Results 36,441-36,460 of 46,197 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Home Accommodation Provision (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: The Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of health care projects. Therefore the Executive has been requested to reply directly to you on this matter.

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

Simon Harris: I fully acknowledge the distress and inconvenience for patients and their families when elective procedures are cancelled. Cancellation of elective procedures can occur for a variety of exceptional reasons including:- cancellations because a bed or the clinical team are not available; cancellations by the patient or because the patient may not be fit for surgery at the time. Based on...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospitals Funding (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: 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, €109m 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 medicines, medical technology and procedures in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 84, 87, 105, 116, 120, 134 and 148 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...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services Provision (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: The Government is committed to the continued development of GP capacity to ensure that patients across the country continue to have access to GP services. The Programme for Partnership Government commits to increasing the number of GP training places to 259 places annually. In July 2016, the GP training intake increased from 157 to 172 places and the HSE's 2017 National Service Plan...

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

Simon Harris: As of September, 2016, acute hospital bed capacity numbered 12,728 beds, comprised of 10,569 inpatient and 2,159 day case beds. The bed capacity figures per 1,000 population recorded by the OECD for the Republic of Ireland, and for the UK, do not include capacity in private hospitals, unlike figures recorded in many other EU countries. In 2007, the PA Consulting Bed Capacity Report recorded...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Staff Recruitment (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: Discussions between the INMO, SIPTU, my Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the HSE have been ongoing over the past week in relation to nursing and midwifery recruitment and retention and the talks are continuing. The management side supplied a joint proposal document setting out a number of specific measures to attract and retain nursing staff, in addition to a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Centres (1 Feb 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: Medicinal Products (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: Under the Misuse of Drugs Acts, cannabis and certain cannabis-related compounds are strictly controlled. It is open for an Irish registered doctor to apply for a licence for such preparations for an individual, named-patient under their care. Such applications will be considered on a case by case basis. The appropriateness of any particular treatment is a matter between the patient and...

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

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 124 together. I have confirmed that my Department will undertake a capacity review this year in line with the commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government. I would like to assure the Deputies that this is a priority action for me and my Department. Systematic analysis of the capacity requirements of the health service is an obvious...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (1 Feb 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. All NTPF initiatives include procedures to report on the type, nature and cost of treatments commissioned, including controls to ensure quality patient treatment, value for money and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Insurance (1 Feb 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: Disease Management (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: As this is a clinical service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

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

Simon Harris: As outlined in the response to question 400 of 24 January, the evidence review of international public funding models for assisted human reproduction (AHR), which is being conducted by the Health Research Board (HRB), is due to be finalised in the near future. The HRB report will be published on the websites of both the Department of Health and the HRB at the earliest opportunity. The HRB...

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

Simon Harris: Long waiting times for scoliosis surgery are not acceptable, and my Department has been working closely with the HSE to address this service pressure. Additional funding of €1.042m was allocated under the 2015 Service Plan to increase capacity at Crumlin, and further resources of €0.987m were allocated under the 2016 Service Plan for Orthopaedics and Trauma to address...

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

Simon Harris: My Department has no remit in terms of the oversight of private hospitals, nor does the State have any legal right to take private hospitals into public ownership. With regard to bed capacity in the private hospital system, in 2007, the PA Consulting Bed Capacity Review listed available bed capacity in private hospitals as 1,926. Recent unpublished reports would indicate that private...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Consultant Remuneration (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: The HSE decided not to appeal two awards made under payment of wages legislation to two consultants. Separately and distinct from the EAT cases, about 500 consultants have initiated High Court cases in respect of the increase that they would have expected from 1 June 2009 and also moneys in respect of the increase expected to be paid from 1 June 2008, but not made until 1 January 2009. The...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Provision (1 Feb 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: Nursing Staff Recruitment (1 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.