Results 43,521-43,540 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff Training (13 Mar 2019)

Stephen Donnelly: 227. To ask the Minister for Health the number of medical graduates from medical schools here; the number of such graduates who commenced internships here; the number of those graduates who completed internships here in each of the years 2004 to 2018 and to date in 2019, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12680/19]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Beds Data (13 Mar 2019)

Stephen Donnelly: 228. To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on the proposals in the 2019 HSE service plan to reconfigure the overall bed stock to a more sustainable level giving rise to a reduction in bed numbers of 80 to 100 beds; the sectors of the health service in which this reconfiguration is taking place; the locations of the beds to be withdrawn; and if he will make a statement on the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Service Capacity Review (13 Mar 2019)

Stephen Donnelly: 229. To ask the Minister for Health the action which has been taken since the publication of the health service capacity review to increase the number of step down beds; the local health office areas that have had extra beds provided; the target for extra beds in 2019, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12688/19]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Paediatric Hospital Development Board: Chairperson Designate (13 Mar 2019)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank Mr. Barry for contacting the committee and appearing before us. He has picked up the baton half way through the race, and it is a fraught race indeed. I wish him and his team the very best of luck. Mr. Barry will be aware that there is serious public concern and widespread anger at the cost overruns from an initial declaration in 2016 of €650 million to a final Cabinet...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Paediatric Hospital Development Board: Chairperson Designate (13 Mar 2019)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank Mr. Barry. Regarding eliminating or minimising further error, does he foresee any changes in personnel within the management structure? One of the things that struck me in the past two months is that in spite of the cost overruns, not a single person was fired and not a single person has had any HR sanction taken against him or her. We were also told that not a single contract was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Paediatric Hospital Development Board: Chairperson Designate (13 Mar 2019)

Stephen Donnelly: That is fine.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Cancer Strategy: Discussion (13 Mar 2019)

Stephen Donnelly: I have a question for the HRB. What is the funding split between primary and applied research? I have spoken to some of our scientists whose view is that funding for primary research has been largely stripped out in, say, the past ten years. Several have described how they might have been working on particular molecules and undertaking basic research that could have led to all sorts of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Cancer Strategy: Discussion (13 Mar 2019)

Stephen Donnelly: The reference was to within the research system. I would be astounded if it was true. When Professor Hennessy refers to the healthcare system in this regard, is he including doctors? The third recommendation is to build patient and public trust by improving the use of cancer data. I read through this and it sounds like the sort of thing a PhD student or a team of boffins could knock...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Cancer Strategy: Discussion (13 Mar 2019)

Stephen Donnelly: I know the Chair is trying to hurry us along. However, to make one point on that, Dr. Morrissey lives and breathes this stuff and understands it better than I ever will. A concern has been raised with me by numerous scientists independently of each other over the past few years. Dr. Morrissey's answer is frank; it is the most frank answer I have had and I thank him for it. The concern...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Cancer Strategy: Discussion (13 Mar 2019)

Stephen Donnelly: In broad terms what is the average?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Cancer Strategy: Discussion (13 Mar 2019)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank our guests for their detailed presentations. I have printed out approximately 200 pages over the past day or two. My first question relates to cancer policy for the State and is for the officials from the Department. What are the biggest opportunities over the next one to five years in reducing the prevalence of cancer?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Cancer Strategy: Discussion (13 Mar 2019)

Stephen Donnelly: It is said to me reasonably regularly that Ireland is poor at public health investment. We do some things spectacularly well in healthcare but, on a comparative basis to the OECD or EU countries, our investment and activity in public health and prevention is pretty poor. Does Mr. Conroy agree? I do not know the relevant figures and it depends on what country-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Cancer Strategy: Discussion (13 Mar 2019)

Stephen Donnelly: Let us say at an OECD or EU level.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Cancer Strategy: Discussion (13 Mar 2019)

Stephen Donnelly: It is my understanding that our investment in preventative public health measures as a percentage of our overall healthcare budget is low. Prevention seems to represent the biggest opportunity. Is there an opportunity to increase the effectiveness of funding by channelling more into prevention?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Cancer Strategy: Discussion (13 Mar 2019)

Stephen Donnelly: It has been suggested that there is a big opportunity for us to get better at early detection. Do the witnesses have a plan in that regard and do they agree with that analysis? What are the opportunities in the context of earlier detection?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Cancer Strategy: Discussion (13 Mar 2019)

Stephen Donnelly: I am going to ask about a local issue now. I am not asking about my own locality but about Sligo. In 2006, Sligo was deemed not to be one of the centres of excellence. This is causing a lot of problems for people, particularly in Donegal. They are having to travel very long distances to Galway. Many are very sick and some are old. Nobody who needs need major surgery has an issue with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Cancer Strategy: Discussion (13 Mar 2019)

Stephen Donnelly: I do not mean to be rude but we are pressed for time. My specific question is whether therapy is being considered in Sligo.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Cancer Strategy: Discussion (13 Mar 2019)

Stephen Donnelly: Radiotherapy or chemotherapy services or some-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Cancer Strategy: Discussion (13 Mar 2019)

Stephen Donnelly: Most or all of the witnesses sat through the previous session and will have heard strong allegations made about the prioritisation of clinical trials and research. My sense is that the issue concerns funding or, more correctly, funding cuts. It also concerns, very interestingly, culture. The allegation was made that while clinicians value research, the system - meaning HSE management,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Cancer Strategy: Discussion (13 Mar 2019)

Stephen Donnelly: While I do not want to put words in his mouth, it sounds like Mr. Conroy broadly accepts the criticisms made earlier with regard to cancer research. Given that research is included in the cancer strategy and that there is a broad acceptance that it has not had the priority it deserves, when can clinicians, researchers and patients expect to see things being done differently on the ground?