Results 31,141-31,160 of 46,095 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Groups (28 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: I have no plans to move South Tipperary General Hospital out of the South South West Hospital Group. As the Deputy may be aware, the report of the cross-party Committee on the Future of Healthcare was published on 1 June last. It made a number of recommendations in relation to Hospital Groups, including consideration of the current alignment of hospital groups and CHOs. I am giving...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospitals Building Programme (28 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: The new children’s hospital on a campus shared with St James’s Hospital will provide specialist and complex care for children and young people from all over Ireland, and with the Paediatric OPD and Urgent Care Centres at Connolly and Tallaght Hospitals, will be the regional hospital for the children of the Greater Dublin area, as well as Wicklow, Kildare and parts of Meath. ...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Occupational Therapy Waiting Lists (28 Sep 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.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cannabis for Medicinal Use (28 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: In February, I published the Health Products Regulatory Authority’s (HPRA) report ‘Cannabis for Medical Use – A Scientific Review’. On foot of the HPRA’s conclusions I announced that I would establish a cannabis for medical use access programme, for patients under the care of a consultant, for the following medical conditions: - spasticity associated...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Orthodontic Services Waiting Lists (28 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services Provision (28 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: The introduction of GP care without fees to all people over 70 and all children under 6 years of age which commenced in 2015 represents a major step forward in improving access, quality and affordability of health care in Ireland. The Programme for Government commits to extending in phases, and subject to negotiation with GPs, free GP care to all children under 18 years of age. ...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Facilities (28 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: In relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (28 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: I acknowledge that waiting times are often unacceptably long and I am conscious of the burden that this places on patients and their families. Reducing waiting times for the longest waiting patients is one of this Government's key priorities. Consequently, Budget 2017 allocated €20 million to the NTPF, rising to €55 million in 2018. In order to reduce the numbers of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospitals Data (28 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: I fully acknowledge the distress and inconvenience for patients and their families when elective procedures are cancelled. Maintaining scheduled care access for all patients is a key priority for hospitals, and balancing this with emergency demand at times is challenging. However, all efforts are made by hospitals to limit cancellations particularly for clinically urgent procedures. ...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Staff Data (28 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Availability (28 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: The HSE has carefully considered the pricing and reimbursement of human alpha1-proteinase inhibitor (Respreeza) through its decision making processes which are aligned with the statutory criteria set out in the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. Following a detailed review process over the past 18 months, the HSE has written to CSL Behring, the manufacturers of human...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Maternity Hospital Expenditure (28 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: The Government is fully committed to proceeding with and completing the new National Maternity Hospital, which is a vital project for women and babies in Ireland. This project constitutes the largest single investment ever to be made in maternity services in Ireland. The new development will cater for up to 10,000 births per annum and will include state of the art obstetrics, neonatal and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Availability (28 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: Medicines play a vital role in improving the overall health of Irish patients. Securing affordable access to existing and new medicines in a timely manner is a key objective of the Irish Health Service. However, the challenge is delivering on this objective in an affordable and sustainable way in line with the resources allocated by the Dáil and the relevant legislative provisions....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists Action Plans (28 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: The HSE is actively implementing the action plan they developed to ensure that no child will be waiting over 4 months by year end and are focussed on maximising all available capacity both internally and externally to achieve this target. Additional nurses are now in post in both Crumlin and Temple Street. An additional consultant orthopaedic surgeon commenced in Crumlin in early...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Maternity Strategy Implementation (28 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: I am advised that foetal anomaly scans are available in all Hospital Groups. Those hospitals/maternity units currently providing anomaly scans accept referrals from other maternity units, if requested. This occurs where the medical team in the referring maternity unit consider that an anomaly scan is clinically indicated. The National Maternity Strategy is very clear that all women...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Expenditure (28 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: To end June the HSE is reporting net expenditure of €6,959.1m, which is €132.9m (1.95%) over profile. This variance includes €33m for the central pay decision on the early payment of the Landsdowne Road Agreement (LRA) which is not yet funded by Government. Excluding this issue, the variance is €99.8m. While made up of offsetting surpluses and deficits, a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Reimbursement (28 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: The HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drug schemes, in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. The HSE issued a Notice of Proposal not to support reimbursement of Elosulfase alfa (Vimizim) to the manufacturer BioMarin in June 2017. The Health (Pricing and Supply of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospitals Building Programme (28 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: My Department's mid-term review submission includes this project and many others. Funding for this project will be considered in the context of the future capital envelope for the health service and the overall priorities for future service development in the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group.

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Waiting Lists (28 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: I acknowledge that ophthalmology waiting times are often unacceptably long and I am conscious of the burden that this places on patients and their families. Reducing waiting times for the longest waiting patients is one of this Government's key priorities. Consequently, Budget 2017 allocated €20 million to the NTPF, rising to €55 million in 2018. In order to reduce the numbers...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Availability (28 Sep 2017)

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