Mr. Robert Watt:

The previous board was an oversight board. The board that Mr. Reid and I have established is an implementation board. We are focusing on driving the implementation. We have adopted an approach based on my experience inside and outside the Civil Service. I have been working for almost 30 years. Although he does not look like it, Mr. Reid has even more experience of change than I have. Based on my experience, this board that we have established, which is an implementation board, provides us with a mechanism to drive these changes. We will review it with the Minister during the year and if it is not working, we will change it. We have tried to allocate responsible officers from both the HSE and the Department of Health to the large projects. They and their teams are driving the change. They are responsible to Mr. Reid and me, as co-chairs of the board. Mr. Reid and I are accountable to the Government for the implementation. We have established that board, which is an implementation board rather than an oversight board.

There have been debates about the extent to which an external challenge will be involved in this. The Minister has set up a regional health areas advisory group, which has a large number of external people. We are open to considering whether some other oversight or external function could help. For the time being, we are happy with the structure and we think it is working. We will review it and if people are concerned about the pace or failings of implementation, then Mr. Reid and I will address that, or the Minister and Government will address it.