Jimmy Devins (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

As the Minister for Health and Children stated last night, this motion is not just black and white — it is all black, unfortunately. That is no surprise because members of the Labour Party frequently speak about this country's health service in a negative fashion. I often wonder whether they are living in the real world. There are problems in the health service, but they are being dealt with. Over the past 12 months, an increasing number of people who have used the health service have told me how satisfied they are with it. I am sure the other Deputies in the House have had the same experience. One of the most poignant episodes I encountered recently was when I met an elderly lady who had been having treatment for cancer in Sligo General Hospital over a period of time. Her life had not been easy, especially during the recent past, as she had been in constant pain for some time. When I met her some weeks ago, she praised the treatment she received and the courtesy that was extended to her by the staff of the hospital. I have noticed this trend to an increasing extent over recent months. In most cases, people who have had contact with the health service, at primary level or in a hospital setting, have told me they were more satisfied with the service than they were in the past.

There are problems in the health care system, as I have said, and they must be addressed. One of the problems I have encountered is the length of time patients have to wait to be called to outpatient clinics. Such problems occur in just a few specialties, because matters have improved recently. We have all noticed the great effect the National Treatment Purchase Fund has had on the length of time patients have to wait for operations. The dramatic reduction in waiting times can be attributed in no small measure to the work of the fund. I wonder whether a similar scheme might be considered for patients who have been on outpatient waiting lists for a long time. Most hospitals operate emergency waiting lists for medical or surgical emergencies. The stress and pain encountered by people whose cases are not considered emergencies, but who have to wait a long time to be called for a first consultation, can be very debilitating in many instances. I would welcome an innovative approach that would help to shorten such waiting lists, perhaps like that adopted in the National Treatment Purchase Fund.

In the remaining time available to me, I would like to speak about the overall work of the Health Service Executive. Along with many of my colleagues from the west, I attended a briefing by the western section of the HSE in Leinster House this morning. Two Deputies left the meeting early, unfortunately. I do not know whether they left because they had other things to do — perhaps their departure could be considered as a walk-out. I said at that meeting, as I have said in this Chamber on previous occasions, that I have an excellent relationship with the people who work for the HSE in Sligo and Manorhamilton. If I have a problem or a query, it is attended to in a speedy and courteous fashion. I might not always like the answers I am given, but I cannot deny that the staff of the HSE are available and responsive. It seems there are difficulties in the communication between the various local offices and the central governing body of the HSE. I accept that such matters have improved, but it was not before time. I ask the Minister for Health and Children to use her offices to facilitate further improvements in this regard. The HSE was established to offer the best possible service to the users of the health system — patients and their families. Any logjam or lack of communication between local services and national issues must be avoided. I commend the Minister's amendment to the House.

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