Results 12,041-12,060 of 24,567 for speaker:Róisín Shortall

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Róisín Shortall: I thank Deputy O'Reilly and I now call Deputy Barry.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Róisín Shortall: I think it is important to clarify a point. Our mandate, as Deputy Barry states, is to draw up a strategy for the introduction of a universal single-tier health service. That does not necessarily preclude any private health sector but what it does mean is that any State subsidy to private services would cease. We know that in the United Kingdom, which has the NHS, 10% to 15% of people have...

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Róisín Shortall: I wish to clarify that the committee has not made such a proposal.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Róisín Shortall: One cannot prevent a person in any country who has sufficient means from buying top of the range accommodation and immediate access to health care.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Róisín Shortall: Dr. Turner has mentioned case law. The committee does not propose such a situation. People have a right to buy services if they wish. Dr. Turner referred to the State funding of health services.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Róisín Shortall: It is important to make that clarification.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Róisín Shortall: Does Deputy Barry seek a clarification?

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Róisín Shortall: Will Dr. Turner give us those figures again, please?

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Róisín Shortall: Dr. Turner is only talking about bed capacity. What about all the other procedures that go on in hospitals?

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Róisín Shortall: Yes, but not all the acute hospital sector public spending relates to inpatient activity.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Róisín Shortall: There is all the other activity that we are talking about taking out.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Róisín Shortall: So the estimate there does not really stand up.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Róisín Shortall: Okay, but it is quite dangerous to be using ballpark figures that do not have evidence to support them. A few figures have been thrown out here this morning that could be contested, so we need to be careful about the use of figures.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Róisín Shortall: In terms of the evidence, surely we should be aiming for a European standard for what consultants are paid.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Róisín Shortall: Okay, but we do not say we should pay them whatever they want.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Róisín Shortall: I am sorry, but Dr. Turner quoted a friend of his saying it. Let us slow down a bit on that.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Róisín Shortall: That is some position to be polling.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Róisín Shortall: What does that mean, on usage?

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Róisín Shortall: It is also a question of disentangling public and private money. Mr. Turner speaks of our need to spend lots of money. Can he put that in terms of the overall spend of €19 billion, which is pretty close to the top of the European spend?

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Health Service Reform: Dr. Brian Turner (25 Jan 2017)

Róisín Shortall: Deputy Durkan used a quote to the effect that the private sector is feasting on the public sector. Mr. Turner said that €3 billion of the €19 billion spend comes from private health insurance. How is it that 46% of the population is covered by private health insurance? Does that not imply a major subsidy from public to private?