Results 29,581-29,600 of 46,095 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospitals Capital Programme (7 Dec 2017)

Simon Harris: Health capital funding was outlined in the recently published Public Service Estimates for 2018 and the HSE is currently developing its Capital Plan for 2018 - 2021. The Government is also preparing a new 10 year National Investment Plan for the period 2018-2027, which is expected to be published by the end of the year alongside and in support of the forthcoming new National Planning...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Insurance Data (7 Dec 2017)

Simon Harris: The Health Insurance Authority (HIA) is the statutory regulator of the private health insurance market, one of whose principle functions is to maintain the register of health insurance contracts. The HIA monitors market developments to ensure that new products meet minimum benefit requirements. These requirements ensure that all consumers obtain an appropriate minimum level of health...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Reimbursement (7 Dec 2017)

Simon Harris: Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the pricing and reimbursement of the community drug schemes; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2017 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Dec 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Shortall.

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2017 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Dec 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputies for their support for this Bill and their contributions to the debate. I agree with Deputy Shortall, in terms of the debate that we need to be having and, indeed, the debate we are having. This is obviously annual legislation we deal with but the Deputy is quite correct. We have all subscribed in this House to the idea of creating a universal health care system that can...

Topical Issue Debate: Medicinal Products Availability (6 Dec 2017)

Simon Harris: I agree with both Deputies that the patients deserve better. I do not think anyone could disagree. It is important to note, first, that everyone is back on the drug in the sense that the drug is being supplied. I reiterate my absolute sympathy to the families of the two people who have passed away. This trial was and is a clinical trial by the company and while it is this drug today it...

Topical Issue Debate: Medicinal Products Availability (6 Dec 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputies Brassil and Kelly for raising this issue, not just on the floor of the Dáil but on many occasions over the last number of weeks and months and for keeping in close contact with me directly on the matter. Like both Deputies, I express my deepest sympathies to the families of the patients who have recently passed away and offer my condolences and, I am sure, all our...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (6 Dec 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank the Chairman. I will take some of my statement as read but I will highlight a few points. I thank the committee for the opportunity to bring forward this Supplementary Estimate for Vote 38 this morning. The total additional funding I am seeking for 2017 is €195 million. Of this, €40 million is for a winter programme and €155 million is towards overspends in...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (6 Dec 2017)

Simon Harris: I will get the data on that for Deputy Kelleher. While I am digging that out, I will address section 38 and 39 bodies. Section 38 bodies are covered. If one works for a section 38 body, one's status is similar to that of a public servant. Section 39 bodies, as the Deputy and I know, are in quite a different situation. We have a number of section 39 organisations which provide services...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (6 Dec 2017)

Simon Harris: The total cost for the delivery of the project at St. James's Hospital for both the outpatient and urgent care centres is €1.07 billion, of which €1.004 billion is Exchequer-related. Car park and retail facilities are not intended to be Government-funded on the basis that they are commercially viable businesses which can be commercially funded. The project is managed and...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (6 Dec 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy O'Connell for her comments. I fully agree with her on the value for money issue. When I became Minister for Health, I found it somewhat astonishing that we do not have a structured programme to ensure that every euro counts in the health service. Just like the Deputy in her own business and anybody in family life seeks to make sure that they get good value for money, there...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (6 Dec 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank the Chairman and Deputy Durkan. On the issue of patient safety raised by Deputy Durkan and the Chairman in regard to the State Claims Agency, it is probably somewhat unusual to see the State Claims Agency as a part of the health Vote because it is an agency under the Department of Finance. I do not believe it happens for other Departments but the logic behind it is that by keeping...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (6 Dec 2017)

Simon Harris: In relation to additional capacity, a number of additional hospital beds will be opening. I will get the list of where they are. That includes beds in Cork. Additional beds will open in Galway next week. Additional bed capacity is also provided for in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, some of which have opened this week, including a new emergency department, which will open in May...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (6 Dec 2017)

Simon Harris: I will have to revert to you with that, Chairman. In relation to primary care, we will look at it in two ways this year. I am hopeful that through the waiting list initiatives for 2018 we should pick a number of pilot projects to carry out procedures in primary care that we currently do in the acute hospital sector. The one that comes to my mind and the one I wish to prioritise is the...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (6 Dec 2017)

Simon Harris: No, but obviously a hospital has to operate within its budget and the manager needs to decide how best to use the resources, namely, the theatres, consultants and surgeons. We have shown a real willingness through the NTPF to provide additional resources to public hospitals that have put up their hand and said they could do more, particularly in the orthopaedic area for hip and knee...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (6 Dec 2017)

Simon Harris: The only comment I would add in relation to the State Claims Agency is that it would not be in a position to discuss individual cases with this committee but there may be a benefit to this or another committee in hearing from it as to how it approaches these issues. The budget and costs of the State Claims Agency have a serious impact on the budget of the health service. If there are...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (6 Dec 2017)

Simon Harris: I do.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (6 Dec 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his comment. I thank him and all politicians who are health spokespeople in this House for their leadership, which made a real difference. In terms of scoliosis, I acknowledge that Deputy Kelleher has highlighted the issue of outpatients for some time. He is entirely correct that there is an issue with the outpatient waiting list. I should have said earlier that...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (6 Dec 2017)

Simon Harris: I could not agree more. Part of my absolute priority in terms of waiting lists is to make sure that we have the maximum amount of information available to patients, their doctors and the public at large in order that we can make improvements where we need to while also knowing the scale of the challenge. Part of this is electronic records which enable GPs to hear back seamlessly. I will...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Speech and Language Therapy Provision (6 Dec 2017)

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.