Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----to free up the time of a public health doctor to talk to someone who gets a positive result. I am confident things are moving in the right direction but I am in no way complacent or cocky about it. This is going to be an area that will require the scrutiny of this House, the Covid-19 committee and the likes. That will be a very constructive role. Deputy Pringle has also raised a very pertinent issue concerning our hospital services. I am conscious I am talking about the future. At some point, this House is going to elect a Government and some of these questions will fall to that Government.

My own view of the world, for what it is worth, is that we are going to need to look at new ways of doing things in the health service. It is no longer a case of it being nice if we did things in a new way. It is going to be essential. Deputy Pringle is entirely right. Things we have been talking about for years, such as telemedicine, are now happening. We need that to continue happening. I also refer to the idea that all outpatients, as the Deputy referred to, need to go to the hospital, when some might be able to be seen in community assessment hubs or primary care centres. I agree fully with the Deputy on that. It is a big body of work.

It will fall to me currently but, principally, to the new Government and committees that scrutinise the work of that Government in terms of how we make Sláintecare happen in that regard. The advantage is we have a blueprint from Sláintecare in terms of how some of these things should be brought about. I am happy to keep in touch with the Deputy on it.

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