Results 40,781-40,800 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Written Answers — Department of Health: Sláintecare (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides dental treatments to medical card holders. In 2010, at the request of the Department of Health, the HSE introduced changes to the Scheme to cap expenditure at the 2008 level of €63 million. Theses changes still apply, although people considered high risk are provided with additional care. Expenditure on the DTSS is linked to demand....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Sláintecare (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The HSE's Monthly Performance Reports provide an overall analysis of key performance data from Divisions, including Acute services. The activity data reported is based on Performance Activity and Key Performance Indicators outlined in the current National Service Plan. The Performance Reports also provides an update to the Department of Health on the delivery of the NSP. The 2019 reports are...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Services (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The National Action Plan on Covid-19 identified the continued provision of cancer care as a priority, through ensuring the delivery of national specialities and maintaining urgent activity. Symptomatic Breast Disease Clinics continued, though the number of referrals was down and urgent cases were prioritised. Rapid Access Clinics for lung and prostate cancer also continued, again with less...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery and management of healthcare infrastructure. At present the draft Capital Plan 2020 is being reviewed and revised to take account of the impact of Covid-19, which has resulted in delays on many projects, and the funding of an emergency Covid-19 programme of works. The draft capital plan includes a number of additional capacity...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Services (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The way forward in relation to the development of cancer services is set out in the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026. Improvements in cancer services will be achieved on an incremental basis over the period of the Strategy. This will involve a mix of current and capital initiatives. Improvements in oncology day wards, as well as in community diagnostics for cancer patients, will be...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Services (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The adjustment to the Health Vote Revised Estimate for 2020 in relation to the COVID-19 Action Plan is €1,997m. The Revised Estimates Volume for the Health Vote (Vote 38) was passed by the Dáil on Tuesday 30th June. In accordance with Section 30A(1) and Section 33(B)(1) of the Health Act 2004 (as amended) the Department will shortly issue a revised letter of determination...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Consultant Contracts (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy on this matter. It is noted that many of the consultant posts described as vacant are filled in an interim basis, including agency, locum, or fixed term contracts.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Services (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The National Action Plan on COVID-19 identified the continued delivery of cancer care as a priority, through ensuring the delivery of national specialities and maintaining urgent activity. The numbers of patients presenting to health services were significantly reduced in the late March - early May period. This trend was reflected in cancer services, with a lower number of GP referrals of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Services (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As the deputy's question relates to operational matters, I have referred it to the HSE for direct response.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Services (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 emphasises psycho-oncology services as a core part of complete cancer care and recommends the establishment of multi-disciplinary psycho-oncology teams in each designated cancer centre to deliver a comprehensive hospital-based clinical service. A Clinical Lead for Psycho-Oncology was appointed in December 2018 and she is engaging with the designated...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Services (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I am conscious that waiting times are often unacceptably long and of the burden that this places on patients and their families. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic the HSE had to take measures to pause most elective scheduled care activity with effect from the end March 2020. This was to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Consultancy Contracts (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: It is my intention that Specialists in Public Health Medicine will be awarded consultant status, taking account of related proposals in Sláintecare, in the Scally Report (Cervical Check) and the Report of Crowe Horwath on the Specialty. It is also consistent with the Programme for Government commitment to reshape our public health system. This issue was being progressed as part of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, commits to continuing investment in our health care services in line with the recommendations of the Health Service Capacity Review and the commitments in Project Ireland 2040. The Health Service Capacity Review 2018 found that the net requirement in combination with health system reform is for an additional 2,590 hospital beds by 2031...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Consultant Contracts (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: At present 'new entrant' consultants recruited since 1 October 2012 are on lower pay scales than those recruited prior to that date. The De Buitléir Group established to examine how to give effect to the Sláintecare recommendation on the removal of private practice from the public hospital system recommended the introduction of a Sláintecare 'public only' Contract going...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I can assure the Deputy that AMAUs and ASAUs continue to operate where local circumstances have allowed. In some cases, AMAUs and ASAUs are supporting Emergency Departments by reducing the potential for overcrowding. Current arrangements between acute hospitals and GPs continue and any changes to referral pathways to AMAUs and ASAUs continue to be notified to GPs.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 295 and 296 together. To mitigate as much as possible the pressure on the health services that would result from a coincidence of the winter flu season and a resurgence of COVID-19, there will be an expanded provision of seasonal influenza vaccine this year. All of those in the at-risk groups aged from 6 months up, including healthcare workers, will be able...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Consultant Contracts (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy with the data sought.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: 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: Cancer Services (23 Jul 2020)

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

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: A major part of the Government's Action Plan in response to Covid-19 was to substantially increase the capacity of public healthcare facilities to cope with the anticipated additional demand. In order to urgently ramp up capacity for acute care facilities, an arrangement was agreed with the private hospitals to use their facilities as part of the public system on a temporary basis, to provide...