Health Reform Alliance ‘disappointed’ at missed Sláintecare deadline

Mr Paul Gordon, Chairperson of the Alliance, said: “Despite the priority given to the Sláintecare Report by the Taoiseach following his appointment in June, there is neither sight nor sound of the proposed Implementation Office or of the Minister for Health’s detailed response to the report.”

The Oireachtas Future of Healthcare Committee proposed setting up an Implementation Office under the auspices of An Taoiseach by the end of July 2017.

Mr Gordon said the Sláintecare Report is “a once-in-a-generation opportunity to offer meaningful reform, but it will falter without strong support”.  He said that the establishment of an Implementation Office, without further delay, would be “a real statement of intent”.

In June, the Taoiseach tasked the Minister for Health with preparing a detailed response to the report, but this has yet to be presented to Cabinet.

Ms Kathryn Reilly, also speaking on behalf of the Alliance, said: “We await the Minister for Health’s response with interest, and welcome the Taoiseach’s recent acknowledgement of the need to disentangle the public-private mix in our hospitals.  However, to ensure real progress towards a single-tier system of healthcare that works for everyone in Ireland, the Government must avoid picking and choosing recommendations á la carte.

“The cross-party consensus reached on the future of healthcare in drafting the Sláintecare Report, needs to be realised through its full implementation.”