Written answers
Tuesday, 29 June 2010
Department of Health and Children
Departmental Expenditure
10:00 am
John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 254: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the elements of the report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes that have been implemented to date by her Department; her plans to implement any aspects of the plan in the future; if the overall plan has been assessed by her Department; and if so, her views on the benefits of the plans. [28117/10]
Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following table:-
| Recommendations | Status |
| Vote 39 | |
| Reduce the size of the Department of Health & Children | The Incentivised Scheme for Early Retirement and the recruitment and promotion moratorium has been applied to the Department. Number of staff (Whole Time Equivalents) in 2008 was 526.50 and in 2009 was 485.88. The figure at the end of May 2010 was 480.71.These figures take account of an additional 33.17WTEs transferred into my Department during 2009 & 2010 as a result of the transfer of youth affairs responsibilities from the Department of Education and Science, other functions from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, the dissolution of the National Council on Ageing and Older People, the Women's Health Council and the forthcoming dissolution of the Children's Act Advisory Board under the rationalisation of agencies programme. |
| Merge the Ombudsman for Children with the Office of the Ombudsman | Government decided not to implement this |
| Merge Health Research Board with single stream science funding | Initiative to streamline STI funding announced in Budget |
| Integrate the Health Insurance Authority into the Financial Regulator | Not implemented but no savings would accrue here as the Health Insurance Authority is funded by the industry |
| Restrict the National Treatment Purchase Fund | Not implemented |
| Remove the Exchequer element of agencies part funded by the National Lottery | Funding has been reduced by €199,000 in 2010 |
| Vote 40 | |
| Health sector efficiencies | HSE is to achieve €106m in efficiencies in 2010 |
| Health sector staffing | HSE pay is being reduced by €100m in 2010 for reduced staffing |
| Eliminate all bonus payments to HSE staff | Bonus payments not provided for in 2010 |
| Revise income guidelines for medical cards | Not implemented |
| Increase threshold for Drugs Payments Scheme | Threshold increased |
| Introduce co-payment (€5) for GMS and LTI prescriptions | Health (Amendment) No. 2 Bill 2010 was published on 25th June 2010 providing the legislative basis for charges to be made in respect of prescription items dispensed to medical card holders. (The proposed charge is per item rather than per prescription in order to provide on an equitable basis for the fact that the number of items per prescription may vary). A charge of 50 cent will be imposed in respect of prescription items dispensed by a community pharmacy contractor on foot of a prescription issued under the GMS (Medical Card) Scheme |
| Tendering for GMS services | Reductions in drug costs agreed with the IPHA, together with other measures, expected to produce savings of €94m in a full year. Reductions in pharmacy fees were also implemented under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) Act. |
| Increase hospital charges | Charges are not being increased this year but the HSE is required as part of its National Service Plan to improve the collection rate of charges |
| Increase charges for private beds in public hospitals | Charges are not being increased this year but the HSE is required as part of its National Service Plan to improve the collection rate of charges |
| Introduce mandatory protocols to use generic medicines | This matter has received detailed examination and it is intended that legislation will be introduced in order to provide for reference pricing |
| Efficiencies in non-emergency patient transport | HSE is to make savings of €4.3m in 2010 |
| Efficiencies in Disability and Mental Health administration | Overall €106m savings to be achieved on non-pay by HSE, including Disability and Mental Health providers, in 2010 |
| Increase percentage recoupment under Fair Deal | Not implemented |
| Introduce Means Test for Homecare Packages | Not implemented |
| Vote 41 | |
| Abolish the transitional provisions for the National Childcare Investment Programme | The allocation to the NCIP was reduced by €2.5m |
| Alter the means test by eliminating Band C | New arrangements to achieve savings will be introduced in September 2010. |
| Rationalise the administrative structures of the National Childcare Investment Programme | Not implemented pending introduction of new Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE) scheme and subsequent review. |
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