Interim healthcare reform approved

THE GOVERNMENT has approved legislation to provide for new structures to run the health service on an interim basis.

The new transitional measures will remain in place pending the abolition of the Health Service Executive and the introduction of a universal health insurance system. Under the heads of a Bill approved by the Cabinet, the current HSE board structure will be scrapped and a new directorate system for running the health service will be established.

The legislation will transfer responsibility for spending from the HSE chief executive to a new director general, and the responsibility for the “vote” will return to the Department of Health.

There will also be six other directors under the new structures, who will be responsible for hospitals, primary care, mental health, social care, health, and wellbeing and children.

Asked what would happen to HSE chief executive Cathal Magee and if he would have a role into the future, Minister for Health James Reilly said: “These posts are going to be advertised internally within the health family and all people can apply and I’m not going to pre-empt the outcome of that but everybody will be entitled to apply.”

The Minster signalled the HSE could be finally abolished towards the end of the year, following the establishment of a new integrated care agency. This move is likely to require further legislation.

The legislation approved by Cabinet yesterday will also give greater power to the Minister to ensure that the priorities of the HSE, while it remains in place, reflect Government priorities.

The department said the approval by Cabinet of the heads of the Bill marked “an important part of the process of radical reform of the health services as planned by this Government”.

“The intention is to put in place a system of universal health insurance ending the current ‘two-tier’ system and ensuring access for patients on the basis of need rather than means.”

The department said that in anticipation of the changes, the HSE would recruit the national directors to head up the structures.

Speaking yesterday Dr Reilly said he wanted the legislation to be brought before the Dáil in July and passed before the summer break. “This is very important, it’s about getting rid of the old structure at the top of the HSE . . .”

The new directorate system “will give us very clear sight of where the budgets are and where the money is being spent”.