The HSE has published the 2023 National Service Plan following approval by the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly.
The National Service Plan (NSP2023) outlines the health and social care services to be provided this year. The Government has allocated a budget of €21.124bn for this purpose, which is 5.7 per cent above last year’s starting budget.
It includes an additional:
- €240.2m investment in new service developments.
- €564.5m once-off funding for Covid-19 costs.
- €899.2m to fund the increased costs of providing the existing level of service to cover non-pay inflation and national pay awards.
A statement from the Department of Health said the aims of the NSP2023 are to build further on hospital and community services’ capacity, improve access to services (including women’s healthcare and mental health services) enhance prevention and early intervention work, take forward the work of the Waiting List Task Force and implement improvements in the security and resilience of critical national infrastructure.
CEO of the HSE Bernard Gloster said, “this €21.1 billion revenue budget is an enormous investment by the State. We will use it to continue to improve access both to community and acute hospital services, and to reduce waiting times, waiting lists and emergency department congestion.”
“We take our direction from the priorities set by the Minister for us which are several, but at the top of the agenda are access and urgent care improvements. Improving access and service for everyone who needs our support must be our sole motivation and a responsibility we take seriously each day.”
Read the 2023 National Service Plan here.
Source: Irish Medical Times
