Results 15,381-15,400 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: The Health Service Executive advises that Monaghan General Hospital provides the following range of services: General Medicine Day Surgery Gynaecology (Out-Patient And Day Gynaecology) High Dependency/Special Care/Coronary Care Day Services Treatment Room Services Out-Patient Services Radiology Services Pathology Services Physical Medicine Services Ante Natal Services The HSE has...

Written Answers — Infection Control: Infection Control (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: Health Service employment is reported through the Health Service Personnel Census which collates employment levels in the Health Service Executive, Voluntary Hospitals and certain Disability Services. The information in relation to the number of Clinical Nurse Specialists, Infection Control employed in the public health services is set out in the following tabular statement. I am pleased to...

Written Answers — Data Collection: Data Collection (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: The Health Bill 2006, which is currently before the Oireachtas, provides for the establishment of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA). This Bill represents a crucial element of the Reform Programme and is a new departure for the health services. For the first time, we are creating a body whose purpose will be to set quality standards and monitor enforcement of standards in...

Written Answers — Drugs Classifications: Drugs Classifications (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: I am aware of the report of the Drug Policy Action Group "Criminal Justice Drug Policy in Ireland" to which the Deputy refers. I understand that the UK system divides different kinds of illegal drugs into three categories, or classes. These classes (A, B and C) carry different levels of penalty for possession and dealing. Class A drugs are those considered most harmful and are subject to the...

Written Answers — Hospital Accommodation: Hospital Accommodation (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services is a matter for the Health Service Executive and funding for all health services has been provided as part of its overall Vote. My attention was drawn to pressures on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capacity at St. James's Hospital at the end of January. The HSE advises that it has been in...

Written Answers — Nursing Home Charges: Nursing Home Charges (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: I am aware of a number of individual cases where people have experienced problems in accessing information in relation to the repayment scheme. However, I understand that this has been addressed. The health repayment scheme is administered by the Health Service Executive (HSE) in conjunction with the appointed Scheme Administrator KPMG/McCann Fitzgerald. The HSE has informed the Department...

Written Answers — Parliamentary Questions: Parliamentary Questions (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: In 2006 the Ministers of State and I answered a total of 5,991 Parliamentary Questions. Of this total, 3,494 Parliamentary Questions tabled were appropriate for reply, in whole or in part, by the Health Service Executive under its statutory remit and replies have issued to 3,368 (96%) of these Questions. The HSE has informed my Department that its Parliamentary Affairs Division is actively...

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services is a matter for the Health Service Executive and funding for all health services has been provided as part of its overall Vote. Therefore, the Executive is the appropriate body to consider the particular issue raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division...

Written Answers — Health Insurance: Health Insurance (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: The question of whether companies entering the health insurance market by acquiring the business of an existing operation could avail of the three year exemption for new entrants was raised by the Health Insurance Authority (HIA) in July 2006 as part of the information collection phase of its study of competition in the market. At that point the HIA and the Competition Authority were...

Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 121 and 166 together. It is my objective and that of the Health Service Executive (HSE) to see the earliest delivery of the Government's National Plan for Radiation Oncology. I am determined that the HSE will deliver on this Plan in 2011 as originally scheduled. The Board of the HSE is considering how best to procure the radiation oncology facilities and...

Written Answers — Health Insurance: Health Insurance (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: I welcome the reports from the Competition Authority and the Health Insurance Authority on increasing competition in the private health insurance market. The two reports have produced a wealth of useful information and analysis. I am in the process of studying the recommendations made in the two reports. I am also awaiting a report from the Market Review Group which has been asked to examine...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services is a matter for the Health Service Executive and funding for all health services has been provided as part of its overall Vote. The HSE has established a Steering Group and a Project Group to oversee a programme designed to improve safety and standards across the acute hospital network in the...

Written Answers — Hospitals Building Programme: Hospitals Building Programme (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: The decision by the Government to locate the new National Paediatric Hospital at the Mater has recently been re-affirmed. The development of the hospital is being overseen by a joint HSE/Department of Health and Children Transition Group and the project is proceeding as planned. The next stage of the process involves the preparation of a high level framework brief for the new hospital. The...

Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 126, 130, 135 and 144 together. An effective national cervical screening programme will result in a substantial reduction in the incidence of cervical cancer. It is my objective to have such a programme rolled out, beginning late this year, based on an affordable model. For that purpose, on 1 January 2007, I established a National Cancer Screening Service...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 190 together. The HSE has established a Steering Group and a North East Project Group to oversee a programme designed to improve safety and standards across the acute hospital network in the North East Region, including Monaghan. The decision was taken having regard inter alia to the issues raised in the report prepared for the HSE by Teamwork...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: Details of the numbers of medical card holders are provided to my Department by the Health Service Executive's (HSE), Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS). The following table shows the number of medical card holders for each year from 1997 to date, together with the number of GP visit card holders for 2005, 2006 and to date. There are a number of contextual factors which must be taken...

Written Answers — Influenza Pandemic: Influenza Pandemic (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: The purpose of the National Pandemic Influenza Plan is to limit the effects of a potential pandemic and to inform the public about pandemic influenza, explain what the Government and the health services are doing to prepare for a possible pandemic, and give information on what members of the public need to do if there is a pandemic. The plan will be updated on a regular basis to reflect the...

Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: My objective is to reduce waiting times as much as possible for patients. With this in mind, in 2005, I asked the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) set up a number of out-patient pilot projects to seek to reduce waiting times for patients on public hospital waiting lists. 17 hospitals responded and the pilot programme operated successfully; arranging appointments for 4,500 in the last...

Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 142 together. The aim of the National Cancer Control Strategy, which was published in June 2006, is to reduce our cancer incidence, morbidity and mortality rates relative to other Member States of the European Union. The Strategy encompasses all aspects of cancer control, including prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, supportive and...

Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (20 Feb 2007)

Mary Harney: Statutory responsibility for the collation, management and publication of data on waiting times for surgical procedures rests with the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF). The Patient Treatment Register (PTR) operated by the NTPF shows that patients waiting for the 20 most common surgical procedures are now treated within two to five months. The PTR is also in a position to give an...