Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 45: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the action she is taking to ensure that cuts in the health budget do not impact in frontline services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1600/11]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I approved the HSE National Service Plan 2011 on 21 December 2010. In approving the Plan, I highlighted to the HSE the need to maintain services as well as operating within the limits of its Voted allocation of €13.456bn, a net reduction of €683m on the 2010 provision.

The Plan commits the HSE to delivering activity levels for 2011 which are broadly in line with 2010 levels. The Plan also reflects my guidance to the HSE that there should be a particular focus on protecting services to vulnerable groups, in particular mental health and disability services.

Notwithstanding the difficult financial environment, the Government has made available additional resources to underscore its emphasis on particular priority service areas and to support ongoing reform of the public health services. In relation to primary, community and continuing care services, activity levels are in line with 2010, with some growth in activity proposed in areas such as home care packages and medical card schemes to address pressures on these areas. Hospital activity levels will target a 2% reduction in inpatient activity to be offset by a 3% increase in day cases, leading to a modest increase in total hospital care. The implementation of national programmes such as the acute medicine and surgical programmes will support the delivery of these targets. The quality agenda for cancer services will also continue, as will the outpatient service improvement programme.

It is a challenge to everyone working in the health services this year to focus on delivering the innovation and change required to protect and indeed improve our services for patients. The early approval of the Service Plan will allow a strong budgetary focus to be in place at all levels within the health service from the outset of the year. By reducing costs and reforming the way services are provided, I am confident the HSE will maintain appropriate access to services and continue to improve health outcomes for the population.

The Plan was laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas and published on the HSE's website on 22 December. During 2011, the HSE will provide me with monthly performance reports on all aspects of progression of the Plan.