19 June 2003: Kildare local representative Senator John Dardis has stated his support for the new health strategy announced yesterday.
Senator Dardis says everyone is expected to accept change - politicians, public servants, consultants, pharmacists and administrators. "No-one is exempt from change if we are going to get the best possible services for patients and value for public money."
"I favour the abolition of the health boards. We need political accountability and democratic control over health services. But we do not need 263 health board members in addition to 166 TDs and 60 Senators for this."
"The Government has decided that there will be a single Health Service Executive for the whole country, with its own board and one chief executive. It will be accountable to the Minister for Health and will be operationally independent. But it will not be remote from people and will have plenty of input from staff and the public around the country."
The reforms will also see changes in the recruitment of hospital consultants and controlling drug costs with the Government paying for a generic drug when one is available and changing the way pharmacists are paid for drugs under the Drugs Payment Scheme.
Senator Dardis stresses that reform does not mean job loses. "No health board staff or other public servants need fear for their job because of these changes. There are no plans for public service redundancies."
