The Government has committed itself to developing a new health strategy which, it hopes, will result in the reform of the present health system over the next five years.
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Micheal Martin: the new strategy is not just about health services
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Speaking at the opening of the National Health Strategy Consultative Forum today, the Minister for Health, Mícheal Martin, said the Government was fully committed to the development of a new Health Strategy that would be based on medical need rather than income or geography.
"The new strategy," Mr Martin said, "is not just about health services, it is also concerned with improving the health status of the Irish population. . .
"The Government is fully committed to the development of a new strategy and an agenda of reform for the health system which includes and examination of funding methods and levels."
The new forum aims to bring representatives from across the health sector together with the goal of developing the new strategy.
Outlining theforum’s objectives, Mr Martin said the new system would be based on accessibility, equality and accountability.
To address these issues, he said, the forum would consider whether Ireland should move to a rights-bases approach to access of health care; andwhether the Government should introduce radical restructuring of the health services, or limit itself to targeting specific problem areas.