Results 10,581-10,600 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (22 Apr 2008)

Mary Harney: Yes, I know that. I understand the five pharmacists who said they intended to withdraw their services have now said they will not do so. A great deal of dialogue is needed. It is an industrial relations issue. I do not want to add to the difficulties being experienced by both sides. My view is that it would not be professionally or ethically acceptable for patients to suffer. Patient...

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (22 Apr 2008)

Mary Harney: I was also asked about ambulance and maternity services, etc. I understand that Senators are naturally concerned about their individual localities. We are too often obsessed with where things happen rather than what happens. Patient safety has to be paramount. It is a fact that it is not safe for a person who goes to an accident and emergency department at 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. to be seen by...

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (22 Apr 2008)

Mary Harney: As I have said, I could answer more questions. I will be more than happy to come back to deal with some of the other issues on another occasion.

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (Resumed) (22 Apr 2008)

Mary Harney: A number of issues were raised about services. I do not propose to deal with all of them. I assure Senator Prendergast that discussions are ongoing among clinicians in the south east. I was asked when the cancer control programme that is currently being implemented will be concluded. Half of it will be implemented by the end of this year and between 80% and 90% of it will be implemented...

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (Resumed) (22 Apr 2008)

Mary Harney: No. The position in question has never been filled since the HSE was established.

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (Resumed) (22 Apr 2008)

Mary Harney: If Senator Buttimer thinks an organisation that employs 111,000 people can be run without a director of human resources, he should think again.

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (Resumed) (22 Apr 2008)

Mary Harney: No, it is not. We need appropriate management.

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (Resumed) (22 Apr 2008)

Mary Harney: We need good management.

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (Resumed) (22 Apr 2008)

Mary Harney: I do not suggest we need administration for the sake of it. We need hands-on management.

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (Resumed) (22 Apr 2008)

Mary Harney: When I wrote to the HSE after the Portlaoise report was published, I drew its attention to the need to learn from the governance deficiencies that were identified in the report. Regardless of where one works in the HSE, one has to be clear about what one's job is and to whom one is responsible. Some people think one can press a green button to make change happen, but it takes time. The...

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (Resumed) (22 Apr 2008)

Mary Harney: The plan for Roscommon County Hospital was to merge its surgical department with that of Portiuncula Hospital. I have not seen the latest proposals. When the HSE is briefing, it is required, like all Departments, to brief Government and Opposition alike. It seems that the county council and, perhaps, the regional forum were briefed in this instance. Neither the HSE nor the various...

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (Resumed) (22 Apr 2008)

Mary Harney: The HSE recently went to tender for primary care units in 100 different places, including Athlone. I understand from Mr. Brian Gilroy, who is the HSE's head of capital planning, that many expressions of interest have been received. I cannot give specific details of the expressions of interest for Athlone. I think a major programme of primary care centres will be rolled out over the next...

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (Resumed) (22 Apr 2008)

Mary Harney: I will respond to the issues raised by Senators White and Feeney. Ten days ago, four beds were opened in Galway to cater for adolescents with psychiatric problems. A number of beds will be opened shortly on the north side of Dublin and in Cork. I understand that 15 of the 120 consultants who are being recruited at present will work in child and adolescent psychiatry. Substantial...

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (Resumed) (22 Apr 2008)

Mary Harney: The Minister of State, Deputy Devins, is handling that. I know he has been talking to the National Office for Suicide Prevention. I do not have the details to hand.

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (Resumed) (22 Apr 2008)

Mary Harney: We treat 400,000 more people in our hospitals each year than we did ten years ago. Some 24,000 people with disabilities are getting day services. More than 8,000 people are in residential care. Some 4,000 people are getting respite care. Such services did not exist ten years ago. There is no question of a reduction.

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (Resumed) (22 Apr 2008)

Mary Harney: We are increasing services.

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (Resumed) (22 Apr 2008)

Mary Harney: There are issues that arise, to be honest. I am aware of one service where one third of the staff will go on maternity leave in May. This is an incredible statistic. We have pressure points and I will not pretend for one moment we will not have difficulties and services will have to adapt to budgetary issues. It does not make sense to keep services open if they do not run effectively and...

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (22 Apr 2008)

Mary Harney: I am happy to be before the Seanad to speak about the issue of patient safety. A new era has arrived in the Irish health care system. It is an era where patient safety is central to everything we do. The journey of ensuring the setting of standards and the enforcement of those standards has begun with a couple of key milestones. The first was the establishment of the Health Information...

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (22 Apr 2008)

Mary Harney: Standing where?

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (22 Apr 2008)

Mary Harney: I do not know from where the Senator is getting her information. This is the first I heard of it.