Results 22,841-22,860 of 45,789 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Assisted Decision Making (24 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act was signed into law on 30 December 2015. The Act provides a modern statutory framework to support decision-making by adults with capacity difficulties, and the commencement of the greater part of this Act is the responsibility of the Department of Justice and Equality. The commencement of Part 8 of the Act, which provides a legislative...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (24 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: Three laboratories currently provide services for CervicalCheck. These are: - Quest Diagnostics, New Jersey - MedLab Pathology, Sandyford - Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin Under the terms of their contract with CervicalCheck, some of the tests which are directed to MedLab are carried out at The Doctors' Laboratory in London (TDL). As part of his Scoping...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (24 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: On 1 May, following a Government Decision, I asked CervicalCheck to make the necessary arrangements to provide that any woman who had had a CervicalCheck smear test, and whose GP considered that they should have a further test, could access such a test without charge. This decision was taken considering the need to provide reassurance to women. The HSE advises that CervicalCheck...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Provision (24 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Foireann Roinne (24 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: Molaim Ceisteanna Uimh. 260 go 261, cuimsitheach, a fhreagairt le chéile. Tá rún daingean ag mo Roinn a chinntiú gur féidir freastal a mhéid is féidir ar chustaiméirí ar mian leo a gcuid gnó a dhéanamh trí mheán na Gaeilge. Ba é 470 duine an líon iomlán daoine, mar Choibhéis Lánaimseartha, a bhí ag...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: He definitely is.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: What the Deputy can say to them is that I am very pleased that we have now hired new consultants in neurology in Tallaght. As he rightly said, many of my constituents also go to that hospital so I firmly accept the need for that. Here is my big idea on health. My big idea was not to be the Minister who decided to come up with a big bright plan that would last for my tenure, but instead...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: When I read the outpatient waiting list figures for the Deputy's hospital – if I may call it that, although I accept it is very much a regional hospital that serves several counties – and consider the specialties, the ENT specialty is indeed accounting for the largest proportion of people waiting for an outpatient appointment in Sligo University Hospital. Therefore, it is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: As I outlined to Deputy MacSharry and his colleague, Deputy Curran, with the additional funding for the NTPF in 2019, we will be able to see a significant increase in the number of outpatient appointments. The Deputy's party has acknowledged the progress made in inpatient day cases where there has been a very significant reduction of 16% from the peak in the number of people waiting for a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Lahart for this question. As I already said to his colleagues, Deputies MacSharry and Curran, reducing the outpatient waiting list and reducing waiting times in general is a priority and must remain a priority for Government, for all of us in this House and for the health service. That is why we have in working with the Deputy's party increased the level of funding for the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: The Deputy's supplementary question takes us in a slightly different direction but I am very happy to engage on it. I always find this point quite bizarre because if Deputy Lahart had been the Minister for Health in 2011 and had gone into the Department of Health in Hawkins House, he would have needed good luck to find money to put into any initiative because of the state Fianna Fáil...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Treatment Purchase Fund (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I do not want to play politics with this either because I accept Deputy Curran's bona fides on this. I would just make the point that the confidence and supply agreement did commit to €15 million so in fairness to Deputy Curran's party and the Government, I think we are doing more than we said we would do together through confidence and supply. I would make the point, which the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Treatment Purchase Fund (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: Like Deputy Curran, I do not approach this from an ideological viewpoint. I very much see the NTPF as an agency that should be seen as an access fund and a way of making sure we can have ring-fenced budgets to ensure our patients can get more timely access to treatment, be it inpatient or outpatient. I am ambitious when it comes to seeing the NTPF extend its remit to outpatients. We need...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Orthodontic Services Waiting Lists (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: The HSE provides orthodontic treatment to children who have the greatest level of need and who have been assessed and referred for treatment before their 16th birthday. The HSE aims to commence treatment for the majority of patients within two years of assessment with patients with greatest clinical need being prioritised for treatment. I am aware that there are particular challenges at...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Orthodontic Services Waiting Lists (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I acknowledge Deputy Browne's point and I will raise it with the HSE in the context of the preparation of the service plan for 2019 and the NTPF in the context of its work on waiting list initiatives. It is fair to say there is a particular issue in the south east, particularly in the Deputy's county with that vacant orthodontist post. In fairness, the HSE has tried to fill it but it was...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Orthodontic Services Waiting Lists (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I will do so. I will keep in contact with Deputy Browne in respect of this matter and will ask that the HSE comes back to him after 14 November with regard to how successful it has been in filling that vacant post.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy MacSharry for raising this matter. As he is aware, in budget 2019, we have prioritised improving access and reducing waiting times for patients with funding to the NTPF increasing from €55 million in 2018 to €75 million in 2019. I am pleased to say this increase in funding will allow us to target 40,000 outpatient appointments. The Deputy has raised with me...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: General Practitioner Services (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for her question. As she is aware, preparations for the implementation of the termination of pregnancy services are at an advanced stage. I welcome that the House passed the Bill through Second Stage, which is crucial, as is ensuring that the services will be ready to be put into operation. As the Deputy is aware, it is envisaged that most terminations up to nine weeks...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: General Practitioner Services (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: We are providing for extra GP training places. It is not good enough just to train more GPs; we must work to ensure that general practice is and will be a sustainable career for those studying to become a GP. That is why we are providing a programme of investment as well as extra training places. Talks on that general programme of investment are to take place tomorrow with the IMO, which...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: General Practitioner Services (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I have addressed the issues of FEMPI cuts and investment in general practice by outlining the process we intend to undertake and on which there will be further engagement with the IMO tomorrow. I will save my comments on how the service will operate in terms of the three-day period for Committee Stage of the Bill, when there will be an opportunity to engage on such issues. My basic...