Results 35,221-35,240 of 46,197 for speaker:Simon Harris

Health (Amendment) Bill 2017: Order for Second Stage (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Health (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." It is my pleasure to introduce the Health (Amendment) Bill 2017. In A Programme for a Partnership Government, the Government set out its aim to increase access to safe and timely care as close to patients' homes as possible. We outlined that progressing this objective will be a priority for the partnership Government. In our programme,...

Other Questions: HSE Waiting Lists (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: I think the Deputy has honestly and fairly assessed the situation in terms of needing to deal with the backlog and those waiting longest as well as the fact that many new people are coming on to waiting lists each day. Previously, there were 25,000 referrals per month from general practice to the acute hospital sector. Last year, we saw approximately 35,000 per month on average. More and...

Other Questions: HSE Waiting Lists (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: We intend to do that. Even as we speak, HSE officials are in Stanmore in the UK looking at the possibility of utilising a facility there to help to deal with what Deputy Curran correctly categorises as a backlog in terms of procedures, especially in treating scoliosis. We can open an additional theatre here or there or hire additional consultants and use other hospitals like the hospital in...

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for this question. It is an issue we often discuss and I think we are due to meet. The Government is committed to reducing waiting times for patients, both for patients waiting for inpatient and day case procedures and for outpatient appointments. It is unnecessary for people to have to wait excessively long periods for necessary care. In order to reduce this burden...

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: I always have a preference for the public sector. I am the Minister for the Irish public health service. That is why we are investing heavily in it. That is also why I have told the Deputy on a number of occasions that it is my view that we must be pragmatic about this. When I hear from people who are waiting for operations and procedures in hospitals, and I am sure when they talk to...

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: We are putting €20 million into the NTPF out of a budget for the health service of over €14 billion. It needs to be seen proportionally when the Deputy makes those comments. With regard to the acting CEO of the NTPF, that is a position that is currently being advertised and interviewed for to find a person through the Public Appointments Service. I am not familiar with the...

Other Questions: HSE Waiting Lists (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Curran for an important question. I agree that those waiting times are too long. What we are actually going to do about it is the most important thing. During 2016, as the Deputy knows, there has been evidence of a considerable increase in demand for health services as our population continues to grow and age. Therefore, in order to reduce the numbers of long-waiting...

Other Questions: Ambulance Service (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputies for their contributions and views in this regard. As Minster for Health, I am very proud of the service that is being provided by the Dublin Fire Brigade in responding to emergency calls throughout the city and county. I thank the members on the record of this House for the service they provide. I am also very proud of the service provided by the National Ambulance Service...

Other Questions: Ambulance Service (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: I agree with Deputy Lahart. I do not in any way doubt the conviction of any of the members of SIPTU or any other union that has decided to take this action. However, I appeal to them, in light of the process I have outlined on the record of the House, and in light of what Deputy Lahart outlined in terms of utilising the industrial relations mechanism of the State, not to proceed with strike...

Other Questions: Hospital Beds Data (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: Due to the fact that I am a great champion of new politics, I am not going to get into a debate about bed capacity, closures and the records of various Ministers for Health in various Governments. As the Deputy has correctly pointed out, however, my Department has commenced a capacity review in line with the commitment in A Programme for a Partnership Government. I would like to assure...

Other Questions: Hospital Beds Data (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: No matter how many times Deputy O'Reilly says that I was surprised by last winter's flu outbreak, I was not. I get this at least once a week from the Deputy. I had been relaying the advice made available to me by doctors and medical experts that the flu in question was a strain we had not seen in the State since 2009. I would hope that the entire report would be ready. Considering that a...

Other Questions: Hospital Beds Data (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: I am pleased to hear the Deputy raise that point. I often hear people in radio interviews, for example, referring to the need to open more beds. I am of the view that we need to open more beds. As the Deputy said, however, we cannot do so if we do not have adequate staffing levels. This is part of the very extensive engagement we have had with the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation,...

Other Questions: Ambulance Service (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Lahart. I know he has raised this issue previously in the House. While I have not, as yet, received the report of the review of Dublin ambulance services, I can confirm that a copy of the report was received by my Secretary General in the last few days. My officials, in conjunction with colleagues in the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, are...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Health Services Expenditure (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: The era of cuts to the health service and public service pay is over.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Health Services Expenditure (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: Will it take us time to get to where we need to be? Absolutely, but the era of Ministers for Health being obliged to stand in this position and cut health services due to the financial situation is over. We are increasing the health budget and staffing levels and are putting money into waiting list initiatives. In the House later tonight we will pass legislation to provide domiciliary care...

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy O'Callaghan for this important question on outpatient times in St. Vincent's University Hospital specifically. I am absolutely committed to reducing waiting times for patients, both for patients waiting for inpatient or day case procedures and for outpatient appointments. During 2016, there has been evidence of a considerable increase in demand for health services as our...

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: My office contacted St. Vincent's University Hospital specifically to ask what measures it will put in place to target the very specific outpatient waiting list to which the Deputy has referred. I have been informed that it is putting in place specialty-specific meetings with the specialties concerned to identify the issues. The "did not attend", DNA, rate is a serious issue in our health...

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: The DNA rate has a bearing. While it is not the only factor, consultants have a certain number of appointments available and when a person does not turn up for an appointment, the slot is wasted. Given that there were 450,000 such incidences, there is an onus on me to expect the health service to put in place methods to ensure patients are reminded of appointments and, ultimately, wait less...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Abortion Services Provision (8 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: I am.