David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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I thank Dr. Murphy. Our time is limited and I have one more question to put.

An issue that is coming up a lot at this committee when we have witnesses before us is the recruitment embargo that was in place and the still very limited recruitment for 2024. The witnesses' opening statement refers to "... significant workforce issues including an embargo on filling vacant positions since October 2023". That is consistent with what we have heard from SIPTU, Fórsa - which we will hear from later - and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation as well. One example given troubles me because it goes against the spirit of Sláintecare, which is that we provide the right care in the right place at the right time and provide care in the community as an alternative to acute care.

Professor McKeown said in his opening statement that there are novel services to manage patients in the community following an admission to hospital with acute decompensated heart failure in order to reduce their risk of readmission, which has been suspended. It strikes me as bizarre that one would suspend a service like that. In the remaining minute and a half, can he explain what that service was and why it was suspended?