asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on the administration of the health services by the health boards in comparison with their administration by the county councils.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Health Services.
18.
It is difficult to make such a comparison. The county councils (and the special joint health authorities) operated health services which were essentially within the local government system and financed in considerable part from the rates. The reasons for introducing a new system were partly based on recognition that there would have to be increasing financial participation by the State and that the county was too small a unit, mainly for hospital services. These reasons are elaborated on in the White Paper on the Health Services of 1966, which formed the basis of the proposals adopted by the Health Act, 1970, for the establishment of these boards.
Since the boards were established, there have been considerable developments in the health services and, of course, a considerable rise in expenditure. The developments were based on Government policies and the rise in expenditure was mainly due to these developments and to increases in pay and prices. I have no reason to believe that the county councils could have arranged the developments more efficiently or at less cost or met the increases in pay and prices with lesser funds.
I would draw the attention of the Deputy to my statement in the House on 30th June, 1976, Official Report, Volume 291, columns 2053-2055, when I discussed the issue of possible alternatives to the health boards and expressed my view that a return to the administration of the health services by the local authorities would not be desirable now.
19.
asked the Minister for Health the percentage of the total cost of the health services attributable to (a) administration (b) the purchase of drugs (c) the GMS (d) community care and (e) hospital services.
The information is in the form of a table which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I will have circulated with the Official Report.
Table
ESTIMATED expenditures expressed as percentages of the estimated total noncapital expenditure on health services for 1976.
|
(a) administration |
3.1% |
|
(b) purchase of drugs and medicines |
9.3% |
|
(c) general medical services |
11.9% |
|
(d) community care services |
10.7% |
|
(e) hospital services |
68.9% |
NOTES:
(1) The cost of drugs and medicines supplied under general medical services and used in hospitals are reflected in the percentages for those headings as well as in the percentage for the purchase of drugs and medicines. The cost of drugs and medicines used under general medical services represents 4.4% of the total cost of health services. The cost of drugs and medicines used in hospitals represents 3.9% of the total cost of health services.
(2) The percentage for administration relates to general administrative costs but does not include costs specific to individual hospitals, health centres, etc.