Ms Mary Day:

We have really embraced primary care. The point is absolutely correct that there has to be a shift in patient pathways in respect of how we integrate primary care with the acute hospital sector. This time last year, we were very fortunate in that we have the Carlow-Kenny model in our group's area. We have a primary care physician, Dr. Ronan Fawsitt, who not only chairs the process but also sits on our Ireland East Hospital Group executive team. We set up local integrated pathways in a year in Wexford, Mullingar and Columcille's. We can really see the benefit of general practitioners working with the acute hospital sector and talking about patient pathways and how to move patients from the acute hospital side into primary care. It is also a question of how valuable care can be provided with the lowest complexity and in the right place. It is always about providing the right care in the right place at the right time.