Results 4,861-4,880 of 15,268 for speaker:Kathleen Lynch

Other Questions: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (21 Jan 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: It is the Government’s intention to have a combination of residences available to people in the scheme, a significant proportion of which will include the public sector. We have 129 public long-stay nursing homes residences. We cannot afford to lose any one of them whether it is at Shaen, Abbeyleix or Cork. We are in constant negotiation with HIQA, the Health Information and Quality...

Other Questions: Accident and Emergency Department Waiting Times (21 Jan 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: And then there are headlines.

Other Questions: Primary Care Centre Provision (21 Jan 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: I thank the Deputy for tabling this question. The development of primary care centres through a combination of public and private investment is supporting the delivery of an enhanced range of multidisciplinary, locally accessible primary health care services. To date, there are 85 primary care centres in operation throughout the country, 42 of which have opened since 2011. The HSE uses...

Other Questions: Medical Card Delays (21 Jan 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: Under the Health Act 1970, as amended, eligibility for health services is based primarily on residency and means. The Deputy will be aware of the publication of the report of the expert panel on medical need for medical card eligibility and the medical card process review in November 2014. A key recommendation of the expert panel was that a person’s means should remain the main...

Other Questions: Medical Card Delays (21 Jan 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: The review of the system, both within the Department and the HSE, is virtually continuous. Because of the difficulties that arose with medical cards the matter is constantly being reviewed, re-evaluated and tweaked. There are difficulties concerning medical cards because they no longer technically just give access to a GP or medical services in an acute hospital. Their expansion sometimes...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Nursing Home Beds (21 Jan 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: It is a different subject but it is all connected. I understand we have a plan in regard to HIQA, standards and nursing home units, or long-stay units. As we all know, events can happen completely unexpectedly, or out of the blue, in the area of health that we do not know about and for which we are not planning. The difficulty is that there are times when we know exactly what we need to do...

Other Questions: HSE Expenditure (21 Jan 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: I disagree with the Deputy's behaviour. She should show a little respect.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: HSE Investigations (21 Jan 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: I am always conscious of what I say in the media, but especially in the Chamber where I am more accountable. I did not quite say what the Deputy stated I said. Rather, I said that we were considering all mechanisms in order to ensure the safety of vulnerable people. These may include technologies of which we do not yet know. We have employed consultants to advise us. We have not rolled...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: HSE Investigations (21 Jan 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: I have had dealings with Mr. Lynch on several issues since getting my post. He has never been behind the door in telling us where he believes we have done something wrong. I am not certain that he feels he has any dependency on the HSE. The job he does for the Government is second to none. It is we who owe him, not the other way around. We may pay for the service that he provides, but it...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Nursing Home Beds (21 Jan 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: I thank the Deputy for her question. Delayed discharges arise when a patient has been judged clinically to no longer have a requirement for acute hospital care but remains in an acute hospital bed, thus rendering that bed unavailable for patients who need admission. In budget 2015, the Government allocated €25 million to tackle the problem of delayed discharges. This additional...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Nursing Home Beds (21 Jan 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: As the Deputy rightly stated, the registration fee issue is for another discussion. The €25 million has resulted in 300 extra approvals, with 65 approvals to come on stream in March. On top of these is the ongoing fair deal scheme allocation of 515 beds per month, as I outlined before Christmas when this issue was being discussed. The initiative should make some impact, but we...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: HSE Investigations (21 Jan 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: I thank the Deputy for tabling this question. Like others, I was shocked and distressed by the revelations of extremely poor and unacceptable standards of care and mistreatment of vulnerable adults at Áras Attracta. Every person who uses our disability services - as the Deputy is aware and as I have stated regularly - deserves not just the best standard of care but also to be treated...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: HSE Investigations (21 Jan 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: If the Leas-Cheann Comhairle does not object, I wish to make a final point which is key in terms of answering the question the Deputy tabled. The HSE is considering plans to monitor practices at social care facilities through the use of surveillance cameras, undercover persons or any other means. However, we are very conscious of potential difficulties that could arise in the context of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Community Care Provision (21 Jan 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: The HSE seeks to manage all of its residential facilities in a way that maximises efficiency and the application of available resources. It must also maintain standards and provide a high quality service to its residents. In this context all such facilities are subject to standards which are set and supervised by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA). Many HSE facilities,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Community Care Provision (21 Jan 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: Consultant Geriatrician posts are in general contracted to the acute hospital system with some exceptions. In practice, geriatricians will provide an extended service to the community by way of undertaking clinics in a variety of settings including community hospitals, rehabilitation facilities and primary care centres. This type of outreach service provided in an integrated manner is a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Availability (21 Jan 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: The HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the community drug schemes in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. The decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer, are not political or ministerial decisions. These are made on objective, scientific and economic...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Community Care Provision (21 Jan 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: Consultant Geriatrician posts are in general contracted to the acute hospital system with some exceptions. In practice, geriatricians will provide an extended service to the community by way of undertaking clinics in a variety of settings including community hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, primary care centres. This type of outreach service provided in an integrated manner is a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospitals Discharges (21 Jan 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: Delayed discharges arise when a patient has been clinically discharged from an acute hospital but remains in an acute hospital bed, thus rendering that bed unavailable for patients who need admission. In Budget 2015 the Government allocated €25m to tackle the problem of delayed discharges and this additional funding is being applied across residential and community services to reflect...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Investigations (21 Jan 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: I welcome this opportunity to outline the progress being made by the HSE in relation to this very serious matter. Like others, I was shocked and distressed by the revelations of extremely poor and unacceptable standards of care and mistreatment of vulnerable adults in Áras Attracta. Every person who uses our disability services is entitled to expect and receive supports of the highest...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Accommodation Provision (21 Jan 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.