Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We find in the period approaching October and November that we are seeking to take money from other services. Despite this, we want to try to reduce delayed discharges from acute services by 10% this year. How will we meet the target of a mere 10% if we do not have a financial system that allows the primary care and mental health services to spend their budgets to prevent the acute services from continually seeking more? If we do not allow this expenditure, we will never be able to meet our targets in regard to delayed discharges.

Everybody, including the Minister, has said the cost of treating patients at home or in their community is less, by multiples, than the cost of treatment in an acute setting. I acknowledge it is not always straightforward, but if acute services are to continue to hoover up money, if inefficiency is rewarded time and again and if those who are efficient and meeting their targets are being punished, we will never be able to implement the reform that is so badly needed throughout the HSE and health care provision platform.