New captain, change of course

News that Universal Health Insurance could now be a three-term project for Government surely removes considerable impetus from the flagship project. Gary Culliton examines early moves by the new Minister for Health that have signalled a strategic shift in policy. No appointments are to be made to the key Healthcare Commissioning Agency (HCA) — a key building block for Universal Health Insurance (UHI) — until the HSE is abolished, it has emerged. And the HSE should remain in place at least until new Hospital Groups and the ‘money follows the patient’ funding model have “bedded down”, according to the Minister…