Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)

I thank the Senator for raising this issue. The programme for Government sets out this Government's commitment to ensuring a better and more efficient health system; a single-tier health service that will deliver equal access to health care based on need, not income. In a developed primary care system, up to 95% of people's day-to-day health and social care needs can be met in the primary care setting. The key objective of the primary care strategy is to develop services in the community which will give people direct access to integrated multidisciplinary teams of general practitioners, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other health care disciplines. This is central to this Government's objective of delivering a high quality, integrated and cost-effective health system. The HSE has identified that 485 primary care teams will be needed by the end of 2012. Some 403 primary care teams were in operation by the end of April 2012. They were holding clinical team meetings on individual client cases, involving general practitioners and HSE staff. The development of primary care services is an essential component of the health service reform process. A modern and well-equipped primary care infrastructure is central to the efficient functioning of primary care teams. These teams enable multidisciplinary services to be delivered on a single site, provide a single point of access for users and encourage closer co-operation between health providers. The infrastructure that will be developed through a combination of public and private investment will facilitate the delivery of multidisciplinary primary health care. This represents a tangible refocusing of the health service to deliver care in the most appropriate and lowest cost setting. To date, the intention has been that infrastructure can be provided, where appropriate, by the private sector through negotiated lease agreements.

The Exchequer will continue to fund the delivery of primary care centres in deprived urban areas, small rural towns and isolated areas. Where service needs dictate, accommodation will be provided in primary care centres for mental health service delivery. The universal primary care project team was established earlier this year to make progress with the various primary care commitments in the programme for Government. Six work streams have been identified, one of which is addressing infrastructure needs. The HSE submitted its accommodation needs assessment report for primary care teams earlier this year. Delivery of primary care infrastructure must be informed by an analysis of needs, with priority being given to areas of urban and rural deprivation. The HSE is currently prioritising locations for primary care centres on the basis of an analysis of needs. Decisions on a delivery programme will be made when this exercise has been completed. The HSE's national service plan for 2012 states that a primary care centre in Athenry will be delivered late in 2012 using the lease initiative. Construction of the facility has begun. It is estimated that it will be completed late in the third quarter of 2012. The primary care team in Ballinasloe is accommodated in a building that was completed in 2003. Decisions on locations for primary care centres will be made in the context of the prioritisation exercise that is under way. I thank the Senator again for raising this issue.