David Cullinane
Ceist:252. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of reports produced by the Sláintecare implementation office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17846/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 23 July 2020
Ceisteanna (252)
Freagraí scríofa
In response to the Sláintecare Report, the government approved the Sláintecare Implementation Strategy in July 2018. The Strategy sets out the actions to be taken in the first three years of the Sláintecare implementation process. The Sláintecare Programme Implementation Office was established in September 2018 with the initial task of reviewing and refining the strategy into a detailed Action Plan for 2019. This Action Plan outlines the project management structures and governance approach for the 10-year implementation of Sláintecare, as well as detailed timeframes for 138 projects to be progressed in 2019.
The Sláintecare Programme Implementation Office was established in September 2018 and has had one full year in operation. A series of important Sláintecare reform Government decisions have been made in this time, including the agreement:
1. on the geographies for the six new Regional Health Areas which is a first major step towards restructuring our health services in line with recommendation in the Oireachtas Committee report, which is informing the development of a detailed business case for consideration by Government;
2. on revised GP contractual arrangements in April 2019, which will see a €210 million investment (40% increase) in General Practice over the next four years of which €80 million will be available for the management of chronic diseases, like diabetes and COPD, through family doctors. This is expected to benefit more than 400,000 patients; and
3. on the strengthening of the HSE with the formal appointment of the Health Service Executive (HSE) Board in June 2019 and the introduction of a new HSE Chief Executive Officer.
A Sláintecare Action Plan Year-end Report 2019 was approved by government in April and subsequently published. Including the milestones set out above, 112 actions of 138 were successfully implemented during 2019. This work has been carried out by many stakeholders, including from the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the voluntary and community bodies and key partners.
Including the Sláintecare Implementation Strategy, the Sláintecare Action Plan 2019 and four quarterly reports on progress, a total of six reports have been published by the Sláintecare Programme Implementation Office since establishment.
All the publications relating to Sláintecare can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/slaintecare-implementation-strategy/