Dr. Matthew Sadlier:

I am not expert in law but existing provisions around confidentiality, security protection, data protection and so on will have to be amended if we are to have a system that is functional. There is no point having a system in respect of which the data protection requirement is so high it is unusable, but equally we do not want a system that can be easily hacked and so on. If my credit card provider can move from the swipe card to the chip and pin card within six months, why can the health care service not do things faster?

Also, communications between hospitals and primary care providers needs to be improved. When a patient becomes ill and calls an ambulance he or she may be taken to the Mater Hospital or Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown. The patient could also choose to make their way to either hospital on their own or with a friend. If that patient has a long history of illness, in respect of which the records are held at another hospital, or if he or she has recently had an investigative procedure carried out at another hospital, to get those records I have to sign four consent forms. That needs to change, taking into account data protection requirements.

On the question of what one thing would change my life as a practitioner on the ground, I think improved information systems could generate huge efficiencies in the mental health service and across the physical health service. From our perspective, recruitment and retention of staff is an issue. I think we also need to have a conversation around health service staff being dealt with in a separate way to other staff in the public sector.