Health service to receive €665m in additional funding

The health service is to receive €665 million in additional funding this year.

This is €65 million more than had been originally earmarked by the Government in supplementary funding for the HSE in 2015.

The Minister for Health Leo Varadkar said that the Cabinet had on Wednesday signed off on a supplementary estimate of €665 million for 2015 "to cover extra services provided this year such as free GP care for the under sixes and over 70s, and the winter initiative to tackle emergency department overcrowding, in addition to once-off costs".

“This is further welcome investment in the health service which takes account of some very important initiatives launched this year including the Winter Initiative, the successful extension of GP care to the youngest and oldest in society, reducing waiting times for a nursing home place from the Fair Deal scheme to between two and four weeks, and meeting tougher maximum waiting times for inpatient and outpatient procedures.

“It reflects the fact that we are providing new high-tech medicines to patients, and funding treatments under the Long Term Illness scheme.”

He said the new supplementary funding would cover the cost of once-off measures that occurred this year such as the symphysiotomy payment scheme and legal claims as well as other issues which would recur in future years.

“These recurring costs are fully incorporated into the base and expenditure ceiling which has been increased by €880 million in Budget 2016. I very much welcome this additional funding which shows that the Government recognises the need to continue investing in healthcare.

“I am confident that the health sector is entering 2016 on a more stable financial footing than has been the case for the last number of years.”

Mr Varadkar said the proposals for the additional funding would go before an Oireachtas committee for consideration next week.

How will it be spent?

“It takes account of the provision of GP care without fees to the under sixes and over 70s.

“ It also accounts for three further measures:

* Delayed Discharges Initiative, providing investment in the Nursing Home Subvention Scheme (Fair Deal) and community/transitional beds;

* Waiting List Initiative, providing investment to bring the waiting times for elective treatment down to less than 15 months by year end; and

* Winter Initiative, providing investment to address pressures during the winter period.”

The Government had previously indicated that €600 million in additional funding would be provided to the health service in 2015.

The Minister said in an answer to a parliamentary question last month that this €600 million figure had been put forward “for the purpose of the budgetary arithmetic in determining the 2016 budget, but the final figure will need to reflect the latest view of HSE year-end performance”.