Nurses and hospital consultants have expressed concerns that today's allocation for health services in the 2008 Budget will not be sufficient to provide adequate resources next year.
In a statement, the Irish Hospital Consultants' Association (IHCA) said it had "serious concerns" that the provisions will not adequately provide for 2008 health needs of the population, especially in the acute hospital sector.
INO chief executive Liam Doran
The body said Minister for Finance Brian Cowen's Budget was likely to be inadequate.
The IHCA claimed it failed to provide for underfunding in the 2007 Budget, equivalent to €342 million, as well as increases in hospital activity levels and anticipated higher demands next year.
The IHCA also said there was nothing in the Budget or in the Minister for Health's speech to confirm whether or not increased resources are provided for increased consultant numbers be to achieved during 2008, which are the subject of current discussions between the HSE-Employers Agency and the IHCA.
The Irish Nurses' Organisation also said it remained concerned that the overall allocation will not be sufficient to meet demands in the coming year.
"In particular, the organisation holds the view that we cannot repeat the difficulties, existing for the last three months, where the HSE has been forced to curtail a range of services due to the fact that it had exceeded its budget because it carried out more procedures and treatments than its allocation allowed," said INO chief executive Liam Doran.
"With regard to capital funding, the INO will also be seeking clarification as to what the allocation will mean in terms of additional beds (acute and non acute) and additional primary care centres and infrastructure that are so urgently required."
The INO welcomed additional monies for areas such as services for older people, people with disabilities, cancer care, child related services and innovative service delivery projects.
Mr Doran said the INO would use an already scheduled meeting with Minister for Health Mary Harney next Monday to seek clarification as to the level of funding provided for existing services and whether it will allow the service to work "at an optimum level" for all of 2008.
Minister for Finance Brian Cowen unveiled an extra €12.5 million to fund the drug rehabilitation programme and promised a further €29 million for the rollout of cancer services, including the National Screening Service and radiation oncology services.
Other measures in the Budget include:
- €110 million for a new long-term residential care scheme
- extra €25 million for elder care - including the provision of home care packages
- extra €50 million for the disability sector
- €35 million to meet the estimated cost of awards arising in 2008 under the Lourdes Redress Scheme
- extra €18 million in 2008 for immunisation programmes
- extra €10 million for the National Treatment Purchase Fund
- €3.1 million for health allowances
- €4.37 million in support of St Joseph's Foundation, Charleville; Cystic Fibrosis Services, Beaumont Hospital; Cúisle Centre, Portlaoise; and Hope House, Foxford.
Beaumont hospital management welcomed the announcement of additional funding to cystic fibrosis services.