Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I am taking the Adjournment on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. At the outset, I reaffirm the Government's commitment to developing primary care services at local level. In line with the Government's policy document, Primary Care, A New Direction,the Health Service Executive is refocusing its services to give people direct access in the community to multidisciplinary teams, including general practitioners, nurses, health care assistants, home helps, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. This policy is designed to maintain people in their own homes and communities for as long as possible, decrease hospital attendances and facilitate early hospital discharge and supported care at home. The HSE plans to have 530 primary care teams and 134 health and social care networks developed by 2011. Additional funding of €52 million has been provided since 2002 for the development of primary care teams. At the end of March 2010, there were 236 teams holding clinical team meetings on individual client cases and involving GPs and HSE staff. In addition, a further 21 teams are holding clinical team meetings without GP participation. A total of 3,414 staff have been assigned to teams. Some 875 GPs are involved in the operation or development of teams. As well as reassigning staff from primary, community and continuing care services to work in primary care teams, the HSE also intends to redeploy a significant number of staff from acute hospitals and corporate functions into the community.

With regard to the development of a primary care centre in Glenties, the HSE has submitted its draft capital plan which sets out its capital investment proposals over the period 2010-14. Consultations are ongoing between the Department of Health and Children, the HSE and the Department of Finance. Details of the developments included in the plan will be published following its approval. I hope the Senator will appreciate that the plan cannot be announced until it is approved. However, his intervention this evening is timely.