Results 41-60 of 74 for flu speaker:Simon Harris

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (7 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: ...I acknowledge the very valuable work done in driving the reform agenda. Several key pieces have been put in place, not least the Sláintecare vision which several members of the committee were very influential in developing. My Department has overseen the finalisation of the ESRI’s projections of demand for health care in Ireland 2015-2030, the health service capacity review...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (7 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: ...other parts of the health service we all know are a bit harder to predict and to budget for. That is not a uniquely Irish phenomenon. How many people will turn up at the door of a hospital? How bad is the flu going to impact this year? That is something on which we must continue to work. We can absolutely manage our processes better. It is too simplistic to say that one agency is...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (6 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 444 and 445 together. Influenza vaccine is most effective when circulating viruses are well-matched with viruses contained in vaccines. Due to the constant evolving nature of influenza viruses, the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System – a system of National Influenza Centres and WHO Collaborating Centres around the world –...

Seanad: Emergency Department Waiting Times: Statements (31 Jan 2018)

Simon Harris: ...- and an increase in delayed discharge figures as compared with the same period last year. Each winter, the system must also deal with the increased demand for services due to the prevalence of the flu, which is currently at its height. Our system is also working hard to grapple with the challenge of infection prevention and control, specifically the emergence of virulent...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (30 Jan 2018)

Simon Harris: ...take Questions Nos. 383 to 385, inclusive, and 410 to 412, inclusive, together. Vaccination is regarded as one of the safest and most cost-effective of all health care interventions. The seasonal influenza immunisation campaign is one of the cornerstones of the HSE’s Winter Initiative Plan. The HSE launched their influenza immunisation campaign for winter 2017-18 on 2 October 2017....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (17 Jan 2018)

Simon Harris: As this PQ refers to a service issue regarding delivery of flu vaccines to pharmacies, I have referred it to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (16 Jan 2018)

Simon Harris: The decision to provide seasonal flu vaccine to persons employed in schools would be a matter for the Department of Education and Skills to make. The primary focus of giving the flu vaccine is to increase vaccination rates among healthcare workers and among at risk groups (i.e. long stay residents, 65+ years, pregnant women) so as to reduce and control the incidence of flu and outbreaks in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (21 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 326 and 327 together. Influenza can be a serious illness for people in ‘at risk’ groups which can lead to hospitalisation and death. It is strongly recommended that people in at-risk groups get the flu vaccine. ‘At-risk’ people include those aged 65 years and older, people with chronic illness requiring regular medical...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Emergency Departments (15 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: ...each week from now until the end of the year. This will be sustained throughout 2018. More transitional care beds are being provided. More hospital beds are being opened. An additional 60,000 flu vaccines are being given out this year. We have a lot to do. The statistics show that some hospitals are making progress.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Emergency Departments (15 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: ...expanding capacity. As of today, I have to use all the levers at my disposal, including more social care, more community intervention teams, opening transitional care beds, encouraging people to get the flu and trying to encourage people to go to the appropriate place, which is not always the emergency department.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Emergency Departments (15 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: Very much so. People should get the flu vaccine, rather than the flu.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (14 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: ...eligibility on any individual. The HSE have advised that if a student with narcolepsy is confirmed by a medical professional to have contracted narcolepsy as a direct consequence of a swine flu injection administered in Ireland, a medical card will be awarded to that student and this card will have no eligibility end date. It should be noted that if there is no confirmation by a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (7 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: Flu vaccine is the best protection against the flu. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the USA states that the influenza vaccine is 50-60% effective in preventing hospitalisation among elderly persons and 80% effective in preventing death among elderly persons. It is too early to tell how effective this season’s flu vaccine will be, as there is very little...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Beds Data (26 Oct 2017)

Simon Harris: ...to alleviate specific periods of ED overcrowding in hospitals by providing additional diagnostic services and surge capacity as required, support to drive public health campaigns including for the flu vaccine and additional funding for measures to reduce waiting times for the longest waiting patients. It is also envisage that this funding will be used to strengthen capacity in the system...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Strategies (26 Oct 2017)

Simon Harris: Influenza can be a serious illness for people in ‘at risk’ groups which can lead to hospitalisation and death. ‘At-risk’ people include those aged 65 years and older, people with chronic illness requiring regular medical follow-up, those with lower immunity due to disease or treatment, pregnant women, and residents of nursing homes, and other long stay facilities....

Financial Resolutions 2018 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (11 Oct 2017)

Simon Harris: ...and additional supports. It will help support our older people to remain in their homes through additional home care packages, home help hours and transitional care beds, and will drive public health campaigns in that period, particularly in respect of the 'flu vaccine. I am delighted that we have also been able to make additional funding available this year for key strategic...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services (28 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: The HSE provides the flu and pneumococcal vaccines free of charge for all those in the at-risk groups. Those aged 18 years or older in the at-risk groups may attend either their GP or pharmacist for vaccination and those under 18 years should attend their GP. The vaccine and consultation are free for those with a Medical Card or a GP Visit Card. Those without a Medical Card or a GP Visit...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (26 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: The HSE provides the flu and pneumococcal vaccines free of charge for all those in the at-risk groups. Those aged 18 years or older in the at-risk groups may attend either their GP or pharmacist for vaccination and those under 18 years should attend their GP. The vaccine and consultation are free for those with a Medical Card or a GP Visit Card. Those without a Medical Card or a GP Visit...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (27 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: .... Consequently, I am currently not in a position to release all the information requested by the Deputy. Nevertheless, it is important to remember the context in which vaccination against influenza type A (H1N1) was introduced. On 11 June 2009, following consideration by its Emergency Committee, the WHO raised the Influenza type A (H1N1) alert to Pandemic level 6 which officially...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (2 May 2017)

Simon Harris: The first reports of a link between pandemic influenza vaccination and narcolepsy came in the second half of 2010. In August 2010, the Swedish pharmacovigilance authority reported that it was investigating six cases of narcolepsy reported by health care professionals as a possible adverse event following the use of Pandemrix vaccine, used during the H1N1 2009 pandemic. This was followed...