merrion street

Health Minister James Reilly today welcomed the announcement that primary care facilities will be developed at twenty locations across the country using the public private partnership mechanism:

Today’s announcement demonstrates the Government’s commitment to the delivery of health care in the primary care setting.

 The primary care infrastructure model offers a good fit for public private partnership financing. This new stimulus package will underpin progress to date and provide a much needed jobs boost.  This PPP initiative will complement and build on the processes HSE has already in place in its capital programme.

The Minister added that

International research shows that shared premises are a key enabler for successful team working in the primary care setting. Shared premises encourage and facilitate interaction across all health care professionals which is why we are committed to further developing the network of new Primary Care Centres.

The key objective of the Primary Care Strategy is to develop services in the community which will give people direct access to integrated multi-disciplinary teams of general practitioners, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other health care disciplines. 

Primary care infrastructure development, through a combination of public and private investment, will facilitate the delivery of multi-disciplinary primary health care and represents a tangible re-focussing of the health service to deliver care in the most appropriate and lowest cost setting.      

The Exchequer will continue to fund the delivery of Primary Care Centres also.