Results 5,561-5,580 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (21 May 2013)

Alex White: The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Alcohol Pricing (16 May 2013)

Alex White: I welcome this decision and it is positive for our own proposals for a minimum unit pricing policy. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that real and tangible proposals are currently being finalised on foot of the recommendations in the National Substance Misuse Strategy report. These proposals cover all of the areas mentioned in the report, including legislation on minimum unit pricing which...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Supply (16 May 2013)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 253, 264 and 265 together. The HSE has received an application for the inclusion of pirfenidone in the GMS and community drugs schemes. The application is being considered in line with the procedures and timescales agreed last year by the Department of Health and the HSE with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) for the assessment of new...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Products (16 May 2013)

Alex White: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (16 May 2013)

Alex White: The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (16 May 2013)

Alex White: The Government is committed to introducing, on a phased basis, a universal GP service without fees within its first term of office, as set out in the Programme for Government and the Future Health strategy framework. This policy constitutes a fundamental element in the Government’s health reform programme. There has been no change to the Government’s over-arching commitment to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (16 May 2013)

Alex White: The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (16 May 2013)

Alex White: The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (16 May 2013)

Alex White: The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (16 May 2013)

Alex White: The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (16 May 2013)

Alex White: The assessment for a medical card is determined primarily by reference to the means, including the income and expenditure, of the applicant, his/her partner and dependants. Under the legislation, determination of eligibility for a medical card is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE). The Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) of the HSE operates the medical card...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Hospital Services (15 May 2013)

Alex White: I do not have much to add to what I have already said. I do not wish this to be interpreted as a rebuff in any sense to the Senator, but absolute guarantees for anything in the future are not attainable. There is no absolute way of looking into the future and knowing precisely how things will be five, ten or 15 years hence. The hospital in Waterford should, and does, have confidence that...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Hospital Services (15 May 2013)

Alex White: On behalf of the Minister, Deputy James Reilly, I thank the Senator for raising this matter, which provides an opportunity to discuss with the House the reports that were launched yesterday. As the Minister has said, these proposals signal a fundamental modernisation of our health system organisation in line with best practice. The objectives of the hospital groups are: to achieve the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Primary Care Services Provision (15 May 2013)

Alex White: I thank Senator Byrne for raising this issue. It gives me the opportunity to address the plans for the provision of primary care services in Ashbourne, County Meath, and the wider context. The development of primary care teams and primary care centres is a priority under the programme for Government and an extremely important element in the health reform process. The provision of primary...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Primary Care Services Provision (15 May 2013)

Alex White: I acknowledge and agree with what the Senator said. I thank him for his support on this important new facility which will open in Ashbourne in the very near future. I am glad to able to give more detail about the current state of play. If the Senator or any other Member of the House wishes to obtain information on any additional aspects or raise questions by way of contact with me, I will...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (15 May 2013)

Alex White: I have asked the Health Service Executive for a report on the issue raised by the Deputy. I will revert to the Deputy on the matter as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Aids and Appliances Provision (15 May 2013)

Alex White: The Health Service Executive Community Audiology service administers and monitors hearing tests for adults who are at risk for hearing loss and prescribes hearing aids as required. Appointments for the audiology service are sent in a strict chronology according to clinical priorities and date of receipt of referral. The HSE has been asked to examine the specific query raised by the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Availability (15 May 2013)

Alex White: I propose to take Questions Nos. 253 and 258 together. The HSE has received an application for the inclusion of pirfenidone in the GMS and community drugs schemes. The application is being considered in line with the procedures and timescales agreed last year by the Department of Health and the HSE with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) for the assessment of new...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Prices (15 May 2013)

Alex White: The drug mentioned by the Deputy is extremely expensive, costing over €350,000 per patient per year. Treatment is lifelong. In 2010, in the absence of sufficient information to make a decision regarding long term funding, the HSE entered into an agreement with the manufacturer and St James’ Hospital, Dublin, whereby it provided a fund of almost €10m (inclusive of VAT)...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Availability (15 May 2013)

Alex White: Over the last number of months hospitals have been experiencing a shortage of Augmentin intravenous products (Augmentin IV). This shortage is due to manufacturing capacity issues which the manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is experiencing at its manufacturing site in the United Kingdom. A number of measures are in place to deal with this shortage and minimise its impact on the delivery...