Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 April 2014
813. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the basis upon which he deems that hospitals need business plans and his further views that this promotes an ethos of treating health as a commodity. [19052/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE National Service Plan sets out the type and volume of services the HSE will provide for the monies allocated under its Vote during 2014. Hospitals are included in the service planning process, like all services directly provided or funded by the HSE.
The Service Plan was prepared in the context of the challenges faced by the health service this year in terms of reduced staffing levels, and a reduced budget, combined with increasing demand for services. The delivery of this year's Service Plan and hospital plans is focussed on the dual challenge of protecting patient outcomes, while, at the same time, reducing costs. This requires increasing emphasis on models of care that treat patients at the lowest level of complexity and provide safe, quality services at the least possible cost.
The HSE has management systems in place to monitor service delivery throughout the course of the year. The service planning process does not promote an ethos of treating health as a commodity. On the contrary, it underlines the commitment of the Government, the Department of Health and the HSE to health service reform and to the maintenance of high quality services to the greatest extent possible within the resources available.
