Results 25,741-25,760 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service Provision (28 May 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The National Ambulance Service has undergone significant reform and modernisation in recent years and this continues in 2015. Key to the reform is the development of a single national control system and the rationalisation of control centres to one national centre. This project is introducing better technology and improving response times. Developments such as national digital radio,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Governance (28 May 2015)

Leo Varadkar: At my request, the HSE developed and set out a considerably enhanced and strengthened Accountability Framework in its 2015 National Service Plan. The Framework makes explicit the responsibilities of all managers to deliver on the 2015 Service Plan targets across a balanced scorecard covering the four vital areas of: - Quality and Safety - Access - Finance and - Human...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service Provision (28 May 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The National Ambulance Service is currently reviewing its resources in both urban and rural parts of the country.  A €5.4m budget increase in 2015 will help address service gaps, by reforming rostering and staffing additional stations. A recruitment campaign is currently underway for paramedic resources, which once recruited will enhance the service provision in County Limerick....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (28 May 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Reducing long waiting times for hospital treatment is a key priority for Government. Last January, taking into account current pressures on acute hospital services, I directed the HSE to ensure maximum permissable waiting times for in-patient and day case treatment or a first consultant-led outpatient appointment of 18 months by mid year and 15 months by year end. Over the last 7 weeks,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Maternity Services (28 May 2015)

Leo Varadkar: My attention has been drawn to the findings of this survey. One of my priorities for 2015 is the publication of a National Maternity Strategy. This will provide a roadmap to better maternity services. It will ensure that women have access to safe, sustainable, well staffed maternity care in a setting most appropriate to their needs. An extra €2 million has been included in the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Air Ambulance Service Provision (28 May 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The EAS provides dedicated aeromedical support to the NAS in the west, specifically where land ambulance transit times would not be clinically appropriate. One third of these have involved STEMI-type heart attack patients, who need time-critical transfers to specialist primary PCI units for treatment. The EAS Establishment Group was set up to examine how to place the EAS on a permanent...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff Recruitment (28 May 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I have made enquiries to the HSE concerning the recruitment of additional midwives and nurses at Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar. It was agreed that 10 additional nursing posts would be provided for the Emergency Department in the Midland Regional Hospital. The HSE has advised that these ten posts were offered to nurses on relevant recruitment panels and six nurses have expressed an...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (28 May 2015)

Leo Varadkar: There were 7,491 day cases at University Hospital Waterford to the end of April 2014 and 7,237 for the same period in 2015, a reduction in day case activity of 3.4%. This was mainly due to a reduction in dermatology day case activity. In 2014, dermatology services for pigmented lesion clinics were temporarily transferred to the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital,Cork, pending the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Patient Forums (28 May 2015)

Leo Varadkar: At the outset, I would like to acknowledge the strength and courage of the families who spoke out about their experiences in Portlaoise Hospital. Motivated by the desire to ensure that other families would not suffer as they had, they voiced their concerns. We must ensure that the opportunity provided by the HIQA Investigation Report on Services at Portlaoise Hospital to learn from the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (28 May 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The future of the hospital is as a constituent hospital within the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group. That Group also includes St James's; Tallaght; Tullamore; Naas and the Coombe Hospitals. Any change to services at Portlaoise Hospital will be undertaken in a planned and orderly manner. This will be guided by what is best in terms of patient safety and outcomes and will take account of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Tobacco Control Measures (28 May 2015)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy knows, although e-cigarettes and other non-medicinal nicotine delivery systems do not contain tobacco, they do contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance. I am aware that there has been a significant rise in their popularity in the past number of years. In order to ensure that these products are sold in a responsible manner and to protect children, Government has approved...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (28 May 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Cancer Strategy Steering Group, which I have established to advise my Department on developing a new National Cancer Strategy for 2016-2025, met for the first time yesterday, 27 May. Early detection and screening will be among the issues that will be considered by the Steering Group. However, screening for all cancers is unlikely to be introduced and any proposals for additional...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Education (28 May 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question raised. The Deptuy will recall my answer of 6 May 2015 to his question in relation to this matter. My answer indicated that as this is an operational matter, I have referred this question to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) for direct reply to the Deputy. If you have not received a reply from the NMBI, please contact my...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Surgical Symphysiotomy Payment Scheme (28 May 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Surgical Symphysiotomy Payment Scheme commenced on 10 November 2014. It was estimated that 350 women would apply to the Scheme, but in fact 576 applications were accepted. Applications are being assessed by former High Court Judge Maureen Harding Clark. The Scheme has in the region of €34 million available and participants will receive awards at three levels - €50,000,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (28 May 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Spinal conditions, including scoliosis, in children and young people are predominantly managed at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin (OLCHC).It is acknowledged that the waiting times for spinal surgery services at Our Lady’s Hospital Crumlin are unsatisfactory and must be addressed as a priority. Accordingly, funding was allocated in the HSE Service Plan for 2015 for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health and Safety Regulations (28 May 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Since 2009 all nursing homes - public, voluntary and private have been registered and inspected by the Health Information and Quality Authority. The Health Act 2007 (Care and Welfare of Residents in Designated Centres for Older People) Regulations, 2013 (SI 415/2013) contain comprehensive provisions for the purpose of ensuring that proper standards are in place in designated centres for older...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service Response Times (28 May 2015)

Leo Varadkar: As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Treatment Abroad Scheme (28 May 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The HSE operates the Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS) for persons entitled to treatment in another EU/EEA member state or Switzerland under EU Regulation (EC) No. 883/2004, as per the procedures set out in EU Regulations (EC) No. 987/2009, and in accordance with Department of Health Guidelines. Patients have the ability to apply to the HSE TAS seeking access to public healthcare outside the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (28 May 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Requests for additional posts and funding are considered by the HSE as part of the annual estimates process. Requests for additional resources made in 2011 had to be considered in the context of competing demands for funding, and against the backdrop of the worst financial crisis ever to fall on the State. In 2010 and 2011 the HSE had total budget reductions of €1.75bn and staff...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Accident and Emergency Department Waiting Times (28 May 2015)

Leo Varadkar: As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.