THE BOARD of the Health Service Executive is to meet today to consider internal tensions that have emerged over the filling of a senior management position, as well as the organisation’s deteriorating financial position.
Serious divisions between the chief executive of the Health Service Executive, Prof Brendan Drumm, and the board of the organisation over the appointment of a new national director of operations were said to be continuing last night.
The Irish Times reported last Saturday that the issue centred on whether responsibility for making this appointment rested with the chief executive or the board.
Informed sources said the HSE board had devolved responsibility for making this and other senior appointments to Prof Drumm, but that it could ultimately revoke this responsibility if it was unhappy with the recommended candidate. It is understood the board is anxious to have a say in who gets the post of national director of operations.
Prof Drumm was a member of the interview panel for the post.
The board of the HSE held an emergency meeting last week to consider the issue.
However, sources said the impasse remains.
The post of national director of operations is one of the key elements of the planned reforms in the HSE’s internal structures.
It is understood that a senior executive currently with the HSE and a person from outside the country were among the main candidates for the position.
An HSE spokesman said last night that it would be inappropriate to comment on the issue in advance of the board meeting.
The board is also expected to consider the HSE’s financial position at its meeting today.
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