Dr. Karena Hanley:

We have just received a lot of questions, but they share a common theme. I cannot overemphasise the efficiency and productivity of a well-functioning, good general practice team. If this is also then embedded well in a primary care team, the potential to sort out a lot of these problems is enormous. We had such a lovely vision back in 1992 in the "Future of Health" document which described a really good way forward. Once again, there was talk about investing in primary care and general practice, but once again, it did not happen. Deputy O'Reilly talked about practice nurses and practice staff perhaps being employed by the HSE, but that fragments care. From talking to businesspeople, one knows that someone who is self-employed in his or her own business with a well functioning small business unit can increase productivity by 20% compared to State employment or a large, anonymous organisation. If one has practice nurses and practice staff employed by the HSE, that will increase fragmentation of care.