: I am being brief. Could the witness talk more about the misalignment of incentives? What exactly is that? On public health, the figure shown again do not suggest that we are less healthy. Life expectancy is very high. Obesity is one factor, but on the other factors we seem to be doing okay. Can the witness go into a little bit more depth? I did not get much insight from the answer he...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions (19 Apr 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: The Minister has two minutes. How long do we have?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions (19 Apr 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: Two.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: General Practitioner Contracts (19 Apr 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: 1. To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on the negotiation of a new general practitioner contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17265/18]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: General Practitioner Contracts (19 Apr 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: I look forward to working with the Minister in the coming months and for however long this Dáil lasts. My intention and that of Fianna Fáil is to work with the Government on the issue of healthcare where we can, although, as I am sure the Minister will appreciate, we will robustly hold him to account where we believe there is not sufficient action being taken. I certainly extend...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: General Practitioner Contracts (19 Apr 2018)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Minister for his response. I hope all sides can come to the table in the next few weeks because I am not entirely sure the GP population and the patients they serve will be able to take much more. As I see it, the relationship between GPs and the HSE and between GPs and the Government is at an all-time low. There is no trust, at least as expressed to me by GPs and their...