Results 38,081-38,100 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Nov 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: To ensure the continued and appropriate delivery of Health Services in a COVID Environment, The HSE have developed the ‘Delivering Health Services in a COVID-19 Pandemic’ Plan. This plan includes the normal winter plan that would incorporate enhancement to services to cope with winter pressures, but also takes a more strategic approach by considering actions necessary to resume...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (3 Nov 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I, my Department and the HSE are committed to the early introduction of a new framework for public healthcare, as recommended in the Crowe Horwath Report on Public Health Apecialists and as provided for in the Programme for Government. The Report recommended the awarding of consultant status to public health specialists who meet defined criteria. Consultant status is also consistent with the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Tests (3 Nov 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The HSE has adopted RNA PCR as the gold standard test for diagnosing Covid-19 cases, as part of the HSE test and trace strategy, consistent with international best practice, and approved by NPHET. This platform is deployed in acute hospitals, the NVRL and HSE’s commercial partners. Given the volumes required, these operate as batch tests and hence take a number of hours depending on...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Nov 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disability Services Provision (3 Nov 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (3 Nov 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic the HSE had to take measures to defer most scheduled care activity in March, April, and May of this year. This was to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (3 Nov 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic the HSE had to take measures to defer most routine scheduled care activity in March, April, and May of this year. This was to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Nov 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: In March, in anticipation of the projected surge in Covid-19 cases and the expected impact on the health care system, a critical part of the response was to urgently ramp up capacity for acute hospital care facilities. An important element of the strategy was to put in place an arrangement with the private hospitals to use their facilities as part of the public system, to provide essential...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (3 Nov 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The Deputy will be aware that the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise has been the focus of a number of investigations and reports in recent years. The reports point to the need to reconfigure some services to ensure that patients are treated in the most appropriate setting by specialist staff who can safely meet their needs. Against that backdrop, the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Nov 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 146 and 1116 together. As the Deputy will be aware, ‘Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19’ outlines Ireland's strategy for dealing with COVID-19 over the next 6-9 months. It sets out a Framework of 5 Levels which outlines the broad measures which will apply depending on the level of the virus at any given time....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Assisted Human Reproduction (3 Nov 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As the Deputy is aware, a commitment to introduce the model of care for infertility which was developed by officials in my Department in conjunction with the HSE’s National Women & Infants Health Programme is included in the Programme for Government, Our Shared Future. This model of care will ensure that infertility issues will be addressed through the public health system at...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Nov 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: A COVID-19 Immunisation Strategy Group, chaired by the Department of Health, has been convened. The purpose of the Group is to advise on and assist in the development of national policy relating to COVID-19 vaccines. In addition, a COVID-19 Immunisation Programme Implementation Team has been established in the HSE. All of the issues raised by the Deputy are being examined in this context.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Tests (3 Nov 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (3 Nov 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: In March, in anticipation of the projected surge in Covid-19 cases and the expected impact on the health care system, a critical part of the response was to urgently ramp up capacity for acute hospital care facilities. An important element of the strategy was to put in place an arrangement with the private hospitals to use their facilities as part of the public system, to provide essential...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Tests (3 Nov 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Dental Services (3 Nov 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 154, 1222 and 1345 together. The Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides dental treatments to medical card holders. Services are provided by independent practitioners who have contracts with the HSE. Expenditure on the Scheme was €56 million on 2019. After an interruption to services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, dental services...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Nov 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Facilities (3 Nov 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The Programme for Government commits to the delivery of a second Cath lab in University Hospital Waterford. As set out in the Health Service Executive’s options appraisal, the preferred option for development of a second Cath laboratory at UHW is for a lab and associated 12 bed day ward (delivering six additional beds) on the roof of the existing Cardiology Department, which will...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Audiology Services (3 Nov 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (3 Nov 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: Considerable work has been done and continues to progress in Ireland in relation to the safe use of mesh implants and sodium valproate; and the patient voice is central to our understanding of these, and similar, issues. An ongoing priority focus for the Department and the HSE is to put in place the necessary structures for, and the provision of, care of women who have been affected by the...