Results 16,401-16,420 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: On the overall direction of travel in terms of the amount of money spent on capital in healthcare, be it primary care centres, new hospitals or whatever it may be, the total amount and the major projects the Government is backing are set out in the national development plan. We have an allocation within health. I would obviously like it to be larger, just as I am sure all my colleagues in...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: There is a lot of oversight of the process. I understand why we have the public spending code. The one with which we are dealing came about after the issue with the national children's hospital. While I know why it is there and I know we need to ensure value for money for the State, there is a balance in terms of how long it can take to build new beds, operating theatres and MRI scanners....

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: No. Obviously, that is a statutory requirement and it is needed. It would be in the interests of patients to have a quicker process but, obviously, we must ensure value for money.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: I was made aware of this issue yesterday. I followed it up with the Department. The Department has been in touch with the HSE and the funding is being released for the consultant ophthalmology surgeon post. The service that is going to be provided is essential. People are waiting too long, particularly in the Munster area. We are all aware of people travelling to the North for treatment....

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: I will provide the Deputy with an update on that.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: Both the Deputy and I will agree that there have not been and there are not enough beds in the public health service. Since the start of Covid we have added nearly 1,000 beds. It is the biggest increase in beds in public hospitals since the formation of the HSE and long before that, according to my understanding. The Sláintecare report sets out a target for us, which I think we are...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: There has been investment in Drogheda in terms of the provision of additional budget, staff and beds, and more is required. As the Deputy will be aware, I intervened to stop the closure of the emergency department in Navan Hospital. One of my concerns - and it remains a concern - was that were the closure to go ahead, and it has not been agreed that it will go ahead, any consideration of...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: Yes, it did. I accept that. The information was incorrect. One of my concerns has been that any consideration of any reconfiguration must happen after capacity has been put in place. The Deputy will be aware that we asked for a review, and we are considering that at the moment. As part of that review, it is recommended that additional beds be put into Drogheda. I met with the Drogheda...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: We will have to get a note on that.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: It is a large number so I want to check that we can get the Deputy what he wants. There are private hospitals, agency, clinical, security, contracting, catering, cleaning and all that, GPs, pharmacists, nursing homes, and right across-----

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: I will follow it up.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: I would go further. It is perfectly reasonable for the Deputy to ask. I am asking the same question. It is something we are working on. We do not need to go over it again but, this year, we have been focusing on areas with the waiting list action plan. Next year, this is exactly where we need to go. A lot of money was invested in diagnostics and in community care, but the big focus was...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: Yes. I can commit that this is something we are looking at next year. We need to broaden the strategic approach to reducing waiting lists to encompass diagnostics, community care and other elements of hospital care as well.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: Yes.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: First, 133,000 have been paid. That is important. Very understandably, we all focus on the people who have not been paid because they are the people who contact us. They are our priority, but 133,000 men and women have received €1,000 tax free. It is a small way of saying, "Thank you for everything you did during Covid." There are a number remaining and we need to pay them...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Chair for the question. Yes, is the short answer. Many additional activities are happening this year and more will happen next year. I can ask the Department to supply the Chair and the committee with a note on the national screening services. An awful lot of activity has been going on in terms of expanding these services. New questions are being posed, for example, around...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: Not for this. The only thing directing us in terms of the heel prick test is clinical advice. It is not a question of money at all. It is about clinical advice for what is best. The national screening service is funding large-scale advertising campaigns to encourage people to attend for screening. This endeavour has been funded. Similarly, rare diseases were mentioned. One of the...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank Deputy Durkan for his request. There are a lot of eyes on Naas hospital and there is genuine concern in the community. There has been significant investment in Naas in terms of additional capacity to date. There is new investment coming into the hospital in terms of beds, rehab beds, diagnostics, additional staff, additional specialists and additional services. It is my view, and...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: First, I thank the Deputy for acknowledging the very significant reduction in the long waiters. I appreciate his saying that. It may or may not be a comfort to the Deputy but I have asked the same question myself many times and the Department is also asking the same question. It goes back to the question we were having with Deputy Hourigan, that until we have electronic patient records and...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: I will get the committee a note on exactly what has happened over the last few years and on what is currently in progress. On another date, we are happy to discuss future possible investments in the hospital.