Healthcare in the Republic of Ireland

The HSE is responsible for providing health and personal social services to everyone living in Ireland.

Health care in Ireland is delivered through public and private healthcare. The public health care system is governed by the Health Act 2004,^[1] which established a new body to be responsible for providing health and personal social services to everyone living in Ireland – the Health Service Executive. The HSE national health service officially began on 1 January 2005. A large scale reform program called Sláintecare has been in progress since 2020 aiming to transition to a universal single-tier health and social care system. Alongside the publicly funded HSE there is a large private healthcare system funded through optional health insurance and direct payment models.

In 2019 Ireland spent €3,513 per capita on health, close to the European Union average,^[2]^[3] of this spending approximately 79% was government expenditure.^[4] In 2017 spending was the seventh highest in the OECD: $5,500 per head.^[5]

Overcrowding has been an issue at hospitals in Ireland, with over 118,000 patients having to wait for a bed in 2019.^[6]

^ "Health Act 2004". Irish Statute Book. Office of the Attorney General. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
^ "Ireland: Country Health Profile 2021". OECD. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
^ Henry, Mark (2021). In Fact An Optimist's Guide to Ireland at 100. Dublin: Gill Books. pp. 50–53. ISBN 978-0-7171-9039-3. OCLC 1276861968.
^ "GHO | By theme". Who.int. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
^ "Health care in Ireland leaves much to be desired". The Economist. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
^ Meskill, Tommy (2 January 2020). "2019 worst year ever for hospital overcrowding - INMO". RTE News. Retrieved 18 April 2020.

[1] "Health Act 2004". Irish Statute Book. Office of the Attorney General. Retrieved 5 October 2010.

[2] "Ireland: Country Health Profile 2021". OECD. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2022.

[3] Henry, Mark (2021). In Fact An Optimist's Guide to Ireland at 100. Dublin: Gill Books. pp. 50–53. ISBN 978-0-7171-9039-3. OCLC 1276861968.

[4] "GHO | By theme". Who.int. Retrieved 27 March 2017.

[The_Economist-5] "Health care in Ireland leaves much to be desired". The Economist. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2019.

[2019worst-6] Meskill, Tommy (2 January 2020). "2019 worst year ever for hospital overcrowding - INMO". RTE News. Retrieved 18 April 2020.

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