Minister for Health, Simon Harris TD, and Ministers of State Finian McGrath TD, Jim Daly TD and Catherine Byrne TD have today welcomed the publication of the HSE National Service Plan 2020.
The HSE National Service Plan 2020 sets out the type and volume of health and social care services to be provided by the funding of over €17 billion made available by Government in Budget 2020.
Welcoming the publication of the 2020 National Service Plan, Minister Harris said:
The National Service Plan being launched sets out the services and activities that the HSE will provide in 2020, from the significant funding provided. A major focus of the service plan is to continue bringing the important Sláintecare health reform programme to life in communities across the country by delivering investments in key strategic supports.
I want to thank the HSE, the new board and the new CEO for working with the Government on delivering this Service Plan.
The total HSE budget for 2020 includes some significant additional investments which will be applied to enhance or expand existing services, including responding to demographic and other pressures and to commence new approved service developments. These measures include investment in core services such as;
·Community Services - Additional home care hours and the establishment of a pilot for statutory home support scheme including an additional 230,000 hours beyond the 2019 target level.
·Disability Services - Supports for school leavers with disabilities to access supports and services to meet their needs, for disability needs assessment, for autism services and for additional respite capacity. In addition, there will be additional personal assistance hours and additional emergency residential places.
·Palliative care - Additional palliative care beds (55 beds in Kildare, Mayo, Waterford and Wicklow).
·Primary Care Reimbursement Scheme (PCRS) - Measures to widen eligibility, including the extension of free GP care to children under the age of eight, and lower co-payment thresholds.
·National Acute Strategies - Continued implementation of the Maternity, Cancer and National Trauma Strategy.
·Care redesign - Initiatives on the shift from hospital to the community.
·Enhanced Community Services – Provision of an additional 1,000 extra community frontline staff to strengthen primary care via community health networks.
·Mental Health - Developments including phased opening of the National Forensic Mental Health Services at Portrane.
·NHSS – maintaining the waiting period for funding at an average of four weeks throughout 2020
·Voluntary Hospices - Support for the sector in line with sustainability plans to be agreed with the HSE
·Winter Capacity – Additional measures such as additional home care packages and transitional care
·Homelessness and addiction services - Additional supports, including the establishment of a residential treatment service for homeless women and children in the mid-west region.
·Assisted Human Reproduction Services.
Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Disabilities, Finian McGrath TD, said:
I welcome the Plan which will enable the advancement of a number of key priorities including reducing the waiting times for assessment of need under the Disability Act 2005, moving people with disabilities from congregated settings to transition homes in the community, additional intensive transitional support packages and funding for the Autism Plan to improve services for people with Autism and their families.
Minister of State for Health Promotion and the National Drugs Strategy, Catherine Byrne TD, welcoming the publication of the Service Plan, said:
Improving the health and wellbeing of those who experience social exclusion and drug addictions a key priority for 2020.
The significant expansion of addiction services for pregnant and post-natal women and their children, particularly those who are homeless (and have complex needs), delivers on key actions in the National Drugs Strategy.
I am committed to working in partnership with the HSE and the community and voluntary sector to address the severe health inequalities experienced by people with problem drug use, people who are homeless, refugees, asylum seekers and members of Traveller and Roma communities.
Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People, Jim Daly TD, said:
The Plan sets out the implementation of the recommendations of a refresh of A Vision for Change which is set to commence in 2020, implementing agreed eMental Health digital responses and the development of adult and child mental health intellectual disability teams. 2020 will also see the opening of a much needed purpose-built, modern Forensic Mental Health Hospital in Portrane which will provide care for up to 170 patients.