Seanad debates

Wednesday, 25 June 2003

Council Regulation on Procedures for amending the Sirene Manual: Referral to Joint Committee. - Health Service Reform: Statements (Resumed).

 

There is no sense that the patient, consumer or customer – one can use whatever phrase one wants – will come first under this framework of reform. The patient will not be at the heart of this reform programme because issues such as auditing, accounting, value for money and watching every penny will be priorities. I have examined the membership of the Brennan commission, which has produced a fine report and has done an excellent job so far, from a public information and public accountability point of view. It has given people details of how money is spent. I do not want anybody to say that the Labour Party does not consider this to be important, because it does, but spending money in a way that provides high quality health care for patients should be a priority.

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