Written answers

Tuesday, 8 July 2014

Department of Health

Home Care Packages

Photo of John LyonsJohn Lyons (Dublin North West, Labour)
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765. To ask the Minister for Health if he supports legislating for a statutory entitlement to primary home care which will provide for a detailed and practical transfer of care protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29713/14]

Photo of Alex WhiteAlex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The Government has embarked on a major reform programme for the health system, the aim of which is to deliver a single-tier health service, supported by universal health insurance (UHI), where there is fair access to services based on need, not on ability to pay. Under UHI, everyone will have a choice of health insurer and access to a standard package of health services. In addition, a system of financial protection will ensure affordability by paying or subsidising UHI premiums for those who qualify.

TheWhite Paper on Universal Health Insurancewas published on 2nd April and is available on my Department's website at www.health.gov.ie. It provides substantial detail on the UHI model for Ireland, the process for determining the future health basket, including the standard package of services covered under UHI, funding mechanisms and the key stages of the journey to UHI. The aim is to have all necessary preparatory work for UHI in place by early 2016 with a view to full implementation of UHI by 2019.

Since publication of the White Paper, work on key areas to advance UHI has been underway, including:

- Ongoing preparatory work to establish an Expert Commission which will consult widely and make recommendations in relation to the scope and composition of the future health basket is being carried out.

- The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children has been invited to develop a Values Framework which will help inform the work of the Expert Commission in making recommendations on the services for inclusion in the future health basket. It is hoped that it will be in a position to commence hearings with stakeholders in the coming months.

The issue of the health basket is of central importance and the Government has identified overarching principles which will ensure that decisions in relation to the health basket are aligned with national health policy and with the overall strategic direction of the health service in Ireland, including:

- The composition of the health basket should acknowledge and promote the key role of primary care at the heart of the health system. It should also facilitate the delivery of integrated, person-centred care provided at the lowest level of complexity that is safe, timely, efficient and as close to home as possible.

The question of providing for primary home care will be considered in this context.

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