Results 10,001-10,020 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (21 Sep 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: The Department of Health is aware of the challenges for Northern Ireland Medical School graduates meeting deadlines for Internship in Republic of Ireland. There has been ongoing engagement with the HSE, Medical Council and Northern Ireland universities to address these issues. The Internship recruitment process is managed through a single, national, annual recruitment campaign. A central...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (21 Sep 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I sincerely regret that children can experience a long waiting time for scoliosis treatment, and I remain conscious of the burden that this places on them and their families. Scoliosis and Spina Bifida have been identified as priority areas in both the 2022 and 2023 Waiting List Action Plans. Last year some €19 million of current and capital funding was committed to tackle these...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Abortion Services (21 Sep 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: Safe Access Zones legislation was prioritised for publication in the Government’s Summer legislative programme, and a Bill was published at the end of June. This Bill was initiated in the Houses in early July and is currently at Second Stage in Dail Eireann. Subject to the Parliamentary timetable it is my intention to progress this legislation through the Houses as expeditiously as...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Emergency Departments (21 Sep 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: The Emergency Department Taskforce (EDTF) is an advisory body comprising representatives from the HSE, Department of Health, staff representative organisations, practitioners and patient representatives, and is co-chaired by the INMO and the HSE. The EDTF last met on the 18th of September 2023. The Minister was invited to, and attended, this meeting. The date of the next meeting of the EDTF...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (21 Sep 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: In June of this year, Minister Harris and I announced a number of options to expand third level places for healthcare. A report by the Higher Education Authority found, with investment, an additional 63 Dentists could potentially be trained annually. This expansion is being considered in the context of the Budget/Estimates Processes and National Development Plan review.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Overcrowding (21 Sep 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37, 38 and 39 together. Urgent and Emergency Care pressures are no longer just experienced during winter periods. Prolonged levels of high presentations and congestion now occur throughout the year. While significant investment has been driven through Winter Planning and National Service Plans over the past three years, a new approach to Urgent and Emergency...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Children's Hospital (21 Sep 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: The timely completion of the New Children’s Hospital (NCH) is a Government priority. Everything possible is being done to ensure the project is completed as soon as possible on behalf of children, young people and their families. Works are progressing on the main site, with the construction and equipping phase now over 90% complete against contract value. The major focus of 2023...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Care Services (21 Sep 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Projects (21 Sep 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: Acknowledging the disproportionately negative impact of the pandemic on older persons, the Programme for Government(2020) commits to the establishment of a commission on care that will ‘assess how we care for older people and examine alternatives to meet the diverse needs of our older citizens’, learning the lessons from COVID 19. While the scope of the commission has yet to be...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (21 Sep 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 44, 278, 282 and 283 together. It is recognised that waiting times for many scheduled appointments and procedures were too long before and have been made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Department of Health continues to work with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to identify ways to improve access to care. On the 7thof March, the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (21 Sep 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: The Strategic Assessment Report (SAR) review for the new Emergency Department, Women and Children's Block at University Hospital Galway has been completed. The output of the review has been shared with the HSE to ensure that the new SAR/Preliminary Business Case (PBC) document, as now required under the updates to the Public Spending Code (PSC) of March 2023, is as robust as possible. The...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (21 Sep 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: Deputy, I have referred your question to the HSE as this is an operational matter and the HSE will be best placed to provide the latest information. The department do understand the need for more ubiquitous access to WiFi, not just for patients in public areas but also for staff to access clinical systems, and our ongoing investment in technical infrastructure will go some considerable...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Pharmacy Services (21 Sep 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: The Department of Health recognises the value and importance of pharmacists and pharmacies in conserving, protecting and enhancing the health of our citizens. Pharmacists are health care professionals who are expert in the use and management of medicines to treat and alleviate ill health and maintain good health. In their daily routine practice, they recognise and assess presentations of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services (21 Sep 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: GPs are self-employed practitioners and therefore may establish practices at a place of their own choosing. There is no prescribed ratio of GPs to patients and the State does not regulate the number of GPs that can set up in a town or community. Under the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. Currently there...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Policies (21 Sep 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: Digital Health is essential to support planning for the populations’ health needs, in building integrated care models, in delivering universal health and social care services (services) and in ensuring safety, quality and sustainability in patient care. Digital Health developments to date Our services have experienced positive digital developments over the past decade. The COVID-19...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (21 Sep 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I fully acknowledge the distress and inconvenience for patients and their families when elective procedures are cancelled, particularly for clinically urgent procedures. While every effort is made to avoid cancellation or postponement of planned procedures, the HSE has advised that planned procedures and operations can be postponed or cancelled for a variety of reasons including capacity...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services (21 Sep 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff (21 Sep 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Centres (21 Sep 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: As the Health Service Executive (HSE) holds responsibility for the provision, along with the maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres, I have asked the HSE to reply to the deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Expenditure (21 Sep 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: The Health system has experienced significant pressures in 2023, which in turn are having an impact on the overall expenditure position of the HSE. Key driversIn 2022 our actual population had reached 5.14 million which is ahead of the population projection that the 2018 Health Service capacity review that Ireland would reach by 2026. The fastest growing population segments within this...