'Ambitious' HSE service plan aims to reduce wait times and improve disability services

HSE CEO Bernard Gloster said 'there are considerable challenges facing us', namely the growing population and increase in numbers of people living longer here. Picture: Arthur Ellis

Reducing waiting times for healthcare is the “most challenging” part the HSE's aims for this year, CEO Bernard Gloster has said in the HSE service plan 2025.

The plan details spending of €26.9bn aiming to reduce waiting times, improve health outcomes, improve services for people with a disability, and continue digitalising health services.

Mr Gloster said "there are considerable challenges facing us". He linked this to the growing population and the welcome increase in numbers of people living longer here.

“This year we are dispensing with the traditional and simple view of numbers waiting and focusing instead on the length of time patients and service users are waiting,” he said.

We have set ambitious targets to ensure we continue the improvements seen in 2023 and 2024 in waiting times for both scheduled and unscheduled care. 

Cork University Hospital will get funding to continue developing a major trauma centre including capital funding for emergency department trauma resuscitation bays and a CT scanner.

Some 16 schools in Cork, Galway, and Dublin will be funded to roll-out the Special Schools Pilot programme — a programme which has already attracted controversy linked to staff shortages.

The HSE plans to deliver around 912 beds including 297 acute hospital and 615 community (new and replacement beds). University Hospital Kerry will get 19 and Mallow hospital 24 among others.

The Central Mental Hospital will receive 18 additional beds.

Waterford and Kerry will share in six new consultant posts for dementia care with funding also allocated for a National Dementia Registry.

Work continues on surgical hubs for Limerick and other areas. These hubs were first announced in December 2022 with an 18-month expected construction time.

Further details will be available as the plan is shared with the six regional health areas.

The Ministers for Health and Children, Equality, Disability Integration and Youth, Stephen Donnelly and Roderic O’Gorman together with Ministers of State Mary Butler, Colm Burke and Anne Rabbitte welcomed the plan.

Mr Donnelly said this is “the highest funding ever for the HSE”. He echoed other comments by Mr Gloster around the need to improve productivity among staff generally.

Mr Burke noted the focus on prevention of ill-health. “Supporting people to follow healthier behaviours reduces many preventable chronic diseases and eases the burden that they place on health services,” he said.

Ms Butler noted funding for mental health services and home care for older people are particularly welcome.

“We will maintain improvements to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), enhance the national counselling service with supports for men, and continue to roll out the national clinical programmes for ADHD for adults and eating disorders,” she said.