Sign up now for ease of access to The Medical Independent, Ireland’s most frequently published medical newspaper, delivering award-winning news and investigative reporting.
Established in 2010, along with its sister publication The Medical Independent, our stated aim is to investigate and analyse the major issues affecting healthcare and the medical profession in Ireland. The Medical Independent has won a number of awards for its investigative journalism, and its stories are frequently picked up by national digital, broadcast and print media. The Medical Independent is published by GreenCross Publishing.
Address: Top Floor, 111 Rathmines Road Lr, Dublin 6
Tel: 353 (01) 441 0024
GreenCross Publishing is owned by Graham Cooke.
On 22 June, Assistant Secretary at the Finance and Evaluation Division in the Department of Health, Mr Colm Desmond, wrote to the Head of the Healthcare Pricing Office, Ms Maureen Cronin, about the future plans for ABF, such as the model to fund outpatient activity.
According to Mr Desmond, the “embedding and extension” of ABF remained a priority objective for the Department.
Although Mr Desmond wrote that some of the underlying policy context had changed since the introduction of ABF, he added that the reference in the Sláintecare Report to the need for the expansion and extension of the funding model was “indicative of the commitment to the long-term implementation of ABF”.
“In order to ensure progress continues to be made in the embedding and extension of ABF, including progress on the collection of outpatient data, it is important that a new activity-based funding implementation plan is developed without delay,” according to the letter seen by MI through Freedom of Information legislation.
Mr Desmond stated that the new plan should encompass: Extension of ABF to further hospitals; future plans for a pricing model for outpatient activity; and the phasing-out of transition arrangements.
He said he would consult with the HSE’s Chief Financial Officer Mr Stephen Mulvany to discuss any operational issues arising.
“The System Financing and Value Unit will continue to support the HSE in advancing this shared objective to the next stage,” added the letter.
ABF is an approach that sees providers funded in line with the activity they undertake. The first ABF implementation plan covered 2015 to 2017.
Implementation of ABF represents a significant change from the previous block grant allocation model, which was unable to link funding with activity and led to criticism of the health service’s inability to stay within its budget.
New GPs should be prepared for the practicalities and business aspects of running a practice, according...
There was almost a three-fold increase in the number of new post applications made to the.
The ICGP is examining alternative pathways for entry into general practice training as part of efforts...
In December, the HSE released part of an external review into the case of 'Brandon', a...
The evidence on doctor burnout “should scare us and concern us”, the Director of the RCSI...
A review of public health governance structures and addressing “longstanding” IT infrastructure...
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.