Results 9,181-9,200 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Ambulance Services: Ambulance Services (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services is a matter for the Health Service Executive and funding for all health services has been provided as part of its overall Vote. Therefore, the Executive is the appropriate body to consider the particular issue raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division...

Written Answers — Nursing Home Charges: Nursing Home Charges (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: The health repayment scheme is administered by the Health Service Executive (HSE) in conjunction with the appointed Scheme Administrator KPMG/McCann Fitzgerald. The HSE has informed the Department that over 25,000 forms have been submitted to the Scheme Administrator applying for repayments and these applications are being processed at present. The timeframe for repayment is predicated...

Written Answers — Hospitals Building Programme: Hospitals Building Programme (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: In late 2005, the Health Service Executive (HSE), at my request, undertook a review of tertiary paediatric services. McKinsey & Company were engaged by the HSE to advise on the future strategic organization of tertiary paediatric services in line with best practice and in the best interests of children. The resulting report — "Children's Health First" — International best practice in...

Written Answers — Health Service Systems: Health Service Systems (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: The PPARS system is currently operational in six of the former health board areas and in one major Dublin hospital. It provides human resource information for in excess of 70,000 employees and is used to pay 30,000 employees. The report produced by the Health Service Executive's PPARS Review Committee in September 2006 recommended that, prior to reaching any conclusion on the most appropriate...

Written Answers — Hospital Procedures: Hospital Procedures (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services is a matter for the Health Service Executive and funding for all health services has been provided as part of its overall Vote. Therefore, the Executive is the appropriate body to consider the particular issue raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division...

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: The Irish Nurses' Organisation and the Psychiatric Nurses Association lodged a claim in December 2005 for a reduction in the working week from 39 to 35 hours per week. The Unions are seeking 39 hours pay for 35 hours work. It is estimated that an additional 4,000 nurses would have to be recruited to maintain existing levels of service if this claim were to be conceded. The increase in the...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: In 2006 the Health Service Executive (HSE) established an expert group to develop a national strategy for osteoporosis and falls. The issue of screening in relation to osteoporosis is being examined by this group. Routine screening of the general population for osteoporosis is not common practice in Europe. All possible approaches are being considered by the HSE group and recommendations...

Written Answers — Industrial Relations: Industrial Relations (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: I have not had discussions with IMPACT about this matter. The National Partnership Agreement, Towards 2016, which was concluded last June provides a comprehensive process for managing industrial relations in the health services. Employers expect trade unions to adhere fully to the terms of Towards 2016 and to fully utilise the industrial relations provisions of the agreement including the...

Written Answers — Pharmacy Regulations: Pharmacy Regulations (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 164, 205 and 333 together. In 2005, a process was begun to examine all aspects of the drugs supply chain with a view to achieving greater value for money in the pricing and supply of drugs and medicines to the health services and the GMS and community drugs schemes, consistent with patient safety and continuity of supply. This process was agreed by the...

Written Answers — Vaccination Programme: Vaccination Programme (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: Ireland's recommended immunisation programme is based on the guidelines of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. These guidelines are prepared with the assistance of an active committee from associated disciplines in paediatrics, infectious diseases, general practice and public health. I understand that the inclusion of the pneumococcal...

Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: I am committed to ensuring that the BreastCheck service is rolled out to the remaining regions in the country as quickly as possible. I have allocated additional revenue funding of €8 million for this year to meet the additional costs involved. I have approved an additional 69 posts for roll-out; the Clinical Directors for the South and West have been appointed and the recruitment of...

Written Answers — Hospitals Building Programme: Hospitals Building Programme (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: The Health Service Executive is currently engaged in a public procurement process in relation to the co-location of private hospitals on the sites of public hospitals. The HSE received a large number of expressions of interest. The HSE is in competitive dialogue with shortlisted bidders with a view to identifying the hospitals core requirements and service delivery model for individual...

Written Answers — Ambulance Service: Ambulance Service (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: Emergency ambulance services in the greater Dublin area are provided by both the Health Service Executive (HSE) and Dublin City Council through Dublin Fire Brigade. The HSE has advised that the review of Command and Control arrangements, referred to by the Deputy, was recently completed and has been submitted to the HSE and Dublin City Council. My Department has requested the Parliamentary...

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176, 192, 195 and 201 together. As the Deputies may be aware talks between management and the medical organisations representing medical consultants (Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) on a new consultant contract resumed in November 2006 on the basis of a formula devised by the independent chairman, Mr. Mark...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: I wish to state at the outset that I do not accept IMPACT's criticisms of the running of the health service. The Health Reform Programme is an ambitious programme which tackles reform across the spectrum including structures, legislation, services, eligibility and HR/IR. Obviously this is an enormous challenge with the ultimate intention of improving services to patients, and one which will...

Written Answers — Chronic Illnesses: Chronic Illnesses (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: Asthma is not a notifiable disease and consequently, detailed information on its incidence in the general population is not routinely available. From the research available in this country, however, asthma is a common childhood condition with approximately 10% having experienced an attack of asthma. Similar to other European countries, the level of asthma has increased and is now...

Written Answers — National Patient Database: National Patient Database (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: The Health Strategy, Quality and Fairness: A Health System for You underlines the importance of the availability of good quality health information in order to achieve the various goals, including better health for everyone, high performance and responsive and appropriate care delivery. The actions necessary to improve the quality and availability of health information are set out in the...

Written Answers — Departmental Inquiries: Departmental Inquiries (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: The Inquiry into peripartum hysterectomy at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda chaired by Judge Maureen Harding Clark S.C. was established by the Government in 2004 following the decision of the Medical Council to remove Dr Michael Neary from the Register of Medical Practitioners after finding him guilty of professional misconduct. Following the publication of the Inquiry Report in...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: The Report of the National Working Group on the Regulation of Complementary Therapists was launched in May of last year. The Report makes a number of recommendations in relation to the sector, including the regulation of therapists. The Report noted that "the complementary and alternative therapy community in Ireland is a very disparate one with a broad range of levels of expertise, training...

Written Answers — Primary Care Services: Primary Care Services (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: The Primary Care Strategy aims to develop services in the community to give people direct access to integrated multi-disciplinary teams of general practitioners, nurses, home helps, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and others. It has been estimated that up to 95% of people's health and social services needs can be properly met within a primary care setting and the establishment of...