Results 16,981-17,000 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Hospitals Building Programme: Hospitals Building Programme (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 118, 119, 143 and 210 together. This Government is committed to exploring fully the scope for the private sector to provide additional capacity in the health system. In this context, I issued a policy direction to the Health Service Executive in July 2005 which is aimed at freeing up 1,000 additional beds for public patients. This will be achieved through the...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Harney: It is regrettable that some patients have their operations postponed and I recognise that this can cause upset and inconvenience for them and their families. The Health Service Executive endeavours to keep postponements to a minimum and to have postponed operations rescheduled as soon as possible. However due to the nature of the demands on the acute hospital system, in some instances, it...

Written Answers — National Cancer Strategy: National Cancer Strategy (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Harney: The Strategy for Cancer Control published last June encompasses all aspects of cancer, including prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, supportive and palliative care. My objective is to develop an integrated cancer control programme based on: evidence of what works to prevent and treat cancer standards that assure quality in all aspects of cancer control and fairness, so that all...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Harney: The provision of acute hospital services including the commissioning of additional beds is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE). The HSE has informed my Department that the following additional in-patient beds and day treatment places are in the process of being brought into use: 1. Cork University Hospital — Day Procedures Unit — 35 day treatment places 2....

Written Answers — Infectious Diseases: Infectious Diseases (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Harney: The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) collects data on MRSA bacteraemia (also known as bloodstream infection or "blood poisoning") as part of the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (EARSS). EARSS collects data on the first episode of blood stream infection per patient per quarter. The Irish data for EARSS, which is published on a quarterly basis by the HPSC,...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Harney: The HSE has informed me that in November 2005, a sub-committee of the Executive's National Primary and Community Care Reform Working Group was established to review the current status of GP access to diagnostics; to explore current and potential capacity; and make short, medium and long-term recommendations. I am advised that work is being undertaken at present to progress two specific...

Written Answers — Health Service Management: Health Service Management (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Harney: Section 35 of the Health Act, 2004 requires the Health Service Executive to submit a code of governance for my approval. This code is to include, amongst other things: an outline of the guiding principles applicable to the Executive the structure of the Executive including the roles and responsibilities of the board and management the methods to bring about the integration of health and...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Harney: The specific information requested by the Deputy on waiting lists for methadone treatment for areas outside Dublin is not routinely collected by my Department. I have asked the Health Service Executive to collate the requested information and to send it to the Deputy as a matter of urgency. I am, however, informed that at the end of August 2006 there were 224 doctors prescribing methadone...

Written Answers — Medicinal Products: Medicinal Products (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Harney: I noted with some concern that there has been a significant increase in overall antibiotic consumption in Ireland from 1993 to 2004. This means that compared with other European countries, we are in the high to moderate range of antibiotic consumers. The Health Service Executive has prepared an overview of a three year plan for the implementation of the SARI recommendations which include the...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Harney: My Department does not set employment quotas at national level for any grade in the public health service. It is a matter for the Health Service Executive, as part of its management of its employment ceiling, to determine the appropriate staffing mix required to deliver its service plan priorities. My Department is currently in discussions with the Department of Finance and the Health...

Written Answers — Organ Retention: Organ Retention (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133, 150 and 768 together. When Ms Anne Dunne SC presented her report and appendices on post mortem practice to me in March 2005, I was advised by the Attorney General that the full report was unpublishable for legal and natural justice reasons. Some sections of the report were released on 18 July last in response to a request under the Freedom of Information...

Written Answers — Vaccination Programme: Vaccination Programme (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Harney: In parallel with the roll-out of the Irish Cervical Screening Programme, we like other jurisdictions will examine the potential role of HPV vaccination. In Ireland we have a significant opportunity to assess the vaccination in advance of a national roll out. Issues to be examined include the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of the vaccine, categories of women who should be vaccinated,...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 135, 149, 185 and 759 together. It is regrettable that some patients have their operations postponed and I recognise that this can cause upset and inconvenience for them and their families. The Health Service Executive (HSE) endeavours to keep postponements to a minimum and to have postponed operations rescheduled as soon as possible. However due to the...

Written Answers — Ambulance Service: Ambulance Service (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Harney: The Deputy's question relates to human resource management issues within the Health Service Executive. As this is a matter for the Executive under the Health Act, 2004, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Harney: I have had discussions with senior officials of the Health Service Executive (HSE) in relation to the future of Roscommon County Hospital. The HSE is moving forward with the creation of a joint department of surgery/anaesthetics located at Portiuncula and Roscommon Hospitals, with shared consultant appointments. At this time there are no plans to discontinue any surgical services at either...

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Harney: During the period January 1st to September 25th 2006, a total of 48 new consultants were appointed to permanent posts in the public health service. These posts are in a range of specialties, including medicine, surgery, anaesthesia, pathology, psychiatry, radiology and obstetrics & gynaecology. During the same period, a total of 102 consultant posts have been approved by the HSE, comprising...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Harney: At the request of my Department, a committee was established by the former Comhairle na nOspidéal to review arrangements for the provision of neurosurgical services and consultant staffing nationally, and following consultation with the interests concerned, to make recommendations on the future organisation and development of neurosurgical services. My Department has been informed that the...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Harney: As the Deputy is aware, the health service is currently going through the most significant reform programme in the history of the state and the demands on executives to manage the transition and implement the changes are immense. The whole objective of the reform programme is to improve services to patients and others users of our public health system and senior managers of the HSE have...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Harney: The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Medical Inquiries: Medical Inquiries (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 173 together. Following the death of Mr. Patrick J. Walsh in Monaghan Hospital on 14 October 2005 the Health Service Executive commissioned Mr. Declan Carey, a consultant surgeon at Belfast City Hospital and an honorary senior lecturer at Queen's University, and Professor John Monson, Professor of Surgery University of Hull, to carry out an independent...