Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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253. To ask the Minister for Health the progress to date in the regionalisation of the HSE with a view to improving its efficiency, continuity of services and greater sensitivity to the needs of the general population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51220/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Sláintecare Implementation Strategy contains a series of actions to improve the governance, accountability and effectiveness of the health service. This includes a commitment to establish an independent Board for the HSE and to reconfigure the HSE to improve accountability and support integrated care. Legislation to establish a Board for the HSE is currently before the Oireachtas and I intend to establish the Board once the legislation has been passed. As you know, Ciarán Devane has been announced as Chair-designate of the new Board.

The task of identifying the optimal set of health structures including national and regional bodies, and the most appropriate governance, accountability and performance framework for the future health system will be an important stream of work under the Sláintecare programme of reforms. As set out in the Implementation Strategy, I am committed to the development of a new system of health structures comprising a leaner national centre with responsibility for national planning, strategy and standard setting, complemented by regional integrated care organisations with responsibility for the planning and delivery of services at a regional level.

As the Deputy is aware, hospital groups and community healthcare organisations (CHOs) have been in place for a number of years, and have responsibility for the planning and delivery of care in their catchment areas. However, these entities have been operating on an administrative basis only, and the geographies of the Groups and CHOs are not aligned. As a first step in this work progamme, my Department has undertaken a public consultation regarding the geographical alignment of Hospital Groups and CHOs. I hope to bring proposals to Government on this shortly. In parallel, proposals are being developed in relation to the reconfiguration of health service structures, including the development of regional integrated care organisations. This will include consideration of the respective roles and responsibilities of the Department of Health, HSE national centre and new regional bodies. I expect to bring detailed proposals to Government in late 2019.