Mattie McGrath
Question:296. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health to investigate the matters outlined in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22936/16]
View answerWednesday, 20 July 2016
Questions (296)
Written answers
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 23 non-acute agencies and 16 voluntary acute hospitals currently within the HSE Employment Control Framework.
Section 38 agencies have played a very important role in the development of our health and social care services. Some agencies delivering services under Section 38 arrangements are amongst the very best we have in terms of the quality of care provided and the systems of governance employed. However, there is a requirement for all such agencies to continually review their governance processes in order to ensure these are sufficiently robust.
The HSE has a Governance Framework in place which incorporates national standardised documentation, and guidance documents, that enables the HSE to contractually underpin the grant-funding provided to all voluntary and non-statutory Service Providers. This Framework seeks to ensure the standard and consistent application of good governance principles, which are robust and effective, to ensure that both the HSE and the Providers meet their respective obligations. It is reviewed and updated as required.
The HSE established a Compliance Unit in late 2014 to strengthen the system of oversight for Section 38 and 39 Providers. A key element of this oversight are the Service Arrangements Part 1 & Part 2, which underpin the HSE's relationship with the Service Providers and in this context, a comprehensive review of the SA documentation (Parts 1 and 2) was conducted in 2014/2015 to further strengthen the governance with Providers. This review involved input from all relevant internal stakeholders and also an extensive engagement took place with representative bodies from the voluntary sector. This has resulted in a strengthening of oversight arrangements for these agencies.
Service Arrangements with agencies under Section 38 and 39 of the Health Act involves 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.
I have no plans to amend the Health Act to change the current arrangements. The HSE will review all Section 38 Providers during the period 2016-2018. These reviews involve an examination of key governance processes and documents, including obtaining confirmation that there are internal financial controls and that formal financial procedures are in place in these organisations. Six of these reviews are currently underway. The outcomes of the reviews will both inform the HSE’s relationship with the agency concerned and any further enhancement of the HSE’s overall governance framework.