Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the interim report of the Committee on the Future of Healthcare. The work of the committee, with cross-party agreement, has the ability to make a lasting impact on the future health care needs of citizens. There is little doubt that Ireland needs a concrete long-term plan for the delivery of health services. Notwithstanding this, it is important to acknowledge the hardworking staff who contribute greatly on a daily basis to the delivery of front-line services. Much of what is said about health services is negative, but it is important to acknowledge the fantastic work being done. To do justice to all those staff and the people, we must approach our planning and funding of health services in a manner that is cohesive and based on sound principles. A solid plan and a commitment to change will result in the delivery of a health service of which we can all be proud.

Universal health care is an overarching goal of health systems across the globe. Developing a pathway towards universal health care is a key element of A Programme for a Partnership Government and the Government is fully committed to it. The committee's work will define what we mean by universal health care in the Irish context and provide a roadmap to achieve it. This, of course, includes the funding model that will underpin it. There is an onus on us all to engage constructively with this process and use the opportunity to demonstrate that cross-party consensus is most definitely achievable.

When people are ill, all they want is easy access to medical professionals who can treat and provide them with the health outcomes they desperately need. Access to the delivery of these services is the key difficulty that many patients face. The committee has prioritised this issue in its work schedule, which I welcome. We recognise that the current model of high volume hospital-based treatment is unsustainable and costly. This is not the future of health care for Ireland. It is internationally recognised that access to safe, timely care as close as possible to a patient's home is the most effective treatment plan for patients. Accessing appropriate treatment should cause the least disruption as possible to the individual's daily life and the lives of his or her family. This is particularly important for vulnerable persons such as those with mental health issues or the elderly and ageing population. While addressing patients' needs in the community has a myriad of advantages for the patient, it also aims to reduce the cost of delivering care in the longer term. Driving this initiative to have a positive impact must be a priority.

I am pleased that the committee is consulting widely with national experts and interested parties from within and outside the health care system. What we are discussing is its interim report. It has yet to meet a huge volume of experts and interested parties. I am also pleased that it is reaching out to experts from other countries to ensure a comprehensive search for the best solution for health care in Ireland. Like many colleagues, I too, listened to Professor Allyson Pollock from the University of London who spoke to the committee about her experiences. She rightly stated no one model was perfect. I am sure we all agree with her. We need to build a model that has a real fit with what Ireland needs for universal health care and be prepared to review and amend it when we have not made changes for the better. That is why a ten year term for the model is so important for the future. It is important to note that the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, has postponed putting the hospital groups on a legislative footing until such time as the committee has completed its work. The Minister has done this out of respect for it as obviously none of these changes can happen until they have been discussed in committee.

While the work of the committee is progressing, it is important that the Government make improvements to services where it can. The Minister has already outlined a range of initiatives which we have been able to advance since the new Government took office. These are aimed at delivering immediate improvements for patients and implementing various actions included in the programme for Government. In my area additional funding of €40 million has been provided this year for home care services. I agree with Deputies that that level of investment is not enough, but as the economy improves, so too will our ability to improve on that figure. I hope that following the work of the committee, we will see great progress in that regard. I have established a national task force on youth mental health to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. These are two important steps in the right direction.

The work of the Committee on the Future of Healthcare has the potential to create an historic new consensus and long-term vision for health care and health policy. I look forward to the conclusion of the committee's work and urge all Members of the House to engage in a constructive and positive manner. I wish the committee well in its work. I also wish Deputy Róisín Shortall well in her work as Chairman of the committee.

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