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

I am happy to speak to this Bill, as it is an important part of measures being implemented to return overall responsibility for the health service to the Minister for Health and his Department. The Bill is somewhat technical in nature and contains the necessary provisions to bring financial governance of the HSE back within the framework of the Department of Health.

I can understand and appreciate the merits of creating the single health service, which merits presumably underpinned the creation of the HSE. A single authority replacing the various health boards made sense for a country of our size. While there were many missed opportunities in the past decade, with unworkable, ill thought-out policies such as co-location, the creation of the centres of excellence for cancer care against a backdrop of intense opposition has proven to be a correct policy with positive results for the people. However, time has also demonstrated that the creation of the HSE aided and abetted an evasion of responsibility. It became possible to blame a bureaucratic, unwieldy organisation for the ills that befell the health service. Charges of this nature were made regularly by various national and local public representatives.

The Minister for Health is introducing legislation and other measures that indicate clear points of responsibility and explicitly state objectives and how they are to be achieved. Most important, the Minister is taking responsibility directly for the reform of the health service. The establishment of hospital groups, a policy piloted in the west, is the most fundamental reform on the health services in decades and will ensure that hospitals in the regions work together to deliver care of the highest level and broadest range.

Despite the constant stream of negativity concerning health care, it is undeniable that tens of thousands of people across the country receive high quality health care from hospitals and primary care settings, provided by conscientious and dedicated health care staff. There have been tangible positive developments in the health service over the past three years, including a reduction by one third in the number of patients waiting on trolleys. There has been a reduction of over 90% in the number of people waiting more than a year for outpatient appointments. There has been a reduction of 99% in the number on the inpatient and day care waiting lists for eight months or more. There has been a reduction of 50% in the number of MRSA infections in hospitals, with 20 hospitals reporting no cases. Some €200 million was provided for the new children's hospital, with construction to commence next year and to be completed by 2018. The facility will provide world-class health care for generations of children.

These are developments that are drowned out, overlooked or ignored. These achievements are ones of which the many men and women working in the health care system, in every role, can and should be proud. However, to ensure that such provision of care continues, we need to implement reforms. A crucial reform is the abolition of the HSE. Another is the introduction of a universal health insurance system. Such a system, which will see all citizens having health insurance, will be rooted in the money-follows-the-patient model. No longer will block grants of public money be handed over with few, if any, conditions pertaining to standards or patient outcome. As the Minister stated earlier this week, care will be on the basis of need rather than one's income, a comment that should be the mission statement of every health system.

Another important measure about to be introduced is free general practitioner care for children under six. This is being viewed as a precursor to the introduction of such care for all citizens. Unfortunately, there are currently difficulties between the Irish Medical Organisation and HSE in negotiating this. We need to remember that all groups involved have the one aim, namely, the protection and promotion of the health of the people. There are certainly varying views on how we can achieve this but I appeal to the parties involved to commence meaningful and constructive talks and negotiations.

General practitioners have faced considerable challenges, as have most other professions and sections in society since the economic collapse. That said, I acknowledge that general practitioners, as with every other citizen, want to ensure that this measure is rolled out fully. I am confident that it will be.

There are a number of positive factors, particularly the children's hospital, which has been talked about for many years. I am delighted to see that work will commence on it next year and that it will be completed by 2018. The pilot scheme for reorganisation commenced in the west and it has been a success. More meetings have been held in public across the region, resulting in accountability. Oireachtas Members are fully briefed on issues of importance and we are fully aware and conscious of the decisions being made. We have powers to consult and engage with the officials; this is an important role. I commend the Minister of State, Deputy Alex White, and the other Ministers on the team on their work.

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