Results 12,061-12,080 of 24,567 for speaker:Róisín Shortall

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Hospital Groups (16 Nov 2016)

Róisín Shortall: I think we all noted that.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Hospital Groups (16 Nov 2016)

Róisín Shortall: We are giving them an opportunity to do that. I will bring in the RCSI Hospitals Group to respond to that question.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Hospital Groups (16 Nov 2016)

Róisín Shortall: I am sorry. We had difficulty hearing that.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Hospital Groups (16 Nov 2016)

Róisín Shortall: Perhaps we could have clarification on the statement. Mr. Carter referred to unrealistic stretch income targets being set and stated they were not achievable. Can you clarify what precisely are stretch income targets?

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Hospital Groups (16 Nov 2016)

Róisín Shortall: Can you clarify that? That is a significant point. Hospital groups are being set targets for income to be generated by private patients. When did these targets come into play? I was unaware that they existed.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Hospital Groups (16 Nov 2016)

Róisín Shortall: We are talking about public hospitals. You are saying that targets are being set for income to be generated from private patients.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Hospital Groups (16 Nov 2016)

Róisín Shortall: That is extraordinary.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Hospital Groups (16 Nov 2016)

Róisín Shortall: Mr Woods, will you clarify that point, please?

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Hospital Groups (16 Nov 2016)

Róisín Shortall: Is it a new practice to set targets for private income?

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Hospital Groups (16 Nov 2016)

Róisín Shortall: What happens if the targets are not met?

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Hospital Groups (16 Nov 2016)

Róisín Shortall: Why is that? Are you saying there is a contingency fund?

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Hospital Groups (16 Nov 2016)

Róisín Shortall: It strikes me as if there is a perverse incentive. If hospitals are under pressure, then they have little choice but to maximise their income from private patients. That is not what public hospitals should be doing.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Hospital Groups (16 Nov 2016)

Róisín Shortall: There is an incentive, however, for hospital groups to maximise the number of private patients because that is how they generate income. Is that correct?

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Hospital Groups (16 Nov 2016)

Róisín Shortall: Do you accept that there is a perverse incentive in place that works against a public hospital system?

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Hospital Groups (16 Nov 2016)

Róisín Shortall: Or something has to be cut.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Hospital Groups (16 Nov 2016)

Róisín Shortall: Yes, certainly. There are two items of information, first, the targets which are set and, second, the actual performance. If the committee could have that across each hospital group, it would be appreciated.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Hospital Groups (16 Nov 2016)

Róisín Shortall: Yes, but that perverse incentive is more likely to operate in respect of elective surgery if hospitals are strapped for cash.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Hospital Groups (16 Nov 2016)

Róisín Shortall: We will take the next group of members, starting with Deputy O'Connell.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Hospital Groups (16 Nov 2016)

Róisín Shortall: Does the RCSI delegation wish to respond?

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Hospital Groups (16 Nov 2016)

Róisín Shortall: I ask Mr. Carter to comment on the non-alignment of CHOs and hospital groups.