Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have.

On Deputy Calleary's point, the work on the stroke units was an important piece of work. Since stroke units came in well over a decade ago, they have been transformative in terms of the impact on survival from strokes, improvements and prevention. I heard the consultant on “Morning Ireland” this morning in relation to this. We will examine that audit. Those clinical strategies are the most effective in health. While they do not get the same headlines, they have proven to be the most effective way to improve health, prevent injury and prevent disease through cardiovascular strategies, cancer strategies and stroke strategies. They have been the most effective in improving healthcare and survival rates in this country. The Deputy is absolutely correct about the challenges facing all of us in attracting specialists to the regions. That is a both an academic and an advanced medicine problem. Many consultants and clinicians want to be in centres of tertiary care so that they can get experience, as well as for their career development and so on. That is where the magnet is.

The hospital groups are now developing strategies, including a bespoke model, if you like, to enable those at the centre to provide services to hospitals within the group. I believe that is the way forward. We need to engage with the colleges, such as various colleges of anaesthesia, surgery or whatever, to tell them that we need new models to ensure that we can maintain and retain capacity in the regional hospitals. That is an ongoing challenge to health here and all over the world, but particularly in Ireland in our rural and regional areas.

I agree with Deputy Boyd Barrett on community. There has been a 19% reduction in waiting times in primary care for psychology for under 18-year-olds. There has been additional investment put into the primary care psychological services. That is a 19% reduction among under 18-year-olds years who have been waiting more than 12 months to access primary care psychology. We need to do more in relation to that.

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