Results 12,541-12,560 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: Yes, it is successful, which is good to see, and a significant resource is going in to support it. The group has been approved for over €5 million in funding to support extended operational hours of the MAUs at St. John's Hospital and Nenagh General Hospital to seven days per week. That began at Easter. We are also keeping in place the extended MAU hours that were put in place in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: We can always keep an open mind on these things. I know there was a lot of talk, for example, about an elective-only hospital for Limerick in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, UPMC. I might ask Dr Henry or Mr. McCallion for their views on this. In my view, we should always keep an open mind to these things while acknowledging that there is very significant...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I hope it will be open as early as possible next year. We are putting significant investment into regional hospitals. Many in the region would like one in Limerick, but the Cork and Galway regional hospitals are intended to serve the Limerick area as well.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Chair, and I thank Deputy Cullinane for the question. I brought the report to Cabinet yesterday. The Irish Timesdid have it up, and it is obviously very well informed. We are putting it up publicly today, and obviously sending it to this committee for consideration. My ask of Government yesterday was that the report would be referred to this committee, so it will be referred to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I fully accept it, with one addition. More than 490,000 people are waiting above those ten- and 12-week targets. I fully accept it. However, it is important that we acknowledge that very significant progress is also being made. Dr. Henry, Mr. Damien McCallion and Ms Mary Day in the HSE, and then the officials in the Department, are working night and day on this. We are very focused. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: Yes, Deputy, categorically.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I am satisfied, but this is not easy. I might ask Mr. Derek Tierney, who is leading it from within the Department, to comment. We are doing something that has not been done before. One issue we can all agree on is that it takes the State far too long to build hospitals, wards, and new bed blocks but what we saw during Covid-19 was something new. There were derogations for planning and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the committee, including all members present, for their strong support of the consultant contract because that is the cornerstone of this. When I discussed exactly this matter in Limerick, the contract was referenced. The intent from the Government's perspective is reformed working practices; I fully agree. Using UHL as an example, I asked for information on the increase in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: How could we with the advocacy going on? If the committee wants, Mr. Tierney can provide an update on what we are doing in changes to working practice. It is entirely up to the Chair and the committee - I know we are out of time. Dr. Henry indicated he would be happy to give an update on changes to processes within emergency departments, if that is of value to the committee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: There is no divergence or change in policy, but I fully share the Deputy’s frustrations. It takes years longer than it should to build new hospitals in this country. Mr. Tierney is leading the work. If the Deputy wants, he can give her some detail, if that is of use. I know it does not feel like this, but I can assure the Deputy that the Department is moving through the public...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: Recently, the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, to his great credit, has agreed to bring it from €100 million to €200 million when it kicks in. He is reducing the approval gates, I think from five to three. Mr. Tierney will have more detail on it. I fully share the Deputy’s frustration. To be honest, it is why I wanted to push forward on the surgical hubs. We can do them in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: There was additional work required. The original review that came back recommended three sites. We went with the Cork and Limerick sites. We did not agree that the Dublin site was the right one to go for. I am not sure how much I can say but I will say it anyway. The proposal for Dublin was a private site that could have taken a long time to get and would have cost a lot of money. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: We have not selected any sites for Dublin.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I cannot comment on the sites that are being assessed at the moment. What I will say is that I will have a proposal on my desk very shortly in terms of the two sites – or one site.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: We are in agreement on that, which is why, when the private site was recommended, we did not go for it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: That is a matter for the team that did it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: Pretty soon. I will have a recommendation on my desk pretty soon.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: There is much work that the HSE does. Dr. Henry might be in a position to speak to that.