Plans to establish six health regions viewed as ‘Positive Move’ - Lowry

‘Planned changes by CEO Bernard Gloster to establish six Health Regions across the country are being viewed as a positive move’ says Deputy Michael Lowry.

‘This plan sounds reminiscent of the former Health Board era, when obtaining health care was easier and far less traumatic for people. A time when people did not languish on hospital trolleys for hours or even days, or find themselves on waiting lists for months or even years.

‘A more localised management structure would be better equipped to serve the needs of each region and would be easier and more efficient to navigate.

‘Regional Management of Health provision is one of the key reforms contained in Slaintecare. Urgent and effective change is crucial.

‘The Ireland of today is a very different place to the days of the Health Boards. Our population has exploded. Demand for all levels of healthcare has multiplied. Standards in medicine and diagnostics have advanced enormously. People are more knowledgeable and diligent about their health requirements. Each of these factors have increased pressure on an already dysfunctional system.

‘The CEO has stridently stated that the Health allocation for the coming year is insufficient to meet needs. It is already apparent that a Supplementary Budget of €1.5billion will be required to bridge the gap.

‘This has become an established but alarming budgetary pattern. There is major and understandable concern that throwing money into the existing bottomless pit that the Health Service has become is not working. It is not addressing the problems – it is simply bridging the gap year after year.

‘Bridging this gap will become insurmountable and our Health Service will eventually eat into funding required for other crucial sectors of our economy.

‘It will be difficult for Governments in the future to justify reduced spending on housing and infrastructure or education and business, in order to cater for health. Yet every year this scenario seems more and more inevitable’ he says.