Results 6,321-6,340 of 45,539 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Accident and Emergency Departments (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Harris: Pressures on EDs have been rising, as the population is both growing and ageing. To date, the HSE has reported an average increase in ED attendances of nearly 6% compared with the same period last year. Despite the sustained increase in attendances, overall this year there has been a decrease of just over 7% in the number of patients who have had to wait on a trolley, in comparison with...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Agency Staff Data (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Harris: I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Harris: The NTPF publishes waiting lists, broken down by national figures, hospital and specialty, on a monthly basis. Figures in respect of specialty are available at : the figures for June 2016 were published last Friday, 8 July 2016. Clinical need will determine that some patients require care more urgently than others and it is appropriate that patients are prioritised on this basis. However,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Staff Remuneration (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Harris: A Chairman's Note to the Lansdowne Road Agreement provided that the Department of Health and the HSE would consider the extent to which the issue of pay during the fourth year 36 week undergraduate placement and the absence of incremental credit in respect of this placement have a bearing on nurse/midwifery recruitment and retention. Following consideration by my Department, in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospitals Building Programme (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Harris: The Government decision to co-locate the new children's hospital with St James's was announced on 6 November 2012. Satellite centres of the hospital, providing urgent and outpatient care, are to be built on the campuses of Connolly and Tallaght Hospitals. The decision was clinically led, and was made in the best interests of children, with clinical considerations paramount in the decision. ...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Administration (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Harris: 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 Data (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Harris: 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: General Medical Services Scheme (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Harris: 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 Staff Data (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Harris: I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Reform (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Harris: The Government has embarked upon a major multi-annual programme of health reform, the aim of which is to deliver universal healthcare, where all people can access the health services they need, of sufficient quality to be effective, while ensuring that the use of these services does not expose them to financial hardship. In April 2014, the White Paper on Universal Health Insurancewas...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Reform (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Harris: The Programme for a Partnership Government makes clear its commitment to universal healthcare. In particular, the Programme states that efforts to increase access to safe, timely care as close to patients’ homes as possible is a priority for Government. I fully support the goal of universal healthcare. I have already said that universal healthcare cannot be achieved overnight....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Websites (12 Jul 2016)

Simon Harris: The Department of Health’s website www.health.gov.iehas an accessibility page with details of facilities for people with disabilities, including features for individuals with reading difficulties. The Department has an Access Officer appointed under the Disability Act 2005.Questions related to the obligations of the Department of Health under the Disability Act 2005 may be sent to the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (13 Jul 2016)

Simon Harris: 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...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Staff Training (13 Jul 2016)

Simon Harris: I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days he should contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (13 Jul 2016)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. In relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health and Social Care Professionals Registration Boards (13 Jul 2016)

Simon Harris: By end 2018, the title of "physiotherapist" is due to be protected, under the provisions of Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005, for the exclusive use of registrants of the physiotherapists register. In addition, and in order to eliminate an ongoing risk of title confusion and consequent risks to public safety, I intend to make regulations under the Act to prescribe the title of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (13 Jul 2016)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The scheduling...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Treatment Purchase Fund (13 Jul 2016)

Simon Harris: The NTPF previously arranged for the provision of hospital treatment to classes of persons determined by the Minister. Since 2011 this function has been suspended. Currently, in accordance with Reg 4(1) of the NTPF Board (Establishment) Order 2004, the NTPF carries out activities in respect of data and analytics, audit and quality assurance of waiting lists and pricing under the Nursing Home...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Delays (13 Jul 2016)

Simon Harris: The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for a Partnership Government commits to €15m funding for the NTPF in 2017 to address waiting lists for those waiting longest, as part of a continued investment of €50m per year to reduce waiting times. My Department is currently engaging with the NTPF and the HSE to deliver on the Programme's waiting list commitments. Improving...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (13 Jul 2016)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The scheduling...