Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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2136. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to implement financial corporate systems to improve accountability and ensure funds can follow patient activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19946/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The need to improve financial systems in place across our health system is well recognised. The Health Service Executive is currently undertaking the rollout of a Single Integrated Financial and Procurement Management System (IFMS) which will enhance the financial reporting underpinning operational performance against strategic objectives. Its development is one of the HSE’s key non-clinical priorities.

By mid-April 2024 it is anticipated that the IFMS will cover 90% of the public health system, with roll-out prioritised by areas of significant expenditure. However, following this, work will continue to deploy the system. It is expected that by February 2028 coverage will rise to 99%.

Enhancing governance and accountability in the health and social care service is also integral to the overall Sláintecare reform programme. The Sláintecare Citizen Care Masterplan aims to inform policy decision-making around equitable allocation of resources of all types and will include a population-based health needs assessment and segmentation exercises as well as a population-based resource allocation (PBRA) funding model.

Allocating resources according to a population’s health and social care needs will enable more integrated, equitable care that can be more clearly linked to health outcomes and reducing health inequalities, and to value-for-money assessment. It will allow for the "money to follow the patient".

In addition, the Programme for Government 2020 commits to bringing forward detailed proposals on six Regional Health Areas to enable delivery of local services for patients that are safe, effective, and fairly distributed. Work on this will incorporate outputs of the Citizen Care Masterplan and aligns with the Sláintecare objective of population-based service planning and resource allocation for improved corporate and financial accountability.