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HEALTH MINISTER APPROVES HSE NATIONAL SERVICE PLAN 2012
Friday, 13th January, 2012
The Minister for Health, Dr. James Reilly TD today (Friday, 13th January, 2012) announced his approval of the HSE National Service Plan for 2012. The Service Plan sets out the health and personal social services that will be delivered during 2012 from within the HSE budget.
Approval of the Plan follows extensive work undertaken by the HSE and Department of Health, including a rigorous examination of budget allocations across the services aimed at minimising the impact on frontline services and identifying where efficiencies will be driven. This process also facilitated the re-prioritisation of funding to protect areas of greatest need and meet certain Programme for Government commitments.
In line with the provisions of the Health Act 2004, the Minister has made arrangements for the Plan to be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas early on Monday 16th January, 2012 at which time it will become a public document. Following this, the HSE will hold a briefing to provide detail on the contents of the Plan.
Whilst recognising that it would be inappropriate to comment on the content of the Plan prior to it being laid before the Oireachtas, the Minister stated that “
I am pleased that the approach taken in developing this year’s Service Plan means that the reduction in funding levels has not translated into an equivalent drop in the level of service activity. It also reflects Government priorities in areas such as Primary Care, Mental Health and Children. My intention now is to accelerate the reform of how health services are funded and delivered in order to achieve a more productive and cost effective health system”.
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