Results 23,021-23,040 of 45,789 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Local Authority Funding (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: There is no scheme through my Department that provides funding to local authorities.

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

Simon Harris: Where a medical card or GP visit card holder experiences difficulty in finding a GP to accept him/her as a patient, the HSE has the power to assign that person to a GP's GMS patient list where the person has been removed from another GP's list or refused entry onto a GP's list, and the person has unsuccessfully applied to at least three GPs in the area who are contracted to provide services...

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

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 463 and 464 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Centres Provision (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: As the HSE has responsibility for the provision, along with the maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres and other Primary Care facilities, the Executive has been asked to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

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

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.  The...

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

Simon Harris: As the Deputy may be aware, I have also received the attached correspondence and I expect that a reply will issue from my office in the coming days. In relation to the issue of turnaround time for smear tests, the HSE advises that CervicalCheck laboratory activity remains significantly above normal levels. This is a result both of out-of-cycle smears, and also increased uptake...

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

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The National...

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

Simon Harris: It is not currently possible to quantify the amount of investment across all areas of pancreatic cancer research, which can span clinical trials, epidemiological studies of causes and outcomes, and laboratory based research. The funding sources for such research include the Health Research Board and Science Foundation Ireland, cancer charities and pharmaceutical company funded clinical...

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

Simon Harris: Arising from the recommendations in the Health Service Capacity Review, my Department engaged with the HSE this year to identify the location and mix of beds across the hospital system which could be frontloaded to address pressures being experienced in our hospital Emergency Departments. This process culminated in the development by the HSE of a Capacity Plan, which...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Facilities (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 Waiting Lists (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 day case procedures (IPDC), now at 72,700 from the peak of 86,100 in July 2017, amounting to a 16% reduction. The number of patients waiting over 9 months has reduced from over 28,000 to...

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

Simon Harris: On 30 April last, I announced 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 in the context of the need to provide reassurance to women in light of the media attention surrounding CervicalCheck. I am advised by the HSE that current CervicalCheck...

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

Simon Harris: I acknowledge that waiting times are often unacceptably long and I am conscious of the burden that this places on patients and their families.  Improving waiting times for hospital procedures is a key commitment in the Programme for Government. Investing in additional capacity, including beds and theatre space; the progression of recruitment and retention of staff; the delivery of the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (23 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: The HSE's Expert Group on Medical Need and Medical Card Eligibility examined the issue of awarding medical cards on the basis of illness and concluded that it was not feasible, desirable, nor ethically justifiable to list medical conditions in priority order for medical card eligibility.   The Expert Group also concluded that a person’s means should remain the main qualifier...

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

Simon Harris: I wish to acknowledge the distress overcrowded EDs cause to patients, their families and frontline staff working in very challenging working conditions in hospitals throughout the country. This Government remains committed to tackling overcrowding in EDs and improving access to health services. Preparations and planning for Winter 2018-19 are well advanced at hospital and local level. The...

Written Answers — Department of Health: School Medical Examinations (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: Health Services Data (23 Oct 2018)

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