Results 38,901-38,920 of 46,260 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: In accordance with the provisions of the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is based primarily on the undue financial hardship test. The Act obliges the HSE to assess whether a person is unable, without undue 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: Cross-Border Health Initiatives (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: The EU Directive 2011/24/EU on Patients’ Rights in Cross Border Healthcare aims to ensure EU citizens may access safe and good quality healthcare services across EU borders. The Directive establishes a framework for cross border healthcare between EU/EEA states to facilitate patients to access care in another Member State in accordance with their entitlements in their own country....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Public Sector Pensions Data (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. In relation to Non-Commercial State Agencies under the remit of the Department, this information is being sought and will be forwarded to the Deputy when collated. There are no retired staff from the public service employed in my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Staff Data (4 Oct 2016)

Simon Harris: The total number of staff currently serving in my Department is 411 (386.4 whole time equivalents). Of those, a total of 21 (19.9 whole time equivalents) are seconded into the Department.

Report of the Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Motion (29 Sep 2016)

Simon Harris: I do.

Report of the Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Motion (29 Sep 2016)

Simon Harris: When I spoke in the Dáil on 1 June last about the Government motion to set up the all-party committee, I said that I regarded this as one of the key health initiatives of the new Oireachtas. Four months on, I am even more convinced of the need for a long-term consensus on the direction of health policy. We can make, and I contend that we are making, improvements to our health system...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Health Issues: Minister for Health (29 Sep 2016)

Simon Harris: I thank the Chairman. I am very pleased to have this opportunity to address the joint committee and I look forward to developing a constructive and interactive relationship with it on a range of issues of mutual concern to all of us and to the citizens of the State. The committee has asked me to update it on a number of important initiatives undertaken by my Department and the Health...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Health Issues: Minister for Health (29 Sep 2016)

Simon Harris: We have concluded a very good drug agreement and I thank all the State agencies which worked very hard on it. We got such an agreement because of the decision taken by this Oireachtas in 2013 to put legislation in place which enabled the HSE to set the reimbursement price, were the Government of the day not satisfied that it was getting the savings that were needed. When Government was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Health Issues: Minister for Health (29 Sep 2016)

Simon Harris: There is a lot in that. Although I will give some information now on HSE structures, I suggest that I obtain for the committee a detailed note on this because the information came from the HSE as opposed to being based on a decision taken by my Department. The HSE will be here with me on 10 November for our quarterly meeting. To give the Deputy a little information, my understanding is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Health Issues: Minister for Health (29 Sep 2016)

Simon Harris: I have not seen that. It is a fair point that the HSE should brief the committee on this. I have not seen the specific advertisements the Deputy is referring to but I would imagine that quite a significant number of the staff in question are replacement staff. There is a myth about management numbers in Ireland because those in the HSE and NHS are pretty much aligned. In the NHS, 4.8% of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Health Issues: Minister for Health (29 Sep 2016)

Simon Harris: I would imagine many of them are replacement posts. I will revert to the Deputy on that. With regard to e-health, I am really pleased to hear the Deputy say what she is saying. There has been a tendency in this country, and perhaps in others, to be dismissive of investments in technology and ICT and to ask why all the money is being spent on computers. This investment is vital. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Health Issues: Minister for Health (29 Sep 2016)

Simon Harris: Yes. I am saying they are not weighted.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Health Issues: Minister for Health (29 Sep 2016)

Simon Harris: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Health Issues: Minister for Health (29 Sep 2016)

Simon Harris: They meet quite regularly because they are required quite often. I have known them to meet nearly on a monthly basis at times. Meetings are as required but regular.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Health Issues: Minister for Health (29 Sep 2016)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Health Issues: Minister for Health (29 Sep 2016)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy. He has made many points and I will try to go through them as quickly as I can. With regard to the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, the Committee of Public Accounts did some work on this a while back and found there was value for money from the fund, although there is a case to do more. The activity-based funding model we are moving towards will enable us to have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Health Issues: Minister for Health (29 Sep 2016)

Simon Harris: I thank Senator Kelleher. I bow to her expertise in this area. She knows the sector very well. I refer to the Cinderella charge. I do not want to dismiss legitimate criticism and problems the Senator outlined but in terms of what we are spending on the social care division - we may have to have a conversation about how this translates into services - the disability budget is €1.5...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Health Issues: Minister for Health (29 Sep 2016)

Simon Harris: Without getting into the specifics of the Estimates, this is a priority in the programme for Government. There is a very clear commitment that this will be delivered on. I expect that will, therefore, be reflected in the HSE service plan for 2017.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Health Issues: Minister for Health (29 Sep 2016)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy O'Connell. I might start with this subject. I do not want a misconception or a linkage between 21 posts being advertised - we should have invited Fergal Bowers to attend - and the Fergal Bowers tweet.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Health Issues: Minister for Health (29 Sep 2016)

Simon Harris: I am not suggesting that the Deputy did so.