Vol. 492 No. 6
114 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Health and Children the scale of payments made by his Department to the various health boards and public voluntary hospitals in each of the past three years under the budget heading of service pressures; the circumstances in which these payments arise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14714/98]
The process of allocation of funds to health agencies has not changed in recent years. However, the Health (Amendment) (No. 3) Act, 1996, known as the accountability legislation, came into effect this year for health boards and is applied on an administrative basis to voluntary hospitals. Under that Act, individual health agencies are advised of their financial determination and are required to prepare a service plan within the limits of this determination. In respect of 1998, notification of determinations were issued in December 1997.
It is a universal feature of the health system that services are subject to continuing and escalating pressure. Such pressures have arisen in areas such as persons with legislative entitlements; judicial reviews of services; child care and children with behavioural difficulties; nursing homes subvention; accident and emergency services and service levels generally in acute hospitals.
Also included in the final adjustment through the Supplementary Estimate process are issues such as general and special pay increases, increases in cash allowances and additional costs of community drug schemes.
An indication of the overall additional funding provided by Government is set out in the table I forwarded to the Deputy.
Net Health Estimates 1995 to 1997.
|
Year |
Original Revised Estimate |
Final Outturn |
|
£'000 |
£'000 |
|
|
1995 |
2,070,660 |
2,177,379 |
|
1996 |
2,148,707 |
2,196,025 |
|
1997 |
2,408,751 |
2,564,949 |
