Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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1026. To ask the Minister for Health when the hospital beds capacity report will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1374/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Health Service Capacity Review is examining health service capacity across all key areas of primary care, acute care and services for older people.

My Department had direct engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the terms of reference for the Review early last year. The emerging findings from the process have also been the subject of broader discussions with that Department in relation to health reform and future capital investment in the context of the mid-term review of the current capital plan and the forthcoming ten year National Development Plan.

By October 2017, significant progress had been made on data collection, data analysis, and the development of baseline projections. A public stakeholder consultation process and detailed engagement with health system experts had been carried out and the International Peer Review Group had substantively validated the Review's approach and methodology. Sufficient progress had also been made on modelling the impact of potential policy and productivity changes over the projection period.

Work on the Health Service Capacity Review is at an advanced stage. As previously indicated, the review has a wider scope than previous exercises in that it is examining key elements of primary and community care capacity in addition to acute hospital capacity. This Review will provide a basis for determining both the extent of capacity requirements over the next 15 years and the type of capacity needed. The findings will also inform the development of a new 10 year national development plan.

I expect to receive the final report very shortly and I intend to bring the report to Government and have it published as soon as possible thereafter.