Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 May 2019
207. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which a chain of command exists throughout the HSE with particular reference to the degree to which specific responsibilities rest with particular sectors or individuals, such as the maintenance of the highest possible standards at mortuaries nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21147/19]
View answerThe Performance and Accountability Framework (PAF) sets out how the HSE, in particular the Hospital Group CEO’s, Community Healthcare Organisations (CHO) Chief Officers, the Director of the National Ambulance Service (NAS), the head of the Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) and heads of other national services are held to account for their performance in relation to the four equally important domains of the Balanced Scorecard which are Access to services, the Quality and Safety of those services, doing this within the Financial Resources available and effectively harnessing the efforts of the workforce.
The HSE are currently operating the 2018 PAF, however with the impending legislation to formally establish new Governance structures in the HSE including a new Board, further new governance arrangements will be required. It is expected that current performance and accountability systems will be reviewed and strengthened following the enactment of the HSE Governance Bill. The current Accountability Structures that operate in the HSE are as follows:
1. Service Managers and the CEOs of Section 38 and 39 agencies to the Hospital Group CEOs and CHO Chief Officers.
2. Hospital Group CEOs, CHO Chief Officers, the Head of PCRS and Heads of other national services to the National Directors Acute Services Operations and Performance, Community Services Operations and Performance and National Services
3. National Directors Acute Services Operations and Performance, Community Services Operations and Performance and National Services to the Deputy Director General Operations
4. The Deputy Director General Operations to the Director General
5. The Director General to the Directorate
6. The Directorate to the Minister
