Enjoyed the podcast. The consensus reached at the end that the governing parties should take the opportunity to put more funding into health and housing appears the right course. However, while you flag the caveat of the “capacity” to deliver constraint in respect of housing, is not the same issue just as relevant in health? What I mean is that more funding without restructuring - and specifically addressing the lack of capacity in terms of both front-line health workers on the one hand and hospital infrastructure on the other, makes no sense. We are training and then losing far too many Doctors and Nurses – who either go abroad or into different professions, because of pay and conditions (and the conditions part is a major factor it seems). This simply has to be sorted urgently and now is surely the time for government and HSE leadership to act.
It's not completely true but I've heard lots of HSE insiders say we could double the health budget and still see no increase in positive health outcomes, such are the inefficiencies, such is the ability of the system to simply absorb cash. That speaks to your point about the need for better management, organisation and cost control. Structural reform is obviously necessary but requires deep thinking, superb management and a long-term perspective. In fairness to the Irish health system, it is important to point out that Ireland is far from the only country grappling with these issues. But simply bunging cash alongside short-term fixes is not the answer.
Leadership and top class management are key - and momentum can be built quickly with clever actions. I am only looking from a distance, but what is going on in An Post seems really encouraging.
Enjoyed the podcast. The consensus reached at the end that the governing parties should take the opportunity to put more funding into health and housing appears the right course. However, while you flag the caveat of the “capacity” to deliver constraint in respect of housing, is not the same issue just as relevant in health? What I mean is that more funding without restructuring - and specifically addressing the lack of capacity in terms of both front-line health workers on the one hand and hospital infrastructure on the other, makes no sense. We are training and then losing far too many Doctors and Nurses – who either go abroad or into different professions, because of pay and conditions (and the conditions part is a major factor it seems). This simply has to be sorted urgently and now is surely the time for government and HSE leadership to act.
It's not completely true but I've heard lots of HSE insiders say we could double the health budget and still see no increase in positive health outcomes, such are the inefficiencies, such is the ability of the system to simply absorb cash. That speaks to your point about the need for better management, organisation and cost control. Structural reform is obviously necessary but requires deep thinking, superb management and a long-term perspective. In fairness to the Irish health system, it is important to point out that Ireland is far from the only country grappling with these issues. But simply bunging cash alongside short-term fixes is not the answer.
Leadership and top class management are key - and momentum can be built quickly with clever actions. I am only looking from a distance, but what is going on in An Post seems really encouraging.
I should have said David McRedmond
Yes David Redmond seems to be doing a good job. Great to see.