Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 February 2024
558. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health for an update on the new proposed HSE taskforce to target savings and productivity; who the members of the taskforce will be; if independent members will be included; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6079/24]
View answerThe Department of Health’s Productivity and Savings Taskforce's Steering Group met for the first time in mid-January. It was agreed at this meeting, in line with the Taskforce's terms of reference, that the Taskforce would initially focus on:
- Increasing productivity in the HSE.
- Realising savings
Also as outlined in the terms of reference, the Taskforce's Steering Group will propose an initial work programme, with clear timelines, to the Minister for Health by end of February 2024.
As per the Taskforce's terms of reference, the Taskforce Steering Group will be jointly chaired by the Secretary General of the D/Health and the Chief Executive Officer of the HSE and will include the HSE's Chief Financial Officer, Assistant Secretary D/Health (Finance), and others as the Minister deems appropriate. Currently the steering group consists of a number of Assistant Secretaries from D/Health and a number of Chief Officers from the HSE. There are no independent members on the steering group at this time.
The establishment of the Department of Health’s Productivity and Savings Taskforce is a recognition that despite the unprecedented growth in health services provision in the last three years, the health service faces considerable pressures, both demographic and inflationary. To address these pressures, the Taskforce will aim to maximise productivity and identify and realise savings across the health services with the ultimate intention of maximising existing funding and providing as many services as possible to patients, while meeting the needs of a growing and ageing population.
