Results 6,941-6,960 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney
- Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
- Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: The report referred to by the Deputy has only been completed recently, and not in January 2008. The HSE is currently examining the report and its implications in the context of many competing and challenging priorities.
- Written Answers — Medical Laboratory Services: Medical Laboratory Services (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: The implementation of the recently published review of Laboratory Medicine Services will bring about a significant restructuring of existing laboratory services. Large cold laboratories will be established to provide quality cost efficient laboratory services to primary and community care and some non-urgent testing from acute hospitals. All hospitals with Emergency Services, Critical Care...
- Written Answers — Hospitals Building Programme: Hospitals Building Programme (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: The Government is committed to proceeding with the development of the new national paediatric hospital as a priority project. The new hospital will be located beside the adult hospital on the Mater campus. The development will also include an associated Ambulatory and Urgent Care Centre at Tallaght which is to open in advance of the main hospital. The project is being overseen by the...
- Written Answers — Accident and Emergency Services: Accident and Emergency Services (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: In its National Service Plan 2009, the HSE has set a lower waiting time target of 6 hours for all patients attending Emergency Departments. The aim is that all patients, irrespective of whether they are admitted or not, will be assessed, treated and discharged or admitted within 6 hours of arrival at an ED. Up to now, the focus has been on waiting times for those awaiting admission. The new...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: While the treatment of opiate dependence is complex, methadone maintenance is recognised as an appropriate treatment in the context of an integrated response to this condition. Methadone treatment is currently available and no changes are anticipated in regard to its continued provision.
- Written Answers — Infectious Diseases: Infectious Diseases (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: Achieving and maintaining the highest possible standards of hygiene in our hospitals and healthcare facilities generally is a priority for this government and for the Health Service Executive (HSE). Hygiene and infection control measures are key to the prevention of the spread of Health Care Associated Infections (HCAIs), including MRSA. In March 2007, the HSE launched a National Infection...
- Written Answers — General Practitioner Services: General Practitioner Services (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: The determinants of the demand for GPs are diverse and include matters such as population growth, aging and health status of the population, the development of new technologies, the geographic distribution of doctors, the overall status of the economy, fees, policy initiatives, etc. There are twelve GP Specialist Training Programmes (GPTPs) currently in operation in the State which are all of...
- Written Answers — Health Insurance: Health Insurance (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: The levy and additional age related tax relief scheme was notified to the Commission in November as a potential State aid. These measures are set out in the Health Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, 2008 published last December. I expect the Commission to give its decision in April. Assuming a positive response from the Commission I hope to introduce the Second Stage immediately...
- Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: Almost 130,000 people work full-time or part-time in our public health services. In recent years, the Governments ongoing high level of investment in health has achieved and maintained significant increases in the numbers of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals employed in the public health services. The Government has also invested heavily in the education and training of...
- Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: Home birth services for women classified medically as being "low risk" are provided as an outreach from hospital service or through self employed community midwives on the basis of a Memorandum of Understanding agreed with the Health Service Executive. This national framework facilitates the provision of home birth services for low risk women in areas where an appropriate clinical governance...
- Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: As the Deputy's question relates to a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
- Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: The achievement of the highest standards of patient care is at the heart of Government policy on the delivery of public hospital services. Patient safety has become both a national and international imperative in recent years, with increasing emphasis across the world on patient safety in policy reform, legislative changes and development of standards of care driven by quality improvement...
- Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
- Written Answers — National Treatment Purchase Fund: National Treatment Purchase Fund (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: The allocations to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) in each year since 2002 are as follows:- 2002: â¬5m; 2003: â¬30m.; 2004: â¬44m.; 2005: â¬64m.; 2006: â¬78m.; 2007: â¬91.75m.; 2008: â¬104.64m.; 2009: â¬100.350m. In each year to date, 95% to 96% of NTPF funding has been spent on direct patient care. The balance relates to the administration of the scheme with...
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: As the Deputy is aware, I have included additional funding in the 2009 Estimates for new developments which includes â¬15m for Cancer Services and â¬10m for Disabilities. To facilitate a more transparent level of accountability for this funding a new subhead, B 17, has been established in the Estimates for the Health Service Executive. The Deputy will be aware that proposals regarding the...
- Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: The matter raised by the Deputy is the responsibility of the National Cancer Screening Service. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Chief Executive Officer of the Service to respond directly to the Deputy in relation to the matter raised.
- Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: I have consistently emphasised the need to improve facilities and services for persons with cystic fibrosis. In particular, I have asked the Health Service Executive to focus on developing services at the National Adult Tertiary Referral Centre at St. Vincent's Hospital. Considerable improvements have been made at the hospital. Since 2006, 19 additional staff have been recruited and the...
- Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (31 Mar 2009)
Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 102 and 222 together. In the National Service Plan 2009, the HSE committed to deliver the same level of activity in 2009 as in 2008. In order to deliver this level of services the HSE will be reconfiguring many frontline services. This is in keeping with the overall strategic direction as set out in the HSE Corporate Plan 2008-2011 and includes: conversion...