asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to reports that he intends to introduce legislation to bring voluntary hospitals under State control; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Voluntary Hospitals Legislation.
35.
The future relationship of the voluntary hospitals to the statutory system will be incorporated in my proposals on the reorganisation of the health services. As I informed the Deputy in replying to Questions Nos. 22, 53 and 200 (Official Report, volume 363, column 32) on Wednesday, 22 January 1986, I am now preparing a more detailed submission to Government on the reorganisation of the services.
Has the Minister consulted the voluntary hospitals about what he proposes to do? Is the Minister not satisfied with them, as the people appear to be satisfied that they are providing a very good and adequate service?
The Deputy would agree that there is a very mixed bag. The relationship between the health boards and the voluntary hospitals where we have funding arrangements gives rise to a good deal of confusion. Some voluntary hospitals are quite outstanding in their work. Some of them do not relate to the health boards in their areas. There is great difficulty in organising the health services — for example, with regard to some of the specialities in the Eastern Health Board area where a predominant number of the voluntary hospitals reside. I am anxious to build a better working relationship between the voluntary hospitals and the health boards. It is for that purpose that I want to develop a relationship in the reorganisation of the services.