Just seven years ago, in 2000, the allocation for health was approaching €3.5 billion. By 2007, using the same comparison, the figure was significantly in excess of €14bn (a little more than half the budget was for pay).From €3.5bn to €14bn in SEVEN years. Whoa. A 46% rise in the numbers employed by the health service and a 300% rise in the budget. Where has all the money gone?
In 2000, about 91,000 people were employed in the health service. In 2007, just about 133,000 people were employed between the HSE and the Department of Health.
Finlay then says that we're still not spending enough, but give me a break. We have a much younger population than most EU countries. We have the smallest proportion of population aged 50 or more in the EU. Our health spending should be lower than in other EU states.
Finlay looks back at the history of the health service and points out that the centralization program begun in 1970 might be part of the problem. I'm sympathetic to this point of view. However, in order to reverse this situation the central government would have to be willing to cede control over both the operation of the health services and the funding of such services.
Local taxes should pay for local services. Towns, counties, regions can work together where the population is too thinly spread to allow for a "centre of excellence" in whatever area of health provision.
