Results 7,021-7,040 of 24,567 for speaker:Róisín Shortall

Written Answers — Drugs Task Forces: Drugs Task Forces (20 Sep 2011)

Róisín Shortall: I propose to take Questions Nos. 507 and 508 together. In excess of €30m has been made available to Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces in 2011, of which €1.2m has been allocated to Ballymun Local Drugs Task Force and €0.96m allocated to Finglas Cabra Local Drugs Task Force. This represents a reduction in the order of 2.7% on funding available in 2010. Funding for the Local and...

Written Answers — Medicinal Products: Medicinal Products (20 Sep 2011)

Róisín Shortall: Under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977, the manufacture, production, preparation, sale, supply, distribution and possession of cannabis-based medicinal products are unlawful except for the purposes of research. I am aware that claims have been made in respect of the possible health benefits of cannabis-based medicinal products such as Sativex for patients suffering from certain conditions such...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (20 Sep 2011)

Róisín Shortall: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (20 Sep 2011)

Róisín Shortall: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (21 Sep 2011)

Róisín Shortall: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (21 Sep 2011)

Róisín Shortall: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (21 Sep 2011)

Róisín Shortall: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 to 143, inclusive, together. The information sought by the Deputy, in relation to the number of new fittings of hearing aids carried out by the Health Service Executive in 2009 and 2010; the number of reviews of hearing impaired persons carried out in 2009 and 2010; the number of patient visits made to Health Service Executive audiologists in the years...

Written Answers — Prescription Drugs: Prescription Drugs (21 Sep 2011)

Róisín Shortall: The Benzodiazepine committee was set up by the Department of Health and Children in June 2000 to examine the prescribing and use of benzodiazepines and to make recommendations on good prescribing and dispensing practice. The Committee's report was published in August 2002. It made a number of recommendations for implementation by the Department, the Health Service Executive (HSE), the Irish...

Written Answers — Pharmacy Services: Pharmacy Services (21 Sep 2011)

Róisín Shortall: The Government is fully committed to increasing the usage of generic medicines to achieve greater value for money in pharmaceutical expenditure and to help reduce the cost to individuals of their medications. In 2008 approximately 8% (€67.12 million) of the total ingredient cost of drugs dispensed under the GMS scheme was spent on generic drugs. Approximately 4% (€15.32 million) of the...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (21 Sep 2011)

Róisín Shortall: The Draft Heads of the proposed Health (Pricing and Supply of Medicines) Bill have been finalised and will be submitted to the Government for approval shortly. This legislation will introduce a system of reference pricing and generic substitution for drugs prescribed under the GMS and community drug schemes.

Seanad: General Medical Services Scheme (21 Sep 2011)

Róisín Shortall: I thank the Senator for raising this issue and for her good wishes. The introduction of nurse and midwife prescribing is a significant change in nursing and midwifery practice. There is strong international experience that supports such prescribing as being effective and safe and as improving services to patients. Regulations specifying the legislative requirements and conditions for...

Seanad: General Medical Services Scheme (21 Sep 2011)

Róisín Shortall: I envisage a very strong role for nurses in the roll-out of health reforms. They will be critical to the development of primary care. As regards chronic disease management in the community, bearing in mind that we want to see a considerable shift in activity from the hospitals to the community, nurses will be the key professionals involved in delivery. I want far more nurses involved in...

Seanad: General Medical Services Scheme (21 Sep 2011)

Róisín Shortall: It is. As I stated, GPs are very well recompensed for providing the additional enhanced care for people in nursing homes. When an issue arises and where the patient needs medication, it is the GP that is paid to provide what is required.

Seanad: Hospital Services (21 Sep 2011)

Róisín Shortall: I thank Senator Ó Domhnaill for raising this issue. It provides me with an opportunity to update the House on this matter and to outline the background to the current situation and the action taken by the HSE. As the Senator is aware, the HSE has operational responsibility for the delivery of health and social services, including those at facilities such as community hospitals in Donegal...

Hospital Services (22 Sep 2011)

Róisín Shortall: I thank Deputies Collins, Daly and Boyd Barrett for raising this issue. I will read from some of the text that has been circulated. The Government's response to HIV and AIDS is led by the National AIDS Strategy Committee, NASC, which is an advisory group to the Minister and was set up in 1991 to address the emerging AIDS crisis. Membership of the committee includes officials from the...

Hospital Services (22 Sep 2011)

Róisín Shortall: I assure the Deputies that I am looking for a full report on this from the HSE. I want to establish the facts and precisely what the plans are for this facility. I wanted to try to get a categorical statement from the HSE on the plans as soon as possible. As soon as I have that information, I will share it with the Deputies and write to each of the three of them directly to provide it. I...

Written Answers — Long-Term Illness Scheme: Long-Term Illness Scheme (22 Sep 2011)

Róisín Shortall: I propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 244 together. Myasthenia Gravis is not one of the conditions prescribed by the Minister for Health for the purposes of the Long Term Illness Scheme. There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the scheme. However, the terms of the scheme will be reviewed in the context of the Government's proposals for Universal Health Insurance and...

Written Answers — Long-Term Illness Scheme: Long-Term Illness Scheme (22 Sep 2011)

Róisín Shortall: There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the Long Term Illness Scheme. However, the terms of the scheme will be reviewed in the context of the Government's proposals for Universal Health Insurance and free GP care at the point of delivery. Under the Drug Payment Scheme no individual or family pays more than €120 per calendar month towards the cost of approved...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (22 Sep 2011)

Róisín Shortall: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — General Medical Services Scheme: General Medical Services Scheme (22 Sep 2011)

Róisín Shortall: A repeat prescription facility was introduced to the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme in March 1991. Under this facility, prescriptions for certain drugs and medicines may be renewed on a three monthly, rather than a monthly, basis. Patients who are stabilized on their medication do not need to visit their General Practitioner (GP) every month in order to have their prescriptions...