Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 September 2021
621. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health the status of Sláintecare and the process to fill vacancies on the Sláintecare Implementation Advisory Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46041/21]
View answerA new three-year Sláintecare Implementation Strategy & Action Plan was approved by Government in May 2021. €1.235 billion was allocated to “pure” Sláintecare initiatives in the first year of the new Strategy. This funding has been used to increase acute and community bed capacity, providing enhanced care in the community, including access to diagnostics, additional home supports, including funding for up to 5 million additional home support hours, streamlining care pathways and tackling waiting lists.
On 10 September, my Department published a report on progress in the first six months of the new Strategy & Action Plan. The report shows that significant progress has been made. Of 112 deliverables for the first six months, 84 were on track and 25 were being progress with minor challenges and 3 are experiencing major challenges. The vast majority of Sláintecare projects are progressing as scheduled in spite of the difficulties presented by the cyberattack four months ago and the ongoing COVID pandemic response.
Progress is continuing in this quarter. Discussions continue with the representative groups on implementation of the public-only consultant contract, a draft preliminary business case for the elective hospitals is now complete and is undergoing internal evaluation in the Department of Health.
A new waiting list initiative will be published shortly and a proposal for the implementation of Regional Health Areas will be finalised before the end of the year.
The Sláintecare Integration Fund has been very successful; 41 projects have already transitioned to recurrent HSE funding, primarily through the Enhanced Community Care Fund while funding for many others is currently being explored as part of the Estimates process. These projects are making a significant contribution to reducing hospital admissions, presentations to emergency departments and helping people stay healthy in their communities for longer.
The question of filling vacancies on the Sláintecare Implementation Advisory Council is currently under consideration.
