Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for her question. I very much welcome the opportunity to outline the current position with on Portumna primary health care centre.

As the Senator will be aware, the programme for Government sets out the 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 that will give people direct access to integrated multi-disciplinary teams of general practitioners, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other health care disciplines. This is central to the Government's objective to deliver 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 public private partnership, as part of the Government's infrastructure stimulus package, was published last July.

The provision of a primary care centre in Portumna has been progressed to date by way of a private sector operational lease process. In 2007 the HSE advertised nationally seeking expressions of interest to develop primary care centres by way of operational lease. Portumna was one of the locations included in the process. Expressions of interest were received and a number of sites explored. The HSE approved an offer to one of two applicants in 2008 and a letter of intent issued. In 2010 the applicant advised the HSE that it proposed to change the site for the centre as it had encountered difficulties in acquiring the original proposed site. The alternative site was acceptable to the HSE and to the GP practice supporting the development and project design was advanced in 2010 to 2011.

The applicant in question has had discussions with the HSE on a number of primary care centre developments it is promoting and seeking to fund, including Portumna. These discussions have recently concluded and the HSE expects to receive confirmation from the applicant that it is in a position to fund the primary care developments concerned. The HSE is endeavouring to progress the Portumna project as soon as possible.

I ask the Senator to keep in touch with my office and that of the Minister of State, Deputy Alex White, and I can keep her updated on progress.