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THE HSE HAS published its National Service Plan for 2013 which outlines the type and volume of services to be delivered with its €13.4 billion budget as well as the cuts of over €721 million to be made over the next year.
Hospitals are facing an incoming projected deficit of €271 million along with further cost pressures that may arise in 2013, according to the plan.
The plan says it will be necessary to achieve a gross reduction of 4 per cent of the workforce, or 4,000 people which equates to the loss of 6.4 million working hours annually.
Staff reductions will be pursued throughout 2013 through “natural turnover” (retirements and resignations) and such other targeted measures or initiatives as may be determined by government
The provision for Community Schemes in 2013 will be reduced by €323 million to €2,562 million and will allow for an additional 100,000 medical cards and up to 130,000 GP visit cards.
However 40,000 people will lose their medical cards as a result of changes to income calculations including those over 70.
The HSE Board has also decided to introduce additional cuts in primary care costs of €60 million which is greater than the savings announced on Budget day.
Challenges
The plan said that the HSE recognises that in the absense of the allocation of additional funding for nursing homes, “there will be challenges in responding to the need for residential care”. In response to this it expected that a waiting list will be set up and new places will be offered as funding becomes available.
The plan says the HSE will deliver the maximum level of safe services possible for the reduced funding and employment levels which involves “prioritising some services over others to meet the most urgent needs”.
It also said the HSE will improve access to outpatient and diagnostic services with no person waiting longer than 52 weeks for an out patient procedure. 95 per cent of all attendees at Emergency Departments will be discharged or admitted within six houre of registration, it said.
Maintain services
Commenting on the plan today Minister for Health James Reilly said: “We have the capacity to maintain safe services and to improve services even though funding levels have to fall.”
“It is government policy that the greatest protection should be given to the most vulnerable and I’m pleased to confirm that the budget levels for Home Care Packages/Home Help has been set at the 2012 level, without cuts,” he said. “It underscores our determination to empower elderly people to stay in their homes as is their wish.”
Reilly said he has been assured that the appointment of a wide range of healthcare professionals in mental health and primary care will be fast tracked.
“The development will allow for a strengthening of mental health care for citizens and a significant roll out of Primary Care Teams across the country,” he said.
Poor woman.rip
Dangerous stretch of road. God love her.
Beautiful place that can be dangerous which appears to be the case here. RIP to that poor woman.
Tragic.r.i.p. young lady
Poor lady, I know that road very well and it’s improved massively over the years with it being widened in places however certain parts are tricky. I’ve cycled over it twice and you need your wits about you on the descent.
Have driven over there many a time, absolutely beautiful spot, but very dangerous when the low clouds hang over… RIP
RIP this can be a dangerous road in the wet. It’s a long tough climb that will sap the energy out of you. It’s a fast descent I’m guessing the poor woman was unable to take a bend.
Why the red thumbs?
Some people are just sick how could anyone red thumb
Why in a tragic story like this are people like you obsessed with whether their comment is red or green thumb. Massively inappropriate
I am trying to figure out what I said that’s so wrong that I got red thumbed for it. I’m so sorry for that woman’s family, to think that she set out this morning to travel that beautiful road but heartbreakingly lost her life on it.
I see nothing wrong with what you said, maybe some people thought it was sexist. I refer you to what clint eastwood said recently.
And before someone else gets says it ,condolences to that women’s family and friends.
Proinsias , because maybe it came across like you were blaming her for what happened … by the way , I agree with your comment .that is likely what happened to the poor girl .
People say they don’t know why people red thumb, however the reason is obvious.
People are stupid, the majority anyway, statistical fact.
Secondly herd behaviour and political correctness gone mad, consensus thinking and knee jerk reactions.
They interpret your comment to be a criticism of someone who died tragically, and defend on you with condemnation to appease their own egos, mistakingly thinking that they are correct in doing so.
Why? ………QED they are dumb
I was thinking the same that it was probably a sharp bend and not because she was a woman.I would have thought the same if the victim was a man. RIP
That is just awful news.poor lady.
Dreadful, but people especially tourists should be warned of the hazards of Irish weather in mountainous areas and respect weather warnings.
The red thumbs are not against the comment. Its to acknowledge the bad news. Some people use them for different reasons.
All it would take on that road is a sheep to cross over. There are plenty on the descent towards Dingle.
RIP
I have always felt that red thumbs In tragic cases are people’s way of saying “I don’t like what has happened “
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