Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 June 2016
256. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if a focused and strategic examination of the delivery of the public health services can identify best practice in service delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14204/16]
View answerThe focused and strategic examination of the delivery of the public health services is ongoing. Reform is required across and between primary, social and acute care but it is also important to think on a whole system basis in terms of strategic enablers of reform. These include organisational structures, workforce planning, better ICT systems, improved financial models and stronger leadership and management capability. These whole system functions are critical and can be core drivers of better, more integrated and more efficient services.
With these strategic reforms in mind, the planning and management of future health expenditure will be considered as part of the annual estimates and budgetary process which seeks to balance available funding across all of the various service areas to achieve the best possible outcomes for the greatest number of service users and prioritise areas of greatest need.
One of the key proposals in the Programme for Government is the establishment of an Oireachtas Committee to develop cross-party consensus on the future of the health service. I believe the health service would benefit enormously from a single unifying vision that we can all get behind and that can help to drive reform and development of the system over the next 10 years.
I am pleased that the House has agreed to move ahead quickly to establish this committee and to get it up and running in the coming weeks.
