Harney briefing: There are to be no increases in A&E charges or in medical card eligibility next year, but the cost of private beds in public hospitals is likely to rise, Minister for Health Mary Harney confirmed.
Announcing the health Estimates yesterday, Ms Harney said she was considering the level of increase that should be imposed in respect of the charge to insurance companies for private beds in public hospitals, and would make an announcement on that before Budget day.
She said Government policy was to charge the full economic cost for those beds.
Overall the Minister said €1.1 billion extra would be spent on the health services next year, bringing total spending in the sector to €14 billion.
Approximately half this extra money, or some €500 million, will go on staff pay; more than €300 million will go on ensuring that existing levels of service are maintained; some €120 million of it will go on meeting the rising cost of drugs; more than €100 million will go to the Office of the Minister for Children; and this will leave €190 million extra for new investment in services in 2007.
These new services will include €8 million for the roll-out of BreastCheck to the south, west and northwest; €5 million for preparations for the roll-out of a national cervical screening programme in 2008; and €35 million for the opening of a number of new facilities in acute hospitals across the State.
These include the new maternity unit at Cork University Hospital; a long-promised new A&E unit at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda; a long-awaited MRI scanner at Crumlin children's hospital; the fitting-out of a ward and theatre at Cavan General Hospital; modular theatres at the Louth County Hospital in Dundalk; new treatment and diagnostic facilities at Dublin's St Vincent's Hospital; a new hospital development at the Midlands Regional Hospital in Tullamore; and new developments at Galway's University College Hospital.
In addition the National Treatment Purchase Fund will get an extra €10 million next year to continue its task of cutting waiting lists among inpatients and outpatients. An extra €8 million is being allocated to the Mental Health Commission to oversee the implementation of the new Mental Health Act.
There will also be an extra €13 million to meet the full-year costs associated with 100 primary care teams brought on stream in 2006; an extra €25 million for education and training of health professionals, including training nurses to enable them to prescribe medication; and an additional €2 million for the Health Information and Quality Authority, bringing its total budget for the year to €5.5 million.
This will have to cover the extension of the role of the Social Services Inspectorate to inspect all private and public nursing homes from the middle of next year.
Improvements in neurology, neurosurgery and cystic fibrosis services are promised, as is funding for the implementation of the Lourdes Hospital inquiry report.
Some €40 million extra has been set aside next year for improved services for the elderly, including more home helps and more home care packages.
There will be an extra €1 million for elder abuse officers and an extra €360 million for the refund of illegal nursing home charges. Ms Harney said there would also be a package of new supports for the elderly announced on Budget day.
There will be no changes in the statutory charge for hospital stays or in the threshold for the Drugs Payment Scheme. Ms Harney revealed that the HSE was forecast to overspend on its revenue budget this year and underspend on its capital budget. "One can offset the other."