Results 5,481-5,500 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Hospital Accommodation: Hospital Accommodation (9 Jul 2009)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 360 and 380 together. The Government in 2001 made a commitment, in the context of the Health Strategy Quality and Fairness, to increase public acute hospital bed numbers by 3,000 over ten years. This commitment included both acute in-patient beds and day places. The most recent data available indicates that average available number of acute hospital beds...

Written Answers — Hospital Accommodation: Hospital Accommodation (9 Jul 2009)

Mary Harney: It is an essential requirement that each co-location project demonstrates clear value for money to the taxpayer. However it is the responsibility of the successful bidders to arrange the financing of the individual co-location projects. The Finance Act 2009 provides that the schemes of capital allowances for private hospitals and certain other health facilities will be terminated, subject...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (9 Jul 2009)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 363 and 364 together. As the approval and appointment of medical consultant posts are a matter for the Health Service Executive, I have asked the Executive to examine the issues raised and to respond directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (9 Jul 2009)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 368, 369 and 376 together. As the Deputy's questions relate to a service matter they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (9 Jul 2009)

Mary Harney: The detailed information sought by the Deputy has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. I wish to advise that my Department has recently initiated a review of the economic costs and charges associated with the treatment of patients on a private and semi private basis in public hospitals. The review is being undertaken as part of the Government's programme of Value For Money and Policy...

Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (9 Jul 2009)

Mary Harney: At the outset, I wish to clarify that BreastCheck, the National Breast Screening Programme, does not provide mammography screening services at Waterford Regional Hospital. Mammography services are among the services provided at Waterford Regional Hospital for women who have symptoms of breast disease. BreastCheck provides free mammograms to women aged between 50 and 64, who are not...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (9 Jul 2009)

Mary Harney: The Programme for Government intended that guidelines should be developed for a Personal Health Check based on best available national and international evidence of what works well, with structured call and recall arrangements during a person's life and provision for appropriate clinical follow up where required. My Department undertook a preliminary examination of a range of issues in...

Written Answers — Patients' Rights: Patients' Rights (9 Jul 2009)

Mary Harney: In January 2007, as part of the Government's commitment to ensuring patient safety and quality in our health service, I established a Commission on Patient Safety and Quality Assurance to develop clear and practical recommendations to ensure that quality and safety of care for patients is paramount within the health care system. The Commission's Report - Building a Culture of Patient Safety...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (9 Jul 2009)

Mary Harney: Out of hours co-operatives are now in place in all Health Service Executive (HSE) areas, providing coverage in all or in part of all counties. The total number of contacts with out of hours GP services in 2008 was over 920,000. Expenditure on the scheme amounted to a total of €102 million in 2008. The HSE is continuing with the development of out of hours GP services to ensure that the...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (9 Jul 2009)

Mary Harney: My Department is currently reviewing all legislation relating to eligibility for health and personal social services with a view to making the system as fair and transparent as possible. As part of this exercise, a review of the eligibility criteria for medical cards in the context of financial, medical and social need is being undertaken and is expected to be completed in the coming months.

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (9 Jul 2009)

Mary Harney: My Department is currently reviewing all legislation relating to eligibility for health and personal social services with a view to making the system as fair and transparent as possible. As part of this exercise, a review of the eligibility criteria for medical cards in the context of financial, medical and social need is being undertaken and is expected to be completed in the coming months.

Written Answers — Patient Treatment Register: Patient Treatment Register (9 Jul 2009)

Mary Harney: All targeted hospitals are now submitting details to the Patient Treatment Register, which covers public in-patient and day-case waiting lists. Out-Patient waiting list data is currently collected by the Performance Monitoring Unit of the HSE.

Written Answers — Accident and Emergency Services: Accident and Emergency Services (9 Jul 2009)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 382 to 384, inclusive, together Improving the delivery of Accident and Emergency services continues to be a high priority for this Government. The Programme for Government contains a number of commitments designed to further improve the delivery of Accident & Emergency services including: Further increase the number of A & E consultants available around the...

Written Answers — Cancer Control Strategy: Cancer Control Strategy (9 Jul 2009)

Mary Harney: The goals of the National Cancer Control Programme are better cancer prevention, detection, treatment and survival through a national service based on evidence and best practice. This involves significant re-alignment of cancer services to move from a fragmented system of care to one which is consistent with international best practice in cancer control. In line with the recommendations of...

Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (9 Jul 2009)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 390 and 391 together. BreastCheck commenced roll-out in the Western and Southern regions in 2007 and is now screening in all but three of the 26 counties. Of these three remaining counties, the consent process has already begun in Co Clare and will begin in Co Donegal in September and in Co Leitrim in October with appointments being issued following the...

Written Answers — Cancer Control Strategy: Cancer Control Strategy (9 Jul 2009)

Mary Harney: Under the National Plan for Radiation Oncology (NPRO), the Health Service Executive (HSE) will develop a network of radiotherapy centres consisting of four large centres, in Dublin (St James's and Beaumont), Cork and Galway, and two satellite centres in Limerick and Waterford. The Plan's implementation is a key deliverable for the HSE National Cancer Control Programme and the NPRO Project...

Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (9 Jul 2009)

Mary Harney: Screening programmes are a key aspect of cancer prevention and early detection. I established the National Cancer Screening Service (NCSS) in January 2007 following the launch of the otrategy for Cancer Control in Ireland (2006).The NCSS encompasses BreastCheck, the national breast screening programme and CervicalCheck, the national cervical screening programme. BreastCheck provides free...

Written Answers — Medical Training: Medical Training (9 Jul 2009)

Mary Harney: To qualify as a clinical psychologist, a post-graduate qualification in clinical psychology must be completed after an initial undergraduate degree in psychology. Students are sponsored by health agencies and spend time over three years in clinical placements in different specialties; course work and a thesis must be also satisfactorily completed. The number of training places in clinical...

Written Answers — Nursing Profession: Nursing Profession (9 Jul 2009)

Mary Harney: The further development of the nursing profession has been progressed in several different ways under this Government. The 2007 - 2012 Programme for Government's commitment to further the development of the nursing profession sought to increase both the status of nurses and midwives and the number of nursing and midwifery posts. It also gave a commitment to keeping the Benchmarking process...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (9 Jul 2009)

Mary Harney: My Department together with the Department of Education and Science, and in conjunction with the Health Service Executive (HSE) and Higher Education Authority, will continue to steer the implementation of Government policy on medical education and training arising from its consideration of the recommendations in the Fottrell and Buttimer reports on undergraduate and postgraduate medical...