Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 October 2004
98 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the progress made to date with regard to implementation of the recommendations of the Hanly report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26315/04]
View answerThe Government is committed to implementing the Hanly report in a way that will command the confidence of people in each region. Implementation of some of the report's key proposals has been hampered by industrial action taken by hospital consultants. My predecessor appointed implementation groups in the two phase 1 regions, and an acute hospitals review group to develop a national hospitals plan. These groups have not been able to meet due to the non-participation of consultants.
Work on other elements of the Hanly proposals is progressing. Detailed assessments have been prepared of the service and resource implications of the forthcoming reduction in non-consultant hospital doctors', NCHDs, working hours in each health agency. Negotiations with the Irish Medical Organisation on the reduction in NCHD hours required under the European working time directive are continuing in the Labour Relations Commission. Local implementation groups for this purpose are being established in eight hospitals as part of an agreed pilot process.
The sub-group of the national task force on medical staffing which dealt with medical education and training issues has remained in place. The group has been asked to examine and report to me on the measures required to accommodate NCHD training in all postgraduate programmes and safeguard both training and service delivery during the transition to a 48-hour working week. The group has agreed a joint approach to training with the medical training bodies and the Medical Council, and has provided formal advice on the provision of medical education and training in a 58-hour working week.
Consultant contract negotiations are paused pending resolution of issues related to medical indemnity arrangements. However, significant preparatory work has been undertaken in anticipation of substantive negotiations with the medical organisations.
99 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when legislation will be introduced to provide for the four new health service regions, announced by her predecessor on 28 September 2004; the proposed powers of the new regions; the provision there will be for democratic accountability in the new structures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26312/04]
View answerThe Government's decision of June 2003 on the health services reform programme, will consolidate the multiplicity of different structures within a single agency, the Health Service Executive, HSE. To that end, I propose to submit a new Health Bill to Government shortly which will deal with the establishment of the Health Service Executive.
The new Health Bill will also provide for the establishment of regional forums by me as the Minister for Health and Children, following consultation with the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Members will be nominated to the forums by the city and county councils in each forum's functional area. The objective of the regional forums will be to enable informed dialogue and consultation between the Health Service Executive and the public at local level. The operation of the regional forums will complement the role of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children in reflecting the views of public representatives in the ongoing oversight of the health system.
The board of the interim Health Service Executive was set up last November. Under its establishment order, the interim executive has responsibility, subject to ministerial approval, to plan the establishment of a national unified structure for the delivery of health services. This includes responsibility for the integration of the management, administrative and service delivery structures of the health boards.
The Government decision provided that the primary, continuing and community care directorate, to be established within the HSE, would be supported by a network of four regional health offices, and the existing community care areas based on 32 local health offices.
On foot of proposals from the interim Health Service Executive, the former Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, on 28 September 2004 jointly announced with Mr. Kevin Kelly, executive chairman of the interim HSE, the four regional areas of the HSE.
As proposed by the interim Health Service Executive, the local health office will be the primary service delivery unit in each community, and the regional health offices will co-ordinate services where they span more than one local area and will be responsible for performance management, translating national policies through the local areas and gathering and relaying information on a regional basis. Interaction with local communities and their elected public representatives will also be a part of their functions. It is envisaged that they will employ somewhere in the region of 25 to 35 staff.
