Results 3,261-3,280 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: General Practitioner Services (1 Apr 2014)

Alex White: What Deputy Kelleher said is incorrect. The Government has a clear plan in relation to the implementation of access to free GP services for children under six years of age. The legislation in this regard will be published shortly. I look forward to hearing the Deputy's response to that legislation because I am anxious to know whether he supports the initiative. The IMO has indicated it...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: General Practitioner Services (1 Apr 2014)

Alex White: The Deputy is making up figures or pulling them from the sky.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: General Practitioner Services (1 Apr 2014)

Alex White: The Deputy asked a question to which I have responded. If he wants to have a discussion on discretionary medical cards I am happy to do so. There is no mention of that in the Deputy's original question, which refers to what he calls the "negative response of general practitioners to their proposed new contract".

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: General Practitioner Services (1 Apr 2014)

Alex White: The Government's vision for primary care is the development of a single tier system in which access is based on medical need, rather than ability to pay. The Government is, therefore, committed to introducing a universal general practitioner service without fees, on a phased basis, in its term of office. The word "universal" has the meaning of applying to everybody and does not touch on the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services (1 Apr 2014)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 111, 124 and 134 together. The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner has not raised concerns with the Department of Health or the HSE about sections of the draft agreement for the provision of services to children under six years that relate to the exchange of information between General Practitioners (GPs) and the HSE. However, it is the HSE's...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Chronic Disease Management Programme (1 Apr 2014)

Alex White: The HSE, through its Clinical Strategy and Programmes Division, established the National Clinic Programme for Asthma (NCPA), which is one of a number of chronic disease programmes aimed at bringing a systematic approach to changes in how services for patients are delivered. Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease in Ireland, affecting people of all ages and all socio-economic...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Reviews (1 Apr 2014)

Alex White: All medical card and GP visit card holders are subject to a periodic review of eligibility to determine continuing eligibility. Ordinarily, three months before an individual's existing medical card/GP visit card eligibility expiry date, a review notification issues to the individual (or their parents, in the case of a child). I am advised by the HSE that it has not been able to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Orthodontic Services Provision (1 Apr 2014)

Alex White: The Government has decided that the numbers employed across the public service must be reduced in order to meet fiscal and budgetary targets. In order to mitigate the impact on frontline services of the reduction in employment numbers, the priority is to reform how health services are delivered in order to ensure a more productive and cost effective health system. The revised working...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Reviews (1 Apr 2014)

Alex White: All medical cards, including those granted on a discretionary basis, are subject to a periodic review of eligibility to determine continuing eligibility. Cards are selected for review in advance of the expiration of their eligibility period, i.e. when the "valid to" date on the card is approaching. In addition, cards are selected on a random basis, where the HSE carries out, on an on-going...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Prices (1 Apr 2014)

Alex White: The Government has introduced a series of reforms in recent years to reduce the prices of drugs and medicines which are paid for by the HSE. This has resulted in reductions in the price of thousands of medicines. Price reductions of the order of 30% per item reimbursed have been achieved between 2009 and 2013; the average cost per items reimbursed is now running at 2001/2002 levels. A...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services (1 Apr 2014)

Alex White: A public consultation process commenced on 31st January last on the content and scope of a new GP contract to facilitate the provision of GP care, free at the point of use, for all children aged under six years of age. However, this consultation process does not relate to the legislation, which is currently being drafted, on foot of a Government decision, to provide the necessary legislative...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Availability (1 Apr 2014)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 492 and 572 together. Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977, the manufacture, production, preparation, sale, supply, distribution and possession of cannabis or cannabis-based medicinal products are unlawful except for the purposes of research. Under European and Irish legislation, before a medicine can be placed on the Irish market the manufacturer has to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Medical Services Scheme Payments (1 Apr 2014)

Alex White: Paragraph 11 of the General Medical Services (GMS) contract outlines the duties and obligations of the General Practitioner (GP) and the services to be provided by him/her. The key determinant of what is comprehended relates to whether the service/treatment is considered to be "proper and necessary treatment of a kind usually undertaken by a general practitioner and not requiring special...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Orthodontic Services Waiting Lists (1 Apr 2014)

Alex White: The HSE provides orthodontic treatment to patients based on their level of clinical need. An individual's access to orthodontic treatment is determined against a set of clinical guidelines and priority is given to patients with greatest needs. The HSE provides orthodontic treatment to those who have been assessed and referred for treatment before their 16th birthday. It should be noted...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (1 Apr 2014)

Alex White: The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (1 Apr 2014)

Alex White: The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (1 Apr 2014)

Alex White: The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Prescription Charges (1 Apr 2014)

Alex White: Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the primary care schemes, including the Long Term Illness Scheme. As stated in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 220 of 13 March 2014, the HSE is currently in the process of identifying LTI eligible persons who paid prescription charges prior to 1 December 2013...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (1 Apr 2014)

Alex White: The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Administration (1 Apr 2014)

Alex White: The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. However, I have asked the Health Service Executive to supply this information to me and I will forward it to the Deputy as soon as possible.