Results 3,621-3,640 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (13 Jun 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I thought it was a very useful report. I have a lot of numbers here as I got into a lot of the numbers comparing our baseline with the OECD figures in preparation for this morning. The situation is better than the OECD comparison suggests. I will explain why. There is no question that we have had a shortage of intensive care beds. We know they are needed for very sick patients and for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (13 Jun 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I have been looking at the ratios. The OECD average is 12 beds per 100,000. When neonatal units, paediatric beds and level 1 beds are included, we get to approximately 11 beds per 100,000. It actually goes way up. For whatever reason, however, we do not count all of them in our OECD submission. We are going on the baseline, that is, the 2018 baseline set out in the report which examined...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (13 Jun 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I wish it were simple.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (13 Jun 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: While this is an issue, it is not an issue in all of our hospitals. In the context of some hospitals, the cost of living in the local area is much lower and rents and house prices are much more affordable. However, as Deputy Kenny has said, in some parts of the country, it really is an issue for someone on, say, an ICU staff salary, whether that is an ICU nurse or ICU healthcare assistant....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Medical Aids and Appliances (13 Jun 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy for the question and for his advocacy in this area. I have discussed this issue with him. Deputy Devlin is Chair of the all-party Oireachtas committee. We met with Diabetes Ireland before last year's budget. I assure the Deputy that this is a matter of great priority for the Government. There are various things we have done in the past few years. One is, in line with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Medical Aids and Appliances (13 Jun 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy. The technology is not cheap. The cost of one sensor is about €1,500 to €3,000 per year. They are expensive and, hence, the additional cost to the State would be €200 million to €400 million. If the Deputy is comfortable with sending me on details of the case or if his constituent is happy to send them on, I will take a look specifically at...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Facilities (13 Jun 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy. I took another look into the current state of play when I received the question in preparation for this morning. The figures are as follows. There are 36 public or voluntary hospitals, 33 of which now charge €10 or less for parking. The Deputy quite rightly points to the figure of €15, which certainly can be a lot for parking, particularly for someone who...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Equipment (13 Jun 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: As Minister for Health, I am committed to the ongoing development of regional hospitals, including Cavan & Monaghan Hospital, which operate together. This Government has allocated significant resources in order to meet the needs of patients using the hospital: The budget for Monaghan Hospital has increased from €11m in 2021 to €14m in 2024, an increase of 27%....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (13 Jun 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I recognise that the provision of podiatry services is very important. Podiatry specialises in the management and treatment of disorders affecting the lower limb and can significantly improve a person’s quality of life by promoting and maintaining mobility. Currently, podiatry services provided by the HSE are offered on a priority basis to medical card holders aged 65 and over,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products (13 Jun 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: Thank you, Deputy. The Commission’s aims in revising this legislation are to make medicines more available, accessible, and affordable. It also seeks to support innovation, boost the competitiveness of the EU’s pharmaceutical sector, promote higher environmental standards, and combat antimicrobial resistance . I fully support the Commission’s ambitions in this...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (13 Jun 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: There are a number of significant capital investment projects proposed for the University Hospital Galway (UHG) campus, which will provide state of the art facilities at UHG. These include a new Emergency Department, Women and Children’s Block, a Regional Cancer Centre, and replacement laboratories. Due to the significant scale and complexity of these projects, a programmatic...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Funding (13 Jun 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: Thanks to continued investment in Health Services, Ireland has seen a decline in the number of deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD). Since 2012, the mortality rate from heart disease has been reduced by 38%, mortality from stroke has been reduced by 48%. However, CVD remains a significant challenge claiming 9,000 lives annually. The Government acknowledges the vital support,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Facilities (13 Jun 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: The HSE has been asked to investigate this matter and has confirmed that recruitment to fill current orthodontist vacancies to the orthodontic service in Louth is ongoing. In addition, the existing national procurement framework which is supporting the transfer of patients to private care, supported by additional funding which I have made available, has been extended which will allow some...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service (13 Jun 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: The National Ambulance Service (NAS) Capital & Estates Office is in the process of updating the NAS Estates Strategy in consultation with HSE Capital & Estates. This strategy will re-evaluate the priorities of all NAS ambulance station requirements in the context of available capital investment. Under new Regional Health Structures, the development of Youghal Ambulance...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (13 Jun 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: As Minister for Health I am committed to the ongoing development of regional hospitals, such as Mayo University Hospital. This Government has allocated significant resources in order to improve services for patients in Mayo.? In 2020, Mayo University Hospital had a budget of €119 million. This year, the budget is €143 million, meaning its Budget has grown by €24...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (13 Jun 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: The 2024 Waiting List Action Plan that I published in March this year set very ambitious activity targets for the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) . Within its budget of €179 million it is to arrange 163,500 episodes of care for patients on public hospital waiting lists; 110,000 outpatient appointments, 35,000 IPDC procedures 18,500 GI scopes. In addition, 117,692 patients...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Dental Services (13 Jun 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: The Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides dental care, free of charge, to medical card holders aged 16 and over. Services available annually and on demand include an examination including preventative elements, two fillings, extractions, and a scale and polish. More complex care, such as dentures, additional fillings and a broader range of treatments for patients with additional...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Abortion Services (13 Jun 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: The Independent Review of the Operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 made a number of recommendations around increasing access to services, most of which are operational in nature. The HSE, as requested by Government established a service improvement group to progress the operational recommendations. Meetings of this group are ongoing. Significant...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Facilities (13 Jun 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) is fully funded for the recruitment of two consultant endocrinologist posts with 100% commitment at LUH and a further consultant endocrinologist post with a 50% commitment to LUH and 50% commitment to Primary Care/Enhanced Community Care. Recruitment to fill those posts is currently underway. There are applicants for these posts, interview dates are...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services (13 Jun 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: GPs are private practitioners, most of whom hold a GMS contract with the HSE for the provision of GP services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. As self-employed practitioners, GPs may establish practices at a place of their own choosing. There is no prescribed ratio of GPs to patients and the State does not regulate the number of GPs that can set up in a town or...