I propose to take Questions Nos. 961, 993 and 994 together.
As a step toward achieving this goal, new governance arrangements will be made in regard to the HSE and these transitional arrangements will be given effect to by legislation which will be advanced as a priority. The transitional legislation will abolish the Board of the HSE and will replace the Board structure with a directorate structure. There will also be strengthened accountability arrangements for the HSE.
New administrative arrangements will be put in place in tandem with the proposed new legal structures. Under the new arrangements, seven key service areas will be the subject of a directorship — Hospital Care, Primary Care, Mental Health, Children and Family Services, Social Care, Public Health and Corporate/Shared Services. The new structure will provide clarity as regards the delivery of the relevant services under the responsibility of the Directors and greater financial transparency and accountability in assessing those services. The Directorate team will be tasked with running the health services and preparing for the transformation required in the move to UHI. The transitional arrangements constitute a step in the process of transformation which will, over time, see the HSE ceasing to exist, as the health reform programme advances.
