FG critical of delay in setting up regional health forums

A GOVERNMENT pledge to provide public forums for local representatives to raise concerns about the health service has not been fulfilled a year after it was made.

Former Health Minister Micheál Martin promised a series of regional forums in September last year to allay concerns that local grievances would no longer be heard with the abolition of the health boards. They were to act as substitutes for health board monthly meetings where elected representatives traditionally aired concerns about local health services.

“A primary rationale for this structure is to enable meaningful and sustained dialogue and consultation between the Health Service Executive and the public at local level, through the regional fora,” Mr Martin said. Yesterday, a number of TDs, including Junior Environment Minister Batt O’Keeffe, criticised the delay in setting up the forums.

Mr O’Keeffe said the Oireachtas Health Committee could ultimately call the HSE to account, but added: “It is always important to have local input to represent the views of the people at grassroots level.”

Mr O’Keeffe was chair of the Southern Health Board (now HSE Southern Area) from 2001-2003.

Fine Gael TD Dan Neville, a member of the Mid Western Health Board for seven years, said constituents were losing out because there was nowhere at local level for concerns to be expressed.

“Prior to this, you had elected representatives going into the health board monthly meetings and informing management of public concerns. The health board members were a conduit for local concerns and that was very valuable to the public and health service management,” he said.

Director of the General Council of County Councils Liam Kenny said they were heartened to hear the new HSE chief Prof Brendan Drumm saying he would be available to public representatives. Mr Kenny said he hoped this offer extended to local representatives.

Fine Gael TD David Stanton said he hoped Prof Drumm would ensure the rapid setting up of the forums, because there was “a huge deficit” without them. Party colleague Denis Naughten said it was appalling there was no mechanism in place for local representatives to raise problems with “the single biggest structure to affect everyday life (HSE)”.

Yesterday the Department of Health said the regulations covering the setting up of the forums were being drafted and it was Health Minister Mary Harney’s intention they be completed as soon as possible. A spokesperson for the HSE said he understood preparation of the regulations (under the Health Act 2004) was “at an advanced stage”.