Results 27,281-27,300 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Other Questions: HSE Expenditure (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I am no expert on legal costs but understand bills are usually submitted and are all adjudicated upon by the Taxing Master or a similar entity. I cannot tell the Deputy when the costs will be known. The HSE did not defend this case. On behalf of the hospital, it actually supported the proposal that life support be ended. The Deputy may take a look at the study herself. All the issues in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: My time is up. The Deputy can only ask so many questions and I can only respond to so many.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy can ask his question again. It is a case of fewer questions more answers.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: There are currently 686 patients waiting for knee replacement surgery at Cappagh Hospital. Some 15% of these patients, approximately 100, have been waiting between nine and 12 months and 12%, in the region of 70, have been waiting for more than a year. I met representatives from the hospital late last year to discuss the challenges it faces. In 2014, there was an increase of approximately...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Waiting lists are checked every month or two months and are validated every three months. As a result of the modest increase in the budget for 2015, capacity and workload at Cappagh Hospital will increase and more procedures will be carried out there. Of course, demand is also increasing. It is my hope and expectation that - on foot of the expanded budget - activity will increase faster...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: HSE Investigations (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy should not worry about the pressures under which I am operating.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: It is important to point out that roughly 80% of people are seen within the target time. We tend to focus on those for whom the target is not met. While non-urgent elective surgery is being cancelled, out-patient surgery is not and in most cases day surgery and investigations such as scopes, for example, are not being cancelled. It is not the case that everything is being cancelled or...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Government regards trolley waiting times of more than nine hours as being unacceptable and it acknowledges the difficulties which the current surge in emergency department 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...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Adequate staffing levels are a given; I do not think it should have to be stated. The Deputy may be interested in some of the facts. We have more consultants than ever before and if we can achieve agreement with the IMO on the new consultant scales we will be able to regularise and advertise for quite a number of posts in the next couple of weeks, although, inevitably, such posts will take...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I am not sure what the Deputy means by revelations with regard to the influenza vaccine. The vaccine used in Ireland is the same as is used all around the world and as recommended by the World Health Organisation. The reason we have to be vaccinated against the flu every year is because the virus changes and mutates every year. It is the case that this year the vaccine only has about 25%...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Improving waiting lists for inpatient and day case treatment is a key priority for me and the Government. My Department is working with the HSE to put in place a plan to eliminate very long waiters by the end of the year. This will involve productivity improvement and rigorous waiting list management. Further increasing day case surgery rates for specific procedures will be important in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: It is important to point out that all waiting lists are not the same. There are different waiting lists for different procedures, surgery, outpatient appointments, scans and other investigations. There are different waiting lists in different hospitals and for different consultants. Not all waiting lists are increasing; some are decreasing. For example, the waiting lists for physiotherapy...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Accident and Emergency Departments (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I acknowledge that the Emergency Department in University Hospital Limerick is under pressure. As part of a comprehensive building programme at the hospital, a new Emergency Department will be completed and operational in 2016. Pending its completion, a number of initiatives have been put in place to address current limitations for patients and staff. A 22 bed Emergency Department...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service Response Times (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Our ambulance services are undergoing significant development and performance is improving. There has been significant upskilling of ambulance personnel, greater use of technology, improved response times, development of clinical protocols to promote better outcomes and dedicated aeromedical, paediatric and neonatal retrieval services. There is much development under way to further improve...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Availability (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the community drugs schemes in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. This requires consideration of a range of statutory criteria prior to reimbursing any medicine, including clinical need, cost-effectiveness and the resources...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Facilities (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: ED Overcrowding is a priority issue for me and for the government. All hospitals, including Naas General Hospital, have escalation plans to manage not only patient flow but also patient safety in a responsive, controlled and planned way that supports and ensures the delivery of optimum patient care. These plans include the opening of additional overflow areas, reopening of closed beds,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I recently announced the extension of the BreastCheck screening programme to women aged 65 to 69 years of age. Planning for this is underway and screening of the extended cohort will commence in Quarter 4 of 2015. The age extension will be expanded on an incremental basis in order to manage the additional screening and follow up involved. It will be fully rolled out across all women in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service Provision (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Our ambulance services are undergoing significant development and performance is improving. There has been significant upskilling of ambulance personnel, greater use of technology, improved response times, development of clinical protocols to promote better outcomes and dedicated aeromedical, paediatric and neonatal retrieval services. There is much development under way to further improve...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Accident and Emergency Departments (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: ED Over-crowding is a 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: Hospital Accommodation Provision (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The HSE has advised that the total number of acute hospital beds available at October 2014 is 12,483, comprised of 10,488 in-patient beds and 1,995 day case beds. The number of acute beds available can fluctuate greatly over time for various reasons, including ongoing refurbishment and maintenance work. While the number of resourced acute hospital beds is clearly an important factor in...