Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I welcome the opportunity to outline the current position on Kells primary health care centre. As the Senator is aware, the programme for Government sets out the Government's commitment to ensuring a better and more efficient health system and 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 that will give people direct access to integrated multidisciplinary teams of general practitioners, GPs, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other health care disciplines. This is central to the Government's objective of delivering a high quality, integrated and cost-effective health system.

A modern, well equipped primary care infrastructure is central to the effective 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-ordination between health providers. The infrastructure development, through a combination of public and private investment, will facilitate the delivery of multidisciplinary primary health care and represents a tangible refocusing of the health service to deliver care in the most appropriate and lowest cost setting.

The intention to date has been that, where appropriate, infrastructure for primary care centres would be provided by the private sector through negotiated lease agreements. The Exchequer will also fund the delivery of some primary care centres, particularly in deprived urban areas, small rural towns and isolated areas. In addition, a list of 35 potential locations for development by way of PPP as part of the Government's infrastructure stimulus package was published in July.

The provision of a centre in Kells has been progressed to date by way of a private sector operational lease process. Submissions were assessed by the HSE. A preferred provider was identified that satisfied the HSE key criteria and offered acceptable accommodation, in development, at a suitable location on the Dublin road in the town. An agreement for lease was reached with the preferred provider in 2010 and planning permission was received for the approximately 30,000 sq. ft. development. However the preferred provider has not been able to deliver the new primary care accommodation, due mainly to funding difficulties.

The HSE continues to engage with the preferred provider in the hope that the facility might be delivered within the timeframes of the agreement. While it continues to consider the possibility of delivering the centre by the private sector operational lease process, it is also considering alternative mechanisms and opportunities, including the PPP process. Kells is included in the locations being considered by the HSE for the Government's infrastructure stimulus package. Accordingly, the HSE is engaging with GPs in the area to assess GP interest and determine how best to deliver primary care accommodation in Kells.