Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 178: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her Department has carried out an efficiency savings analysis with a view to cutting out unnecessary costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30230/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Secretary General of my Department chairs a High Level Value for Money Group which consists of representatives from the HSE, HIQA and the Department of Finance. The role of this group is to oversee and promote initiatives in the area of value for money/cost effectiveness in the health services. Whilst there are many ongoing internal Departmental reviews which impinge on Value for Money, the most recent major dedicated VFM reviews of the health service undertaken involving my Department are the following:

Allocation and Utilisation of funding in certain Acute Hospitals (Southern Hospitals Group)

This Review is being conducted in the Southern Hospitals Group (Cork, Kerry) and is due for completion by the end of December, 2007

Review of the efficiency and effectiveness of Long Stay Residential Care for Adults in Mental Health Services

This Review is due for completion by the end of December, 2008. A project team has been appointed to undertake the review.

Review of the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme

This Review was due for completion by December 2007 but was completed early and the review report was approved by the Secretary General on 7 June, 2007. The Office of the Minister for Children is tasked with implementing the recommendations of the report.

These three reviews are under the aegis of the Department of Finance Value for Money Policy Review initiative.

There is a Department of Health and Children Management Advisory Sub-Committee on Internal Financial Controls and VFM. The purpose of this Sub-Committee is to review the operation of the Department's internal control environment and to make recommendations where improvements or remedial actions are considered necessary on an ongoing basis. The Sub-Committee will also review those reports in the series 'Improving Performance' Public Service Case Studies, undertaken by the Comptroller and Auditor General, which concern the health sector. The Sub-Committee will evaluate the CAG recommendations as regards any implications either for the Department itself or for the wider health service. There have also been a number of internal efficiency reviews undertaken within the Department itself in relation to the Department's own internal administrative procedures and processes.