Results 7,601-7,620 of 45,608 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna - Questions (resumed) - Priority Questions: Accident and Emergency Departments (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: We can all learn collective lessons in that regard. When we are talking about this winter and any winter, we should not only talk about the hospital solution. I will examine the Deputy's idea. There is merit in what he said. We also need to examine why people are turning up in our hospitals given that such patients would not turn up in hospitals in other countries. That is down to a...

Ceisteanna - Questions (resumed) - Priority Questions: Accident and Emergency Departments (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: We have put €40 million behind it. It is my job to make sure that taxpayers and patients see benefits from that. We cannot just say to the HSE, "here is €40 million", and not expect to see an improvement. I want to drive that improvement but I will engage with the Deputy further on this because he raised an important point.

Ceisteanna - Questions (resumed) - Priority Questions: HSE National Service Plan (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his question. As provided for under the Health Act 2004, as amended, my Department must write to the Health Service Executive to notify it of its allocation for 2017 not later than 21 days after the publication by the Government of the Estimates for Public Services. The legislation further provides that, on receipt of the letter of determination, the HSE has 21 days...

Ceisteanna - Questions (resumed) - Priority Questions: HSE National Service Plan (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: I agree largely with what the Deputy has said, but I must acknowledge a few points. The confidence and supply agreement is not a document that is meant to be introduced in one budget, and I know the Deputy's party recognises that point. It is something for a period of three budgets and is then to be reviewed, so obviously it cannot all be delivered in budget one. There also needs to be an...

Ceisteanna - Questions (resumed) - Priority Questions: HSE National Service Plan (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: The Deputy would acknowledge that both the HSE and my Department have provided and will provide any and all information needed to the committee. We are very eager to do that, but I would not want him to think that we are in any way bored or waiting for this report. We are driving on with trying to make a number of improvements in the health service. The Deputy will see funding to take on...

Other Questions: Ambulance Service Provision (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. It is one he has raised with me before. The national ambulance service has undergone a programme of modernisation in recent years and a number of significant service innovations and developments have taken place. These include the establishment of the National Emergency Operations Centre, a state of the art facility, from where all...

Other Questions: Ambulance Service Provision (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: I will make two points about the Lightfoot Solutions capacity report. I am familiar with the report as it was the first thing to land on my desk when I was appointed Minister for Health. First, it requires a multi-annual funding plan. Nobody in this House or working in the national ambulance service believes we can implement all of the recommendations in the Lightfoot Solutions report in...

Other Questions: Ambulance Service Provision (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this. I will have to revert to him about the specifics relating to the mid-west, but I thank him for making me aware of the details about the advanced paramedics. I envisage an important role for advanced paramedics. I am providing more funding to the national ambulance service for the coming year than was provided for this year, and more funding was provided...

Other Questions: Ambulance Service Provision (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: The issue the Deputy raises should no longer occur because we have a national emergency control centre. It is a single control centre over two sites, Tallaght and Ballyshannon. We have nine regional call centres which have been merged into the national centre, to ensure there is greater visibility and that the resources are deployed as effectively as possible. All emergency calls to the...

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this timely and important question. A key challenge for our health system is to ensure that patients have timely access to health services, in light of significantly increased demand. The overall demand for hospital treatment is increasing year on year in line with a growing and ageing population and the expanded range of treatments thankfully made possible by...

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: It is probably all of the above; it is a range of factors. It also comes after a very difficult period for the health service. Thankfully, we are now seeing re-investment in health again. However, there are some interesting points. We have a do-not-attend rate for hospital appointments of approximately 15%, which is much higher than it should be. I am not blaming the patients for this....

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: I am always happy to talk to Deputy Louise O'Reilly. While we have not had a specific meeting on this, we did have a good exchange at the Joint Committee on Health and I believe there is merit in her suggestion. However, there is a missing piece, although it is not the Deputy's fault. It concerns knowing what is on the waiting list. The fact that we do not have a unique health identifier...

Other Questions: National Treatment Purchase Fund (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: The NTPF was established on a statutory basis in 2004. Since its establishment, the NTPF has carried out a range of functions, including arranging the provision of hospital treatment, maintaining and validating waiting list data, and making arrangements in respect of the price for long-term residential care services under the nursing homes support scheme. The NTPF's annual funding...

Other Questions: National Treatment Purchase Fund (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: I tend to agree that if a waiting list initiative is a flash in the pan or a one year thing it does not have a major impact. It just drives down some waiting lists for some time, after which they pop back up. This is why, in my budget discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, my Department and I were very eager to get continuity of funding for the NTPF. This is why...

Other Questions: National Treatment Purchase Fund (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: I have no doubt we are having an ideological debate. I am just saying patients would not thank us for having one, given that they just want to know when they will get their operations. I, too, despite the Deputy's best efforts to paint it otherwise, am a major supporter of the public health service. This is why I have just delivered the largest ever budget it has received in the history of...

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for the question. As he probably knows, I am due to visit Waterford hospital shortly and I look forward to discussing the issues with health care professionals in the hospital. A key challenge for our health system is to ensure patients have timely access to health services in light of increasing demand. This is why we have to put a sustained focus on improving waiting...

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for bringing those to my attention. I will have my officials examine them with the HSE. In light of more home care packages, surge capacity beds and the activation of the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, for the Waterford area with dedicated funding to try to drive down waiting lists, though, we should see improvements. I have been informed by the hospital that...

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: It is not the first time that I have been asked that question.

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: Yes. I stand by the Herity report in full. That is why I published it in full. The report was carried out by an eminent external consultant cardiologist who examined all of these issues and arrived at his conclusions. The Herity report does not suggest that everything is rosy. It certainly suggests that there are areas that need improvement at UHW. It refers to the need for increased...

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (18 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: I stand by the Herity report and will make the improvements that it suggests.