Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has today announced the publication of the HSE Capital Plan for 2023.
The plan “reiterates the Government’s commitment to investing in our health service”, according to a statement from the Department of Health. “This plan will support the delivery of strategic reform and a move towards better care in the community and builds on measures required due to Covid-19.”
The health capital funding available in 2023 for the construction and equipping of healthcare facilities is €967 million, with a further €50 million provided for capital infrastructure resulting from Covid-19 actions and an additional €10 million from income generated in 2022, totalling €1.027 billion.
The overarching vision and long-term policy direction for Ireland’s healthcare system is the achievement of universal healthcare set out in the Programme for Government and as reflected in Ministerial priorities for 2023.
According to the Department: “This investment will enable the HSE to progress Government priority projects, including the completion of the New Children’s Hospital, advancement of the National Maternity Hospital, progressing Sláintecare initiatives to bring about the delivery of care closer to home, maintaining investment in minor capital initiatives, the delivery of the equipment and ambulance replacement programmes and to progress the Infrastructure and Decarbonisation Strategy and implementation roadmap in partnership with Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.”
This Capital Plan includes investment to “facilitate reorienting the model of care” away from acute hospitals and towards primary and community settings and “addressing capacity and infrastructural deficits that exist in the health and social care services”, stated the Department.
Minister Donnelly said: “I am delighted to approve the HSE Capital Plan 2023. This is a plan that demonstrates the Government’s commitment to investing in Ireland’s healthcare infrastructure and to support the move towards universal healthcare.”
“The projects in this plan are focused on the delivery of a quality health and social care service across the country within the context of climate action. This plan continues to progress the construction of new builds, the replacement and upgrade of ageing infrastructure and a continuing focus on providing healthcare in the community.”
The Capital Plan provides for the spending of €1.027 billion on health capital projects across the country in 2023 and includes:
- New Children’s Hospital
- Acute hospital projects including additional capacity, critical care capacity and maternity services
- Investment in infrastructure and facilities at designated cancer centres to optimise cancer prevention, treatment, education and research
- Primary Care Programme includes the building and equipping of centres across the country
- Programme for community nursing units includes refurbishment to HIQA standard throughout the country
- Mental health facilities including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services units and acute mental health units across the country
- Accommodation for Enhanced Community Care
- Investment in trauma and rehabilitation projects
- Investment in equipment replacement and infrastructural risk
- Investment in climate action and sustainability projects
- Replacement ambulance programme and ambulance bases renovation
In line with the Public Spending Code all capital development proposals must progress through a number of approval stages. The final decision to proceed with the construction of a given project cannot be made until the tender process has been completed and the costings reviewed to ensure that the proposal remains affordable and delivers value for money. A copy of the 2023 Capital Plan is available here – https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/publications/capital-plan-2023.pdf
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