HSE to reform with four regional health boards

The Health Service Executive (HSE) is set to make significant changes to its organisational structure, in a bid to move away from a centralised system and bring decision-making and financial autonomy to regional boards.

Four regional teams will be created, who will each manage health issues in their own areas and report back to HSE headquarters. An integrated services directorate will also be appointed to oversee hospitals and community services in each region. The regional boards will be set targets on which government funding would be set.

The HSE hopes that the introduction of the new system will help to bring decision-making closer to the point of where services are delivered. The new shake-up also includes the abolishment of the board of elected and nominated members, who were often seen to be responsible for hospitals having to close down a service.

The new regional teams are expected to be up and running by next January.