Results 12,201-12,220 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Reports (6 Nov 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy for the period January 2012 to March 2014 is set out below. The Department is collating relevant data from April 2014 to date and I will forward it to the Deputy as soon as possible. Year Number of Reports Cost to Date € 2014 1 5,000 2013 12 519,951 2012 12 226,116

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Access (6 Nov 2014)

Leo Varadkar: In relation to the particular patient query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Lottery Funding Applications (6 Nov 2014)

Leo Varadkar: My Department has received an application for funding from the 2014 National Lottery allocation from the organisation in question. This is one of a large number of applications currently being assessed by my Department. The organisation will be informed of the outcome of the application as soon as a decision has been made.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Delays (6 Nov 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Delays (6 Nov 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The scheduling of appointments is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. If a patient's GP considers that an earlier appointment is required, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and hospital involved. As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (6 Nov 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible regarding this individual's particular case. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (6 Nov 2014)

Leo Varadkar: A national group has been established in the HSE to review practices in the area of aids and appliances. As part of this work, the Group will develop a national policy on the provision of hairpieces, as well as prosthesis bras, for cancer patients. It is anticipated that the Group will complete its work by year end.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Provision (6 Nov 2014)

Leo Varadkar: In vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment is not provided by the Irish public health system. Patients who access IVF treatment privately may claim tax relief on the costs involved under the tax relief for medical expenses scheme. In addition, a defined list of fertility medicines needed for fertility treatment is covered under the High Tech Scheme administered by the Health Service Executive...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Expenditure (6 Nov 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 and 196 together. My Department does not use recruitment or employment agencies to recruit Departmental staff. All such Departmental recruitment is carried out by or in conjunction with the Public Appointments Service. With regard to the HSE, and to non-commercial semi-state agencies under the remit of the Department, this information is being collated...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Nursing Homes Support Scheme Administration (11 Nov 2014)

Leo Varadkar: No.

Other Questions: Surgical Symphysiotomy Payment Scheme (11 Nov 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I am pleased to announce that the surgical symphysiotomy payment scheme commenced yesterday, 10 November 2014. The Government has agreed that the scheme will also include payments for the small number of women who have undergone a pubiotomy. The scheme is designed to be simple, straightforward and non-adversarial and aims to minimise the stress for the women concerned. Many of the women...

Other Questions: Surgical Symphysiotomy Payment Scheme (11 Nov 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Women do not have to waive their right to take a case to court as a precondition of participating in the scheme. One can opt out of the scheme at any stage up to the point at which one accepts one's award. It is only on accepting an offer that a women must agree to discontinue her legal proceedings against any party arising out of a symphysiotomy or pubiotomy. Significant disability means...

Other Questions: Surgical Symphysiotomy Payment Scheme (11 Nov 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The scheme has been designed to ensure it will be simple and not cumbersome, and will not require further medical examinations, unless absolutely necessary, or people having to testify in court or produce records that may no longer exist. I refer to all the difficulties that may come with a court case. The process is designed to be simple and straightforward. It was very much designed in...

Other Questions: Surgical Symphysiotomy Payment Scheme (11 Nov 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I certainly agree with the Deputy that it is a matter for the individual women to decide whether they want to avail of the scheme or pursue a court case. There is a 20-day limit but that can actually be extended. There is a provision to allow for it to be extended if the applicant can give a reason for the delay in making the application. Ms Maureen Harding Clark will be as flexible as she...

Other Questions: National Stroke Programme (11 Nov 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this question. Understandably, in health, we always talk about what is going wrong but the national clinical stroke programme is an example of something that has gone well and is now used as an example in other countries as to what can be done. I am checking up on those seven pieces of equipment. I am not sure the Deputy's assertion is true. They could be...

Other Questions: National Stroke Programme (11 Nov 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I assume it is. I will double-check that for the Deputy. I suspect probably a little more is being spent than that. I am a big fan of early supported discharge. It makes a lot of sense to get patients home more quickly to do their rehabilitation at home and that produces better clinical outcomes. Unfortunately, like a lot of savings posited in health care, it is not quite that simple....

Other Questions: National Stroke Programme (11 Nov 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I said it is available in every region, not in every hospital. There is a difference. Trying to do everything in all 47 hospitals around the country does not produce better clinical outcomes. In fact, it can produce inferior outcomes.

Other Questions: National Stroke Programme (11 Nov 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The best thing we can do is think about the health service differently and make sure that patients are, first, treated from the moment they get into an ambulance, which is done a lot in other countries, and, second-----

Other Questions: National Stroke Programme (11 Nov 2014)

Leo Varadkar: -----that they get to the most appropriate centre as quickly as possible, which might not necessarily always be the nearest centre. If someone has a major trauma, he or she needs to go to a trauma hospital that has a trauma orthopaedic surgeon. We must begin to think differently about where ambulances take people in order that they go to the right hospital, not necessarily the nearest one....

Other Questions: National Stroke Programme (11 Nov 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Absolutely not. That is not correct.