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'Snip' report wields huge axe on health
An Bord Snip Nua has proposed swingeing cuts in health spending of the order of €1,230 million, which, if implemented will have a huge impact on health service users and staff.
Many of the measures will hit the pockets of all health service users, including public patients.
The cuts include:
* Reducing health staff numbers by 6,168 within the HSE and Department of Health.
* A €5 medical card/long term illness scheme prescription charge.
* Revising the income guidelines for the medical card scheme to the basic rate of social welfare (jobseekers' allowance) and that all non-medical allowances and HSE discretion are removed and replaced with a variable allowance based on medical needs.
* A major increase in hospital charges to patients, eg a new A&E charge of €125.
* A 20% charge increase for private beds in public hospitals.
* Mandatory protocols requiring hospitals and doctors to prescribe generic medicines and value-for-money hi-tech treatments.
* An increase in the threshold for the drug payments scheme to €125 a month.
* Means testing for homecare packages.
* Reduce Department of Health staff by 10% and €300 million earmarked in HSE staff savings.
* Individuals to contribute more to nursing home care from their own residence under new Fair Deal scheme.
The report on public service was drawn up by a working group under economist Colm McCarthy.
Among other changes in health services it proposes are restricting the National Treatment Purchase Fund to private facilities in Ireland and abroad, and merging a number of health "quangos", including the Ombudsman for Children into the Office of the Ombudsman and the Health Insurance Authority into the Financial Regulator.
The report also proposes holding an open competition for provision of services under the General Medical Services (medical card) scheme.
It also proposes savings in the area of agencies and organisations in the disability and mental health fields.
In other areas, the "snip" report proposes a 5% cut in social welfare payments.
See also
* Health staff payments and numbers to be cut...http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=15827
* 'Unsustainable growth in medical cards'...http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=15828
* Call for end to GP contracts...http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=15829
* Elderly to pay more for care...http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=15830
The full report is available at...http://www.finance.gov.ie/
See also A 'snip' too far for health?...http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=15836
[Posted: Thu 16/07/2009]
