Results 16,821-16,840 of 45,789 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Centres Provision (20 Jun 2019)

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

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (20 Jun 2019)

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

Written Answers — Department of Health: Proposed Legislation (20 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: It is not the intention that there be any unintended consequences of the Bill. It is not disputed that people can access various therapies. The aim of the Bill is to ensure no false linkages are made between accessing those therapies and a claim that something is a treatment for cancer. People suffering from cancer can be in a very vulnerable position and open to false claims or manipulation....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (20 Jun 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: HSE Staff Remuneration (20 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: I would not like to say anything that could in any way be accidentally misleading. I would like to look at the tribunal legislation, as drafted. It is only legislation and we will get a chance to debate it in the House and people can put forward amendments. I will revert to the Deputy directly on that. I take on board the point she is making. I want as many people as possible to see this...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: I said to Deputy Kelly that the audit would be re-established by the national screening service. In the interests of clarity, I should have said an internal expert group on cancers is looking at that. I want to correct the record in that regard. In response to Deputy Bríd Smith, that has been done by clinical experts. I do not believe it has been done by the Royal College of...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: I hope and expect its publication will answer the Deputies' questions.

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: It is my intention, once the HSE and the CervicalCheck programme have done their work in regard to what a new laboratory in the Coombe Hospital would look like, that we will put in place the entire project plan to make that happen. That will obviously have a staffing element and we will have to provide training for such staff.

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: My understanding is that the final date for taking part in the review by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists was 7 June. My understanding is that it is due to be completed by the autumn. While I do not have a specific date for completion, I would expect it to be by the month of September.

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: Not to be technical about it, the first thing we will be doing is making sure individual women are communicated with. I expect that is likely to happen in the month of September. My understanding is that the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists also will produce a composite report, which will be published. The first thing will be appropriate disclosure, unlike what has...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: To be clear, it is the intention that disclosure will start taking place to individual women in early September and a group of stakeholders, including doctors, nurses and patient representatives, has already been put in place to prepare for that. In early September, disclosure to individual women will start.

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: I do not believe there is. It is an operational matter for the HSE, although that is not to shirk the question. To be truthful, as we know only 10% of slides are read in the Coombe Hospital here in Ireland, and 90%-----

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: I will have to ask the HSE to provide that information.

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: My view is that the Coombe Hospital has an ability, subject to appropriate investment and expansion, to do an awful lot more. Particularly as we move to HPV testing, this will provide an opportunity to look at the entire configuration of our screening programme. The HSE has undertaken to look at what the creation of a national laboratory at the Coombe would look like and the resources and...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: That is a good question but I suggest it may be a question for Dr. Scally when he appears before the health committee. Although Deputy Connolly certainly did not say this, I do not believe Dr. Scally to be in any way naive. I believe him to be one of the most robust people we can possibly have to do this job. When he gets the bit between his teeth, he keeps on pursuing, and we saw that...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: We do not have an accurate number for the Deputy in regard to the number of current claims but we can certainly get that to her tomorrow as it is readily available. I might provide her with another figure which she did not ask for but which I know she will be interested in, namely, what is the backlog today in terms of the number of women waiting for their smears. The Deputy will...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: I do not have anything further to add. From my recollection, although I will check and revert to the Deputy tomorrow, Dr. Scally may have written to me to say he would take some more time. Certainly, as my reply to the Deputy's parliamentary question correctly stated, I met Dr. Scally on the same day I met the 221+ group at the Department. He updated me on his work in that regard and...

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: Yes.

Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Simon Harris: No. While I am sticking to the advice of my official, I have no knowledge of any other version of the report.