Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is correct. I recently met some of the representatives of radiographers and I am aware that the latter are willing to do more within the public health service. We are exploring with the HSE the additional tasks they want to take on, which will lessen the burden on other parts of our health service. Where health service professionals put their hands up and say they are willing to do more and play a role, it is very important that the HSE responds positively.

We must ensure that diagnostics are available within the community where it is possible to do so in order that we might keep people out of acute hospitals. Sometimes we clap ourselves on the back too much for building a primary care centre when the real question we must ask is what is in the primary care centre. It cannot just be a fancy GP centre that has diagnostic equipment. There is a commitment in the programme for Government to look at how we can incentivise health care professionals to provide diagnostic equipment within the community so that primary care centres can provide real primary care.

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