Results 17,641-17,660 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney
- Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: Under the Health Service Executive's 2009 Service Plan it has been agreed that the processing of medical card applications will be centralised and will transfer to the Executive's Primary Care Reimbursement Service in Dublin. The change is being implemented on a phased basis and is designed to deliver a better and more cost effective service. Under the new arrangements, the HSE will be...
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 56, 62, 223 and 239 together. The HSE and my Department have had intensive discussions regarding the Executive's financial position following the publication of its end January figures. At the time the HSE was projecting a shortfall in its budget of â¬1.1bn. This figures included a projected shortfall of â¬300m in health contributions. Following the...
- Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: I recognise that we need to strengthen rheumatology services, particularly by improving waiting times for rheumatology appointments. I am anxious to see improvements implemented as quickly as possible. The HSE's provisional waiting list figures for February 2009 indicate that there are just over 3,000 patients on waiting lists across all hospitals of whom over 70% are waiting for less than...
- Written Answers — Drugs Payment Scheme: Drugs Payment Scheme (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 59, 69 and 201 together. The HSE has not withdrawn any products that comply with the existing reimbursement criteria from the community drugs schemes. All patients continue to have access to prescribed drugs and medicines as required. Reimbursement decisions are made with regard to a range of criteria. These include clinical, pharmacoeconomic, patient safety...
- Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: As the Deputy's question relates to a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
- Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 and 176 together. The Expert Group on Colorectal Screening was established by the National Cancer Screening Service (NCSS) to study the medical and scientific evidence concerning screening for colorectal cancer and to make recommendations to the Board of the NCSS about the potential benefits of introducing a population-based screening programme for this...
- Written Answers — Hospitals Building Programme: Hospitals Building Programme (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 63, 79 and 225 together. The co-location initiative is a complex process but it is an efficient means of delivering extra bed capacity. Significant progress has been made in advancing the individual projects involved. The Board of the HSE has approved preferred bidder status for the development of co-located hospitals at Beaumont, Cork University, the...
- Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
- Written Answers — Vaccination Programme: Vaccination Programme (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 66, 93 and 175 together. All of the clinical advice available to me indicates that the national roll-out of a cervical screening programme should take precedence over the introduction of a HPV vaccination programme. The National Cervical Screening Programme, CervicalCheck, is being implemented at a full year cost of â¬42m. I am fully committed to keeping the...
- Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
- Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: The report referred to by the Deputy has only been completed recently, and not in January 2008. The HSE is currently examining the report and its implications in the context of many competing and challenging priorities.
- Written Answers — Medical Laboratory Services: Medical Laboratory Services (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: The implementation of the recently published review of Laboratory Medicine Services will bring about a significant restructuring of existing laboratory services. Large cold laboratories will be established to provide quality cost efficient laboratory services to primary and community care and some non-urgent testing from acute hospitals. All hospitals with Emergency Services, Critical Care...
- Written Answers — Hospitals Building Programme: Hospitals Building Programme (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: The Government is committed to proceeding with the development of the new national paediatric hospital as a priority project. The new hospital will be located beside the adult hospital on the Mater campus. The development will also include an associated Ambulatory and Urgent Care Centre at Tallaght which is to open in advance of the main hospital. The project is being overseen by the...
- Written Answers — Accident and Emergency Services: Accident and Emergency Services (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: In its National Service Plan 2009, the HSE has set a lower waiting time target of 6 hours for all patients attending Emergency Departments. The aim is that all patients, irrespective of whether they are admitted or not, will be assessed, treated and discharged or admitted within 6 hours of arrival at an ED. Up to now, the focus has been on waiting times for those awaiting admission. The new...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: While the treatment of opiate dependence is complex, methadone maintenance is recognised as an appropriate treatment in the context of an integrated response to this condition. Methadone treatment is currently available and no changes are anticipated in regard to its continued provision.
- Written Answers — Infectious Diseases: Infectious Diseases (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: Achieving and maintaining the highest possible standards of hygiene in our hospitals and healthcare facilities generally is a priority for this government and for the Health Service Executive (HSE). Hygiene and infection control measures are key to the prevention of the spread of Health Care Associated Infections (HCAIs), including MRSA. In March 2007, the HSE launched a National Infection...
- Written Answers — General Practitioner Services: General Practitioner Services (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: The determinants of the demand for GPs are diverse and include matters such as population growth, aging and health status of the population, the development of new technologies, the geographic distribution of doctors, the overall status of the economy, fees, policy initiatives, etc. There are twelve GP Specialist Training Programmes (GPTPs) currently in operation in the State which are all of...
- Written Answers — Health Insurance: Health Insurance (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: The levy and additional age related tax relief scheme was notified to the Commission in November as a potential State aid. These measures are set out in the Health Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, 2008 published last December. I expect the Commission to give its decision in April. Assuming a positive response from the Commission I hope to introduce the Second Stage immediately...
- Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: Almost 130,000 people work full-time or part-time in our public health services. In recent years, the Governments ongoing high level of investment in health has achieved and maintained significant increases in the numbers of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals employed in the public health services. The Government has also invested heavily in the education and training of...
- Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: Home birth services for women classified medically as being "low risk" are provided as an outreach from hospital service or through self employed community midwives on the basis of a Memorandum of Understanding agreed with the Health Service Executive. This national framework facilitates the provision of home birth services for low risk women in areas where an appropriate clinical governance...