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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 13 Jun 2001

Vol. 538 No. 1

Written Answers. - Health Services.

Bernard Allen

Question:

156 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has recently met a delegation of junior hospital doctors; if so, if they expressed their concerns at the lack of action on a number of reports which have been completed and published on the health services; and if they expressed to him concern at the level of influence the Department of Finance has on the reform of the health services. [17350/01]

The Forum on Medical Manpower was established to examine problems, including inappropriate staffing, limited availability of senior clinical decision-making and obstacles which arise in medical career structures. The forum's draft report was presented to the Minister for Health and Children at the end of 2000.

Both the forum's report and the report on non-consultant hospital doctors' working hours were recently considered by Government. The Government has decided to establish a national task force to prepare a detailed implementation programme on reducing NCHD working hours and to quantify the resource implications and costs arising from both reports. The results of these studies will be the subject of a further memorandum to Government. The Government has also approved the commencement of negotiations with the relevant parties on the core issues arising from the reports. The first meeting took place on 7 June. There are likely to be very significant financial and staffing implications which must first be quantified and then carefully considered by Government. The report of the medical manpower forum states that its recommendations should be quantified and costed and does not specify the number of consultants required.

The Department of Finance has a central role in the administration of Government given its responsibility in relation to public expenditure and the need to secure optimum social and economic benefits. The Department fulfils this role by negotiating the annual allocations for each Department through the Estimates process. Consideration of additional investment on the scale proposed in these reports must involve the Department of Finance and this is the case whenever a Department seeks additional funding to develop its services.

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