Press release
Delivering Universal Healthcare: 23 developments in health in 2023
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
We’re moving closer to universal healthcare, where targeted investment in 2023 has delivered significant progress in terms of capacity and increased access to quality, affordable healthcare.
In 2023 our health service has treated many more patients:
And we’ve reached the target of a 10% reduction in the number of patients exceeding the 10/12 week waiting time.
1,250 hospital consultants have signed the new Public only Consultant Contract introduced in March 2023. This will help deliver more care in the evenings and weekends.
500,000 more people became eligible for free GP Care in 2023. All 6- & 7-year-olds and everyone who earns up to the median income qualify for GP Visit Cards.
Public hospital in-patient charges for adults were abolished in April – saving patients up to €800 per year.
In September publicly funded Assisted Human Reproduction treatment including IVF was made available for the first time in Ireland. Up to 3,000 couples per year will avail of the service through their GP and six regional fertility clinics.
Since 2020 we’ve added 25,239 more healthcare workers, including:
21.5 million home care hours will be provided in 2023 and this is expected to rise to 22 million hours in 2024.
The free contraception scheme was extended throughout 2023 and is available to all women aged 17 – 30. Over 170,000 women have availed of it. It will be expanded to women aged 31 on 1 January 2024.
Ireland is one of the first countries in the world to set 2040 as when we can eliminate cervical cancer – meaning babies born today can reach adulthood where this cancer is gone. The Laura Brennan HPV Vaccine Catch-Up Programme was also expanded during 2023 - offering free HPV vaccines to young women and men who missed out in school.
We’ve banned the sale of vaping products to those under the age of 18. Further restrictions on vaping and smoking will be implemented in 2024. We also launched a public consultation on possible further restrictions.
17 maternity hospitals now provide full termination of pregnancy services – an increase of five this year. The final two maternity units will offer full services in 2024.
The Health (Termination of Pregnancy ToP) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023 passed all stages in the Dáil and Second Stage in the Seanad in 2023. This represents a significant step forward in ensuring safe access to services with dignity and privacy.
€814,000 funding for local authorities and NGOs to buy period products and no-cost vending machines, for use in public offices, buildings and facilities launched in November.
Additional 662 student places provided in the Higher Education Sector on health-related courses in this academic year, including 200 student places across Nursing and Midwifery and Therapy professions in Northern Ireland.
Government approved going to tender for the new National Maternity Hospital at Elm Park. Work also got underway on clearing the site with four services at the site to be moved to other areas.
2023 saw the announcement of the development of six new ‘Surgical Hubs’. These hubs – in Dublin, Cork, Waterford, Limerick and Galway - will have an impact on day-case waiting lists in advance of the development of regional elective hospitals.
Model of Care for Dementia launched in May 2023 with €4.9 million in government funding.
In December €20 million in funding was announced for new medicines in 2024. This funding is in addition to the record almost €3 billion being spent this year on medicines. 36 medicines were approved in 2023, including 15 new medicines. A further 21 existing medicines were approved for new uses.
€10 million in funding to address orthodontics treatment waiting lists this year.
12,009 people have been treated for problem drug use in 2023 up from 10,769 in 2021.
HSPA platform launched in June 2023 to improve accountability and transparency of the health service.
In October €2.7 million was allocated to establish a National Office for Genetics and Genomics.
In 2023 a further €1 million in additional funding has been allocated to further support home Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) testing.