Mr. Jim Deane:

The Deputy asked about the drivers of the capital investment in health. To return to what Deputy Durkan said, changing demographics are part of it, as is Sláintecare. Deputy Boyd Barrett asked where we are looking to get to. Universal healthcare and care in the communities, with the right care in the right place at the right time, are the vision for the health sector. Digitisation is a key part of that and that agenda is being pushed. There are also standards and regulatory requirements imposed by HIQA and we have to increase capital spending to meet those standards. Patient safety is another key concern.

The Deputy asked what lessons are being learned from Covid. The HSE and the Department of Health are examining their plans and priorities as a direct consequence of the pandemic and work in that regard includes service continuity, revised infection guidelines and the emergence of revised healthcare priorities. This relates to the very point the Deputy made about increasing ICU capacity, oxygen supply, acute and intermediate care beds and enhanced community care, for which significant investment is required.

Part of the NDP review concerns getting all those issues together and seeing how we can deliver better outcomes. The Department is trying to identify where the spending is going and what exactly the outcome from that will be, and work is ongoing in that regard. From our Department's perspective in the context of the health Vote, not only are we seeking to ensure that spending remains within budget and that there is sustainability in respect of health expenditure but also - this is the point the Deputy was getting at - we want better healthcare outcomes. We want defined targets and metrics to measure whether we are making progress in that regard and ensure money is being well spent.