Results 26,441-26,460 of 46,081 for speaker:Simon Harris

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (9 May 2018)

Simon Harris: I will try to go through the questions very quickly and we can come back on further detail. To start from the last question, the blood sample issue will be addressed as part of the GP contract. There needs to be a consistent approach to this and it needs to be fixed. On the issue of legal cases, reporting to Ministers, the State Claims Agency, SCA, and reporting into Departments there will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (9 May 2018)

Simon Harris: Yes I am.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (9 May 2018)

Simon Harris: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (9 May 2018)

Simon Harris: I will take the national review first. It is independent and the Deputy would rightly criticise me if it was not. I will, though, convey to the professor the need for an update that I can furnish to the Deputy and other representatives about concrete measures for the public consultation. My understanding is that it will begin next month and the means by which his constituents and others can...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (9 May 2018)

Simon Harris: Does that not tell us something? If we are to recruit more people into the health service based on an independent clinical report, that is what we should follow. We have an independent report done by an eminent professor. The people of the south east do not agree with it in respect of the 24-7 provision but to decouple that issue, he referred to the existing cath lab having better...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (9 May 2018)

Simon Harris: I will give the Deputy three reasons. First, other parts of the country do not have cath lab facilities even of the standard in Waterford. If we establish a modular lab in Waterford, what about other parts of the country that have longer waiting lists? How can we tell people in the north west that they should wait until the national review has been completed but people in the south east...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (9 May 2018)

Simon Harris: The Deputy knows I have not. I have just explained why not.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (9 May 2018)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is conflating two issues. The criticism would be valid if I had done nothing in the 20 months, and if Professor Herity had reported and the report gathered dust on a shelf. That is not what has happened.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (9 May 2018)

Simon Harris: It has resulted in a national review, which all representatives in the south east have bought into on a cross-party basis, and a mobile lab being deployed and staying much longer than was intended due to the recruitment challenges. It is now resulting in me bottoming out the issue of a modular lab. I understand and share the frustrations of the people of the south east. I will meet...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (9 May 2018)

Simon Harris: I can imagine. The Chairman has been patient.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (9 May 2018)

Simon Harris: It is a fair point and I detect the Chairman's palpable frustration on this. We have been extraordinarily preoccupied with a live situation for the past few weeks regarding CervicalCheck but it is still my intention to bring forward the draft implementation plan, which I have shared with the Departments of Public Expenditure and Reform and Taoiseach and for which I need cross-Government...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (9 May 2018)

Simon Harris: Yes, in 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Governance (9 May 2018)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 160 and 214 together. In May 2017, Mr. Tony O’Brien sought my consent within the terms of his contract of employment as Director General of the HSE to accept an appointment as a non-Executive Director of a commercial business. The Director General advised that the business was based outside the State, concerned with research and development and was...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (9 May 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: Hospital Appointments Status (9 May 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: Hospital Appointments Status (9 May 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: Hospital Appointments Status (9 May 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: Medical Card Eligibility (9 May 2018)

Simon Harris: Under the Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Act 2013, when a person attains the age of 70, the medical card income limits are €500 gross income per week for a single person and €900 gross income per week for a couple. Persons aged 70 or older, who are assessed as ineligible under the gross income thresholds, may also have their eligibility assessed...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Provision (9 May 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: Cancer Screening Programmes (9 May 2018)

Simon Harris: Since 2008, CervicalCheck has undertaken tendering processes to award contracts for cytology testing of cervical smear tests. Such tendering processes have been undertaken biannually. Yesterday I established a Scoping Inquiry, led by Dr Gabriel Scally, in relation to issues that have arisen at CervicalCheck.  The broad Terms of Reference of the Scoping Inquiry include a range of...