Results 33,021-33,040 of 46,095 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: Under the Minimum Benefit Regulations, 1996, all health insurance products that provide cover for in-patient hospital treatment must provide a certain minimum level of benefits. The key purpose of the Regulations is to ensure the continued availability of the type of broad hospital cover traditionally held as a minimum by the insured population and to ensure that individuals do not...

Written Answers — Department of Health: European Medicines Agency (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) plays a vital role in the protection of the health of 500 million EU citizens through the scientific evaluation and safety monitoring of human and veterinary medicines. The EMA is also key to maintaining the competitiveness of the European pharmaceutical industry, which is worth approximately €260 billion annually. As a consequence of the United...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Availability (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: As you know, I published the Health Products Regulatory Authority’s report ‘Cannabis for Medical Use – A Scientific Review’ in February and announced my intention to establish a Cannabis Access Programme for cannabis-based treatments to be provided for qualifying patients. The HPRA report recommended that patients accessing cannabis through the programme should be...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (21 Jun 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. There is no doubt that our public hospital system is challenged in meeting the growing demand for care. Last year alone, there was a 2% increase in inpatient and day-case activity over 2015. Reducing waiting times for the longest waiting patients is...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Maternity Strategy (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: Ireland's first National Maternity Strategy - Creating A Better Future Together 2016 - 2026 -will be implemented on a phased basis. Implementation will be led by the newly established National Women & Infants Health Programme, which was established in January 2017. The Programme chaired the first meeting of the Strategy Implementation Group in April. It is currently working on the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: In line with the Department’s Statement of Strategy, the Department of Health is working with the HSE and other cross sectoral partners to develop a national strategic framework for health workforce planning which aims to support the recruitment and retention of the right mix of health workers across the Irish health service to meet planned and projected service need. During 2016, the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Centres (21 Jun 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: Primary Care Centres (21 Jun 2017)

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

Written Answers — Department of Health: Occupational Therapy (21 Jun 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: Hospital Waiting Lists (21 Jun 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. There is no doubt that our public hospital system is challenged in meeting the growing demand for care. Last year alone, there was a 2% increase in inpatient and day-case activity over 2015. Reducing waiting times for the longest waiting patients is...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Administration (21 Jun 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: National Maternity Hospital (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: The Deputy will be aware that I recently asked for a period of time to reflect on, and address, issues associated with the National Maternity Hospital project. While work is continuing on these issues, I am happy to note the significant developments that have taken place over the period. I have met with the Chair and CEO/Master of both hospitals and reaffirmed my commitment to the project....

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services Provision (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: There is no provision under the GMS GP contract for persons who hold a medical card or GP visit card to be charged for routine phlebotomy services provided by their GP, or the Practice Nurse on behalf of the GP, which are required to either assist in the diagnosis of illness or the treatment of a condition. The HSE has advised GPs that where a blood test forms part of the investigation or...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: The HSE’s National Cancer Control Programme set up Symptomatic Breast Disease clinics and Rapid Access Clinics for Lung and Prostate cancer at eight designated cancer centres over the period 2009-2012. A symptomatic breast cancer service was also set up in Letterkenny University Hospital as a satellite of the Galway University Hospital service. These clinics provide high quality...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Orthodontic Services Waiting Lists (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Staff (21 Jun 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: Maternity Services (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter the question has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy. I am advised that regular re-audits of the maternity unit at Portiuncula University Hospital have confirmed that there is no continuing patient safety concern arising from the issues identified. I am also advised that while the work to publish the overall...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Treatment Purchase Fund (21 Jun 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. There is no doubt that our public hospital system is challenged in meeting the growing demand for care. Last year alone, there was a 2% increase in inpatient and day-case activity over 2015. Reducing waiting times for the longest waiting patients is...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: This Government is committed to reducing waiting times for patients, and I am keenly aware that waiting times are often unacceptably long and this places a significant burden on patients and their families. In order to reduce this burden for patients and to ensure that best practice is applied in how waiting lists are managed, I am open to evaluating new approaches to waiting list...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: 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 long-waiting patients, I asked the HSE to develop Waiting List Action Plans for 2017 in the areas of Inpatient/Daycase, Scoliosis and Outpatient...