Seán Haughey
Question:1376. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health his future plans for the provision of private maternity care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64001/22]
View answerWednesday, 18 January 2023
Questions (1376)
Written answers
The Government has agreed to the introduction of a public only Consultant contract, initially moving towards and in due course removing private care from public hospitals. The new Contract is a key deliverable of the Sláintecare Report. Over time, it will ensure that public healthcare facilities are used for public patients only, and that public patients can access public hospitals based only on clinical need and not ability to pay.
The transition applies to all private care, including maternity. This will occur gradually over time and therefore, the immediate impact on private maternity care will be minimal, reflecting the fact that most serving consultants who specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology hold contracts that allow them to engage in on-site private practice. While maternity care is not currently available in private hospitals, like the NHS, all consultants who hold the contract, including those who specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology, will be entitled to treat private patients off-site in their own time, subject to the primacy of their public contract and meeting their commitments under it.