Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Donnelly for his detailed submission. His curriculum vitae is highly impressive. I congratulate him on his achievements to date and wish him well in his new role.

I will raise two issues of great relevance to the health service. Mr. Donnelly has acquired considerable experience in technology, an area in which health service has not been heavily involved. I understand, for example, that 1,700 computer systems are in operation in the health service. Since 1994 or thereabouts, the Danish health system has been trying to consolidate its information technology systems and has reduced the number it operates to 20, with a view to further reducing it to five. In fairness to St. James's Hospital, it is reasonably advanced in terms of information technology. Will St. James's Hospital be able to work with the Health Service Executive to try to provide a single system for the entire health service?

It would provide efficiencies across the board.

A major issue that we are addressing is that of litigation involving hospitals. In a number of presentations made to the committee, there was a great deal of criticism about how claims were dealt with once they were lodged. How will this situation in the medical profession change in the coming years? This is a question of taking responsibility earlier than on the steps of the courthouse. Regardless of how good a service St. James's Hospital provides, mistakes will be made and there will be claims. That is the real world, but despite the fact that our approach to them has not changed in the past 25 or 30 years, the level of claims continues to increase.

These two issues are important and we need major changes in respect of them in the next five years.