Results 13,341-13,360 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Staff Recruitment (17 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I wish to thank the Deputy for the question raised. As this is a service issue it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy. If you have not received a reply within 15 days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Patient Transport Provision (17 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: 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 my officials will follow the matter up.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Maternity Services (17 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Saolta Healthcare Group is currently finalising the terms of reference and the membership of the Review Team, for the external review of practices and processes at the maternity unit at Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe. I understand that the Review Team will comprise both national and international experts and will be independent of the Saolta Group. I am confident that the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Orthodontic Service Provision (17 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: In relation to the particular patient query raised by you, 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 my officials will follow the matter up with them.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Admissions (17 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: 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 my officials will follow the matter up.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Facilities (17 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: 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 my officials will follow the matter up.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (17 Feb 2015)

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: Blood Donations (17 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The IBTS has implemented a permanent deferral policy in regard to blood donation for people who resided for 12 months or more in the UK between 1980 and 1996. This policy was introduced in 2004 following the first confirmed case of vCJD transmission via blood transfusion in the UK. It is implemented as a precaution against the risk of transmission of vCJD through blood transfusion. There...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Legal Cases (17 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I understand that a settlement was reached in this case following High Court proceedings in 2012. I hope this clarifies the matter for you.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Insurance Data (17 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Health Insurance Authority (HIA) provides my Department with Information Returns on a twice-yearly basis, which includes the total number insured with in-patient health insurance plans and a membership breakdown by each age category. The Authority also publishes relevant market statistics on its website www.hia.ie. The most recent data available with a breakdown by age category is for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Records (17 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy will understand that it would be inappropriate to provide medical notes to anyone other than next of kin. My officials will raise the matter with the HSE and request that they engage directly with the family. Matters in relation to the functions of the Coroners Service, including reports arising therefrom are a matter for the Department of Justice and Equality.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (17 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy's question relates to service delivery matters and accordingly I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him. 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 Postcode System Expenditure (17 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: My Department does not anticipate significant costs associated with converting to using Eircode because it does not have large client databases or systems. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Ambulance Service Provision (17 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Senator Kelly for raising this matter and giving me the opportunity to update the House on our plans for ambulance service improvements this year. I am happy to confirm that those plans include providing more paramedic cover in the west of Ireland, although certainly not one at every crossroads. In 2015, a €5.4 million budget increase has been provided to the National...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Ambulance Service Provision (17 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I would certainly be happy to discuss it with the Minister, Deputy Kelly. As I have said, if they are willing to be trained as community first responders, that would make a lot of sense. I think the possibility of training them to become paramedics would have to be examined carefully to make sure we would have the quality of service we need. The main improvement we want to make in the west...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Public Relations Contracts Expenditure (17 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Senator for raising this issue today. I am advised that the Saolta University Health Care Group has not paid any invoices for external communications support since the start of this year. As outlined to the Senator last week, Saolta University Health Care Group awarded a contract for communications support at the beginning of the year following a competitive tendering process....

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Public Relations Contracts Expenditure (17 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: There are two issue, first, whether the PR communications function should be done in-house or outsourced. My view is that the choice is based on whatever gives the best value for money. If one can do the communications in-house more cost effectively than by outsourcing, that is what one should do. Sometimes public bodies outsource this function because it is more cost effective, cheaper...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Public Relations Contracts Expenditure (17 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I believe it does, unfortunately. One can argue about the amount, but we would all love to live in a world where the health services did not have to worry about media queries or stories that are put out that can very severely damage the reputation of hospitals, small hospitals in particular, and front-line staff, nurses, midwives, doctors or EMTs. Stories that are put into the public domain...

Topical Issue Debate: National Centre for Medical Genetics (18 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and for giving me an opportunity to address the House on the matter. The National Centre for Medical Genetics is the service for medical genetics at Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin. It provides services for patients and families affected by or are at risk of a genetic disorder. It has three integrated units, namely a genetics service, a...

Topical Issue Debate: National Centre for Medical Genetics (18 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I am no expert in this area and have not been particularly involved with it in any personal way but there are a few points that I would make. I think it is inappropriate for any section or department within a hospital to declare itself a national centre. If there are national centres, they should be designated either by the HSE or the Department of Health, or by some other body. It is...