Results 11,461-11,480 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Health Service Staff. (17 Oct 2007)

Mary Harney: I have been informed that six patients were given appointments for the month of December. I have also been informed that there has never been a month at that hospital when 200 procedures were carried out.

Health Service Staff. (17 Oct 2007)

Mary Harney: They carried out 1,600 in the first nine months of the year so the Deputy should divide that. It would be remarkable if the hospital carried out more operations in December than in any other month.

Health Service Staff. (17 Oct 2007)

Mary Harney: As the Deputy is aware, much analysis of our health system was done in the run-in to the reform programme. The Prospectus, Brennan and other reports all made the central recommendation that the fragmentation of services was not delivering efficient health care. That is a view I strongly share. We would never have established 11 boards to administer health care in a population of 4.3...

Health Service Staff. (17 Oct 2007)

Mary Harney: I meet with the CEO and chairman of the HSE at least once, and sometimes twice, a month. There is also a Cabinet sub-committee. The CEO does not report to me but to the board of the HSE. The chairman reports to me. The HSE is required to get prior approval from my Department and the Department of Finance before an employee is given grade eight status.

Health Service Staff. (17 Oct 2007)

Mary Harney: Yes, we must approve them. That has been the procedure since December 2006. Notwithstanding the need for that approval, the numbers seem to be ahead of expectation. I have asked for an explanation of that from the HSE. We must be fair to those hospitals which are currently living within their budget. Hospitals such as the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, notwithstanding the...

Community Pharmacy Services. (17 Oct 2007)

Mary Harney: I am disappointed that a significant number of pharmacists have chosen to discontinue providing methadone services to patients. This is the second time in recent years that pharmacists have targeted the methadone scheme in response to unrelated issues. It is unfortunate that community pharmacists have once again chosen to target some of our most vulnerable patients — recovering drug users...

Community Pharmacy Services. (17 Oct 2007)

Mary Harney: I welcome Deputy Reilly's statement that he does not condone the action of the pharmacists. Most people would support that view. Methadone users are a very vulnerable group of patients and the HSE has had to put a contingency service in place very quickly. The feedback I have received from a number of people has been positive. The service is not as good as that provided by pharmacies,...

Community Pharmacy Services. (17 Oct 2007)

Mary Harney: We have received an opinion from counsel on behalf of the Attorney General on this matter. The HSE has its own opinion, as do the pharmacists. At my behest, some months ago Mr. Bill Shipsey, senior counsel, was asked to act as facilitator, which is allowed. I understand a meeting was held last week and that another took place yesterday. I hope that through this process we can reach...

Cancer Services. (17 Oct 2007)

Mary Harney: Implementation of the national cancer control programme is a major priority for me and the Government. I fully support the appointment by the Health Service Executive, HSE, of Professor Tom Keane as interim national cancer control director. The delivery of cancer services on a programmatic basis will serve to ensure equity of access to services and equality of patient outcome, irrespective...

Cancer Services. (17 Oct 2007)

Mary Harney: The issue of standards is one for the Minister. Even with the establishment of the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, standards have to be signed off on by the Minister. I appointed Professor Higgins who, if not the leading Irish expert in this field, is certainly at the top of the class in this regard. His recommendations on standards were endorsed by the Government earlier...

Cancer Services. (17 Oct 2007)

Mary Harney: Changing this has been central to my approach and that of the Government in the context of the consultants' contract.

Cancer Services. (17 Oct 2007)

Mary Harney: The Deputy referred to general surgeons. In 2005 one procedure was carried out at the Midlands Regional Hospital, Tullamore; two were carried out at St. Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown; two were carried out at Mercy University Hospital, Cork; two were carried out at St. Michael's Hospital, Dún Laoghaire, and three were carried out at Mallow General Hospital. The number of procedures...

Cancer Services. (17 Oct 2007)

Mary Harney: That is not one of the 13 hospitals listed, as the Deputy well knows.

Cancer Services. (17 Oct 2007)

Mary Harney: I am always nice to new Deputies.

Cancer Services. (17 Oct 2007)

Mary Harney: Not until after at least one term.

Accident and Emergency Services. (17 Oct 2007)

Mary Harney: Improving the delivery of accident and emergency services continues to be a top priority for the Government and the Health Service Executive. Our objectives are to further reduce the numbers waiting for admission, the time spent waiting for admission and the turnaround time for those who do not require admission. The Health Service Executive continues to report a significant reduction in...

Accident and Emergency Services. (17 Oct 2007)

Mary Harney: I think I said the aim was to have patients treated within six hours from arrival time. The period should be measured from the time a patient arrives rather than the time he or she is eventually seen by a doctor. An issue in the negotiations on the consultant contract is having more consultant cover to ensure patients will be seen by key decision-makers quicker than is the case currently....

Accident and Emergency Services. (17 Oct 2007)

Mary Harney: I agree.

Accident and Emergency Services. (17 Oct 2007)

Mary Harney: I agree with the Deputy that the key decision-maker in the accident and emergency department is the consultant, but there are only 52 such consultants. It is no fault of the consultant that we cannot provide cover for longer and until we recruit more consultants on a new contract. The HSE procured some diagnostic services for general practitioners in Dublin last year at the Charter Medical...

Health Services. (17 Oct 2007)

Mary Harney: The Health Service Executive has advised my Department that the CT service at Louth County Hospital, Dundalk commenced in June 2007 on a phased basis. The service is being provided in co-operation with staff from Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda. A CT specialist attends Louth County Hospital one day per week. Last year over 1,400 patients from Louth County Hospital received CT scans...