Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent)
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Many of my questions have already been asked and I will not go over them again. Our health system between hospitals, GPs, care etc. is fairly broken. Up to 2007 or 2008, GPs were able to make a good living. Consultants and hospitals were protecting whatever they had. I have listened to what the witnesses said about implementing that care in the community, changing the mindset of the hospitals and GPs, and linking into the other services. I think there will be a bit of a bulwark there. The witnesses have said they have been let down by hospitals and consultants and that they cannot get what they need from them promptly and on time. Obviously, a certain cohort in the hospitals will look to protect their own position in the hospital. We need to find a way to get everybody to buy into something that will benefit everybody, particularly the patient. We need to focus on that. Is the new GP contract being negotiated at the moment?