Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 133: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the discussions she has had regarding the proposals by the Health Service Executive to devolve decision making to regional levels; if decisions have been made on the nature and number of these regions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32166/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I have had ongoing discussions with the Chairperson and CEO of the Health Service Executive (HSE) regarding its plans to introduce revised management structures at both national and regional level in order to improve the delivery of health and personal social services. The overall result of these changes will be:

better integration of primary, community and hospital care for the benefit of patients and to optimise the efficient use of resources;

more clinical involvement in the design and management of patient services;

more local responsibility and authority within defined national parameters through the establishment of service delivery areas.

The proposed new regional structures will not be autonomous entities and will operate in line with the organisation's national strategic direction, standards, operational policies, budgets and employment controls. An Implementation Team led by the HSE'S National Director of Human Resources has been established to oversee the process. While the number of service delivery areas, and their boundaries, has yet to be finalised, the clear intention is that area directors will have operational responsibility and authority to deliver all hospital and community care services, and personal and social services, in their specific geographical areas within their budgets and employment allocations. This approach will strengthen and simplify area governance. It will also ensure more efficient and responsive delivery of local services and facilitate more local responsibility, authority and decision making within defined national parameters.