The Minister for Health Mr Martin, today outlined progress on the preparation of his new health strategy which he expects to be published at the end of July.
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Mr Martin said the aim of the strategy is to provide improved health status and the development, reform and modernisation of health and personal social services over the next five to seven years.
"The Government's aim is to set out a clear reform agenda for our health services. This agenda will include working towards the provision of a high quality, equitable and accessible health care service," said Mr Martin.
The Department of Health is currently involved in a consultation process in preparing the strategy. The Minister said he was keen that this would facilitate the views of ordinary people in the strategy.
"We want opinions and ideas from people on the ground. They must feel that is their strategy. There's a sense out there that health workers don't feel part of the process and we want to change that," he added.
Referring to the last health strategy in 1994, the Minister said that lessons had been learned in the areas of costing, consultation, prioritisation, target monitoring and standardisation.
However, he did point out that the 1994 strategy had been the first of its kind and it moved away from 'the crisis management' in the Department of Health.
