Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 May 2013
715. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health if he will report on his Department's work at establishing the Money Follows the Patient model which was proposed to begin in shadow form this year; if the model has begun in all acute hospitals; and if he envisages that the timeframe is such that a full phased implementation of the new model will commence from January 2014. [23061/13]
View answerThe Government set out its plans for the introduction of Money Follows the Patient (MFTP) in the draft MFTP Policy Paper on Hospital Financing, which I published for consultation on 15 February last.
Since then, my Department has commenced a communication and consultation campaign in relation to MFTP. The Department has sought the views of interested parties on the Policy Paper through an open call for submissions as well as by writing to over 100 stakeholders. The closing date for submissions has been extended to end-May to facilitate maximum engagement. The National Casemix Seminar, held in Tallaght Hospital on 11/12 April, was another central element of the communication and consultation programme. This seminar was jointly hosted by the Department of Health and HSE and over 200 of those most directly impacted by MFTP attended.
An independent international expert has also been engaged undertake a “State of Readiness” review of the health system’s capacity to roll out MFTP in public hospitals. It is expected that this review will be completed shortly.
As previously set out, the Government’s intention is to roll-out MFTP in shadow form in the hub hospital of each of the soon to be announced hospital groups during 2013 ahead of full phased implementation from January 2014.
