Results 9,081-9,100 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Written Answers — Department of Health: Sláintecare (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The Drug Payment Scheme (DPS), is aimed at individuals and families who do not have a medical card and normally would have to pay the full cost of their medication. It also applies to those who have a GP visit card. Anyone ordinarily resident in Ireland may apply to join this non means tested scheme. The monthly threshold has never been reduced exclusively for single households. It has...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Sláintecare (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The HSE is currently rolling out a diagnostics plan that envisages a range of diagnostic/imaging services being provided across all Community Healthcare Organisations with the support of hospitals and private providers, with a particular focus on improving GP access to ultrasound. The Deputy may wish to note that in 2019, there were 67,000 ultrasound and 79,500 x-rays delivered via GP access...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Sláintecare (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: Progress continues to be made in implementing the Sláintecare plan to provide universal access to healthcare through the expansion of eligibility on a phased basis. On 25 June, the Government gave approval for the publication of the Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2020. This Bill provides, amongst other things, for the phased...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Sláintecare (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: There has been no specific allocation of funding to ensure universal primary care since the publication of the Sláintecare Implementation Strategy. However, funding for the provision of primary care services was increased in Budget 2020 in order to help deliver on the vision of Sláintecare. The NSP 2020 allocated approximately €1.08bn for primary care services...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Sláintecare (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As the Deputy will be aware, Sláintecare is the ten-year all-party Oireachtas policy, which was adopted by Government in 2017. It sets out the vision to deliver a healthcare system for the population of Ireland. The plan aims to deliver a universal health service that offers the right care, in the right place, at the right time, by the right team with a priority focus on keeping people...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Sláintecare (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As the Deputy will be aware, Sláintecare is the ten-year all-party Oireachtas policy setting out the vision to deliver a healthcare system for the population of Ireland. Sláintecare is about delivering a health and social care service that meets the needs of our population and attracts and retains the very best healthcare professionals, managers and staff. The plan is to deliver a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Sláintecare (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides dental treatments to medical card holders. In 2010, at the request of the Department of Health, the HSE introduced changes to the Scheme to cap expenditure at the 2008 level of €63 million. Theses changes still apply, although people considered high risk are provided with additional care. Expenditure on the DTSS is linked to demand....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Sláintecare (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The HSE's Monthly Performance Reports provide an overall analysis of key performance data from Divisions, including Acute services. The activity data reported is based on Performance Activity and Key Performance Indicators outlined in the current National Service Plan. The Performance Reports also provides an update to the Department of Health on the delivery of the NSP. The 2019 reports are...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Services (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The National Action Plan on Covid-19 identified the continued provision of cancer care as a priority, through ensuring the delivery of national specialities and maintaining urgent activity. Symptomatic Breast Disease Clinics continued, though the number of referrals was down and urgent cases were prioritised. Rapid Access Clinics for lung and prostate cancer also continued, again with less...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery and management of healthcare infrastructure. At present the draft Capital Plan 2020 is being reviewed and revised to take account of the impact of Covid-19, which has resulted in delays on many projects, and the funding of an emergency Covid-19 programme of works. The draft capital plan includes a number of additional capacity...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Services (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The way forward in relation to the development of cancer services is set out in the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026. Improvements in cancer services will be achieved on an incremental basis over the period of the Strategy. This will involve a mix of current and capital initiatives. Improvements in oncology day wards, as well as in community diagnostics for cancer patients, will be...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Services (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The adjustment to the Health Vote Revised Estimate for 2020 in relation to the COVID-19 Action Plan is €1,997m. The Revised Estimates Volume for the Health Vote (Vote 38) was passed by the Dáil on Tuesday 30th June. In accordance with Section 30A(1) and Section 33(B)(1) of the Health Act 2004 (as amended) the Department will shortly issue a revised letter of determination...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Consultant Contracts (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy on this matter. It is noted that many of the consultant posts described as vacant are filled in an interim basis, including agency, locum, or fixed term contracts.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Services (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The National Action Plan on COVID-19 identified the continued delivery of cancer care as a priority, through ensuring the delivery of national specialities and maintaining urgent activity. The numbers of patients presenting to health services were significantly reduced in the late March - early May period. This trend was reflected in cancer services, with a lower number of GP referrals of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Services (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As the deputy's question relates to operational matters, I have referred it to the HSE for direct response.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Services (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 emphasises psycho-oncology services as a core part of complete cancer care and recommends the establishment of multi-disciplinary psycho-oncology teams in each designated cancer centre to deliver a comprehensive hospital-based clinical service. A Clinical Lead for Psycho-Oncology was appointed in December 2018 and she is engaging with the designated...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Services (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I am conscious that waiting times are often unacceptably long and of the burden that this places on patients and their families. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic the HSE had to take measures to pause most elective scheduled care activity with effect from the end March 2020. This was to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Consultancy Contracts (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: It is my intention that Specialists in Public Health Medicine will be awarded consultant status, taking account of related proposals in Sláintecare, in the Scally Report (Cervical Check) and the Report of Crowe Horwath on the Specialty. It is also consistent with the Programme for Government commitment to reshape our public health system. This issue was being progressed as part of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, commits to continuing investment in our health care services in line with the recommendations of the Health Service Capacity Review and the commitments in Project Ireland 2040. The Health Service Capacity Review 2018 found that the net requirement in combination with health system reform is for an additional 2,590 hospital beds by 2031...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Consultant Contracts (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: At present 'new entrant' consultants recruited since 1 October 2012 are on lower pay scales than those recruited prior to that date. The De Buitléir Group established to examine how to give effect to the Sláintecare recommendation on the removal of private practice from the public hospital system recommended the introduction of a Sláintecare 'public only' Contract going...