Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am taking this issue on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, who apologises for having to attend another engagement. The HSE has advised that Louth primary care services have not applied staffing cuts during 2016. Department officials have, however, been advised by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, RCSI, hospital group that its cost containment plan for the Louth hospital group, which comprises Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and Louth County Hospital, included the release of 9.5 agency staff from various administrative and clerical roles within the two hospitals. Senior management in the hospitals sought to retain two of those agency staff for a short period to facilitate an efficient transition of work duties to other staff within the hospitals. At this time, 7.5 agency staff have been released, with the final two to follow at a later stage.

The HSE has advised that community health organisation area 8, which includes Louth and Meath, is projected to run €1.5 million in excess of available funds for primary care services for 2016.

This overspend is across the six counties of the CHO. Each service manager has been tasked with exploring ways in which efficiencies and savings can be achieved. As I have already advised the Deputy, Louth primary care has not applied staffing cuts during 2016. The HSE has advised that where vacancies arise, applications are made by individual service departments to fill them.

Significant additional resources have been invested in recent years in primary care and disabled services with a view to enhancing therapy service provision. In particular, additional funding of €20 million was provided in 2013 to strengthen primary care services and to support the recruitment for prioritised front-line posts. Over 260 additional posts for primary care teams have been filled as part of this initiative.

More recently, €4 million was provided under the HSE's national service plan 2016 to focus specifically on addressing speech and language therapy waiting lists in primary care and social care for children up to 18 years. This funding is facilitating the HSE to appoint 83 new full-time and recurring posts in primary care to address waiting lists, prioritising the longest-waiting children. I am advised that three posts have been allocated to Louth under this initiative.

Alongside services provided through primary care teams and networks, Louth has a Community Intervention Team, CIT, in place to facilitate early discharge from hospital. The 2016-17 winter initiative provides for the expansion of CIT services in Louth and Meath with the potential to support additional patients through the winter and during 2017.

I also understand that there has been increased investment in addiction services across the Louth and Meath area during 2016, with three additional clinical posts coming on stream. Additionally, there have been improvements in podiatry and dietetics services as part of chronic disease management. Furthermore, budget 2017 provides additional funding of €18.5 million for the further development of primary care services. This funding will support the Government's commitment to a shift towards primary care so that we can provide better care close to home for communities around the country.

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