asked the Minister for Health if he intends to establish a State agency to promote, develop and engage in the marketing of health care overseas.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Marketing of Health Care Overseas.
11.
I am considering the recommendation in this regard made by the Health Services Export Co-ordinating Committee. I will be submitting my proposals to Government very soon.
Would the Minister agree that there is already an export agency forming part of the National Enterprise Agency, that also there is a semi-State company involved, namely, Park, a subsidiary of Aer Lingus? Would he accept that the national interest would not be served by having another State agency in competition with these two companies delivering the same service?
As the Deputy is aware, there are two State agencies in this area. There is Park and then there is a subsidiary of the National Enterprise Agency also involved. Both have contracts with different Departments of Health in a number of countries. At national level there is a very emphatic need to co-ordinate this work. My Department, through the Health Services Export Co-ordinating Committee, have been overseeing this work. There is a need for a regulatory committee which would be a departmental-governmental committee to ensure that where any agency, be it in the public or private sector, is involved in this field, that this is done in a manner which preserves the integrity of the Irish health services and preserves the best features of our service going abroad, for example, that those companies operate viable contracts.
Do I take it that what the Minister is interested in is a regulating agency which will look after public and private companies, that will not itself engage directly in health service export?
As the Deputy knows, this is quite a complex issue but there are the two State agencies involved and then there are a number of private agencies directly involved. It is absolutely essential that, where contracts are taken up abroad, where contracts are entered into — particularly to deliver consultancy staff to installations abroad and where nursing staff are recruited here — that it be done in an orderly manner. Otherwise our health services could find themselves placed in quite an impossible position. It is also important that personnel taking up positions abroad should have basic protection given to them. Of course it is of critical importance that those contracts abroad be viable, particularly where there is a State agency involved. For all of those reasons it is of importance that there be a regulatory mechanism. I am not necessarily suggesting that there should be another State-sponsored body but there should be a very firm regulatory position. For example, where health boards write to me indicating that consultancy staff wish to spend two or three years abroad, I, Comhairle na nOspidéal and all hospital authorities and health boards must replace such staff. We must have effective regulation and control of it. Otherwise the system becomes chaotic.
Is the Minister not setting up an agency in opposition?
There has been a certain amount of disquiet expressed by some hospitals in relation to the cover being provided for doctors who go abroad on two or three year contracts. What provision has been made for the Minister to maintain a satisfactory home based service in hospitals in such situations?
Inevitably this is an area in which regulation must enter into operation. As the Deputy well knows, my Department and health boards generally have been reluctant to deny any person an opportunity to further his or her career abroad. But — and I throw out the question — what happens when those people come back? Where do they fit in? Where do they slot back into the system? That can be done only by regulation. I appreciate the concern expressed by the Deputy that some hospitals are very worried about this development. It is the responsibility of the Minister for Health of the day and of the Department to control that development in the best interests of the staff themselves and of the delivery of our health services. Otherwise we will finish up with locums in every consultancy position.