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Minister for Health James Reilly Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland

TheJournal.ie’s progress report for the Government: Health

One year in, has the government fulfilled its promises on fixing the health system?

1) WHAT THEY SAID DURING THE 2011 ELECTION CAMPAIGN

  • Fine Gael planned to treat more patients in the community, and to establish a Special Delivery Unit within the Department of Health to reduce waiting lists
  • FG promised a system of universal health insurance, with intermediate plans to allow a greater number of GPs treat medical card holders
  • FG promised not to close any A&E facility unless a demonstrably better service could be put in place, and insisted it would end co-location.
  • It further promised to develop a national dementia strategy by 2013, a National Carers Strategy, to close unsuitable psychiatric institutions and to review Irish law so that Ireland could become party to the UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.
  • Labour also promised a universal health insurance model, specifically setting a 2014 target for free access to a GP
  • It also offered a means-tested variety of subsidies for health insurance, with some users paying the full cost of their premiums while others would have their costs covered in full.
  • Labour offered a similar review of the Mental Health Act 2001 to bring Ireland in line with the UN convention.
  • It further pledged not to close any hospital or part of a service if its services could not be fulfilled by primary care services in the area.

2) WHAT THEY PROMISED IN THE PROGRAMME FOR GOVERNMENT

  • The government promised a system of universal health insurance ‘with equal access for all’ and an end to the ‘two-tier system of unequal access’. This proposal formed the bedrock for many of the programme for government’s healthcare promises.
  • It promised a system of risk equalisation for the current healthcare market
  • It proposed an abolition of the HSE, with its roles returned to the Department of Health or the universal insurance system
  • A new Patient Safety Authority, incorporating HIQA, would introduce a national licencing system for hospitals.
  • The new cystic fibrosis unit would be completed, and the National Children’s Hospital built.
  • In mental health, parties agreed to adopt A Vision For Change into law and to implement the Reach Out strategy to minimise youth suicide.
  • The programme also included a pledge to change the organ donation system from an opt-in to an opt-out, in order to maximise the number of potential organ donors.

3) PROGRESS – OR LACK THEREOF – IN FIRST YEAR OF GOVERNMENT

  • Last month an expert group was appointed to examine the proposal for universal health insurance. Also last month a new law was passed last month to allow more GPs treat medical card holders.
  • Risk equalisation has been introduced with a cost subsidy system, where younger health insurance customers pay an extra levy to fund a tax credit for older (more expensive) customers.
  • The number of people with private health insurance has actually fallen in the last year
  • The HSE has not yet been abolished, though James Reilly replaced its board soon after entry into office and appointed a larger number of healthcare professionals.
  • The cystic fibrosis unit is nearly completed (albeit after some fears about its size), but the National Children’s Hospital project appears on ice after an Bord Pleanála turned down planning permission.
  • There’s no sign yet of the Patient Safety Authority.
  • The 2012 Budget, in line with commitments, created a €35m fund to deal with mental health issues including eating disorders.
  • The government faced criticism at Christmas after it emerged that some patients being housed at St Brendan’s Hospital in Grangegorman were to be kept in a locked facility over the Christmas break. Whistleblower Louise Bayliss lost her job shortly afterwards, only then to be reinstated.
  • Spurred on by the finding of the European Court of Human Rights, the government appointed an expert group to advise on the findings of A, B and C versus Ireland on the rights of women to an abortion under certain circumstances. Opposition legislation to allow for the X Case is to be discussed next month.

Read all sections here: HOW DID THE GOVERNMENT DO IN ITS FIRST YEAR? THIS IS HOW >

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5 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute nikki
    Favourite nikki
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    Nov 7th 2015, 8:33 AM

    Fantastic idea! Well done!

    130
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    Mute Freebetcitydcom Mike
    Favourite Freebetcitydcom Mike
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    Nov 7th 2015, 10:45 AM

    Self built personal terminators?

    13
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    Mute Deborah Behan
    Favourite Deborah Behan
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    Nov 7th 2015, 8:45 AM

    Can I just tell these kids they make me embarrassed to be an adult! Good job and keep thinking. A lot of children could benefit from this. Special mention to your teacher who I think could be also very special.

    100
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    Mute Ronan Doyle
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    Nov 7th 2015, 8:38 AM

    Well done kids! Great to see a solution to the problem developed by those closest to it. Let’s hope it catches on.

    74
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    Mute Ger Buckley
    Favourite Ger Buckley
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    Nov 7th 2015, 8:34 AM

    Well done them.

    49
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    Mute Sarah O'Sullivan
    Favourite Sarah O'Sullivan
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    Nov 7th 2015, 10:06 AM

    Fantastic idea as long as the concept of bullying is taught properly in the first instance. Parents often use the word bullying to describe instances that are in fact just two kids disagreeing with eachother. Children need to be allowed to develop resilience and should be explicitly taught problem solving skills in order to try to figure out such disagreements for themselves without the now ever-constant intervention of parents. Parents are doing their children no favours at all with the “mommy will fix everything” approach. Where genuine bullying is occurring I think this invention could really help open dialogue and would certainly remedy the problem that many teachers face in that often no report is made to teachers when something happens and they know nothing until a parent shows up at the door 3 days later.

    44
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    Mute Keaneland
    Favourite Keaneland
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    Nov 7th 2015, 8:45 AM

    Well done, amazing solution! I want one!!

    39
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    Mute Eddie Danger
    Favourite Eddie Danger
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    Nov 7th 2015, 9:24 AM

    Unfortunately anyone wearing a bully bug is likely to be bullied for it

    30
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    Mute Daragh8008
    Favourite Daragh8008
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    Nov 7th 2015, 9:28 AM

    Or your mates will be pushing the button for you, so you’ll end up having to have chats with the teacher later.

    34
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    Mute Paul Wallace
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    Nov 7th 2015, 9:28 AM

    I agree

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    Mute Lily
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    Nov 7th 2015, 9:43 AM

    After being bullied as a kid I do agree. The kids are trying to help bless their good intentions, but I wonder how many have been bullied?

    I know I never confided in a teacher, parents or any adult, only myself and the other girl that was bullied confided in each other.

    I left the school and she was tormented for years after I left verbally and by exclusion. She still carries the scars as do I. She still lives in the area and never talks to any of her old class.

    If they really want to help build a friends network to support those who are victims of bullying, give them a safe space where they can be themselves, have fun and not feel threatened.

    29
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    Mute Missyb211
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    Nov 7th 2015, 9:22 AM

    Nice idea but in my experience bullying is only accepted as such by teachers if it physical. This App is indeed great in that situation but I have spoken to kids that felt they were bullied by the words and actions of other kids, told teachers and yet nothing was done about it. Teachers played it down. They tried to “reassure” ie convince the child it wasn’t bullying. Every kid in the school knew it was bullying but the teachers never did anything to address it.( Laziness or fear of approaching parents? )Not a word about bullying or treating others good or anything. What good is a bully alarm in that situation? Attitudes to what bullying is have to change first and how it affects the children has to be taken seriously before it can be tackled.

    Well done all the same kids. It’s great to see innovation from a young age. I hope it encourages the girls to think seriously about studying science/ engineering/ maths where it is seen mainly as a boys career.

    22
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    Mute Seán O'Ceallaghan
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    Nov 7th 2015, 9:39 AM

    Great idea solutions requires to recognise bullying and not blame it on some mitigating factor.

    10
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    Mute Missyb211
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    Nov 7th 2015, 10:30 AM

    and what mitigating factor is being blamed? A solution to half a problem is not a solution.

    1
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    Mute Louise O'Connell
    Favourite Louise O'Connell
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    Nov 7th 2015, 11:56 AM

    Super proud of these kids and even more proud to be one of there parents alot hard work and dedication went into this project from them they can’t believe how far they have come

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    Mute Dermot Fennelly
    Favourite Dermot Fennelly
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    Nov 7th 2015, 8:33 AM

    It’s called a fist

    18
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    Mute Larissa Caroline Nikolaus
    Favourite Larissa Caroline Nikolaus
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    Nov 7th 2015, 11:38 AM

    Sean, I think your idea to stop bullying has quite a lot of merit, though I’d hit the parents of bullies where it hurts, in their wallets

    9
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    Mute Louise O'Connell
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    Nov 7th 2015, 12:22 PM

    Super proud of these kids I’m even more proud to say one of them is my daughter they have worked so hard for this they can’t believe how far they have come

    12
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    Mute Louise O'Connell
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    Nov 7th 2015, 11:56 AM

    Super proud of these kids and even more proud to be one of there parents alot hard work and dedication went into this project from them they can’t believe how far they have come

    8
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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Nov 7th 2015, 1:00 PM

    So bullying is getting more common then?

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    Mute Debbie O'Connell
    Favourite Debbie O'Connell
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    Nov 8th 2015, 12:31 PM

    Fair play to these kids making a stand.on bullying these kids a credit to their school teacher and parents well done St Audeons

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