Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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844. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update further to the review of the organisation of community-based services and its recommendations; the progress that has been made; and the timeframe envisaged to meet all of the recommendations. [30848/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Community Healthcare Organisations (CHOs) Report, which was launched by the HSE in October 2014, sets out plans for a comprehensive reorganisation of health services outside the acute hospital system. The primary focus is to provide the maximum proportion of care to people in the communities where they live and to achieve joined-up, integrated services.

A programme management and governance infrastructure for the implementation of the recommendations of the report was put in place in December 2014. In January 2015, seven Chief Officers were assigned and assumed delegated responsibility for their CHO. The two remaining Chief Officer positions were filled in September 2015.

A National CHO Implementation Steering Group within the HSE is overseeing a three-year programme of work to fully establish the CHOs and the models of care delivery which they will enable.

A key task which is currently being addressed is the establishment of the full management team in each CHO, in order to ensure appropriate leadership and integrated delivery of services in line with national policy.