In June 2016, the Dáil established the Committee on the Future of Healthcare with the goal of achieving cross-party, political agreement on the future direction of the health service, and devising a ten year plan for reform. The agreement among all political groupings in the Oireachtas on the extent of challenges facing the health service, and on the need to set out a vision for long-term change, was reflected in the Committee’s Terms of Reference. These are set out in full at Appendix 5, but key elements included the recognition of:
•The severe pressures on the Irish health service, the unacceptable waiting times that arise for public patients, and the poor outcomes relative to cost
•The need for consensus at political level on the health service funding model based on population health needs
•The need to establish a universal single tier service where patients are treated on the basis of health need rather than on ability to pay
•That to maintain health and well-being and build a better health service, we need to examine some of the operating assumptions on which health policy and health services are based
•That the best health outcomes and value for money can be achieved by re-orientating the model of care towards primary and community care where the majority of people’s health needs can be met locally and
•The Oireachtas intention to develop and adopt a 10 year plan for our health services, based on political consensus, that can deliver these changes

This report sets out the Committee’s agreed vision and strategic plan, and is the culmination of many months of evidence-based deliberation informed by a wide range of stakeholder perspectives. In it, the Committee outlines an agreed vision and strategic plan to transform the Irish health service. This report recognises that the Irish health service as it stands at the moment is not providing the population with fair or equitable medical care. Our health services do not have the bed capacity to provide timely urgent and planned care.

Addiction:
Some Advocacy and Academic group stakeholders discussed the current lack of integration between services as an issue for patients who have co-morbid diagnoses of mental health conditions with chronic conditions, addiction and/or disability.

A broad range of Advocacy groups cited lack of integration between State agencies as an obstacle to accessing services. Examples included a lack of cohesion between mental health agencies and other services such as maternity services, addiction services and child protection services.