Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 October 2005
116 Mr. Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the amount of money that was invested in the years 2002, 2003 and 2004 in the primary care strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28808/05]
Amharc ar fhreagra185 Mr. Coveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the primary health care strategy is still Government policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28903/05]
Amharc ar fhreagra212 Mr. Sargent asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the amount of the primary health care strategy which has been implemented; the projected cost of implementing this strategy; when it will be implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28966/05]
Amharc ar fhreagra213 Ms Enright asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will abandon the primary health care strategy unless she gets funding from the private sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28914/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 116, 185, 212 and 213 together.
The primary care strategy aims to develop services in the community so that patients will have direct access to integrated multi-disciplinary teams of general practitioners, nurses, health care assistants, home helps, occupational therapists and others. The principles set out in the strategy remain Government policy and this document provides a template for the development of primary care services over a period of ten to 15 years. However, the successful implementation of the strategy is about much more than the provision of additional funding. It is first and foremost about developing new ways of working and of reorganising the resources already in the system in line with the service model described in the strategy. It is in that context that additional resources can be deployed to best effect.
Implementation of the primary care strategy will require sustained investment, over a period, to expand capacity and enable primary care to become the cornerstone of our health system. Three broad approaches will be taken to enable this to happen, namely, the substantial reorganisation of resources to which I have already referred; further revenue and capital investment by the State to deliver additional services; and a structured role for the private sector in the development of facilities and possibly also the delivery of services.
The strategy estimated the capital cost of developing a primary care facility at some €2.5 million for each team, which is approximately €1.27 billion for the first 400 to 600 teams. The additional staffing costs involved, allowing for the availability of existing staff and taking account of the composition of typical core teams and the associated network professionals, were estimated to amount to approximately €615 million per annum for the first 400 to 600 teams. The strategy also estimated that up to €63 million in once-off costs and running costs of €12.7 million per annum would be required for ICT supports. However, the required investment can come from a range of sources and not solely from the Exchequer.
With regard to implementation, one of the first steps was to establish an initial group of ten primary care teams, with funding to enable existing staff resources within the public system to be augmented. These teams were intended to demonstrate the primary care model in action and also to enable practical experience to be gained of the process involved in developing a primary care team and expanding the range of services available.
In 2005, I provided an additional €5 million in revenue funding to support the implementation of the primary care strategy. Coupled with the €5 million allocated in 2002 and the €2 million in 2003, this brings total ongoing additional revenue funding to €12 million per annum. To date, capital funding of €2.725 million and a further €1.8 million in respect of ICT supports have been provided for the initial primary care teams. Funding has also been applied to a range of other initiatives intended to advance implementation. These include: planning and mapping work by the HSE; service developments in specific locations; a review of ICT needs in primary care; support to university departments of general practice and the Irish College of General Practitioners; research fellowships in primary care.
In light of the considerable private sector interest in the development of hospitals and long-term care services, I envisage much potential for such developments in primary care to complement investment by the State. I have asked my Department to consider, in conjunction with the HSE, how this agenda can be advanced in a way that will harness this undoubted potential within the non-State sector and so enable and support the delivery of integrated primary care services in line with national policy.
The Deputies' questions are also relevant to the management and delivery of health and personal social services which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive, HSE, under the Health Act 2004. The chief executive officer of the HSE has emphasised the importance of developing our primary care services, both as the appropriate service for the delivery of the majority of people's health and social care needs and to complement services provided by our acute hospitals. This is an important priority of the executive which has my full endorsement.
