Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am always happy to talk to Deputy Louise O'Reilly. While we have not had a specific meeting on this, we did have a good exchange at the Joint Committee on Health and I believe there is merit in her suggestion. However, there is a missing piece, although it is not the Deputy's fault. It concerns knowing what is on the waiting list. The fact that we do not have a unique health identifier means we do not know how many times a person could appear on a waiting list. The key to unlocking the potential in the Deputy's suggestion is the unique health identifier. I have asked the e-health people in the HSE to look at the Deputy's suggestion in that context. The next step in any reform of waiting lists is putting in place the unique health identifier so we can establish exactly how many times people appear on waiting lists. At present, nobody knows if a patient is on a waiting list multiple times for multiple doctors because the health service lacks the ability to identify individual patients. The unique health identifier is due in 2017 and is a really important element. I will keep in touch with the Deputy about this matter.

In response to Deputy Durkan, the primary care centres are very important but not if we just consider success to be bricks and mortar. It is what happens within the primary care centre that matters, which is why we need a new GP contract. Access to diagnostics is a huge piece. I want to work with the Department of Finance to fulfil a commitment in the programme for Government to see how we deliver diagnostic equipment in the community.

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