Results 18,481-18,500 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: The new contract will set out in detail formal employment arrangements for consultants practising exclusively in the public sector. Its key features can be summarised as follows. It provides for a consultant-provided service — a service delivered by teams of consultants, where the consultants have a substantial and direct involvement in the diagnosis, delivery of care and overall management...

Written Answers — Medicinal Products: Medicinal Products (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: I am aware of the concerns regarding the sale of medicinal products via the Internet. My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley, previously met a number of interested parties, including the Irish Medicines Board, officers of the Customs drugs law enforcement unit and An Post to discuss this matter. The sale of prescription only medicinal products via the Internet is a source of...

Written Answers — Water Fluoridation: Water Fluoridation (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: Fluoridation of public water supplies as a public health measure is accepted as being one of the most effective methods of ensuring against tooth decay. The World Health Organisation, WHO, recommends fluoridation of public water supplies and has stated that "fluoridation of water supplies, where possible, is the most effective public health measure for the prevention of dental decay". The WHO...

Written Answers — Hospital Hygiene Audits: Hospital Hygiene Audits (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: The Health Service Executive has informed my Department that all acute hospitals were notified that the second national hygiene audit was being carried out between February and April 2006. Visits to hospitals were again random and unannounced with hospitals unaware of their audit date. The audit tool being used for both audits is the Infection Control Nurses Association Audit Tool. This audit...

Written Answers — Hospital Accommodation: Hospital Accommodation (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: Following discussions between the Health Services Executive, HSE, and my Department, it has been decided to carry out a review of our acute hospital bed requirements up to the year 2020. A steering group has been established under the chairmanship of Mr. John O'Brien, temporary national director of the National Hospitals Office. The group includes representatives of the HSE, my Department,...

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 186 together. As the Deputy is aware, talks on a new consultant contract commenced on 24 November 2005 under the independent chairmanship of Mr. Mark Connaughton SC. At that meeting, and a further plenary meeting in December, both the IHCA and the IMO indicated that they required a number of issues to be addressed before they could engage in substantive...

Written Answers — Pharmacy Regulations: Pharmacy Regulations (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 90, 142 and 149 together. The practice of pharmacy is governed by the Pharmacy Acts 1875 to 1962. The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland is the regulatory body for the pharmacy profession. It works closely with pharmacists and other relevant authorities, such as the Health Service Executive, to ensure the safeguards under pharmacy and medicines legislation...

Written Answers — Ambulance Service: Ambulance Service (26 Apr 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. Pre-hospital emergency care services in the greater Dublin area are provided by both the executive and Dublin City Council through Dublin Fire Brigade. The executive has advised that the review of command...

Written Answers — Hospital Hygiene Audits: Hospital Hygiene Audits (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: The Department of Health and Children has been informed by the Health Service Executive that the second national hygiene audit of acute hospitals, which commenced in February 2006, will be completed shortly. The audit will assess the extent of the improvements made at hospital level since the publication of the first audit report. Work will begin on collecting the findings and preparing a...

Written Answers — Infectious Diseases: Infectious Diseases (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: In line with information and evidence available internationally, the Department of Health and Children has consistently stated that a human influenza pandemic would have serious consequences. A global pandemic will affect all countries and will cause widespread disease, death and disruption to the health services and to society. Pandemic preparedness planning is, therefore, a high priority...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: The Health Service Executive has advised that the internal audit report has not yet been issued. It has indicated that it is on the agenda for the executive's audit committee at its next meeting on Thursday, 27 April 2006 and that it is expected the report will be published in the coming weeks. This process will have to be completed before any progress can be made on the issues in question.

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: Responsibility for improvements in specialist health services in the former south-eastern Health Board area now rests with the Health Service Executive. The executive has advised that several capital developments have been progressed in recent years to facilitate the improvement of health services in the area. Principal among these are the major capital developments at South Tipperary General...

Written Answers — Hospital Procedures: Hospital Procedures (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of births by caesarean section. Approximately one in five births are now performed through this procedure. The decision to perform a caesarean section is a clinical one that is taken by qualified medical practitioners. Reasons suggested for the increasing caesarean rates include more widespread availability of foetal monitoring with...

Written Answers — National Repayment Scheme: National Repayment Scheme (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: The Health Service Executive has responsibility for administering the repayment scheme including the recruitment of an outside company with experience in handling mass claims to manage the scheme within the parameters agreed by the Government. The company will provide an independent assessment of the amount of repayment due to each applicant under the scheme. It will also help to reassure the...

Written Answers — Accident and Emergency Services: Accident and Emergency Services (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: Tackling the current difficulties with accident and emergency services is the Government's top priority in health. The service being provided to some patients in accident and emergency departments is unacceptable and must be improved. Our objectives are to reduce the numbers waiting for admission, the time spent waiting for admission, and the turnaround time for those who can be treated in an...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 102, 108 and 114 together. At the request of the Department of Health and Children, 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...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: Responsibility for the provision of and improvements to specialist health services in the former western Health Board area rests with the Health Service Executive. The executive has advised that the following developments are planned for the current year. At University College Hospital Galway funding of €16 million has been provided to commission new units which include the opening of 22...

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: Proposals for a new employment contract for consultants working in the public health system were recently tabled by the management side in the consultants' contract negotiations. The new contract will be a first step towards the introduction of a consultant-provided service and the appointment of large numbers of dedicated public hospital and community-based consultants, working in teams....

Written Answers — Home Help Service: Home Help Service (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: I fully appreciate the valuable role played by the home help service in enabling people who might otherwise need institutional care to remain in their own homes. I do not deny that home helps were poorly paid in the past and that this was not acceptable. However, the rate of pay and the conditions of employment for home helps have significantly improved since 2000. Home helps are paid in...

Written Answers — Organ Donation: Organ Donation (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 187 together. The annual organ donor awareness campaign, organised by the Irish Donor Network and administered by the Irish Kidney Association, highlights the necessity for organ donation generally. The campaign, which my Department supports, highlights the need for organ donors by promoting the carrying of an organ donor card. My Department has...