Top medical professionals have stressed the importance of scale in making all-Ireland healthcare viable.
Speaking at an event hosted by Sinn Féin in South Belfast last Thursday, former Health and Social Care Board CEO John Compton said "clinicians and medical experts" could make swifter progress on cross-border co-operation if politicians kept out of the discussion.
He said progress had been made in all-Ireland health collaboration, especially in relation to child heart surgery - though Mr Compton recalled that initiative, introduced by a DUP minister, had met much opposition.
"We can do much more," he said, urging an end to "silos" in healthcare across the island. "And the all-Ireland piece can be the biggest silo of all, especially of people living in border areas."
The former health chief who has been active in the Southern healthcare system now for almost a decade said the goal was to "maximise the potential of both systems "on the island. A combined all-island population of seven million provided the critical mass needed to provide an efficient health service while the North of Ireland with just two million people was a challenge to providers. "The size of the population matters and two million is too small," he said adding that aging populations and a shortage of staff would compel the two systems to work more closely.
Suggesting the North-South Ministerial Council was the best vehicle to introduce more cross-border collaboration, Mr Compton suggested the governments should appoint someone to drive a culture of collaboration forward which was founded "on data".
"Remove the politics if you wish to make progress," he added.
Also taking part in the forum in the Malone Lodge Hotel were Waterford TD David Cullinane, who is Sinn Féin spokesperson on health in the Dáil, South Belfast MLA Deirdre Hargey, former British Medical Association head Dr Tom Black and Paula Leonard, Chief Executive of Alcohol Forum Ireland.
