Results 38,141-38,160 of 46,232 for speaker:Simon Harris

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update On Health Issues: Discussion (10 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: I agree with what the Deputy said about the winter initiative. I know he wants to prioritise this issue and feels particularly strongly about home help. I will ask the Minister of State with responsibility for this area, Deputy McEntee, to speak about this issue. We have funded more home care packages and home help hours in the budget. My strong view is that we need to look at the policy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update On Health Issues: Discussion (10 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: There is capital allocated for the national maternity hospital, but not yet for the other hospitals.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update On Health Issues: Discussion (10 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: I hope they will be funded in the context of the capital review. At present, there is no capital funding other than for the new national maternity hospital.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update On Health Issues: Discussion (10 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: Yes. I have been working on the issue of private hospitals. I will ask the Secretary General to write to the Deputy in response to his queries in this regard. As I have said previously in the Dáil, there is merit in what the Deputy is saying. I know there is merit in it because my officials and I have met representatives of the Private Hospitals Association. We will document that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update On Health Issues: Discussion (10 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: I agree with the Deputy. I appreciate his statement that this is "just one component". A range of measures will be necessary.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update On Health Issues: Discussion (10 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: I also make the point that using these hospitals and the capacity that clearly exists within them - and which I do not dispute - for scheduled care also frees capacity in the public hospital.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update On Health Issues: Discussion (10 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: By sending the lady or man who may need a procedure to a private rather than public hospital through the National Treatment Purchase Fund, we free up a bed in the public system. In the conversation about using capacity in a private hospital, it should not just be about-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update On Health Issues: Discussion (10 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: I will but beyond morality I must point out the limitations, as I do not want to create an expectation this year that the public accident and emergency department process will be replaced by a direct access route to a private emergency department when that private department may not have the medical capacity to address some of these issues.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update On Health Issues: Discussion (10 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: It has capacity and we are using that. From an operational perspective, I can ask the director of acute hospitals to give an example on how we intend to utilise that. I am open to further dialogue on this. I have given three examples of how we intend to utilise capacity in private hospitals.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update On Health Issues: Discussion (10 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: I have with regard to the Mater public and private hospitals and a pathway for respiratory patients.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update On Health Issues: Discussion (10 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: I said to the Deputy in Cashel that I wanted to speak to him about the ambulance service but we never got to it. I checked out the inquiry he made and I have been informed there is no intention to reduce service levels with regard to paramedics or advance paramedics in the area the Deputy asked about. We will write to the Deputy to confirm that. On the issue of ShannonDoc, it would be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update On Health Issues: Discussion (10 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: If the Deputy has specific information, I ask him to bring it to me as well. If there is any specific information, I would like to know about it. I will ask the question but I certainly have no information on it. GP training is one of the more challenging areas. I know it is a priority project for the Chairman and for me as it is vital to ensure we have a sustainable health service...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update On Health Issues: Discussion (10 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: I can give a timeframe for the commencement but I will not give a timeframe for the conclusion. I would be an awfully bad negotiator if we got to that. We need a new contract. GPs recognise it, the Government recognises it, every political party recognises it and the patients recognise it. We do not need an effort to put in place one big-bang new contract too be a static document for the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update On Health Issues: Discussion (10 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: I intend to visit Waterford hospital shortly and I made clear in the statement I released when I published the Herity report and in my correspondence with the HSE in the context of the service plan that I expect those service improvements to be advanced and progressed in the context of the HSE's 2017 service plan. I expect to deliver on them early in 2017 and I will have an opportunity to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update On Health Issues: Discussion (10 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: I will begin with your question, Chairman. I will ask Liam Woods to comment in a moment as the director of the acute hospitals division. Bed capacity is one of the issues contributing to the trolley situation in Limerick, but there are others. Bed closures or bed capacity not being opened in nearby hospitals, where they are available but where there is a staffing issue, is another...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (10 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 National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (10 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 National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Patient Data (10 Nov 2016)

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: Health Services Data (10 Nov 2016)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (10 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 National...