Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 January 2018
203. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding provided under the capital plan for system wide investment in information communication technology; the amount spent to date; the original timeframe for the completion of the project; the timeframe for the completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2516/18]
View answerThe eHealth strategy published by the Department of Health in December 2013 informs the capital allocation for eHealth and information and communications technology (ICT) in the capital plan. The latest figures available are for 2017 where ICT capital allocation was €55 million and the total expenditure on eHealth and ICT projects was €54,914,782. Key priority areas for eHealth and ICT projects in 2017 were:
- The refreshment and replacement of existing technology (ongoing);
- National Ambulance Services – equipment replacement programme (ongoing);
- Medical Laboratories Information System (MEDLIS) (funding projected to 2021);
- National Finance System (funding expected through to 2021); and
- Maternal and Newborn Information System (MN-CMS) (funding projected to 2023).
Additional investment in eHealth and ICT was secured by my Department for the period 2018-2021. The capital provision for eHealth and ICT for 2018 to 2021 is set out below and will allow for a multi-annual rolling programme of work on multiple projects.
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
€60 m |
€85 m |
€100m |
€120 m |
The capital provision set out in the table above does not include provision for the full costs outlined for the national Electronic Health Record (EHR) business case. My Department is working closely with the HSE, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and other stakeholders to progress the EHR business case. The implementation plan for Sláintecare that is currently being prepared by my Department will also address how eHealth and ICT can support the wider goals of health service reform.
