A north Clare GP has expressed hope that Slaintecare will still come to pass despite increasing difficulty in progressing the initiative.
The Implementation Advisory Council for the health reform plan met yesterday amid growing concern over the project’s future in light of two senior resignations.
A member of the Slaintecare Implementation Advisory Council says progress with the health reform plan’s quickly developing into a crisis.
The group met yesterday to consider last week’s meeting with the Health Minister, following the programme’s executive director, Laura Magahy, and chair of the implementation advisory council, Tom Keane, both leaving their roles.
Members agreed to write to Stephen Donnelly to have its term of office extended until the end of the year and are also seeking an urgent meeting with the head of the HSE and Department of Health to discuss visions for the plan.
Council member, Liam Doran, says it’s future seems to be hanging in the balance.
But a North Clare GP believes that while Slaintecare is a positive aspiration, it’s all conditional on resources.
Dr Michael Kelleher insists there will be significant manpower issues across the health service following the implementation of universal healthcare and a signficant cost, especially in light of the fact there’s already capacity issues.
But the Lahinch GP, who’s a member of the IMO’s GP Committee, believes it can still come to pass.
