Results 26,821-26,840 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: University Hospital Waterford's regional cardiology interventional suite opened in 2008 and serves a population of almost 500,000 people. In 2012, the suite was identified as the designated primary PCI centre for the region, under the national clinical programme for acute coronary syndrome. Its services cover Waterford, Kilkenny, south Tipperary and Wexford. The centre currently has one...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I do not know the details of the case to which the Deputy referred.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I do not have access to patients' files and I doubt Deputy Halligan does either. I think it inappropriate to raise such cases in the Dáil unless the Deputy has full access and expert knowledge of the case. I do not know whether that is the case. I may be incorrect, but at any given time in University Hospital Waterford there will be a consultant physician on call, if not a consultant...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: It is not standard practice for the Government to do business plans. Maybe it was done by the hospital group.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I will answer the question if I am not interrupted.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I am not aware of the preparation of any business plan by the Government. Business plans for services are generally done by a hospital, a hospital group or the HSE. To ensure that lives are protected, it is important that any specialist service has adequate throughput, which means enough patients and in sufficient volume to ensure quality, critical mass and specialisation. It must also be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: HSE Funding (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The gross provision for the health Vote in 2015 is €12.677 billion, comprising €12.295 billion in current expenditure and €382 million in capital expenditure. Following restatement on a like-for-like basis consistent with the new Vote structure, the Exchequer funding provided in 2015 represents an increase of €564 million on the original 2014 provision. In...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Universal Health Insurance Provision (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I am aware of the WHO report referred to by the Deputy. My Department provided information and observations on an early draft of that report. The report emphasises the need for reform of our health services and acknowledges that the Government is the first in the history of the State to commit to the principle of a universal, single tier health service which guarantees access to medical...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Universal Health Insurance Provision (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I can only give a two-part answer to that. The first part is to advise the Deputy of the plan, which we are currently enacting. First, we will extend tax-funded GP care without fees to the oldest and youngest in society. Once that is done, hopefully, by the summer, we then wish to enter contract negotiations with the Irish Medical Organisation, IMO, on extending it other groups, including...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Universal Health Insurance Provision (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Universal health care is a group term that can mean many different things. It can be a fully tax-funded system like the British National Health Service, a system with a mix of co-payments, a system that involves compulsory health insurance using a social insurance model or a competitive compulsory private insurance model. There are many different ways to achieve universal health care....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Universal Health Insurance Expenditure (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: A report titled The impact of the financial crisis on the health system and health in Ireland has been produced by the World Health Organization with full co-operation by my Department. The report emphasises the need for reform of our health services and acknowledges that this Government is the first in the history of the Irish State to commit to the principle of a universal, single-tier...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I am aware that every aspect of our health service has had to try and do the same, or more, with less. This has only been possible through everyone's best efforts. However, this year is the first year in a long time where the overall health budget has actually increased. I look forward to being in a position, as economic conditions further improve year on year, to continue to press for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Blood Donations (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Irish Blood Transfusion Service is responsible for providing a safe and reliable blood service to the Irish health service. Blood, and the products derived from it, are an integral element of healthcare delivery. A major objective of the organisation is to ensure that it always has the necessary programmes and procedures in place to protect both the donors and the recipients of blood...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I acknowledge the challenge that the recent surge in activity has presented for patients and the staff of the Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar who are doing their utmost to maintain standards of care. Addressing this issue, nationally and locally, is a priority for me and for the Government and the Deputy will be aware that I established the Emergency Department Taskforce at the end of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service Provision (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Ambulance services have changed considerably in recent years. With the establishment of the National Ambulance Service, the service is now organised on a national rather than a localised basis. The regional call centre structure has gradually been dismantled and we are working towards the establishment of a single national control centre. Ambulance resources are now deployed in a dynamic...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service Response Times (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Additional funding of €5.4m has been provided to the National Ambulance Service in 2015 to address service gaps, particularly in the West, by reforming rostering and staffing additional stations. In this regard, 50 paramedic posts have been allocated to East Galway and Mayo. It is also intended to expand the number of community first response teams, particularly in more rural and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The physiotherapy staff level in University Hospital Waterford is currently 20.65 whole-time equivalents, which represents an increase of 2 whole-time equivalents over the past year. Waiting list figures for January 2015 compare favourably with those of June 2014, with 63 people waiting for an appointment in January 2015 compared to 115 in June 2014, despite an increase in new referrals....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Judicial Reviews (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy might be aware, last August the HSE initiated a review to establish all of the facts surrounding the care given to Ms Y. However, Ms Y's legal team has now successfully applied to the Courts for a Judicial Review of this review and I will await the outcome of this judicial review before I decide whether any further action needs to be taken. In relation to legislation around...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Accident and Emergency Departments (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: ED overcrowding is a key priority issue for me and for the Government and I acknowledge the difficulties which the current surge in ED activity is causing for patients, their families and the staff who are doing their utmost to provide safe, quality care in very challenging circumstances. All hospitals have escalation plans to manage not only patient flow but also patient safety in a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). NIAC is a committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland comprising of experts in a number of specialties including infectious diseases, paediatrics and public health. The committee's recommendations are informed by public health advice, international best practice...