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Health Services Reform

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 September 2013

Thursday, 26 September 2013

Questions (46)

Lucinda Creighton

Question:

46. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Health his health priorities for the Dáil Éireann term ahead; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39928/13]

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Written answers

I remain committed to a wide series of health reform as outlined in the document Future Health. Those areas of reform that I have prioritised for this Dáil term are:

To publish a White Paper on Universal Health Insurance.

To establish a new Patient Safety Agency on an administrative basis.

In conjunction with the HSE and the State Claims Agency to rollout the National Adverse Management System to develop a risk based approach for the provision of indemnity to services and professionals.

To conduct with the HSE a review of the Integrated Service Areas.

As funding for the health service will be provided from the Vote of the Office of the Minister for Health from 2014 the Department will work closely with the HSE and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the detailed arrangements required to bring about this change and will work with the HSE to implement the recommendations in the 2012 Reviews of Financial Management Systems in the Health Service.

To pursue cost control in the private health insurance market throughout 2013 and address the regulatory status of the VHI by the end of the year.

To work with the HSE to increase the number of health care professional working in primary care and implement a programme of investment in primary care centres.

To continue to work with the HSE to implement programmes aimed at reducing waiting times for scheduled and unscheduled care and to oversee the establishment of administrative hospital groups as a first step to the establishment of hospital trusts by December 2015.

To support the HSE in rolling out a Single Assessment tool for older people services in 2013. To extend the HIQA regulatory scheme to residential services for people with disabilities and will review the applicability of the Fair Deal Scheme to other sectors. The Department will work with the HSE to move toward a person centred model of service and supports for disability services and to complete a prospective funding model for palliative care.

Develop an eHealth strategy and work with the HSE to establish an Information and ICT Strategy Unit.

In relation to legislation I will bring forward a number of Bills as outlined in the Governments Legislative Programme published last week.

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