Health Secretary General: Difficult decisions remain

on 20/09/2012 13:27:06

The Secretary General of the Department of Health says very difficult decisions on managing budgets and delivering services remain over the next two years.

Doctor Ambrose McLoughlin has been answering questions before the Oireachtas Health Committee for the first time today.

He says new services can only be delivered if savings are made - and he's denied inaction oncutting the cost of drugs or recovering money from health insurers.

McLoughlin is also calling for health staff to embrace the changes needed: "We are working with all of the professions to achieve more cost-effective prescribing and more cost-effective dispensing.

"We are asking all of the excellent staff that are working for the HSE to come on this journey with the Department of Health so we can achieve both value for patients along with quality."