Results 13,881-13,900 of 15,493 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services Provision (6 Apr 2017)

Helen McEntee: As this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Home Help Service Eligibility (6 Apr 2017)

Helen McEntee: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Homes Support Scheme Review (6 Apr 2017)

Helen McEntee: The Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS) is a system of financial support for those in need of long-term nursing home care. Participants contribute to the cost of their care according to their income and assets while the State pays the balance of the cost. The Scheme aims to ensure that long-term nursing home care is accessible and affordable for everyone and that people are cared for in the...

Brexit: Statements (Resumed) (5 Apr 2017)

Helen McEntee: Ireland faced many robust challenges before Brexit in the past 100 years. The fight for our independence and the subsequent Civil War was a time of huge upheaval. Many of these challenges have persisted until the present day. The State prospered and continues to prosper. We need to channel that energy and experience. We have always faced these challenges with determination and...

Brexit: Statements (Resumed) (5 Apr 2017)

Helen McEntee: The Government has always been clear in its view that the UK's departure from the EU would have significant repercussions for Ireland politically, economically and socially, especially for the North and the Border counties. That is why Ireland's overall priorities - protecting the Northern Ireland peace process, which has been so hard fought; minimising the impact of Brexit on trade and the...

Topical Issue Debate: Vaccination Programme (5 Apr 2017)

Helen McEntee: We must counter any suggestions by doctors, particularly those who have been discredited, that the MMR vaccine is harmful. Last year's outbreak, when almost 50 cases of measles were recorded in May and June, demonstrates the need to continue to send out a message on this issue and try to increase the MMR vaccination rate to 95% or higher. In that regard, the Health Service Executive...

Topical Issue Debate: Vaccination Programme (5 Apr 2017)

Helen McEntee: I thank Deputy O’Connell for raising this extremely important issue and giving me the opportunity to update the House on the matter. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris. The announcement by the World Health Organization concerning the increase in measles outbreaks in Europe has brought this issue to the attention of the media and the wider...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Primary Care Centres (5 Apr 2017)

Helen McEntee: I thank Senator Swanick for raising this issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Harris, who sends his apologies. I have been advised by the HSE that primary care services in Kinlough are currently delivered from a rented premises in the town. I understand the services delivered include GP services, public health nursing, including child development clinics, consultant...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Primary Care Centres (5 Apr 2017)

Helen McEntee: I will bring this information to the Minister and raise this with him.

Seanad: Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee Stage (5 Apr 2017)

Helen McEntee: Amendments Nos. 1 to 20, inclusive, seek to insert a new Part 4 into the Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill 2017 to support the open disclosure of patient safety incidents. Senators will recall that in the course of her Second Stage speech the Tánaiste indicated that such amendments would be brought forward. Accordingly, I am very pleased to propose the amendments for consideration by...

Seanad: Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee Stage (5 Apr 2017)

Helen McEntee: This is the second group of amendments, amendments Nos. 3 and 4. This grouping is concerned with the definitions surrounding the concept and process of open disclosure in Part 4. Amendment No. 3 inserts section 7, which is the general definitions section for Part 4. Senators will notice that "health service" and "health services providers" have been defined extensively to ensure that the...

Seanad: Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee Stage (5 Apr 2017)

Helen McEntee: I will now focus on the third grouping of amendments. This grouping describes what an open disclosure is for the purposes of the Bill, what its legal effect is and the statement that is to be prepared by health services providers regarding open disclosure. Amendment No. 5 inserts section 9 into the Bill, which provides that a disclosure of a patient safety incident made in accordance with...

Seanad: Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee Stage (5 Apr 2017)

Helen McEntee: This grouping sets out the steps in the open disclosure process, from when the health services provider first becomes aware of a patient safety incident to the organisation of the meeting itself, and includes what happens when a patient decides not to take part in the process or if the health services provider cannot get in touch with the patient. Amendment No. 8 inserts section 12 into the...

Seanad: Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee Stage (5 Apr 2017)

Helen McEntee: This group of amendments deals with the open disclosure meeting itself and the subsequent engagement between the health services provider and the patient concerning the patient safety incident that was the subject of the open disclosure in terms of the provision of further information or clarification of information already provided. Amendment No. 12 inserts section 16 into the Bill, which...

Seanad: Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee Stage (5 Apr 2017)

Helen McEntee: Amendment No. 17 inserts section 21, which requires that a health services provider keeps records of specific matters relating to open disclosure, including written statements given to the patients. The keeping of appropriate and proper records is considered very important.

Seanad: Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee Stage (5 Apr 2017)

Helen McEntee: This is a standard provision. Amendment No. 18 inserts section 22, which provides that the Minister for Health may by regulations provide for matters relevant to Part 4 that are specified as prescribed or to be prescribed. This regulation-making power will help to ensure consistency in the open disclosure process, particularly as regards standardising forms to be used.

Seanad: Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee Stage (5 Apr 2017)

Helen McEntee: Amendment No. 19 inserts section 23, which is a saving and transitional provision. It provides that Part 4 will apply to the making of an open disclosure of a patient safety incident by a health services provider on or after the coming into operation of the Part. Where a patient safety occurred or came to the notice of the health services provider before the commencement of the legislation,...

Seanad: Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee Stage (5 Apr 2017)

Helen McEntee: Amendment No. 20 amends the Long Title of the Bill to include the open disclosure provisions. It is a necessary consequential amendment. I hope that Senators will agree that these new provisions are timely and important. As Members of the House will be aware, Ireland's patient safety record has been compromised by a number of high-profile events and reports over the last three years which...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HIQA Inspections (5 Apr 2017)

Helen McEntee: The Health Information and Quality Authority is the independent authority established under the Health Act 2007 to monitor safety and quality and drive improvement in Ireland’s health and personal social care services. Since 2009 all nursing homes have been registered and inspected by HIQA. Once finalised, HIQA inspection reports are published on the Authority's website .

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Home Subventions (5 Apr 2017)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 292 to 294, inclusive, together. As these are service matters they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.