Results 37,741-37,760 of 46,232 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Expenditure (30 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: Based on the most recent OECD estimates which refer to 2015 health expenditure, Ireland is ranked fifth highest among the EU 28 countries regarding total (public and private) spending per capita, at €3,922 per capita (adjusted for purchasing power parity) in 2015. With regard to public spending on health care, the OECD estimates rank Ireland seventh among the EU 28 countries, at...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Home Help Service (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: I understand the Deputy is referring to Home Help workers who are employed by voluntary providers of home help services which are funded under section 39 of the Health Act 2004. It is important to note that these home help workers are not employed by the HSE and therefore the HSE and the Department has no role in determining the salaries or other terms and conditions applying to these staff...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Blood Donations (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: The IBTS has extensive deferral criteria for donors, and only a minority of these are permanent. The rate in donor deferral in the year to date is 21.96% and the most common categories for deferral are as follows: Category of Deferral % of Deferrals Low Haemoglobin 39.93% Recent medical investigation 5.23% Donor left clinic 3.1% Actively deferred 2.98% Letter required from...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Speech and Language Therapy (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 497 and 498 together. I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Speech and Language Therapy (29 Nov 2016)

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

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Cancer Strategy Publication (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: The draft National Cancer Strategy is currently being finalised and I expect it to be submitted to me before the end of the year, after which it will be brought to Government in advance of publication. Officials in my Department have worked with the Steering Group over the past year to develop a Strategy aimed at providing the best possible outcomes for Irish patients. The Strategy will...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Dental Services Provision (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The scheduling...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: In accordance with the provisions of the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is determined by the Health Service Executive (HSE). The Act obliges the HSE to assess whether a person is unable, without due hardship, to arrange general practitioner services for himself or herself and his or her family, having regard to his or her overall financial position and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Prices (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: As outlined in previous reply, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. In line with the 2013 Act, if a Company would like a medicine to be reimbursed by the HSE pursuant to the Community Drug Schemes or as a hospital medicine,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The scheduling...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The scheduling...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Long-Term Illness Scheme Eligibility (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 508, 515, 516, 544, 579, 580, 592 and 612 together. The HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of products under the community drug schemes, including the LTI Scheme, in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. Therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for reply...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The scheduling...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The scheduling...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Services Provision (29 Nov 2016)

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 to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services Provision (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: The Government is committed to ensuring that patients throughout the country continue to have access to GP services, especially in remote rural areas and also in certain disadvantaged urban areas, and that general practice is sustainable in such areas into the future. The Programme for Partnership Government emphasises the need to focus on enhancing primary healthcare services, including...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Staff (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 519 to 522, inclusive, together. The number of staff from my Department who are currently seconded to other Departments or agencies in the civil service and where the secondment was initiated in the years 2010 to date in 2016 is set out in the following table: Year Number of Staff Seconded 2010 None 2011 None 2012 None 2013 2 2014 None 2015 2 2016...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Blood Donations (29 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: At present the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) imposes a lifelong ban on men who have sex with men (MSM) from donating blood. In June of this year, I accepted a recommendation from the IBTS that: (a) the deferral policy for men who have sex with men (MSM) from donating blood should be reduced to a period of one year following their last sexual encounter with a man, and (b) all donors...