Health has long been flagged as a major campaign issue in the run-up to the election and with the public-health system failing to deliver an adequate service, the political parties have been careful to highlight health reform in their appeals to the voters.
Primary health care features prominently in all the party manifestos. Fine Gael wants to extend free GP services to the lowest-paid 60 per cent of the population; Labour proposes free GP care for all; Fianna Fáil promises an extra 200,000 people will be covered by medical cards and the PDs say they will actively promote more services at primary-care level but will not give free GP access to people who can afford to pay for it.
One of the major health issues to surface during the campaign, is the availability of full cancer treatment services within the regions. Not surprisingly, the political parties have responded. The PDs are committed to establishing regional cancer centres so that patients do not have to travel long distances for radiotherapy treatment.
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The Labour Party has said it will develop regional cancer-care centres and has promised to provide the first one in the south-east. Fianna Fáil, in its Health Strategy document, has pledged to agree cancer services at local, regional and national level by the end of 2003. Meanwhile, Fine Gael has emphasised cancer prevention and says the party will "increase the number of beds in different care settings to meet key shortages".
The parties are also making individual commitments. Fine Gael promises a Health Ombudsman to oversee the rights of patients and a Surgeon General to overcome vested interests. Labour has pledged a full review of mental-health services and a system of universal health insurance. The PDs say they will review the long-term illness scheme - under which people with chronic illnesses receive free medication - and highlight the need to improve childhood vaccination rates. Fianna Fáil promises that senior doctors will be available in accident and emergency units at all times and a set of national quality protocols for the health service.
When it comes to May 17th, many voters will be influenced by local health issues. Who can guarantee a better ambulance service for our town? Which party is likely to ensure that full cancer treatment is available within a reasonable distance? But they should not take their eye off the bigger picture; which party, or combination of parties, will reduce health inequalities so that every citizen has equal access to a fair, responsive and first-class health system.