Minister confirms regional hospital plan dead in the water

The Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly, took time out of a busy schedule on Monday to visit members of the North-East Regional Health Forum in Kells. In a two-and-a-quarter hour meeting, he delivered an address on 'Future Health - A Strategic Framework for Reform of the Health Service 2012-2015', a document outlining the changes needed to provide for the healthcare of the population. He outlined how the government had promised to reform the health system completely and the document was by way of explanation as to how this will be delivered. It explains why the system needs to change, saying our health system has a number of weaknesses. "It is unfair to patients; it often fails to meet their needs fast enough, and it does not deliver value for money," it says. It is also facing a number of major challenges, including a much reduced budget, long waiting lists, an ageing population and an increase in the number of people with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease. There is no doubt about it - the government has a hell of a task on its hands. "These weaknesses and challenges mean that we cannot ignore the need for change - we must reform the system now," he said. And few would disagree with that. There were a few things about the minister's visit which might, however, jar with those who believe in a more open society. While the minister was making himself available to the members of the health forum, there was no opportunity for the media to interview him. Journalists who turned up to the Kells headquarters of the Dublin/North-East HSE were screened at the entrance by the gardai who then liaised with a member of the HSE staff who made it clear that there would be no opportunity for them to engage with the minister or to ask any questions about the impact of national health policy on this region. However, as in all these things, all politics is local. The real "meat" of the meeting came in the question and answer session between Dr Reilly and the health forum members (from which the press also was excluded). To the best of our knowledge, the question of a new regional hospital for the north-east was raised. Dr Reilly did not give any commitment on the building of such a hospital. In fact, he quoted a previous minister (Dermot Ahern) as saying that there was "not a red cent" for the building of such a hospital. Dr Reilly is reported to have added: "And I agree with him." So there you have it - no new regional hospital in the north-east in the foreseeable future. Quite a contrast, one might add, from the stance taken by local Fine Gael candidates before the 2011 general election. We have a little reminder for the minister. The front page of the Meath Chronicle on 12th February 2011 carried as its lead story the following: 'FG's pledge to build new hospital in five years' (the five years being the lifetime of this government). The report read: "The proposed new regional hospital for the north-east will be built in Navan within five years if the party forms the next government. That was the pledge issued this week by the five Fine Gael candidates contesting the election in Meath West and Meath East." The idea was that the project would be progressed through a public private partnership arrangement and the FG candidates said there were several different investors, both at home and abroad, who would be willing to invest in the project. It seems a little impolite to raise it at this juncture (at a time when the country's finances are in rag order). It's a little like attending a wake and saying, by way of comfort, how well the corpse looks. After all, we're all expected to sing from the same austerity hymn sheet. But raise it we will. Promises are promises and Irish politicians in pursuit of votes will have to learn that the electorate is not as innocent as it used be. The government parties had better get used to the idea that their promises about a new regional hospital better not be empty ones. They can expect to be asked when they're going to deliver.