HEALTH SERVICE IN CRISIS - THE FIGURE OF FAILURE

IN A leaked Whatsapp conversation this week, it was suggested by a cabinet minister that Health Minister Simon Harris wanted ‘out of health’. Just ten months ago, we asked health experts to give advice to the new minister. This week, we return to them to ask for their reflections on his time in office.

SENATOR JOHN DOLAN Disability Federation of Ireland MAY 2016 –

The Government is closing large services but at the same time slashing funding to community services and this conflict prevents change.

FEB 2017 –

Unfortunately, in the disability services, we are never going to be happy as there is so much to be done. There continues to be a huge lack of practical support.

This week at the Health Committee, the minister said it’s important to bring in legislation to statutory underpin services in the community. To have a minister volunteering this is helpful; we don’t know if the next person would be at that point of understanding. If the minister were to leave now, it would be an unhelpful disturbance. He has received briefings across all the issues, so it would be a case of ‘here we go again’ as everyone engages with the new minister. That could be another six months, and we don’t have that kind of time to waste.

LORRAINE DEMPSEY Special Needs Parents’ Association MAY 2016 –

There is a critical shortage of therapists for children and no recruitment taking place.

FEB 2017 –

Is it really about which minister we have? To an extent you could say for our families, ministers come and go and we still have the same problems.

I see little change since the minister took up his post. Blockages have been identified, solutions proposed but little action has been taken. Waiting lists for hospital treatment are a big issue. While children’s disability services may be prioritised by the minister, they don’t seem to translate into actions. Problems recruiting therapists risks future reduction in budgets even though we need 600 more therapists. If there is no investment in buildings and equipment then where are these therapists supposed to work? The buck it seems, just gets passed around between the Department of Health and the HSE, and the people still wait for better provision of service.

LIAM DORAN

General Secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation

MAY 2016 –

Staffing crisis is now at the point where beds will have to be closed for patient safety.

FEB 2017 –

Minister Harris is absolutely committed and genuinely concerned to make the public health service fit for purpose. On the other side you have trollies, and then you have health services facing severe challenges; emergency department

over-crowding at its highest levels and long waiting lists for elective surgery. An industrial dispute is looming by nurses; if we can’t increase the numbers then we have to cut the services to a safe level. Every nurse and midwife can’t continue doing the work of two people. However, nine or ten months is too short to effect change.

HSE PROFESSOR ANTHONY STAINES Department of Nursing and Human Sciences at DCU MAY 2016 –

The uncertainty about the future of the HSE and the health services generally is causing uncertainty for staff and patients.

FEB 2017 –

The big challenge facing Simon Harris now is the Children’s Hospital. But the purpose of the health system is not to build a children’s hospital, the priority overall continues to be shaping the sort of health system we want. Hospital groups have been set up, but they are still not on a statutory basis, and a new GP contract is not in place. The report of the Future of Healthcare Committee is due in April and I suspect it is going to recommend a primary care-led health service. I think the minister is waiting on the report, which is reasonable, but we can’t be in a situation where the committee reports, and then it takes ten years to start changes.

DR PÁDRAIG McGARRY Irish Medical Organisation GP Committee MAY 2016 –

The budget allocated for primary care is not equivalent to the vast number of patients treated.

FEB 2017 –

In a short time the minister has come to grips with his role and shown an understanding of the key role of GPs. He is familiar with the challenges facing GPs, and we would like to see that momentum continuing.

The biggest improvement for GPs in recent times came just before the election with the restoration of the rural practice allowance. Minister Harris has not been long in the job but I would say the foundations are laid for more important changes. He is maintaining the momentum started by Varadkar; the last thing we need is a whole new vision for health every time someone changes at the helm.

STEPHEN McMAHON Director of Irish Patients’ Association MAY 2016 –

Patient safety is being threatened by shortages in the health system.

FEB 2017 –

There may be two candidates for Taoiseach both with recent experience of our healthcare system. Minister Harris did get a large increase in the health budget and a lot has been achieved, but there is much more to do. Waiting lists still soar; almost one in four of the 2.6m people who do not have private health insurance are on some waiting list or other. Many of us have witnessed the human impact of living on these waiting lists for patients and families.

DR KRYSIA LYNCH Chairwoman of the Association for Improvements in Maternity Services MAY 2016 –

It’s disappointing there has been no action on the Maternity Strategy more than 100 days since it was launched.

FEB 2017 –

The minister has done two important things for the maternity services. He launched the National Standards for Safer Better Maternity Services with HIQA, and last week he launched the Health Service Breastfeeding Action Plan 2016 – 2021. These are laudable, productive achievements. The point is now we have these strategy documents, the implementation is another thing. I’d like to see this commitment continue.