Results 17,681-17,700 of 24,567 for speaker:Róisín Shortall

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (12 Jul 2011)

Róisín Shortall: As the first part of the Deputy's question relates to a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy. There are no plans at present to contract this service to the private sector.

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (12 Jul 2011)

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

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (12 Jul 2011)

Róisín Shortall: The Health Service Executive has centralised the processing of all new applications and renewals of medical cards at the Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) in Finglas, Dublin with effect from 1st July 2011. The Executive has stated that there is no backlog of work in the central office and all complete medical card applications and reviews are being processed within 15 working days or...

Written Answers — Medicinal Products: Medicinal Products (12 Jul 2011)

Róisín Shortall: In order for a medicinal product to be added to the List of Reimbursable Items maintained by the HSE for reimbursement under the GMS and community drugs schemes it must meet specified criteria. These include the following: The product must be a medicinal product authorised by the Irish Medicines Board or the European Commission. The product must be such that it is ordinarily supplied to...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (12 Jul 2011)

Róisín Shortall: Under the General Medical Services (GMS) contract, a general practitioner (GP) is expected to provide his/her patients who hold medical cards or GP visit cards with all proper and necessary treatment of a kind generally undertaken by a GP. The contract between the HSE and GPs under the GMS Scheme stipulates that fees are not paid to GPs by the HSE in respect of certain medical certificates...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (12 Jul 2011)

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

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Jul 2011)

Róisín Shortall: I thank Members for contributing to the debate and for their support for the passage of this Bill. We are all at one on this. Everybody realises the huge difficulties caused by smoking, that smoking poses a very significant public health threat, that smoking is the main cause of preventative premature death, and that it puts a huge strain on the health service. For that reason, we all have...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Jul 2011)

Róisín Shortall: Yes, and to some extent the free market rules at EU level and the requirements of the Single Market take precedence over health concerns in respect of a number of different products. I will consider the area and possible restriction of the numbers which can be brought in. There is much anecdotal evidence of people arriving from parts of Europe, and eastern Europe in particular, with bags of...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Jul 2011)

Róisín Shortall: I can inform Senator Walsh that the images will be on one side and the existing health warning will be on the other side. There will be a message on both sides of the packet.

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Jul 2011)

Róisín Shortall: Senator Burke mentioned the report on illegal highs that was published yesterday. We face huge challenges because we are leading Europe in this regard. Some 16% of young people here have used these substances. That is way ahead of the next country, which is on 9% or something like that. Perhaps we were not quick enough in dealing with the head shops. I would like to think the action that...

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Jul 2011)

Róisín Shortall: I convey the apologies of the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, for his inability to attend this debate. He is attending a funeral in the UK and, on that basis, I trust Senators will excuse him. He regrets he is not in a position to be here given that he was in the Dáil throughout yesterday's debate. I thank Senators for their thoughtful contributions, many of which were based either on...

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Jul 2011)

Róisín Shortall: I apologise because I was not aware there was a time limit. I thank the House for the extension. I was talking about what is under way to achieve long-term reform. We are waiting for the report from Goodbodys on the health insurance market, which is due within weeks. In the short term, plans are under way to introduce changes in the primary care area. This relates to the issues raised by...

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Jul 2011)

Róisín Shortall: I assure the House that this work is under way. I recognise the difficulties. The IHCA needs to play a part in bringing forward proposals. I asked its representatives recently whether they had proposals for changes to the career structure of hospital doctors. They did not have them readily available but we need to tackle that issue. I will address the other issues on Committee Stage.

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2011)

Róisín Shortall: I wish to clarify for Members that this Bill does not provide for a return to the temporary registration as was the case in the 1970 Act. It is a new supervised registration which is post and specialty specific and limited to two years. It will be subject to ongoing supervision and will be obtained through a two-part assessment, which is again specific to the specialty. Senator Leyden asked...

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2011)

Róisín Shortall: With regard to the rules being set by the Medical Council under section 8 to which Senator Burke referred, it is correct that the Medical Council sets the rules but they are then referred to the Minister and it is open to the Minister to amend them, following which they are set down by way of statutory order. With regard to the two-year aggregate, it is possible that a person who may have to...

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2011)

Róisín Shortall: It is important to clarify that these doctors will not be doing a general exam; they will sit a specialty specific exam. Doing such an exam would not qualify them to work in general medicine. It relates to a particular specialty.

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2011)

Róisín Shortall: The registration refers to a particular specialty and a particular post. One could apply for registration for a different post in the same specialty.

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Jul 2011)

Róisín Shortall: The provisions of the Bill before the House will enable the Medical Council to register doctors in a newly created supervised register. The doctors registered will be assigned for a defined period of time not exceeding two years to identifiable, supervised posts to which specific criteria will be attached. Given the seriousness of the shortage of non-consultant hospital doctors, NCHDs, in...

General Medical Services Scheme (7 Jul 2011)

Róisín Shortall: I thank Deputy Hannigan for raising this matter. I know it is an issue he has been concerned about for some time and he first raised it with me shortly after being elected to this House. I am glad to have the opportunity to provide clarification on the matter. A number of other Deputies have raised it in parliamentary questions also, so it is important we get this clarification. Under the...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (7 Jul 2011)

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