{"id":23040,"date":"2021-09-10T16:15:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-10T20:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=23040"},"modified":"2021-09-12T10:18:38","modified_gmt":"2021-09-12T14:18:38","slug":"new-report-shows-challenges-faced-in-reducing-hospital-waiting-lists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=23040","title":{"rendered":"New Report Shows Challenges Faced In Reducing Hospital Waiting Lists"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Plans to reduce hospital waiting lists under the Sl\u00e1intecare plan have been hit by a \u201csignificant challenge\u201d, a new report has said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It comes as members of the Sl\u00e1intecare Implementation Advisory Council (SIAC) expressed \u201cshock, regret and concern\u201d at the decision of two senior officials to leave the program, which aims to end the country’s two-tier health service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sl\u00e1intecare progress report for January to July 2021 highlighted three areas of delivery facing a \u201csignificant challenge\u201d, 25 that were progressed but with a \u201cminor challenge\u201d and 84 that were \u201con track\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report said a plan to reduce Ireland\u2019s hospital waiting lists, which now stand at more than 900,000, was not agreed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An objective to \u201cagree actions to deliver a multi-annual plan on reducing waiting lists and assign ownership\u201d was cited as a significant challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report said that while \u201cactions to deliver the multi-annual plan have been drafted\u201d, the \u201cownership of actions and implementation oversight is still under consideration\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another area cited as a \u201csignificant challenge\u201d was the Sl\u00e1intecare recommendation to devolve the Health Service Executive (HSE) into six regional health authorities (RHA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRevisions are continuing in light of feedback from DoH (Department of Health) stakeholders,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHowever, engagement with the HSE, clinicians, and patient representatives has been delayed due to competing cyberattack and pandemic priorities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Efforts to further the rollout of community eHealth initiatives were also \u201csignificantly impacted by the cyberattack\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sl\u00e1intecare program aims to end the State’s two-tier health system of both public and private care, and deliver a universal system where access is not determined by ability to pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the project has been rocked by the resignations of executive director Laura Magahy, and Dr Tom Keane, the chair of the SIAC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a strongly worded statement on Friday, 11 members of the SIAC called for clarity from the health minister on the issues that led to their resignations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It said: \u201cNews of their resignations is a cause of shock, regret and concern to us and we are actively seeking answers from the Department of Health and the minister regarding the events that led up to and resulted in their resignation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn light of these developments, as members of SIAC, we urge the Government to ensure the Sl\u00e1intecare program of reforms is implemented in word, deed and spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly praised the departing officials for the \u201cfantastic job\u201d they had done on Sl\u00e1intecare to date, and said reducing waiting lists remains a \u201ctop, top priority\u201d for the Government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said: \u201cBefore Covid arrived here we had some of the longest waiting lists in Europe, they were too long, they were unacceptable then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey are a lot longer now, because of Covid, because of the cyberattack, and they are unacceptable now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re putting an awful lot of resources into bringing those waiting lists down. That has been and will continue to be a top priority.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Minister accepted that the program had been hit by delays, with eHealth in particular described as a \u201cmixed bag\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI would say that some of the planning in terms of the larger infrastructure of reform \u2026 hasn\u2019t happened at the pace we would like, partly because of Covid, partly because of the cyberattack,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt the same time, we\u2019ve actually seen huge advances through necessity in things like telemedicine and other areas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said: \u201cWhat we\u2019ve got to do is continue with the mission, which is universal healthcare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have a two-tier system of healthcare in this country, which is completely unacceptable. And we need radical policies to deal with that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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