Results 22,901-22,920 of 45,789 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists Action Plans (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: Reducing waiting time for patients for hospital operations and procedures is a key priority for the Government. This year has seen ongoing improvements with the number of patients waiting for inpatient and daycase procedures (IPDC), now at 72,700 from the peak of 86,100 in July 2017. This represents a 16% reduction in the overall number of patients waiting for an inpatient or day case...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Provision (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: The issue of the provision of therapeutic phlebotomy services for hereditary haemochromatosis patients, including the issue of charges, is currently under consideration by my Department and the HSE. It is agreed that such services should be provided at the lowest level of complexity that is clinically and operationally feasible. In time it is envisaged that the majority of this work will be...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Agency Staff (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: The Deputy will be aware that in February 2018, an agreement was reached at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) between my Department, the HSE and health sector Trade Unions in relation to a process aimed at resolving the pay restoration issue for staff employed by section 39 bodies in 50 pilot organisations. The 50 organisations included were agreed at the WRC by all parties. I asked...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Rare Diseases Strategy (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) / myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy) (ME) is a not uncommon, complex debilitating disorder which is characterised by severe fatigue accompanied by a range of other symptoms. There is currently no known, specific, medical diagnostic test to determine or confirm a correct diagnosis of ME and no specific treatment which works for all sufferers is...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Occupational Therapy Waiting Lists (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: As this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Protected Disclosures (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: The Protected Disclosures Act, 2014 does not impose any legal obligation on any person who receives a protected disclosure, including a Minister, to investigate any of the matters raised in the disclosure, if the matter is being appropriately dealt with by another agency. However, it is my duty to treat any disclosure as confidential and to protect the identity of the discloser, where...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108, 124, 379 to 381, inclusive, together. Since the inception of the cervical screening programme, CervicalCheck has been notified of a total of 1,482 cases of cervical cancer. The 221 figure is the number of women within the 1,482 for whom the clinical audit conducted by CervicalCheck showed a differing cytology recommendation to their original test. I...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Emergency Departments Waiting Times (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I fully acknowledge the distress overcrowded Emergency Departments (EDs) cause to patients, their families and frontline staff working in very challenging working conditions in hospitals throughout the country. Reflecting the demographic pressures associated with the growth in our aging population, this year has been characterised by high demand for unscheduled care, particularly among the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Emergency Departments Waiting Times (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I fully acknowledge the distress overcrowded Emergency Departments (EDs) cause to patients, their families and frontline staff working in very challenging working conditions in hospitals throughout the country. Reflecting the demographic pressures associated with the growth in our aging population, this year has been characterised by high demand for unscheduled care, particularly among...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Organ Donation (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: The Policy on the Reimbursement of the Expenses of Living Kidney Donors provides for the reimbursement of accommodation and travel expenses incurred by living donors up to a maximum of €6,000. In addition the scheme reimburses loss of earnings incurred by salaried/waged donors and self-employed donors for up to 12 weeks after the donation, up to a maximum of €10,000. This...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: As this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Facilities (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: Following the emergence of issues relating to CervicalCheck earlier this year, the audit process was paused pending the outcome of the two reviews established by Government. The first of these was the report of the Scoping Inquiry into issues surrounding CervicalCheck. Dr Scally’s report was published on my Department's website on 12 September and includes 50 recommendations, all...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: Cappagh Hospital currently has three theatres fully operational and a fourth operational for 80% of the time. With the recent appointment of one additional surgeon and a locum surgeon, activity is set to increase further and it is anticipated that the fourth theatre will be fully operational by year end. There have been improvements in waiting times for access to services at Cappagh...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Emergency Departments Waiting Times (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I fully acknowledge the distress overcrowded Emergency Departments (EDs) cause to patients, their families and frontline staff working in very challenging working conditions in hospitals throughout the country. Reflecting the demographic pressures associated with the growth in our aging population, this year has been characterised by high demand for unscheduled care, particularly among...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Services Provision (23 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: Hospital Waiting Lists Action Plans (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: In Budget 2019 the Government has prioritised improving access and reducing waiting times for patients, with funding to the National Treatment Purchase fund (NTPF) increasing from €55 million in 2018 to €75 million in 2019, of which, €6 million will be committed to outpatient activity. To date in 2018, the NTPF has approved almost 12,700 additional first-time...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Orthodontic Services Waiting Lists (23 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: Abortion Legislation (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: The issue of consent is addressed in section 22, which clearly states that the provisions of the Bill will operate within the existing legal provisions in regard to consent for medical procedures. The Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Medical Practitioners of the Medical Council provides thorough information on the appropriate process to be followed to obtain valid...