Results 36,401-36,420 of 46,197 for speaker:Simon Harris

Other Questions: Hospitals Funding (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: That is possible. Current and capital may be required. The Deputy used a very good example of a network in Dundalk and Drogheda, and there are other hospitals in this regard. The whole idea of hospital groups is that different things are done in different hospitals and different hospitals have different strengths. The decision was made in 2007 not to classify Our Lady's Hospital Cashel as...

Other Questions: Hospitals Funding (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: -----as we speak. I hope there is a decision soon too.

Other Questions: HSE Expenditure (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: If I do not have adequate information here for the Deputy, I will revert to Deputies O'Reilly and Crowe. The development of primary care is central to the Government's objective to deliver a high-quality, integrated and cost-effective health service. The programme for Government, as Deputy O'Reilly knows, commits to this decisive shift within the health service towards primary care in...

Other Questions: HSE Expenditure (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: The short answer is "I will". I know the Deputy's views on this, and we have had an opportunity to discuss them a little before. I refer to the question as to who employs the staff within primary care as it is developed. I will be influenced by the views of the cross-party group in this regard and the report of that group. The Deputy obviously recognises, as must I, that we currently...

Other Questions: Hospitals Funding (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: That day is etched in my mind because what I saw when Deputy Kelly showed me around was a beautiful facility that was not being fully utilised. The Deputy knows the history better than I, but Cashel Health Campus in County Tipperary, which includes Our Lady’s Hospital, provides mainly primary care services. There is a small residential facility on the site, together with other...

Other Questions: Hospitals Funding (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: I apologise. I can come back with more detail on it. Additional information not given on the floor of the House I have been assured by the HSE that it will continue to explore and maximise the ongoing and future use of the Cashel campus and that services provided will continue to play a significant role in the provision of overall health services within the south Tipperary area. I have...

Priority Questions: Health Services Funding (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for the question. On budget day 2017, the Oireachtas approved gross expenditure of €14.606 billion for the health services, which is the highest level ever, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to investing the gains from a recovering economy in a better health service. The provision for this year represents a 3.5% increase on the final projected 2016...

Priority Questions: Health Services Funding (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: I am very proud to be a member of Fine Gael. In my engagement in the House, I always try to not be partisan because I am conscious that many different people from all parties have stood in this position as Minister for Health over the past number of decades - not yet from Deputy Kenny's grouping but that may happen - and have faced similar challenges to those that I face this January and...

Priority Questions: Health Services Funding (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: I appreciate the Deputy's bona fides and we share a desire to fix this issue. I agree that the staff in our health service are incredible and are doing incredible work, and have done so over the past number of years with fewer colleagues standing beside them on the wards. That is now changing. Since I became Minister for Health, we have increased the health budget not once but twice....

Priority Questions: Health Services Funding (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: That is entirely incorrect. In the past, Opposition spokespersons on health would have been very critical of a HSE service plan that did not adequately set aside resources for demographics. We cannot talk about existing levels of services as though that does not impact on people. This is about trying to prepare the health service for the fact that more people will need health services next...

Priority Questions: Health Services Funding (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: I appreciate Deputy Kelleher's helpfulness but that is simply not the case. For whatever reason, he is ignoring the reality that in addition to that €9 million, €20 million has been provided specifically for the NTPF to drive down waiting lists to more acceptable, albeit still high, levels by October 2017. It is intended to have no one waiting longer than 15 months for any...

Priority Questions: Nursing Staff Recruitment (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: The intention is to recruit 1,000 additional nurses this year. That was announced on budget day. The details of that will be worked out among the operational plans for each of the hospital groups. The process is under way and will conclude shortly for the individual budgets for each hospital. We do need to grow nursing numbers and I am not disputing that with the Deputy whatsoever. We do...

Priority Questions: Nursing Staff Recruitment (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: True.

Priority Questions: Nursing Staff Recruitment (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: What I am clear about is that the budget is there to increase nursing numbers by 1,000 in 2017. That is what we funded for in the budget. How that is done is now a matter for the HSE in its operational plan. I am also clear that recruitment and retention of nurses is a key issue that needs to be resolved. I hear many doctors going on the radio saying that if one wants to end trolleys in...

Priority Questions: Health Services Funding (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Kelleher for his question. In order to respond to increasing demand for hospital services, budget 2017 provides an additional €118 million for hospital services in 2017. Of this funding, €109 million will be used to maintain our existing level of service to take into account the costs associated with our aging demographics, meeting increased demand for...

Priority Questions: Nursing Staff Recruitment (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: The report of the emergency department expert group identified a need to take on additional nurses to care for boarded patients awaiting admission from emergency departments. This is particularly where the number of patients awaiting admission occupy over 50% of the emergency department cubicle capacity for the hospital concerned. Having regard to the formula set out in the report for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Beds Data (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: As of September 2016, acute hospital bed capacity was 12,728 beds, comprising 10,569 inpatient and 2,159 daycase beds. As of 22nd January 2017, the HSE advises that there are 128 acute beds closed, with 20 closed owing to infection prevention and control, 3 for refurbishment, and 105 due to staffing constraints. In order to enable the reopening of acute beds, recruitment of additional...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Availability (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: For a medicine to be considered for reimbursement by the HSE it must first have a marketing authorisation from the European Medicines Agency or the Health Products Regulatory Authority, before being assessed under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. I understand that in Autumn 2016 Biogen applied to the European Medicines Agency for marketing authorisation in the EU...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Delays (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 43 together. Reducing waiting times for the longest waiting patients is one of this Government's key priorities. We are seeing a considerable increase in demand for health services as our population grows and ages. For example, the HSE has advised that to the end of September, there was a sustained increase in referrals for outpatient...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Industrial Disputes (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: I wish to reassure the Deputy that all efforts are being taken to reach an agreement with the INMO and SIPTU nursing to prevent any industrial action. Discussions between the INMO, SIPTU, my Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the HSE have been ongoing over the past week and are continuing. Issues relating to staffing, recruitment and retention of nursing and...