Vol. 572 No. 2
72 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of committees that have been established to progress the health care reform package; the categories of people sitting on these committees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22544/03]
The health reform programme was announced on 18 June 2003. It represents the most ambitious programme of reform for any part of the public sector for over 30 years. The programme's priority focus is improved patient care, better value for taxpayers' money and improved health care management.
The reform programme has drawn on the conclusions and recommendations of the two reports, the Commission on Financial Management and Control Systems in the Health Service and the Audit of Structures and Functions in the Heath System, which were also published on the same day.
The new structure set out in this reform programme will provide a clear national focus on service delivery and executive management. It will achieve this through reduced fragmentation and the creation of clear and unambiguous accountability throughout the system.
As an immediate priority, the Government has decided to put in place robust structures to manage implementation of the reform programme. A programme plan has been developed to map out the details of implementation for this large-scale and wide-ranging reform in a system which itself could not be more challenging in scope, scale and complexity.
During phase one of this plan, due to be completed by year end, 13 action projects have been established to take forward specific aspects of the programme. They are formed by staff with the required competencies from the Department of Health and Children, the health boards, the Department of Finance, the Health Services National Partnership Forum and, in selected cases, voluntary and specialist agencies.
Other aspects of the programme will be advanced in other ways involving the core staff of my Department, through the interim structures to be established shortly or through existing committees and task forces already established. I expect to be in a position to revert to Government shortly in relation to the appointment of a chairperson and board of the interim Health Service Executive.
Change of this scale must draw on the experience and expertise of all those working in the system. It requires detailed planning and the support of key system stakeholders who must be involved in that planning if this programme is to be a success.
