Results 30,341-30,360 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: New National Maternity Hospital: Discussion (14 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Senator. With regard to services provided at the National Maternity Hospital, the St. Vincent's Healthcare Group charter works according to the laws of the land. The Senator is asking when they and how they will be provided-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: New National Maternity Hospital: Discussion (14 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I am genuinely trying to be as helpful as possible to the Senator. In terms of when and how services will be provided, they are clinical and operational matters for the new national maternity hospital, just like they are in National Maternity Hospital today. However, the full range of services will be provided in the interests of patients.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: New National Maternity Hospital: Discussion (14 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I believe it can. I think it was an unhelpful statement. I cannot speculate as to what it meant by that statement. What I can say is that it is Government policy that we have co-location. It is important as is integrated patient care. As for the operational matters as to when and how services are provided, these are clinical and operational matters for the new national maternity hospital.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: New National Maternity Hospital: Discussion (14 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: The amount for the land-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: New National Maternity Hospital: Discussion (14 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I will write a note to the Deputy about that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: New National Maternity Hospital: Discussion (14 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: The Deputy is asking me to speculate about the motivations behind St. Vincent's Healthcare Group. Can I suggest that he invite it to the committee to ask it directly? I cannot speculate on its motivations-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: New National Maternity Hospital: Discussion (14 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: My understanding is that it is freehold.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: New National Maternity Hospital: Discussion (14 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Like I said, I will provide the Deputy with a more detailed note.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: New National Maternity Hospital: Discussion (14 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: There has been an ongoing and in-depth engagement between the Department and people right across the National Maternity Hospital, as well as all other stakeholder groups. The views of the clinical community within the National Maternity Hospital are very welcome and will be accorded-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: New National Maternity Hospital: Discussion (14 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: This was a group of 42 senior clinicians. They wrote about misinformation and misunderstanding. There has not been direct contact with them but the issues they raised are understood. They were expressing a concern that statements were being made regarding religious ethos which were not backed up by the facts. They were very concerned that some of this misinformation had the potential to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: New National Maternity Hospital: Discussion (14 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: The corporate structure is such that there is a holding company, then the St. Vincent's Healthcare Group and then the national maternity hospital. The critical point is that the national maternity hospital's board is to have reserved powers granting it full clinical and operational independence.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: New National Maternity Hospital: Discussion (14 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I am happy to revert to the Deputy in writing if that would be helpful.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: New National Maternity Hospital: Discussion (14 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I believe I am not being allowed to answer the question but I am more than happy to come back to the Deputy on it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: New National Maternity Hospital: Discussion (14 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: The structure was put together in 2016 and 2017 as part of the Mulvey agreement. That is what was agreed with the national maternity hospital and the St. Vincent's Healthcare Group. The representatives of the national maternity hospital were satisfied that this structure would work for them and provide them with the safeguards and guarantees they needed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: New National Maternity Hospital: Discussion (14 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Under the current proposal, the board of the national maternity hospital cannot be overruled by the St. Vincent's Healthcare Group. It is an independent board. Not only is it an independent board, but its reserved powers require it to adhere to clinical and operational standards.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: New National Maternity Hospital: Discussion (14 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy for his question. It is very reasonable. I asked the exact same question when I was shown the corporate structure. That is the agreement that was in place in 2016 and 2017. It provided safeguards for the national maternity hospital ensuring that it would have full clinical and operational independence. This is contained with the reserved powers of the board. Behind...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Procedures (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I can give a one-minute or two-minute response if that is helpful.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Procedures (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy for her question. I sincerely regret, as we all do, that patients can experience a long waiting time for hospital appointments and treatment. I am very conscious of the burden this places on patients and their families. No situation is harder than when it is children who need hospital care. It is recognised that prior to the Covid outbreak, many adults and children...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Services (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: This is an important question that relates to a very sensitive area. St. Louise's unit in Children's Health Ireland, CHI, at Crumlin is a specialist unit dealing with sexual assault trauma, offering therapeutic interventions to children and families. Timely access to the therapeutic services offered at St. Louise's unit is essential for families, and I note the extraordinary work of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Services (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I wish to make clear that there are two different times. One is for assessment, which is the six to eight weeks, but the other, critically - and this might be the situation for the family the Deputy is involved with - is the waiting time for therapy, which is five months. Having looked at this, I do not believe that this is an acceptable amount of time for a child to wait when it is...