Events

Date: 06/09/2012

On 6th September, Ambrose McLoughlin, Secretary-General, Department of Health delivered a briefing entitled “Reform in our Health System.” 27 ACESA members attended the meeting, held in a Dublin hotel.

Key Discussion Points

The clear need for health reform was outlined, with a suggestion that the challenges are of a scale that raises questions about sustainability. Ambrose outlined the key aims of  the health reform programme, which should help to deliver on the overall objective of the  health service – to improve the health and wellbeing of people of Ireland – by keeping  people healthy, providing the healthcare people need, delivering high quality services  and getting best value from health system resources.

Health Reform will involve structural reform and reform of health agencies, and Ambrose outlined the next steps for the programme. In an interesting challenge, he posed the question ‘what can ACESA do to enable public service reform?’ Among his suggestions were the following:

• From a health perspective, all Agencies need to accept their part of the

Responsibility to improve health and wellbeing

• Good governance is essential

• Leadership, confidence and trust are critical.

• There is a need to reframe the debate around needs of citizens.

• It is important to foster effective communication and strong relationships among Agencies.

• The use of collaboration as source of innovation and buy-in and to remove barriers to outcomes is critical.

It was concluded after the meeting that ACESA could include such reflections in its own wider analysis of the opportunities and barriers in delivering public services effectively and efficiently, and brief relevant Departments and officials.  A view was expressed that the political obstacles that will confront the health reform proposals will be formidable. It would be useful to reflect further in the light of experience.