Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Up until a few short years ago, throwing money at the health care system was viewed as the solution to its challenges and ills. We now know that this approach did not have the desired effect and in reality, ignored the root causes of problems in our health care system. If there is anything at all positive about financial constraints it is that they force a new approach and a re-evaluation and examination of not just what we spend, but how we spend it. The Minister for Health, officials in his Department, nurses, doctors and staff of the HSE have all been working to bring reform to our health service within the budget necessitated by the State's current financial situation.

Despite the detractors, doubters and cynics, we are seeing results. In my constituency, the new Galway Roscommon hospital group is proof of the benefits which the new group hospital structure can bring. In 2012 the group successfully treated more patients, faster and more efficiently, despite a reduced budget. The group successfully tackled the significant problems in the accident and emergency department and exceeded the targets set by the Department of Health's new special delivery unit. In 2012 it effectively halved the numbers waiting for accident and emergency care and achieved a reduction of over 36% in the number of patients on trolleys awaiting treatment. The Galway Roscommon hospital group clearly demonstrates that strategic and targeted use of public money always delivers better outcomes than the old practice of simply throwing money at a broken system. Fixing and reforming the system is what we must do, while simultaneously ensuring that people can continue to access high-quality health care.

Last month the Department of Health published what I believe to be one of the most significant documents it has published in many years. Unfortunately, it received very little attention in many political and media circles, who instead prefer to focus on negative stories rather than progress or plans for reform. Entitled The Path to Universal Healthcare, the document examines the current health care system, with a focus on health insurance and sets out a vision for how we will achieve a single-tier health service supported by universal health insurance, which provides equal access based on need and not on ability to pay. The overall goal is to develop a new health-insurance-supported health care system, guided by health promotion, equal access, patient safety, outcome-based rewards, as well as efficiency and effectiveness.

Specifically with regard to the health insurance market, the focus of Government will be on ensuring a fair and robust community-rated market. The concept of community rating is central to a properly functioning health care system. The health insurance market is one of the clearest examples of where government involvement and, indeed, interference with the commercial market is both fundamental and welcome. It is, put simply, positive discrimination which ensures that our citizens can access affordable health insurance, regardless of age, gender or health. Many people will be aware of community rating through the Supreme Court ruling of January 2009 which declared that the then Government's risk equalisation was based on an incorrect interpretation of the law and had to be set aside. This led to an unsatisfactory interim measure to plug the gap which the Supreme Court had found. This Government committed to finding a workable and effective solution that would be rooted in fairness among the health insurance companies and, most importantly, for citizens. We achieved that commitment with the passing of the Health Insurance (Amendment) Act last year. The Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, and his officials have ensured that fairness remains at the heart of the health insurance market. The new permanent scheme of risk equalisation protects the community rating system and ensures inter-generational solidarity in the provision of health insurance.

Reforms are continuing apace, radically improving our health system so that it prioritises patient safety, is patient centred and delivers the best health outcomes for citizens. It will take time but I am confident that we are beginning to see the results.

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