Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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109. To ask the Minister for Health if he will review the outsourcing of health services to non-governmental organisations in view of an issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20997/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Voluntary/non-statutory service providers have a long history of providing health and personal social services in Ireland. These organisations vary in scale and complexity, ranging from large acute hospitals to local community based organisations providing social care services. Funding provided to agencies for the provision of services under Section 38 of the Health Act 2004 relates to 24 non-acute agencies and 16 voluntary acute hospitals currently within the HSE Employment Control Framework. Grants to the other voluntary agencies are covered under the provisions of Section 39 of the Act. In 2015, over €3.7 billion of the HSE’s total expenditure related to services provided by all agencies on behalf of the HSE.

This arrangement is not outsourcing, but rather the purchase of health and social services from agencies in accordance with strict criteria set out in governance documents and outlined in the National Financial Regulation, NFR- 31 Grants to Outside Agencies and detailed in a comprehensive operational manual. The National Standard Governance Documentation, operating procedures, guides and process control forms are maintained on the HSE’s intranet site. Both the Governance Documentation and the operating procedures detail the requirements for performance review, including submission and review of financial Health Service Executive Code of Governance statements and periodic performance review meetings with agencies, with the frequency based on a number of criteria including the amount of funding and previous compliance history.