Results 27,461-27,480 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Health Services Staff (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Harris: I do not think Deputy O'Reilly and I disagree on quite as many things as we like to think. I know it is very important that we stress those differences but in respect of recruitment and retention, I certainly agree with her that this is a challenging area. As she is aware, the Public Service Pay Commission is doing a body of work. I know the unions and representative bodies have fed into...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Health Services Staff (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Harris: I can commit to increasing security in our emergency departments. Sorry, I thought that was what the Deputy asked.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Health Services Staff (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Harris: I believe that has already been agreed through the emergency department agreement negotiated with my predecessor in 2014. I have discussed this with the INMO and have made it very clear to it and the HSE that this needs to be addressed. When the INMO pointed out to me areas where it did not believe this to be the case, I asked the HSE to take action. I want staff in all our hospitals to be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Health Services Staff (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Harris: I take what the Deputy said very seriously. This is a very important matter. The safety of staff in our emergency departments, which is an area on which she wishes me to focus with regard to this question, should be of paramount importance. I will get a report from the HSE about all our emergency departments. Where they have security staff within the emergency department, I will share...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: General Practitioner Contracts (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Harris: I congratulate the Deputy on his appointment as his party's spokesperson on health. We obviously know each other well. It is a great day for Greystones and County Wicklow, with such great emphasis being placed by us on healthcare. I, too, look forward to us working together. As a much more accomplished politician than I once said, "I wish you luck but not too much." I also very much...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: General Practitioner Contracts (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Harris: I expect that we will, as part of the engagement on general practice, put together a roadmap to move to a post-FEMPI legislation era. I am glad that the Deputy mentioned other healthcare professionals because he is entirely correct. We have begun the process of unwinding the difficult FEMPI legislation pay cuts for all public servants, including other staff working in the health service,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Psychological Services (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Harris: In 2015, the HSE established a group to review the eligibility criteria for employment as a psychologist in the Psychological Services. This review was completed in 2016 and made recommendations which have been accepted in full by the HSE Leadership Team. The group reviewed the care group delineation and decided to move the requirement away from named psychology qualifications solely....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff Remuneration (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Harris: Under section 39 of the Health Act 2004, the HSE provides financial assistance to organisations by means of a grant. Section 39 legally underpins the provision of services similar or supplementary to a service that the HSE may provide. In 2017, the HSE provided funding of approximately€800 million to over 2,200 of these agencies. The funding provided can range from high value, in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Groups (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Harris: The RCSI Hospital Group has identified the need for development of the resuscitation area in Cavan Emergency Department. Future investment in Cavan General Hospital will be considered within the overall acute hospital infrastructure programme, the prioritised needs of the hospital groups and within the overall capital envelope available to the health service. The National Development Plan...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 36 together. The endoscopy suite and the mental health acute unit at Naas Hospital are both included in the National Development Plan 2018-2027. The National Development Plan provides €10.9 billion to invest in infrastructure, equipment and additional service capacity for the public health sector. This represents an increase of 165% in capital...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Harris: There are several misoprostol-containing medicines authorised for use in Ireland, two of which contain misoprostol as the sole, active ingredient. All misoprostol-containing medicines are available only on foot of a prescription. As prescription-only medicines, they should only be taken by a patient when prescribed for them by their medical practitioner, or other healthcare professional, as...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors Recruitment (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Harris: Under section 57 of the Health Act 2004, the HSE’s regulatory functions include responsibility for all Consultant appointments in the public health service in Ireland including HSE hospitals, voluntary hospitals, mental health services and other agencies; whether additional, replacement, temporary or locum. In March 2008 the HSE amended the qualifications specified for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists Action Plans (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Harris: Improving waiting times for hospital procedures is a key commitment in the Programme for Government and in 2018 €50 million was allocated to the NTPF to provide treatment for patients. The recently launched Inpatient/Day Case Action Plan outlines the combined impact of HSE and NTPF activity in 2018 to reduce the number of patients waiting for treatment to below 70,000 in 2018. This...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Harris: An independent review of MIDOC services in Offaly was undertaken in 2017, which identified concerns in the areas of clinical risk, medical emergencies, and lone working. These concerns related specifically to locum doctors working alone at the MIDOC satellite sites at Birr and Edenderry. Since 2 April 2018, MIDOC has been operating one fully functioning treatment centre on the campus of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Centres Data (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Harris: As this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Groups (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Harris: I gave approval to the Saolta Group to conduct an options appraisal in respect of future acute hospital needs in Galway. I understand that the Saolta Group has undertaken a tender process for this options appraisal and letters will issue shortly to the successful and unsuccessful vendors. The Deputy may wish to note that the National Development Plan provides that new dedicated...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Availability (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 72 together. The HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. The HSE carefully considered the pricing and reimbursement of human alpha1-proteinase inhibitor (Respreeza). The manufacturer,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Data (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Harris: The Government is committed to delivering more non-acute care within the primary care sector, so that better care closer to home can be provided for communities around the country. GPs play an important role in the primary care system. The number of GPs on the specialist register continues to increase – up from 2,270 in 2010 to 3,637 in 2017 and there are now 2,485 GPs contracted...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Harris: Against a background of growing demand for hospital services and high acute hospital occupancy rates, Government provided €30 million in 2017 and a further €40 million in 2018 for measures to increase acute hospital capacity and alleviate overcrowding in Emergency Departments. Almost 50% of this funding was used to deliver home support packages and transitional care beds to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Groups (19 Apr 2018)

Simon Harris: As this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.