Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 January 2024
340. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which the various changes and requirements needed to fully introduce Sláintecare are being pursued at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2337/24]
View answerThe shared vision of Sláintecare is to introduce a universal health and social care system where everyone has equitable access to services based on need, and not ability to pay. The Government is fully committed to the continued delivery of Sláintecare reform. Health Budget 2024 provided €22.5 billion to continue the delivery and expansion of quality, affordable healthcare services.
Significant progress was made in implementing the Sláintecare Strategy & Action Plan 2021-2023. Reform is helping to move healthcare delivery away from a hospital-centric system. Through Enhanced Community Care (ECC), a patient-centred population-based approach is integrating community care with the acute hospital sector, providing health services closer to people’s homes, and reducing pressure on acute hospitals. Work is now focused on designing patient-centred care models, and on developing better primary and community care.
Access to care has been increased through eligibility expansion, including an abolition of public inpatient hospital charges in 2023 and an extension of the free GP card to all children under 8. We have also recognised the need to improve and invest in infrastructure, including the development of new Elective Hospitals, as well as further developing our digital health offer.
The new Sláintecare Public Only Consultant Contract was implemented in March 2023 and will increase the number of senior decision-makers in our hospitals, including out of hours and at weekends. There are now more than 1,500 consultants on the new contract (more than 35% of the total number of consultants working across our health service). Significant investment has been made in tackling waiting lists and the average waiting time for outpatients reduced from 9.7 months to 7.5 months in 2023. The Sláintecare Integration Innovation Fund Programme identifies and promotes innovative and integrated models of care and new ways of working, with a view to mainstreaming or scaling successful projects. To date over 100 projects have been successfully tested and are receiving recurring annual funding.
A Final Report on implementation of the 2021-23 Strategy and 2023 Action Plan is in preparation and will be submitted to Government for approval. A successor Sláintecare Framework for 2024 to 2027 is at an advanced stage of development and will be published following Government approval.
The Sláintecare Programme Board (SPB) was established in 2021 to drive the reform programme and embed the Sláintecare principles into our health service. Reporting to the Minister of Health, the Board is co-chaired by the Secretary-General of the Department of Health and Chief Executive Officer of the HSE. The Board also comprises the joint leads of the reform projects from the Department’s Management Board and the HSE’s Executive Management Team. This structure provides interagency strategic leadership, oversight, and accountability for the delivery of the Sláintecare reform programme. The Minutes of the SPB meetings are published as a matter of course.
