Results 13,341-13,360 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Administration (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: The HSE's Expert Group on Medical Need and Medical Card Eligibility examined the issue of awarding medical cards on the basis of illness and concluded that it was not feasible, desirable, nor ethically justifiable to list medical conditions in priority order for medical card eligibility. The Expert Group also concluded that a person’s means should remain the main qualifier for a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Investigations (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Children's Hospital Expenditure (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: I advised Government in December 2018 that the final cost of the design, build and equipment programme for which the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board is responsible was estimated to be €1,433 million. There has been no change to this figure advised to Government. An independent review into the cost escalation associated with the new children’s hospital...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists Action Plans (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: Reducing waiting time for patients for hospital operations and procedures is a key priority for Government. In recent years, my Department has worked with the HSE and National Treatment Purchase Fund and made considerable improvements to improve access for patients waiting for high volume procedures and life limiting procedures including cataracts. At the end of July 2017, the number of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Emergency Departments Services (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: I acknowledge the challenges facing the emergency departments in our hospitals. According to HSE TrolleyGAR data, there was a 16% increase in patients counted waiting on trolleys at 8am in University Hospital Limerick ED this year up to the end of October 2019 compared to the same period last year. My Department has engaged extensively with the HSE this year to identify mitigating actions to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Car Parks (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: Hospitals which charge parking fees are cognisant of the financial implications parking costs can have on patients and their families, particularly those with long-term illnesses. Some hospitals have introduced a maximum daily fixed parking charge, thus capping this expense. I understand that some hospitals also provide reduced rate parking for long-term patients and visitors for whom the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: The number of patients attending emergency departments across the hospital system continues to increase annually, with the result that the system is currently operating at close to full capacity. I acknowledge the challenges that this poses to the emergency departments in our hospitals. The HSE Winter Plan was launched on Thursday 14 November in preparation for the anticipated increase in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services Provision (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: The Government is aware of the workforce issues facing general practice, including the difficulties in filling certain GMS vacancies. I would like to assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to the continued development of GP capacity to ensure that patients across the country continue to have access to GP services and has taken a number of measures to improve GP recruitment. ...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, the purpose of the Independent Clinical Expert Review being conducted by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) is to provide women, or their next of kin, with independent clinical assurance about the timing of their diagnosis and treatment. This is reflected in the Terms of Reference for the Review, which are published on the website of my...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Licensing (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: Under current legislation the Minister for Health can issue a licence for the growing of hemp from seed varieties specified by the Commission of the European Communities, as being eligible for the purposes of Article 1 of Regulation (EU) No. 1307/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 (OJ No. L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 608.). The HPRA (Health Products...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: As this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Reports (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: Earlier this year, I published the Report of the Independent Review Group, which examined private activity in public hospitals. The present mixed system in our public acute hospitals has evolved over decades, with an undue focus on responding to the needs of certain groups - consultants, private patients, generation of additional non-exchequer revenue by hospitals - over the needs of the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: As this question relates to an operational matter, I have referred it to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland for attention and direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Dementia Strategy Implementation (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: The Dementia Adviser Service was established by the Alzheimer Society of Ireland (ASI) in mid-2014 and has been co-funded by the HSE since 2016. Dementia advisers provide information, advice and support to people with dementia and their families, or anyone concerned about their cognitive health, at all stages of their journey, from diagnosis through to end-of-life. A recent evaluation...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Emergency Departments Services (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Insurance Regulation (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: I brought forward the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2019 on 19 November. The Bill will provide for new rates of risk equalisation credits and stamp duty levies on health insurance contracts to apply from 1 April 2020, and is expected to start Second Stage in Dáil Eireann this week.