Dr. Brendan O'Shea:

In concluding our opening presentation, members will see on Appendix 1 - we have thought about this, and it refers to legislation - that we have a list of six quick wins for everybody in society. First, payment must cease to be a barrier to essential medical care such as general practice. Second, with regard to universal use of electronic medical records, it would be welcome if it became illegal for every health care professional to write on paper from 2019. Third, build capacity in primary care. We have our ICGP strategy, which is mercifully short. It is not rocket science. It has been done in Denmark, Canada and in the United Kingdom. They are even doing it in parts of America. Fourth, fully establish chronic disease management in primary care. Our hospitals are drowning in work that should be done in the communities. They will never succeed and be effective at what they are designed to do unless that work is put where patients want it, which is close to their homes. Fifth, support end of life care in the community. Research done by the Irish Hospice Foundation sequentially during the past decade repeatedly shows that people want to be close to their community in their final weeks and months, but we do not do that. We very expensively shunt them into the acute hospital system. Sixth, if health insurers are allowed to continue to be active in the Irish economy, they must recognise primary care if they are licensed to operate.

Those are six quick wins. They have clear legislative tags on which the members can act. If they do, this will be a better society. If they do not, some of us will leave. I thank the members for listening to our submission. We are keen to be asked questions.