Results 35,541-35,560 of 46,232 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Administration (7 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospitals Discharges (7 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: In September 2016, the HSE launched the ‘Winter Initiative Plan 2016-2017’ which provided €40 million of additional funding for winter preparedness and to assist hospitals to deal with increased demand. A key element of the Winter Initiative is to support hospitals to improve process in relation to patient flow. This includes supporting hospitals through access to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Services Funding (7 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 648 to 650, inclusive, together. The Department of Health no longer operates a National Lottery Fund. However, the HSE operates a National Lottery funded scheme under which it provides grants to health agencies and other organisations. Details of the scheme are available on the HSE website at: .

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (7 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: Recent data from the HSE indicates that in 2016 there was a circa 5% increase in Emergency Department attendances nationally. In addition, early January 2017 saw continued significant pressure on our EDs due to high demand, increased incidence of flu mainly affecting older people, as well as ongoing bed capacity constraints due to staff shortages. The Emergency Department Taskforce...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products (7 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: Under the Misuse of Drugs Acts and the Regulations made thereunder, the manufacture, production, preparation, sale, supply, distribution and possession of cannabis is currently unlawful except under licence. Following the recent publication of the Health Products Regulatory Authority’s report Cannabis for Medical Use – A Scientific Reviewa process is currently underway to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (7 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 656 to 658, inclusive, together. A draft Waiting List Action Plan for Scoliosis has been submitted by the HSE to my Department. The draft action plan for Scoliosis includes both measures to increase capacity for scoliosis treatments in the children's hospitals and proposals for the outsourcing of procedures. Officials are currently reviewing and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (7 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: In relation to this particular query, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (7 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 661 and 662 together. In relation to this particular query, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Beds Data (7 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Home Services (7 Mar 2017)

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

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: I am conscious that many issues pertaining to today's Revised Estimates, including how various health-related matters are to be funded and addressed in 2017, were discussed when I had a lengthy engagement with the joint committee last week. The script I have circulated can be taken as read. I will make a few brief points at the outset. I hope the 2017 Revised Estimates can be seen as a...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: The Deputy makes a fair point. In considering the health Vote, we must accept the elephant in the room, which is that the health Vote is not configured along programme lines. The Department of Health is working towards the development of programme budgeting and changing the structure of the health Vote to reflect this. It will take some time though because the financial systems in the HSE...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: It is still a substantial body of work and we are a number of years away in terms of it. The HSE needs to be cognisant of the fact that we are going to presumably undertake more structural reform when the Committee on the Future of Health Care reports in April, which may enable us to have more fruitful conversations on structures across the health service. I looked through the various...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: The Deputy makes an important point. Last week at this committee we had a detailed discussion on the increased numbers of people working for the health service. A number of Deputies and Senators raised the issue of the growth in administration and management. The national director of HR has committed to giving a report to the committee showing a more detailed breakdown. From my initial...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: It is a very fair point. I reiterate that if we have to find additional resources for pay measures above and beyond the Lansdowne Road measures that were agreed by and expected by Government in advance of the preparation of budget 2017, there is no new pot of money to use. I am conscious of that and I am sure the INMO is conscious of that as well. The IMO - the doctors - is being dealt...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: This is an area that is extraordinarily important and one in which significant progress has been made over the past ten years or so from a very low base in this country in terms of access to palliative care and in terms of the provision of hospice services in general. If one looks at a map of Ireland now, as I did recently with the palliative care people in the HSE, there is significant...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: The Vote that I am here to account for today does allow for increased investment in the provision of palliative care in 2017 to address the deficits the Chairman has highlighted. This is an area in which we are coming from a historically low base. I am not suggesting in any way that enough is done, but I do genuinely believe in the increased investment this year. When we look behind the...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: I will start with the nursing home matter that Deputy Kelleher raises. The Deputy is correct. On the issue of the 'flu this winter, for example, once the HSE started engaging proactively with the nursing homes when we put the additional measures in place in January, we saw that there is a willingness on behalf of nursing homes and their representative bodies to work with the health service...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: Donegal can feel quite isolated geographically at times. It is such a large, sprawling county that to have an outreach nurse will make a big difference. I also had an excellent conversation with Deputy Louise O'Reilly's colleague and my counterpart, Ms Michelle O'Neill, MLA, the Minister for Health in Northern Ireland, about what we can do on a North-South basis in terms of paediatric...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Simon Harris: I know Deputy Durkan is a traditionalist in regard to looking back at these figures. I mean that in a positive sense. While this is the way the document is laid out, as I said at the start, it is sometimes not terribly reflective of the way the programmes are delivered and that is the bridge we need to try and cross. I expect all four regions, without fear or favour, to come in on budget...