Reacting to a report published today by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), the Health Service Executive (HSE) said it was implementing a series of reforms to meet the increasing demand for services.
The ESRI report said Ireland had a very low ratio of GPs per 100,000 of the population compared to most western European countries, which could result in a shortage of GPs in the State by 2021, unless training places are increased dramatically.
The HSE said the ERSI's findings were consistent with the strategies being pursued by the service’s Transformation Programme (2007-2010) to deliver an integrated health service.
“With the integrated health service patients will spend increasingly less time in hospital and more time being cared for in their communities or in their own homes,” it said.
The HSE added that more health care professionals were able to work together in teams across hospital and community services, as a result of recent organisational changes and the introduction of the Clinical Care and Quality Directorate and Clinical Directors.
“The integrated health service will make more effective use of resources with patients more likely to receive the care they need in the right location provided by the right professional and experience fewer delays in accessing services”.
Older people's charity Age Action today called for healthcare planners to act on findings by the ESRI.
While the report looks at the changes between now and 2021, the lack of community-based services for older people, such as adequate home care and home help provision, is already causing considerable difficulties for older people, Age Action spokesman Eamon Timmins said.
“It is important that the report's findings are carefully considered by those charged with planning for the effective delivery of our health care services,” he added.