Initiative to cut health waiting lists promised next month by Reilly
He believes the programme, which will be rolled out by the Special Delivery Unit and the Health Service Executive, will see waiting times cut to European standards of less than six weeks.
Dr Reilly said the plan would be revealed at the end of May.
The minister defended the likely costs of the proposed universal health insurance scheme, which he wants to see introduced in 2019.
He said the consultation process on his White Paper would allow people to express their views.
Dr Reilly told 96FM the eventual costs of universal health insurance would be dictated by a number of factors, including the effort to reduce waste in the hospital system.
He said there was no culture of cost control in deciding medical treatments and tests were being arranged without a proper assessment as to whether they were necessary.
Dr Reilly said consultants had nine months to improve their management of waiting lists before their performance would be made public.
Consultants have access to an internal internet system where they can monitor their own waiting lists against their peers and at the end of the year this will be published online.
The minister was speaking as GPs continue to protest against the planned €37m free care scheme for children under six.
The National Association of General Practitioners has slammed its roll out as unethical, while elderly people and poorer patients are losing medical cards.
Writing in today’s Irish Examiner, NAGP chief executive Chris Goodey said the GP infrastructure was in crisis and its members would protest against the proposed measures.
“Even if the public had little sympathy for the GPs’ plight, there is a much bigger issue of protecting patients here, and ensuring that the one part of our health service that had worked is not driven into the ground by one-size-fits-all policies,” he said.
