John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, apologises that she cannot be present to reply to this matter.

As outlined and agreed in its national service plan, a key objective for the Health Service Executive for 2009 is to manage the delivery of activity targets. The Deputy will appreciate that the executive is facing financial pressures arising, to a large degree, from the broader economic situation, particularly an increase in the number of medical cards and lower receipts from the health levy. These cost pressures are factors outside the control of the HSE and, therefore, it must take measures to counter their effects in so as far as is possible. It must maintain a strong focus on achieving the maximum efficiency in the delivery of services. This will also require the co-operation and flexibility of all involved, including those working at the front line of care delivery, so that the effect on services for patients will be minimised.

Among the key objectives across the health service are the provision of a greater proportion of elective hospital treatment on a day basis, a shift in mental health services from the acute hospital setting to community-based services and the development of multidisciplinary primary care teams. In response to the serious challenges I have described, the executive management board at Kerry General Hospital is reviewing all areas across its services to ensure that all opportunities for increased efficiency are pursued and that the hospital remains within its allocated budget for 2009.

Specific areas identified for cost containment and efficiencies include the non-filling of management-administration vacancies, the co-ordinated planning of leave hospital-wide to ensure that locum cover is not required and ensuring that private patients are accommodated in the beds appropriate to such patients. One ward will also be converted from seven-day to five-day use. In other words, it will be closed at weekends. This will generate a significant saving without compromising patient care. Senior staff and heads of department at the hospital, as well as union representatives, have been briefed in respect of the efficiencies and cost savings plan being put in place. Local Oireachtas Members have also been briefed with regard to these measures.

The HSE must keep its financial position under constant review, particularly in light of the evolving situation in respect of demand-led schemes such as the GMS. Accordingly, the executive management board of Kerry General Hospital will continue to review its service delivery arrangements as necessary throughout the year. It is clear that the State and the agencies responsible for the delivery of public services face unprecedented economic and financial pressures in the current year. This represents a major challenge on many fronts. In the health sector, we will be obliged to deliver more for a given level of resources and this will require the co-operation of all involved. The key priority for the Government and the HSE in dealing with serious budget pressures on the health services is to ensure that the maximum level of service is provided within available financing and that the impact on front-line services will be minimised.

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