Terence Flanagan
Question:235. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his Department's and the Health Service Executive's challenges for the year ahead; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3409/14]
View answerThursday, 23 January 2014
Questions (235)
Written answers
A key challenge for both the Department and the Health Service Executive (HSE) is to manage the impact of the significant financial, resource and demographic pressures on the health system while delivering safe, quality health and social care services to the Irish public. This will only be possible this year and in the years ahead by way of a reformed health system that provides access according to need rather than ability to pay, best health outcomes for available resources, and treats patients at the lowest level of complexity that is safe, timely, effective and efficient and as close to home as possible.
Key elements of this reform programme are to be progressed during 2014. These are set out in the HSE’s 2014 Service Plan and include the phased implementation of Money Follows the Patient, the transition to Hospital Groups, implementation of new internal management processes, the establishment of an interim Patient Safety Agency, and the development of Commissioning Functions with the aim of achieving the greatest progress possible on a commissioner / provider split, prior to the introduction of statutory functions. Patient Safety is the overriding priority for 2014 and is also at the very core of the 2014 Service Plan.