Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In view of the "Prime Time" programme broadcast last night, it is important to recognise that a great number of staff in the HSE - the vast majority - are working extremely hard and committed and dedicated to their jobs. My colleague referred to the average spend per head of population on health. We have the second highest spend in the OECD, but the question is whether we are spending the money wisely and, if not, how that situation has arisen. When one considers the HSE's 2015 annual report, it is worrying that the number of managers went from 4,700 to 5,000, an increase of 300. The number of clerical assistants increased by 700, whereas the number of public health nurses increased by 60. This is in an area in which we should be increasing the numbers of those on the ground to ensure people receive advice and care in their homes and localities rather than having to be admitted to hospital.

Some of the figures for the health service are being lost in the process. For instance, there are 3.2 million outpatient attendances every year, or 63,000 per week. There are 23,000 attendances in emergency department per week, which gives a total of 86,000 attendances in these two areas alone per week. This is outside the numbers in hospitals.The figure of 86,000 per week shows the volume of work that is being done. We do not give credit to those who are doing this work.

Three weeks ago, I wrote an article for the Evening Echoin Cork about the increase in population. In the past 30 years, the population of County Cork has increased from 410,000 to 542,000, an increase of 132,000 or approximately 30%. In the same period, the number of hospital beds in the county has not increased. We had plenty of money in the period between 1998 and 2008, yet not one new major hospital facility was opened in the county during that time and no real long-term planning took place. One of the major problems in health care is that planning seems to be done on an annual basis rather than for the long term. Time and again, I have raised the need to provide more hospital beds in response to demographic change. We can open all the primary care centres we like but they will not sort out the problems of accident and emergency departments and waiting lists. The number of beds in major hospitals must be increased. While doctors have increased the number of day procedures, which reduces the number of overnight admissions, this does not solve the problem. Planning is needed in this area.