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Health Care Infrastructure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 July 2013

Thursday, 18 July 2013

Questions (670)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

670. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a progress update on the Health Innovation Hub; if there is a pilot or demonstration model planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36097/13]

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Written answers

The establishment of the National Health Innovation Hub is one of seven 'Disruptive Reforms' included in the Government's Action Plan for Jobs 2013. The aim is to establish a Hub to drive collaboration between the health system and the enterprise sector leading to the development and commercialisation of new healthcare technologies, products and services, emerging from within the health system and /or the enterprise system. The Hub model has the potential to address the jobs agenda; it also has great potential to help improve how we do things in the health system and most importantly improve health outcomes for patients.

A National Project Team, which consists of a multidisciplinary team spanning the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the Department of Health, as well as representatives from the Health Services Executive, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland, was formed and charged with the establishment of a demonstrator (pilot) project. A demonstrator project has been in operation since 2012. The purpose of the demonstrator project is to test the Hub model and inform the development of a National Health Innovation Hub.

A local Steering Group was established to oversee the demonstrator's operation and reports to the National Project Team. Currently the Demonstrator project has brought together six innovative Irish healthcare companies with the health service by providing dedicated contact points, facilitated project management, office space, advice and access to the hospital and primary care system in Cork. Detailed project plans are in place for each of the projects and milestones are being measured and assessed. Reports on the demonstrator project indicate that there has been good progress made.

The steps deemed necessary to progress the establishment of the Hub are outlined in the Action Plan for Jobs 2013, with the accompanying Table of Actions providing more detail. This includes actions to monitor and assess the performance of the Cork Demonstrator Project throughout 2013. Details of the Jobs Action Plan and the accompanying Table of Actions are available on the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation website - www.enterprise.gov.ie. It is envisaged that the quarter two progress report on the Action Plan will also be published soon. The first progress report is available on the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation's website.

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