The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has called on political parties to outline and cost a five-year plan for the health service in advance of the general election.
An independent body similar to the Fiscal Advisory Council should be set up to advise on and cost proposals for reforming the health service, it says.
The organisation also wants commitments on ring-fenced funding and an adherence to safety standards that are equal to or greater than those imposed by the Health Information and Quality Authority.
These are key elements of its 20/20 Vision for Health Campaign, which was launched at the IMO annual conference in Kilkenny with the intention of putting the future of the health service at the heart of the next election campaign.
The campaign also seeks reform of the medical negligence system and the development of new patient safety initiatives.
Critical impact
IMO president Prof Trevor Duffy said decisions by the next government would have a critical impact on the future shape of the health service.
“These decisions will be absolutely crucial in determining whether the coming decade marks a period of recovery for our health services or a period of further decline and jeopardy for those services.
“For that reason we made the decision to begin a concerted campaign - running from now until the next election - to make sure that the future of our health services and the vision, the policies, and the credibility of the various political parties and Independent candidates towards those services are centre-stage come the next election.”
‘Unbelievable’ pressures
Prof Duffy said the health service had come under “unbelievable” pressures during six years of austerity. Its budget had been cut by 27 per cent and staff numbers by 13,000. Hospital beds and home help hours were also reduced.
The IMO supported universal healthcare for all but was opposed to the Government’s plans for universal health insurance, he said.
UHI was effectively a “new tax” the Government would impose in order to fund the current two-tier health system.
The doctor-patient relationship must remain free of interference from commercial or political interests, he said, and policy decisions must be evidence-based and made in partnership with the medical profession.
Minister for Health Leo Varadkar will address the conference on Saturday.
