Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 14 October 2020

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health

Update on Sláintecare

Mr. Dean Sullivan:

I thank the Chair for the opportunity to have the final word. We need to reflect the realities of Covid-19 and that has undoubtedly pushed out some of the timelines. Ms Magahy and I are joined in our commitment to transforming how and where services are delivered. It is clear from today's discussion and more generally, including the support announced in the budget, albeit the detail of that will have to be worked through, that we are all trying to get to a different place with the service. Committee members have described some particular issues and risks around disabilities and so on. We are just fixing small problems and that is not where I would like to be. I would like to be in a position where we have fixed everything and outstanding issues would be the exceptions, as opposed to facing challenges in waiting times across a range of areas.

I echo what Ms Magahy has said. As she said, she is keen and happy to appear before the committee on any occasion, as am I, and as are colleagues within the HSE as we continue on the journey we are on. Let us hope that we get through Covid-19 by the back-end of next year. We should try to make some progress on transformation during that year and lay the foundations for what will be a very different health and social care system for the State in the future.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.