Results 2,141-2,160 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Harney: Currently a national review relating to the misdiagnosis of miscarriages is being implemented by the Health Service Executive, which aims to complete it within a 6 month period, to publish its findings, and to learn from the experience in terms of implementing recommendations. Other national reviews relating to misdiagnosis have been undertaken in the area of cancer services. The learning...

Written Answers — Vaccination Programme: Vaccination Programme (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 122 together. My Department and the Health Service Executive had been preparing for some years for the probability of an influenza pandemic. As part of these extensive preparations, a National Pandemic Preparedness Plan was published in 2007. Ireland put in place advance purchase agreements with two vaccine manufacturers prior to the declaration of the...

Written Answers — Ambulance Service: Ambulance Service (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Harney: I was very saddened to hear of the tragic death of an HSE paramedic while he was on duty earlier this month. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere condolences to the family and colleagues of the person involved. I understand that the HSE, the Health and Safety Authority and the Gardaí are conducting investigations into this accident. I have arranged for the HSE to...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Harney: I established the Expert Group on Resource Allocation and Financing in the Health Sector under the chairmanship of Professor Frances Ruane, Director, ESRI in April last year to examine how the existing system of resource allocation within the Irish public health service can be improved to support better the aims of the health reform programme. The Group was asked to report to me and the...

Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 102 and 103 together. The improvement of access to outpatient services, which are a key access point to the acute hospital system and involve over three million attendances annually, is a priority for the health service. It is essential that people are afforded timely access to outpatient services when they require them and that these services function...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Harney: On 2 July 2008, the Commission presented a proposal for a "Directive on patient's rights in cross-border healthcare". The draft Directive aims to facilitate access to safe and high-quality cross-border healthcare and promotes cooperation on healthcare between Member States, in full respect of national competencies in organising and delivering healthcare. The draft directive was brought...

Written Answers — National Treatment Purchase Fund: National Treatment Purchase Fund (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Harney: To date the NTPF has successfully provided over 170,000 public patients with inpatient procedures, outpatient appointments and MRIs. The median waiting time for medical and surgical patients is now 2.5 months. The Fund's 2010 activity targets involve treating 20,000 inpatients and providing 3,000 MRIs and 8,000 outpatient appointments and it anticipates meeting these targets. At my...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Harney: As these are service matters they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Hospital Accommodation: Hospital Accommodation (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Harney: The introduction of the Nursing Home Support Scheme has enabled both the Beaumont and Mater hospitals to significantly reduce the number of delayed discharges and therefore reduce the number of inpatient beds that are required. The average number of long-stay patients (excluding patients awaiting rehab) in Beaumont averaged 105 in the first four months of 2009, compared to an average of 78...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Harney: I am aware that in order to support the reconfiguration of acute hospitals in Cork and Kerry, a non-executive advisory board was established by the HSE in September 2009. The board has 17 members, drawn from business, education and healthcare fields. Its purpose is to support and advise the HSE as appropriate in relation to the reconfiguration of acute hospital services in the region and to...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Harney: The goals of the National Cancer Control Programme are improvements in cancer prevention, detection, treatment and survival through a national service based on evidence and best practice. Under the Programme, all cancer diagnostic, surgical and radiation oncology services are being transferred to four managed cancer control networks, each with two cancer centres. This process was completed...

Written Answers — Health Insurance: Health Insurance (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Harney: The Health Insurance Authority (HIA) recently announced the findings of a national survey of the private health insurance market in Ireland. The survey includes an analysis of the effects of the recession on the attitudes and behaviour of consumers of private health insurance. In addition to its survey, statistics recently published by the HIA show that the size of the health insurance...

Written Answers — Redress Schemes: Redress Schemes (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Harney: The Government approved the establishment of a Redress Board to administer an ex-gratia scheme of redress for certain former patients of Dr Neary. The Board which was chaired by Judge Maureen Harding Clark has concluded its work and all awards determined have been notified to successful applicants. I consider that the Scheme of Redress approved by the Government on the advice of Judge Clark...

Written Answers — Infectious Diseases: Infectious Diseases (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Harney: My Department, through the office of the Chief Medical Officer, has a function in the management and monitoring of policy implementation in the area of immunisation. Through regular meetings between officials in my Department and the HSE the importance of adherence to the immunisation schedule is stressed. In recent months the priority for these meetings has been to monitor MMR uptake rates...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Harney: The HSE has worked closely with my Department to implement changes to drive operational performance and accountability at local level, to provide clinical leadership to improve quality and standards and to deliver hospital and community services in a fully integrated way. Significant changes have already taken place nationally across the HSE, with the introduction of the Quality and Clinical...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Harney: The HSE has recently established a clinical programme for Obstetric care led by Professor Michael Turner of the Coombe Women's and Infants University Hospital. An important priority in the programme will be the development and implementation of National Guidelines for clinical practice. I expect that, in relation to matters of consent, the provision of obstetric services in accordance with...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Harney: The HSE was established on 1 January 2005 as a single, national authority with responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services. It replaced the seven regional health boards, the Eastern Regional Health Authority, the three area health boards and a number of other agencies. The important issue is monitoring the HSE and working together to improve its...

Written Answers — National Treatment Purchase Fund: National Treatment Purchase Fund (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Harney: In September 2007, my Department sanctioned eight temporary negotiator posts at Grade VII level, remunerated at €47,015 - €57, 015 (1 January, 2010) for the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to enable it to undertake additional responsibilities assigned to it under the Fair Deal programme. Those responsibilities related to the negotiation of private nursing home bed prices under...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Harney: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Health Service Allowances: Health Service Allowances (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Harney: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.