Stop political messing and we can fix this health mess
Terminally-ill Vicky calls for hse overhaul after cancer scandal
A COUPLE of months in as the party’s health spokesman and the most striking conclusion I have come to is things are even worse within our health system than I had believed them to be.
Fine Gael talk incessantly about the fact we are spending more money than ever before on healthcare. True, but that record investment is not yielding the results it must. Public trust in our system is at a very low ebb. There are many and complex reasons for the dysfunction in our health services and I am determined to play my part.
But, first, political messing has to stop. If you look at the story of this Government and its predecessor, and how they have been tinkering with the HSE, you begin to understand the mess we are dealing with. Beginning with the decision to abolish the Board of the HSE in 2011, with no plan on what would replace it, through years of indecision, posturing and zero accountability, it culminated yesterday with the news that Minister Simon Harris had a bold plan to… appoint a Board for the HSE.
The organisational chaos Fine Gael caused has let down the public, patients, and healthcare professionals. Health reform needs to stop being about politicians. We need to decide on a structure, move toward it and then get out of the way.
Second, and a related point, we need to devolve more decision making to healthcare professionals. As I got up to speed I was astounded by the reluctance of policy makers to listen to, or be guided by, the people providing healthcare. Hospitals, hospital groups and other operating units have to be given multi-annual budgets and the authority to make the decisions.
This isn’t a blank cheque – with that authority must also come responsibility.
Nobody has all the answers to fix our health system. But with a plan, focus more diligent and responsible politics and a decent share of luck we can begin to forge the healthcare service we need and deserve.