Results 17,641-17,660 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Other Questions: Ambulance Service Provision (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: As the Deputy is aware, three reviews of the national ambulance service are currently under way. The national ambulance service has commissioned a national capacity review to determine the level and use of resourcing required for a safe and effective service. This independent review is being undertaken by the UK Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, an organisation with considerable...

Other Questions: Ambulance Service Provision (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: The use of response cars by ambulance service officers is making a real difference in improving response times for patients. Between 1 January and 1 April this year, officer vehicles responded to more than 630 incidents, over 250 outside working hours. On average, the cars responded to seven incidents a day, almost three of which occurred outside working hours. The vehicles can be tracked...

Other Questions: Ambulance Service Provision (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: On the last point, it is, of course, my intention that the reports will be published. The HIQA review of the national ambulance service will be a very comprehensive analysis of how to make the best use of the resources available to us. Response time requirements have been in place since 2011 - no such criteria applied before then - and everybody will agree that the people providing the...

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: Management of all patients on waiting lists takes place in line with an agreed national policy on waiting list management that issued in 2013. This policy was developed to ensure all administrative, managerial and clinical staff would follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. The policy describes the process for...

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: I can certainly consider the Deputy's suggestion on exploring how we might develop a separate route for patients who feel they are deteriorating, without requiring them to resort to attending an accident and emergency department. As a doctor, I am aware that if people are left to wait for a prolonged period, elective surgery can turn into emergency surgery. That is not something anybody...

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: If I may make a general point, nobody should be in pain. Adequate pain relief mechanisms are available and a GP would be in a position to provide such relief. I accept, however, it is not ideal that people would take painkillers for prolonged periods when a procedure could resolve the problem in a more comprehensive fashion. As we all know, some painkillers have side effects which can be...

Other Questions: Maternity Services (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: My Department, in conjunction with the HSE, is preparing a new national maternity strategy, which will provide the strategic direction for the optimal development of safe and high quality maternity services. The commitment to develop a maternity strategy arises from my acceptance of the recommendations of the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, report into the death of Savita...

Other Questions: Maternity Services (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: Sadly, the Deputy is prejudging the situation. The national maternity review being conducted by my Department is nowhere near finalised. I have made it clear on the floor of the House that, while the report commissioned by the west-north west group may be used to help inform the national review, it has no status in and of itself. My Department is conducting the review to ensure safe and...

Other Questions: Maternity Services (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: -----and the staff's confidence in their security of tenure, but it is not necessary. There is no intention of closing Portiuncula Hospital or its maternity services.

Other Questions: Maternity Services (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: I am happy to assure the people of Ballinasloe and surrounding areas that they have in Portiuncula a good and safe maternity service with a bright future. Without prejudging the outcome of the review, we have no notion of downgrading or removing that service. I do not know where the patients would go.

Other Questions: Maternity Services (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: However, I must point out that, were I to tell the House that the report compiled by the west-north west group at a cost of €20,000 was to be utterly ignored, I would be castigated from a height for wasting public resources. Of course it will help to inform the national review, but the fact that some of its options - I remember there being four, not five - suggested closing...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service Provision (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: This Government is committed to improving our ambulance service and ambulance response times. The National Ambulance Service (NAS) is continuing the modernisation of its services, to ensure emergency pre-hospital care is delivered in an appropriate and timely manner. In that regard, additional funding of €3.6 million and 43 staff have been provided in the National Service Plan 2014....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff Recruitment (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: The next NCHD rotation occurs on 14th July. The HSE has advised that it is too early to be definitive on the level of vacancies that will arise, noting however that the number of posts that have not been filled is similar to previous years. However, vacancies are more concentrated in smaller hospitals. There are some hospitals to which it has historically been difficult to attract applicants,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Accident and Emergency Services Provision (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: The most recently published report referring to Emergency Departments is the HIQA report on University of Limerick Hospital Group. University of Limerick Hospital Group is the first hospital group to be assessed against the National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare. This is an independent assessment of services against explicit standards and it is important that the findings, both good...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Accident and Emergency Departments Waiting Times (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: The National Ambulance Service (NAS) is committed to ensuring that patients are handed over to emergency departments in a professional and timely manner, with the safety and dignity of the patient being paramount. However, at times of high demand in the emergency system, there is potential for delays in the transfer of patient care from ambulances to EDs. This can delay the release of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: I have been assured that both the HSE and the South/South West Hospitals Group are committed to ensuring the continuation of dermatology services for people in the South East whilst temporary staffing/recruitment difficulties in University Hospital Waterford are being addressed. The Deputy will be aware that the HSE has the capacity to recruit consultants and other front-line staff where...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Universal Health Insurance Provision (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: The Government has embarked on a major reform programme for the health system, the aim of which is to deliver a single-tier health service, supported by universal health insurance (UHI), where there is fair access to services based on need, not on ability to pay. Under UHI, everyone will have a choice of health insurer and access to a standard package of health services. In addition, a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: European Health Insurance Card (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), introduced in 2004, certifies that the holder has the right to receive emergency healthcare during a temporary stay in any EU country as well as Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland. This right is guaranteed to all persons who are covered by the public healthcare system of these countries. The European Health Insurance Card holder has the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Facilities (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: As the Deputy is aware, Cappagh Hospital, as with all other hospitals, must comply with its statutory obligations and remain within its allocated budget. The hospital must sustain a level of activity within current financial allocation. The current deficit at the hospital to the end of May is €820,000 with a residual deficit of €390,000 against an allocation of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE National Service Plan (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: There has been significant focus recently on the challenging resource constraints within which the HSE is operating. While the budgetary targets this year are particularly constrained, it is important to recognise that similar financial and resource constraints have applied in each of the last number of years in preparing the HSE National Service Plan as a direct consequence of the emergency...